Julie Powell from "Julie & Julia" dies at 49

[nothingcontroversial]

So, I know that Julie Powell was a food blogger and an author of two memoirs before she and Julia Child became the subjects of Nora Ephron's movie "Julie & Julia."

Anyway, she tweeted that she was sick with covid in September, and then in October she tweeted about being ill again (some reports said that her husband came down with the flu in October, and then she got sick again.)  On October 25, she tweeted that she had a black tongue, but her doctor wasn't concerned. On October 26, she died of cardiac arrest. 

www.npr.org/2022/11/02/1133549340/julie-powell-food-writer-julia-child-dies

So, now of course there is a lot of speculation on the internet about the cause of her death.

She unfortunately tweeted something about a year ago that didn't age well about unvaccinated people who died of Covid. (She was vaccinated herself.)

I was sad to read on her Twitter feed about a month ago that her father was deteriorating and that her brother, her only sibling, had asked her to prepare to travel from New York to Texas to help with caretaking duties. How sad and stressful for her family. 

[devonpow]

She’s a good friend of my sisters, so I knew this a few days ago/before it was announced to the press. I don’t think speculating on her cause of death is helpful. It’a a big loss for a lot of people.

[Bad Dingo]

I follow someone on Twitter who points out all of the young(ish) healthy people that have been dying from heart attacks, stroke, etc. after having covid.

[wise_rita]

Black tongue?!

[basilosaurus]

Nov 3, 2022 4:56:06 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Black tongue?!

A lot of things can cause it, and it's generally harmless and easily cleared up. I could have been a side effect of medication, bacteria, food...

[AJL]

I didn't realize that she graduated from my high school. Someone on our alumni page posted about it.

Long COVID is a scary beast. I had COVID in July and I have some strange post-infection symptoms that are listed as long covid symptoms. It's scary to think that cardiac problems are a potential threat.

[beerlover]

I just watched this movie when I had Covid in September, probably right around when she did. So sad

[Bad Dingo]

www.cedars-sinai.org/newsroom/covid-19-surges-linked-to-spike-in-heart-attacks/


fortune.com/2022/10/06/strokes-heart-attacks-sudden-death-america-long-term-risks-catching-covid-carolyn-barber/

[Michelle]

All the cardiologists in our hospital are doing a great job of refraining from saying, "I told you so." I have presentations I shared from July 2020 by Texas Med Center leading cardiologists on the fact that covid attacks your heart, kidney, and brain on top of lungs, and that the heart damage is going to be significant to the greater population.

I feel horrible for Julie Powell and her family. She was trying to do all the right things and it didn't matter.

It's also very scary for me personally to read this as someone who is 47 and experienced AFIB twice in the last 15 months.

[bugandbibs]

It's tragic.

I will admit to my frustration as a medical professional that we are seeing so many long term side effects and new health conditions (likely) related to previous covid infections and it's really hard to have helpful conversations with the public about it.

[boiler717]

It’s very sad. Personally I’m still taking aspirin after having covid in September because of concerns about heart attack and stroke. Hearing this stories confirms it’s the right choice and we should be doing more education on the risk and benefits of this.

[curbsideprophet]

Nov 3, 2022 10:55:41 GMT -5 Michelle said:

All the cardiologists in our hospital are doing a great job of refraining from saying, "I told you so." I have presentations I shared from July 2020 by Texas Med Center leading cardiologists on the fact that covid attacks your heart, kidney, and brain on top of lungs, and that the heart damage is going to be significant to the greater population.

I feel horrible for Julie Powell and her family. She was trying to do all the right things and it didn't matter.

It's also very scary for me personally to read this as someone who is 47 and experienced AFIB twice in the last 15 months.

Maybe the cardiologists need to be speaking up more. Of course, it feels like no one is listening or willing to do anything about this problem, so it might not matter anyway. It is very scary and frustrating.

There needs to be a standard of care post Covid to monitor and check for issues and there currently is none.

[okla]

In the past month, I have seen my PCP for an annual checkup, an ENT, and an allergist. Not one of them asked me if I have had COVID. I was kind of shocked, figured it would be good for at least my PCP to be aware of.

[tiki]

This feels close to home as I'm also in my 40s and suddenly developed a heart issue this year. After never having a reason to see a cardiologist in my life, I now have a procedure scheduled for December to hopefully reduce my lifetime risk of stroke. It's hard not to wonder if COVID played a role.

[jlt19]

Nov 3, 2022 16:17:03 GMT -5 okla said:

In the past month, I have seen my PCP for an annual checkup, an ENT, and an allergist. Not one of them asked me if I have had COVID. I was kind of shocked, figured it would be good for at least my PCP to be aware of.

My dad was dx with lung cancer in August. Between then and last week, I’ve been with him to his PCP for the dx, ENT (his voice is half gone due to a cyst on his voicebox?), and the surgeon many times. He had a full lobe removed. Not one asked about Covid or pressured him to get the new booster. I would think that, along with the flu and pneumonia vaccines would be pretty important right about now, but they were all afterthoughts.

[lilac05]

Nov 3, 2022 17:07:32 GMT -5 tiki said:

This feels close to home as I'm also in my 40s and suddenly developed a heart issue this year. After never having a reason to see a cardiologist in my life, I now have a procedure scheduled for December to hopefully reduce my lifetime risk of stroke. It's hard not to wonder if COVID played a role.

I’m beginning to wonder if I’m having an issue or if it’s just stress/anxiety from everything happening in my life at the moment. I’m curious what symptoms led you to find this? I’m going to call my doctor regardless, but I’m not having any serious/acute issues, and I’m worried they’ll just say it’s nothing and it’ll be a waste of my time and money. You can PM me.

[karinothing]

Nov 3, 2022 4:56:06 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Black tongue?!

You can get from taking too much pepto. Something that could occur if someone thought they were having indigestion and were actually having signs of a heart attack  

This is very sad. She wasn't old at all. 

[nothingcontroversial]

Nov 3, 2022 20:07:28 GMT -5 jlt19 said:

Nov 3, 2022 16:17:03 GMT -5 okla said:

 Not one asked about Covid or pressured him to get the new booster. I would think that, along with the flu and pneumonia vaccines would be pretty important right about now, but they were all afterthoughts.

Is it possible that your PCP doesn't have the new booster in stock, and that's why they didn't ask?

The hospital system that is associated with my PCP sent me an email telling me that it's important to get the new booster, but also that I should reach out to a pharmacy (they named a bunch of pharmacy chains as a suggestion) in order to get it. 

Also, maybe the info was already in their computer system about your dad's vaccine and Covid history. I have to fill out a bunch of stuff online before I visit my PCP, which I do a few times each year as follow up visits for a prescription. 

[nothingcontroversial]

My uncle died of sudden cardiac arrest in 2001 about a week after he "recovered" from the flu. 

[nothingcontroversial]

Nov 3, 2022 16:00:25 GMT -5 curbsideprophet said:

Nov 3, 2022 10:55:41 GMT -5 Michelle said:

 

There needs to be a standard of care post Covid to monitor and check for issues and there currently is none.

How would they get enough staff to do this? My husband had to wait for months to get a PCP appointment to get his blood pressure meds renewed for a full year. The PCP's office kept temporarily extending the prescription multiple times because they weren't able to get him in to their office for a visit. 

[Bad Dingo]

Nov 4, 2022 7:56:20 GMT -5 nothingcontroversial said:

Nov 3, 2022 16:00:25 GMT -5 curbsideprophet said:

There needs to be a standard of care post Covid to monitor and check for issues and there currently is none.

How would they get enough staff to do this? My husband had to wait for months to get a PCP appointment to get his blood pressure meds renewed for a full year. The PCP's office kept temporarily extending the prescription multiple times because they weren't able to get him in to their office for a visit. 

In theory, this is what insurance companies do to mitigate worse outcomes and save themselves money.  Unfortunately they are incredibly bad at it.  Example - financial incentives to PCPs to ask pertinent questions and run appropriate tests, encourage vaccinating etc.  As well as to pay for adequate visit times.

[Michelle]

Nov 3, 2022 16:00:25 GMT -5 curbsideprophet said:

Nov 3, 2022 10:55:41 GMT -5 Michelle said:

All the cardiologists in our hospital are doing a great job of refraining from saying, "I told you so." I have presentations I shared from July 2020 by Texas Med Center leading cardiologists on the fact that covid attacks your heart, kidney, and brain on top of lungs, and that the heart damage is going to be significant to the greater population.

I feel horrible for Julie Powell and her family. She was trying to do all the right things and it didn't matter.

It's also very scary for me personally to read this as someone who is 47 and experienced AFIB twice in the last 15 months.

Maybe the cardiologists need to be speaking up more. Of course, it feels like no one is listening or willing to do anything about this problem, so it might not matter anyway. It is very scary and frustrating.

There needs to be a standard of care post Covid to monitor and check for issues and there currently is none.

Without giving away where I work, we have a pretty nationally prominent cardiology program, and among their peers and the American Hospital Association they are definitely active and vocal. They are asked to present nationally constantly. And they are publishing findings constantly as well.

I'm starting to see more and more of this in the media. But it's not sexy, so a lot like other discussions, if you aren't looking for it, it may not be hitting your newsfeed.