Covid Risk for PALS

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Tobes61

New member
Joined
Oct 18, 2021
Messages
1
Reason
CALS
Diagnosis
01/2017
Country
US
State
VA
City
Arlington
Hi all,
I have not posted before, but my brother has, and we are very appreciative of this wonderful community. I am trying to understand what is known about the impact of Covid on PALS and what CALS are doing practically to limit risk. So far, I have found very little information. We are assuming my mother (the PALS) is at extremely high risk if she gets infected. My wife and I have always been very careful, but the Omicron spread seems pervasive. Even with extremely limited interaction only with people who are equally careful, my wife was recently closely exposed and is quarantining, and we are awaiting PCR testing (at home testing has been negative). A bit more detail about our PALS:

We moved my 87-year-old mother into our home in November from an assisted living center after it became apparent that she was not getting the care she needed. Her ALS has slowly progressed over 7 years, and her breathing, swallowing, and speaking are still pretty strong, and she is cognitively all present. She cannot move much of her body below the shoulders other than a finger or two. We have not had a recent respiratory assessment, but her cough is very weak. The move was extremely stressful but we are getting to our new normal. Thankfully, my mom is 1,000 times happier in our home, and is receiving the kind of care she deserves.

Any advice would be appreciated-- either about what is known regarding the impact of Covid on PALS, or steps to stay extra safe. The recent close Covid exposure has increased our already high level of anxiety. I searched before posting to try to find other threads on this, but didn't find anything, so sorry if I have missed the spot people are discussing this topic already.

Best regards to all and thanks in advance for any guidance...
 
I am sorry. This is frightening and stressful for everyone. I haven’t talked about covid with my clinic for a while but when I did they said that mostly their PALS did ok and the ones that died were mostly end stage disease. I think we all know that when aPALS breathing is badly compromised respiratory infections are dangerous. A cold killed my sister who was little more than 1/2 your mother’s age.

your mother’s age matters too. 80 yos don’t do well with covid as a group. It isn’t just comorbidities immune function wanes as we age.

how do you protect her? Vaccines and boosters for those around her and her. Good quality masks. Who you allow in and what limits the people around her can and will take are decisions everyone has to make. Ultimately unless you can create an absolute bubble which most can’t you can only try your best
 
I just got over omnicron and other than feeling like I had a cold, I had no issues. I've had all the vaccines including the booster. I'm still very mobile at 69 and been diagnosed for 6 months. Mine is diagnosed as bulbar. I was extremely careful, staying away and only going for necessities such as groceries. I wore an N95 mask and yet still got infected. I am a retired pharmacist and most medical articles I've read says the prediction of most heatlh officials is they 100% of the population will get omnicron because it transmits so easily.
The main key is getting all available vaccines and boosters. I have a friend who had no symptoms at all and yet tested positive for covid for a cruise ship. As I said, I felt like I had a cold which lasted about 4 days and then gone.
I wish your mother well and if she does start showing cold like symptoms, get in touch with her doctor.
 
My husband was positive for covid about 3 months ago. They gave him the antibodies and felt better within 3 hours. That was it. He did great! Now for some stupid reason they are not doing the antibodies any more. It’s because it worked. Same with ivermectin it works as well. Don’t worry about covid with als if you have a good doctor, if your doctor doesn’t give PALS antibodies he/she is not a good doctor and I would look for another one.
 
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