We drove to Columbia, SC, last Thursday, to get an ARCpoint Lab to get an antibody test for COVID-19. Because Hans had an exposure on March 11th when he went to work to someone who had tested positive for the nasal swab test, we thought that there was a good chance that he (or we) may have already had it. He had some fatigue and dizziness in the days after the exposure on March 11th but before he was notified by SWA on March 18th.
Due to new COVID-19 rules for doctors office and lab visits, we waited in the truck to be called and entered one at a time wearing our masks. The lab tech was also masked and gloved. The test consisted of a finger prick (painless) and then the blood was dotted onto a plastic tray that looked like a pregnancy test. Also like a pregnancy test, there was about a 10 minute wait for results.
Why would we wish that we had already had this awful virus? Well, if we had it already, in theory, we wouldn’t have to worry about getting it again any time soon because we would have acquired immunity. Although there are reports coming out of Korea that would indicate otherwise. Also, if we tested positive for the antibodies, we would have had a very mild case of it as seems to be the case for many people who contract it.
But most importantly, we would not have to worry about unknowingly spreading the Virus to other people. Although this is not a given, either.
Because this virus is so new and scientists haven’t had a chance to study it, there is just so much that isn’t yet known.
Also, it really isn’t clear how well these antibody tests work. According to the local health department in Laredo, TX, the antibody test they were briefly using “had a reliability of about 20%.” So, the $70 each we paid to ARCpoint may have been a glorious waste of money. Also, as you can see at the bottom of the page with the info about the test, it says that “this test has not been reviewed by the FDA.”
Going forward, we will assume we have not had it and will continue to take reasonable precautions such as washing our hands and using homemade hand sanitizer(I use vegetable glycerin instead of aloe vera) and wearing masks when we go in public to protect other people from us as I will continue to fly when we get back to Colorado.
I do believe that this virus will prompt many people to become more conscious and intentional about their health. We have been on our own health journey for many years now and health is something we are passionate about. I will write more about our health journey in future posts.
For now, thanks for reading and be safe, peaceful and well.
The street art was beautiful and everywhere. 
We booked a coffee experience with Leandro from Divino Cafe Especial. 
aking a snack break on our free Bogota tour and sampling the local fire water called chi-cha which tasted like cider, Kiersten observed.
One of the Colombian products I was most excited to try was the infamous “coca tea” from the leaves of the plant that they harvest cocaine from. It is supposed to be good for your heart and brain, promotes alertness and helps you combat altitude sickness. It wasn’t quite the jolt I expected, but it did seem to help with the altitude.
We didn’t just eat and drink our way through Bogota and then sit on our rears all weekend meditating in a Dr. Joe workshop. We hiked Monserrate which is the mountain that overlooks Bogota. It was a workout! 
But the breeze and the view at the top made it so worth the exertion. 
It was a beautiful view going up and the trip was wide and paved. We took the cable car down the mountain or we could have opted for the funicular railway.
Eileen opted for a poem in Spanish.
a local llama.
Nancy and Joe Clark with us in Tortilla Flat, AZ.
Nancy has a wonderful sense of humor!
We were so grateful for his kindness. He said he had never offered his place up to any one before so we felt very special.
Jerry and Linda’s beautiful yard in West Chicago. 
The Rigatos know how to have good time in their backyard.
Our dear friends Chris and TR let us camp on their beautiful acreage not far from Denver International Airport at the end of the summer. It was great access to work and family to take care of business and obligations of “real life” that eventually must be handled.
Chris feeding something horses near her 38 acres.
Brother Ben and kids.
Our most interesting place that we recently stayed in November was on a ranch called The Little Outfit Ranch outside of Patagonia. T
The Little Outfit Ranch.
Lots of interesting things on the Little Outfit Ranch.
Pete has all kinds of cool toys!
Old schoolhouse on Little Outfit Ranch.
He really is! 😁
The beautiful San Rafael Valley.
Hans making new friends at the Little outfit Ranch.
We even owe our paddle board and and canoe to the kindness of a stranger whom Hans met when he crashed a watercraft trade show at a convention in Oklahoma City. He struck up a conversation with a man who happened to be the designer of the Aquaglide products we went with.O
n the paddle board getting towed by Hans in the canoe.
We were about 40 minutes outside of Jackson, and we didn’t have any sort of cell signal where we were camped, but it was peaceful, and the 5 day limit that now applied to a lot of the dispersed camping areas around Jackson Hole and the Tetons National Park, didn’t seem to apply to this area as we stayed for 18 days because we attended a memorial for a friend in Chicago.
I wish there was nano-technology to shrink this all down and take it in my roller bag for work!
I think this was perhaps a messhall:
I love looking at the old nails and materials used to construct these buildings.
And it was a very peaceful place. The U.S. Forest Service has done a great job of preserving this beautiful place.
that he had referred to as a grasshopper. I didn’t see how this would fool any normal fish, but I decided the green caddis wasn’t doing it for them so I might as well try something new.
one of the last glaciers left on the planet.
The Traveling Taubs 