Side Trip to the ICU

Shortly after finishing the Erie Canal, I came down with Covid. Thankfully it was a mild case, and, while I'm grateful to have had a remedy, the Paxlovid antiviral was worse than the disease. By the end of the week, I had apparently drunk so much water trying to stay hydrated that my "electric lights" (aka electrolytes, as our babysitter used to say), had dropped dangerously low, resulting in a condition known as hyponatremia, a trip to the ICU, and two nights' stay at St. Joseph Hospital in Syracuse.

I was terribly depressed about having to spend the night in a strange hospital where we knew absolutely no one and Charles could not stay with me, but the ICU team could not have been nicer. The hospital was still under major Covid restrictions, but nurses kept me apprised of my rising sodium numbers and chatted with me throughout my stay. I felt I was among friends, if one can have friends in the ICU. The Great Loop was apparently entered on my chart, because each new medical professional I met asked about the journey, which was quite amusing. "So you're the one living on the boat," they would often say, and the conversation would begin. Who said New Yorkers aren't friendly!

After a night in the luxurious (by comparison) ICU, I was moved to the step-down unit on the floor for monitoring before discharge. The step-down unit's protocol for those who have had Covid in the last 10 days was to totally isolate them from all outside contact. My Covid status garnered a private room, which was nice, but also required everyone who entered my room to don hazmat suits, including Charles. We both got a laugh from that one. I could not leave the room but had to be content listening to books on tape and watching lots of TV. I kept thinking of all those who were hospitalized with Covid and unable to see their loved ones and how sad that must have been.

Discharge came on Day 2, and a follow-up four days later showed numbers back to normal, thankfully. We look forward to continuing our journey toward Canada but are taking it easy, one day at a time, and will stay in USA waters as long as possible before crossing Lake Ontario.

ICU Nurse and Kay

Charles in Covid Gown and Gear