Coronavirus

[lighter]

Just spoke with Uncle who said THIS virus is different in that it attacks the weaker cells in the body.

The others... SWINE etc attached and attacked the stronger immune cells, which is why children were so hard hit by them and not the new one.

Uncle said 60% of our population will get this flu. 

He's sent masks to friends in China and said they're on lockdown and can go outside 2 X a week to shop... only one member of the family at a time allowed to go.
. 
I heard this virus doesn't attach to dust and hang in the air like some viruses can.  Uncle said viruses thrive in dry air....that's why cooler months are when flu season begins.  He said virus fall or get transferred to hard surfaces and die HE THINKS in about 6 hours.  On soft surfaces they just fall in and aren't a factor.   They don't live and grow.  They have 2 coatings and alcohol goes through the first one which means it can't be transferred, even if it still tests positive. 

Now, Uncle listens to the news... all of the outlets.   Retired.  Curious.  Studies things that interest him.   These things are what he's discerned after boiling down the info he has. 

He said that Italy has the problem they do bc the Chinese are present there, which is different than when I was there last 27 years ago.  I guess business interests, etc. 

He said we have millions of tests being manufactured now in the US,  but we should all behave as though we're infected,  just to be safe. 

Yesterday my Aunt was saying they weren't concerned, wouldn't be stocking up on TP/food then  today I call and they're in the car with three cases of TP, lots of food and the knowledge one of their healthcare workers tested positive and is staying in his home.

They get their shingles, pneumonia, and flu shots at Walgreens, along with their meds, which they picked up today.

I'm curious to hear more about how the Chinese are doing and what their actual experience is.

Lighter

[lighter]

We have a pending COVID-19 dx at a local college... where I purchase my grass fed beef bones.

 An Atlanta friend just texted her husband is in hospital waiting for second test results after first COVID-19 test came by negative.  The CDC will let them know and she'll contact me this weekend to update.

[lighter]

Atlanta friend finally calls today.

Going to give the short version here.

Her husband dx'd with COPD in January.  He started running a fever last week and they couldn't keep it down so doc sent to emergency room.  Husband was shaking very badly when they arrived and nurse told them they had 2 indicators(fever and pneumonia I think) to be treated with coronavirus protocol, which isn't what they went to hospital for in first place.  They were given a choice to stay, and be quarantined... I mean... my friend had to pee for 7 hours in the emergency room and she wasn't allowed to access a bathroom.  She thinks there were little gray vessels she was supposed to use... in the open?  She wasn't sure and didn't want to find out.  Husband was admitted and friend given a chance to leave or be quarantined IN the room.  She chose to go into the room where the nurses didn't provide food for her... only husband.  She couldn't go to vending machines or cafe and nurses brought her nothing.  The second day she ordered food delivered to the nurse's station from Jimmy Johns. 

The first test the hospital did was in house, and came back negative.   When the hospital called CDC they CDC said they needed another test.... one they did themselves.  So, that was Thursday and they were just released today without those test results as CDC is buried and just now sending tests out to other sources.  Friend has to remain in quarantine for 2 weeks OR until test results come back negative.

There seems to be cracks in protocol as friend went home before being locked into hospital room with her dh.  She plans to follow the quarantine but she's in a good position to do that.  She'll do banking online and has lots of food in house, but.... I have the feeling she might go out for one particular thing and we're pretty sure there's NOT going to be a positive.  Those with positives will be free to go out, get on flights, etc which isn't the end of the world.  It just extends the time it'll take to reverse and stop infection.

The hospital seemed to be running about the same as normal, in her opinion.

[lighter]

Call just came in from school.... as of Monday all schools closed for 2 week period.   No instrctions on what we'll do for that period of time. 

[Hopalong]

Asymptomatic transmission may be driving the whole thing:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/14/health/coronavirus-asymptomatic-spread/index.html

[Twoapenny]

Asymptomatic transmission may be driving the whole thing:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/14/health/coronavirus-asymptomatic-spread/index.html

And that's a huge problem, isn't it, a healthy person might not show signs straight away (of any condition) and a person with any other kind of illness or difficulty may catch it and be much more severely affected.  I know people who have long term conditions and they have to be so careful all the time, simply because healthier people don't need to manage the risks to the same extent.  I'm keeping son out of college for the next two weeks and then they're on Easter break anyway - at least if I'm with him I know exactly who he's been around and I can keep making him wash his hands. xx

[sKePTiKal]

There are things that aren't adding up for me, lighter. I'm still pretty emotional (for the moment) about this mess -- but it's the OTHER things besides the virus, the various public reactions of some people, the machinations behind the scenes, the entrenched business models (JIT inventory for instance; meaning stores only have 3 days worth on hand - even when demand isn't excessive), and the geo-political-economic things (which I've made a study of the last 10 years).

Plus - not EVERY FEVER is going to actually be the virus. Buck pretty much runs at 100.9 or greater because of the infection - which they're not treating while they address "potential" cases of virus. They don't want him anywhere near an ER right now either.

Meanwhile, I swear we're all becoming hypochrondriacs and imagining symptoms... based on the theory of suggestive hysteria. I know my symptoms are allergy & sinus related. It was sunny and 70 here a few days ago and I woke up to snow this morning; it'll go up to 50 later on today. But I have a runny nose as a result. That is CONTRAindicated with coronavirus.

Take a country full of people. Upend their normal routines... leaving them with nothing to do but watch tv or other media all. day. long. Encourage people to self-isolate to avoid the contracting the virus. Some incredible % of the population takes an Rx for mood/emotional management... or self-medicates. What happens when they run out and the pharmacy doesn't have any - because the components of many of those drugs comes from China. There is already a disruption in the supply chain trickling down... and China's threat to with hold those exports in the future, since they are blaming the US for starting this. SIGH.

And this is why I'm throwing myself into work in my bathroom. It gives me that "flow" where I'm not exactly thinking; I'm just paying attention to what I'm doing; deciding my process; making it so. When I'm done with that - then it's on to seed starting - and there's ALWAYS house cleaning. Here and in the studio.

[lighter]

I'm with you and Tupp, Amber. 

House cleaning is a good thing right now.  Our weather is glorious... I picked tons of weeds.

Our neighborhood message board is up and running with people offering help to neighbors.

One immune-compromised mother of 4 will be on the list of those needing help. The elderly who need meds, food, etc.  I have to tell you... that was a huge component for my comfort level.   To see those in need access available help and that help coming from all of us.

On my short street there are 4 homes with elderly people and 2 with younger people.  One elderly couple just got back from Ohio Hospice that shut it's doors to visitors... leaving a very elderly father there.  We still haven't had any identified cases in our part of the State.  Ohio has identified cases and poor Charlotte was pumping gas there, eating in restaurants and in that hospice with visitors up till 2 days ago.

I'll drop food at doorsteps, and leave meds for neighbors. I can imagine everyone taking turns dropping food for people who need help, but I'm not feeling like visiting much.  It calms me a good deal to

A neighbor... she's a pediatrician, walked through the yard yesterday with her husband.  They just returned from Hawaii.  She said the H airport was like Saigon... every one trying to leave at once.  Getting on planes from California that were almost empty when they arrived.  She's needed at work and had to get back, otherwise would have loved to stay in H for a month or two extra.

Sometimes I feel like everything's going to be OK. Sometimes I feel like things are going to get critical bc our leadership is deranged. 

::shaking that out of my head right now::. 

Everyone needs to help their neighbors get through this.

Lighter


 



 

[Hopalong]

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief.
I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

--Wendell Berry

[lighter]

I don't know why, but I'm feeling very anxious around my niece and her bf being stuck on the island... well.... it's bc my BIL wants his child home, in Toronto.... even though she has to fly through many Int'l aiports, which seems unlikely since niece fled regular airport the other day..... freaked out at the gate.  What is it that he fears EXACTLY?

IF they can get her on a plane... if they can...if if if.... it's going around and around. Very upsetting, bc I don't see what BIL sees or feels.  My gut told me niece would be safe on the island, where no cases have been identified.... and the boy can fish and gather food...... but then.... what if the island stops getting food deliveries?

What if if if if...... 


When they flew in yesterday.... niece to the island.... nobody said anything about a closing of the borders with no one in or out.  The pilot or the people working the airports.... no one.

They went North shopping today and NO ONE SAID ANYTHING.

How in the world do the NOT give tourists a heads up, for Pete's sake?  Renter said it's bc Nassau has it's first case, but I read another island had a case... 62 yo lady who hasn't traveled which means someone else gave it to her... I guess?

::reading Hop's poem::.

Beautiful but it made me weepy.   

I'm hearing nothing about getting niece off island today or if there's truly a travel ban going into affect. 

Lighter
 

[Hopalong]

Those anxiety waves are hard...I hear you.

I think what people are suffering from most is the unknowing and the unknown.

I find peace in what Berry says.

There is peace in reality. In nature. Our small humble place in things.
In a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiig picture beyond our comprehension.

When I think of that, doing what I can and releasing what I can't, I feel better.

hugs
Hops

[lighter]

Ya... I picked weeds until dark and felt better rolling around in the moss. 
The airline said the  Bahamas flights are running on time.... running all week.  No whisper of a shutdown, so... what was my renter babbling about?  WHAT was all that bulding racket in the background and WHY did he tell me that.

::calling renter again::.

Lighter

[lighter]

Today dd's school gave out 125 chromebooks and connected homes without internet to internet so all kids can partici8pate in online classes. 

Water and power companies will reconnect homes who lost services for non payment and not turn off services for non payment going forward.  This is such good news.

 

[lighter]

 Renter said island schools canceled for 14 days.  The fast ferry and all Spring break gatherings shut down, which was what the renter was breaking down.... all the spring break party stuff on the resort beach.  Ummm.... where IN THERE is the island closing down?  Nowhere.  Honestly, renter sounded quite drunk.

Niece will (likely) have no problem leaving island on the 21st.

They have zero test kids so.... should all act like they have the virus and be very careful.

Lighter


 

[Hopalong]

Well, my voluntary self-isolation has reached a full week. Most of my peers are just starting to take it seriously. So I've had some nice calls but it hasn't set in with everyone. We now have two cases in our smallish city. Both believed to be from travel exposure, so community spread hasn't yet kicked in. Everything's cancelled or closed.

This morning for the first time I noticed that although I'm calm, a bit of depression is creeping in around the edges. That takes me straight to my hibernation/avoidance behavior, which is as unproductive as ever. So I know what I need to be fighting.

I read an article on procrastination which said that people afflicted aren't avoiding the task itself, whatever it is is usually not THAT unpleasant. They are avoiding negative emotions they experience during the task.

I want to chew on that for a while. I know the numbing and escaping (sun's out, I could be walking Pooch) is avoidance. So I need to woman up and figure out what the emotions are that have essentially paralyzed me in pushing toward my dreams. (Writing, serene home.)

M, meanwhile, is busy writing up a storm and literally energized by the unusual experience of working without distraction.

Hmmm.

Hugs
Hops