#1

Saw this on the news today.
I will guess most here will know of medications to help these conditions.
If not, there are many good threads about medicines, therapies, tests etc for cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s issues on this forum.
No clue what medications these 2 people were taking.
Except I did see Betsy was taking thyroid medicine.

However, I wanted to share this post about the condition she died from due to hantavirus.
As I could not find standard medical treatment for this virus.
It was said Betsy died a week before Gene.
Some possible ideas for therapies.
Ribavirin (apologies about the preview being messed up)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016635420700438X

Chloroquine, an Anti-Malaria Drug as Effective Prevention for Hantavirus Infections

So it might be an idea for people to have various types of medications at home for emergency situations.
I am sure most on this forum are already using various products to avoid these issues or have stuff on hand for worst case scenarios.
I’ve heard of stories of people (usually living alone) who die, or come close to death from some complication due to not going to the hospital in time. While trying to beat the illness, usually without any help (naturally).
Which might be the case here with Betsy, not sure though.

What do any of you keep for emergencies?
Some ideas to have 1 anti viral product, 1 anti biotic, 1 nsaid, multi vitamin & mineral, 1 herb extract are some ideas for people who don’t use medicines often. Or like to go to doctors or hospitals.
Some medications are said to be still effective to a large degree after the so called best before dates.

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#2

DMSO is hands down best for burns, don’t argue if you haven’t tried it. This from a guy who has had burns. Also good for if you’re bleeding. In either case follow with triple antibiotic and bandage.

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#3

This is an extremely rare virus, I believe. So probably not something you need to worry about much. In the wikipedia article on this they say there are a few dozen cases in the USA per year…

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#4

Good call with those ideas.

Rare Indeed. I’m a paranoid person.
Was not trying to get people to worry about hantavirus so much, but also be prepared for things like pneumonia, covid, animal bites, or other things that can cause serious issues.
Have a few powerful well rounded products on hand that could possibly avoid a bad situation.

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#5

You’re not going to treat Hantavirus with any remedy you keep at home. Good luck but you’re going to
need all the medical support you can get and a lot of luck.

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#6

I’m a paranoid person as well and keep all kinds of medications, including antibiotics, at home, in my car, pack them when traveling.

Betty’s death is still suspicious imo because usually ppl of her age and lifestyle seek medical help on time. Why didn’t she address it with her doctor when the first signs appeared? And where would she come in contact with mice droppings? Did she clean the backyard shed herself? Difficult to imagine that knowing their networth.

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#7

It’s indeed a puzzle as this is a progressive condition, and the afflicted individual is not generally going to suddenly become incapacitated - it happens gradually. Good supportive care will get the majority through and mortality relates to not getting supportive care and having lots of comorbidities.

It’s pretty wild to get that sick gradually and not seek help. Sadly, I see individuals sit at home for days with progressive illnesses and then call an ambulance for something that 5 days ago would have been very simple to treat. So this does happen with some regularity, just not very often with affluent individuals.

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#8

Ok, I realize there is probably nothing that can keep me from ruminating about this, but because this group never ceases to amaze me with magical cures I didn’t know existed, I’ll share my trauma about this story.

All I can think about is their dog locked in a crate starving to death while being feet away from his beloved dead owner.

This happens to me when it comes to animals and never about anything else.

I’m sick about it and I’m sure everyone else is too, but I think most people can just move on and never think about it again. Each time I see a headline, I get very sad all over again because I’m too empathetic with what the dog endured.

I think it’s just how I’m wired and nothing is going to change, but if anyone had advice, by all means… I mean, I’m still traumatized by Rudolph’s parents out in the blizzard looking for him…

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#9

Medical support with doctors would be ideal. Appears to be no approved treatment for Hantavirus.
Having anti virals, or some type of medicine on hand might be a cheap option if someone is unable to get help for a few days (camping etc). Or for people who cannot afford professional care.

Glad to hear I am not alone as that type of person. That’s a good idea to be prepared in different places you are at!

Indeed it is wild. Sad to see people pass away from not seeking help.

Thanks for sharing your story. Did not mean to trigger anyone.

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#10

You definitely didn’t trigger me, but thank you. It’s all over and I was already in my head about it

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#11

Here’s Hackman looking pretty good two years ago.

I might even say he was doing pretty good from the longevity standpoint. If you make it to age 95 and you’re still alert and active after age 90, isn’t that a win?

Reclusive Gene Hackman, 93, looks fit as he pumps gas, performs yard work

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#12

Making it to 95, OK, but he died with severe AD and CVD:

Maybe he was in good shape at 93, but perhaps crashed in the last couple of years, so “making it” until 95 perhaps has to be qualified as “worth making it” until 93. That said, according to the NY Post article, he suffered extensive and severe heart problems requiring multiple operations, so I wonder about his QOL in the last decade of his life. I see this as yet another caution to make sure you get your CVD and brain health dialed in as soon as you can, if you want your last years to be of reasonable quality. YMMV.

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#13

I feel this :100::100::100:.

I can imagine a scenario where she sought traditional treatment, not much was offered.

Or hospitalization was suggested but she declined, worried about him if she was gone or left to be abruptly cared for by an expensive stranger.

And the poor dog.

So much sadness…

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#14

Yes very unusual - she was out running errands that day and then drops dead when she gets home. How did she have the energy to do all those errands?

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#15

Reports said she did clean it herself. It appears they really isolated themselves, having no help of any kind, no back up plan if Betsy did get sick, no one checking in. I think the guy who found them was maintenance for the entire neighborhood. Kids not close. YouTube has a touching video of him being interviewed on the Actors Studio and he’s asked about his dad, who one day just drove off forever and as he did gave a slight wave good bye to Gene, who was out playing. Gene started choking up and said it’s only been 65 years.

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#16

On this topic…

I have a family wordle where we post our scores each day, this also doubles as a way for us to know we are all ok.

In my other wordle chat, I have a friend who is single and has a dog, so I asked for the contact info of her neighbor. This way, if she should ever not post, I can have someone do a check.

Someone else, who lives alone and does not have an office job, just shared she found an app that has you check in daily, and if you don’t, it sends a message to your emergency contact to make sure they check on you. If anyone would like to know the name of the app, I’m more than happy to ask her.

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#17

Reports say that no traces of rodents were found in the house, therefore even if she did cleaning herself, she didn’t contract it in the house. Where did she get it? She didn’t go camping and didn’t sleep in a cabin. And I doubt that she cleaned by herself other structures (sheds?) on the property. It’s all very unusual. Wondering if they had a fireplace with a chimney. If so, bats sometimes like to nest there. Not sure if bats spread hantavirus, but they can spread klebsiella pneumonia which can also be deadly.

#18

I read it was the shed, but suppose no way of being sure. Maybe the investigators could tell it was swept out not long ago?

#19

Those are great ideas Beth. I live alone and have other friends who do. Between them and my family, although nothing specific set up, doubt it would be too long before suspicions arose. A few months back my neighbor rapped on my window and yelled Betsy this is a welfare check! I hadn’t put out my trash. Good to have neighbors near too, which they didn’t. What I need to work on is keeping my phone with me, I rarely use my cell and when broke my femur luckily it was outside where people heard my scream had I been in the house would have been up the creek as no way could I move.

#20

I am sure you know about it, but you have a great case for buying the Apple Watch. If you fall, it will call 911 for you! Genius!

And you can call 911 from your watch if neededon your house WiFi without paying for the cell plan. If I lived alone, that would be my first purchase.