I may have done a stupid...

Currently I manage a kitchen in an assisted living community. It has put in place specific protocols consistent with the recommendations of the cms guidelines for handling and adopting guidelines for skilled nursing, memory care and ALFs with respect to this virus, including more stringent practices to ensure that sick staff are not bringing the virus in. My facility has had zero cases among its staff or residents thus far although the other similar facilities have been hit. The vet hospital has had about 12 confirmed cases and one death. Our policy requires entry only through the main entrance, Staff , guests, and residents are asked to sign a form with several questions including symptoms, travel arrangements etc and a med teck must take your temperature before you are allowed in the building and record it. If you leave the building, even for a break or to buy a donut, you go through the same system and I am scrupulous about obeying this protocal.

About four days ago, I fell and hurt my shoulder rather severally but I have not got it looked at, because doctors are swamped with the virus, and I don't want to risk the germs inside that urgent care or doctors office. I have just lived with the pain and lack of motion in my left arm. We are understandably short staffed, so the last thing I was going to do was call in because of shoulder (possible rotary cuff dislocation.)

Instead I pump myself with pain relief meds with anti-inflammatory properties . Well guess what. After making breakfast for 60 old folks, for the 5th day in a row, I went out to buy more aspirin. Popped them in right outside the door and waltzed in to discover I registered a fever of 101 when earlier in the morning it registered 97.7..

Oops. Never occurred to me that I might be masking a fever that I had instead of registering my health for the last two day and the list of questions does not include one that asks about over the counter med use. Well I am home, in pain and self quarantine until I can get my doctor to see me. I feel like an idiot. Its probably just the inflammation from the injury, as I have zero symptoms other than the aches and fever and a major brain-fart that I intend to use to educate about a giant hole in this system whenever I can.

We can't be taking pain relief medicine for not fever related reasons and thinking that thermometer is clearing us . Just dumb.

 

Say 5 hail marys and all will be forgiven.

 

I hope you feel better, we've had our back and forths but I would never want to see anyone get ill or worse. I also hope the doctor gives you a clean bill of health moving forward.

 

Best of luck to you man. I hope it's something simple and treatable.

 

Obviously we hope that you have dodged the metaphorical CoronaVirus bullet. But it is quite likely that your body's physical damage from the shoulder injury is sufficient to have given you the fever. As for having done a foolish thing, it's a non-issue if you learned from it, and you have. Best of luck to you.

 

my unselfish worry is that I may have unintentionally brought that virus into work. my selfish worry is that I won't get my shoulder xray, and
diagnosis for forever because i can't be seen for non emergent reasons without a test for corona which won't be given unless I spike way up. not to mention the loss of income sitting at home.
























.

 

Talk to your doctor about the anti-inflammatories, the French Health Minister said it makes Coronavirus symptoms worse. With all the fake news going around best to check with a health professional.

https://www.livescience.com/ibuprofen-coronavirus-symptoms.html

 

**** happens. The best you can do at this point is to try your best to get in and see the doctor. You should point out your position at work and the possibility that you have a fever. That might get you ion a little faster. Hope things turn out for the best. I have never had an injury that caused a fever but everyone is different. If you truly think you might have the virus don't take Ibuprofen. It makes it worse. So do steroid based medications.

 

Good luck old chap and rest that shoulder

Here is hoping it is just inflammation

 

Granny says if ya ain't scratched yer butt...

... or picked yer nose...

... don't worry `bout it.

 

It is easy to injure your rotator cuff during a fall especially if you used your arm to break that fall. Did you hit your head?

I would monitory your fever and contact your doctor and ask about the anti inflammatory options. They may suggest a cortisone shot.
I wish you well and let us know the outcome.

 

delete

 

Yep I had a rotary cuff tear and the fever did not reappear. They did not see a reason to even bother to test. I will return to work in two more days with light duty.

Thanks for the kind words of support.

 

Don't feel guilty!

It sounds like the onset of fever is often later than the infected and transmission possibility to others, so if you do have it, it may have already been done.

Just do what you can do. Get tested, which hopefully is getting available soon, so you know. Helpers like you are essential, either way way the results go, so you can work if you can and rest if you can't!