Well... it has been a while. That happens. I got so busy with living and working too much. My cancer journey became an afterthought for me although there are some days I am reminded of it. When I get those random reminders, I often process a blog post in my head but... never actually typed those words. Then coronavirus (COVID-19) happened. I am stuck in my own home not able to travel nor work out in the field. This gave me a luxury of time to blog again for now....
There has been a lot of talk about how individuals who are immunocompromised are considered high-risk if exposed to COVID-19. My sweet, dear husband has been really worried about me. I insist that I am not immunocompromised. I continued to accept assignments outside the home last week and this week.... I figured that those might be the last jobs I will see for weeks to come so I was willing to take them. What does that mean for me? Am I risking myself? Am I risking others? It is hard for me to figure out because there continue to be many unknowns. Most of them were medical interpreting jobs. I figured people still needed access. I took a lot of precautions: washing hands, not touching my face, and using hand sanitizer every five minutes at medical facilities.
My husband's comment "you ARE immunocompromised!" kept on ringing in my head. I have been in remission for almost five years. My health has been good since then except for developing asthma after moving to Minnesota. This danged frigid weather! This first winter was a pain. The second winter, which we haven't been done with yet, has been much better. I have not had any asthma attacks since the freezing temperatures in November. I actually feel really great those days.
Back to the original question: am I immunocompromised? I researched high and low but was unable to come across any clear answers. One website said that survivors of cancer may be immunocompromised depending on how long it has been since their treatments along. One medical website said that survivors who are not getting active treatments probably do not have the same level of risk of those receiving treatments. I was going to ask my doctor this question last Thursday but... she cancelled that appointment. Too bad HealthPartners charge $45 for each email question so I will refrain from asking.
Truth be told, I am still confused. For now, I will just stay home as much as I can. It does help that I actually like the husband.... and the three dogs that live in this house.
