Voicelessness and Emotional Survival > Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board
Coronavirus
Hopalong:
I've had a pretty daily hour focusing on what experts, and only experts, are saying. It's pandemic and will disrupt most people's lives. The biggest concern is not How Sick You'll Feel, but how MANY will be so sick that they overwhelm the medical system.
So in a sense, preventive self-isolation (a privilege for those who can manage it) is a gift to the HERD. Our local hospital is a regional trauma center, so it's not just about how many in our city get it, it's about how many at once. With trauma, advanced cancer and other patients coming here from many regional places...we can't afford to be too late responding.
I think preparing for this is different than I usually do for an announced hurricane or whatever. So...I've stocked up more than ever before. Not crazy, but not minimal. I have the 2 gals of sanitizer etc. But also ordered several weeks' worth of frozen vegs and stocked up on rice, canned beans, soups and sardines, etc. Got flour so I can make bread. Have a huge jar of pea protein. Ordered refills and picked up my regular Rx so they're good for two months.
M and I have started a voluntary self-isolation period. We'll avoid all errands possible. I've ordered what I'll need mostly from Amazon and a local grocery delivers.
Mainly this is because he's 73 and I'll be 70 next month and neither of us is highly fit. I have cheesy lungs anyway so why? Told my T today that I also realize it's that I'm quite used to self-isolation as I do it routinely anyway! M's going to continue working on his book and I am going to try to face the domestic disorder demon, and write.
Our Univ. has already cancelled spring semester for anything other than online. They've told students not to come back after spring break and will house and feed those who can't leave, quarantined in dorms. They're not silly, they're scientists.
So though I don't feel panicked, I do feel concerned for what this will be like for folks without the comfort or safety of food income, reliable support, etc. I think I have a good chance of getting through, but people near me in this community may not. We're already mobilizing volunteers to take food to elderly etc.
I think panic and fear and anxiety are just kind of useless because we don't know how it will manifest completely. What we DO know should be enough to get folks to prepare as best they can and hunker down through the consequences.
I hope people will rediscover the pleasures of long phone calls, and reduce their focus on social media, which is poison. In terms of anxiety, it pours gasoline on embers. Even major media, I only want to check once a day. I'll pay attention but prefer Outlander at the mo!
Hugs to all, and safety,
Hops
Meh:
Right Hops, Agreed. Our Senator said he felt it was his patriotic duty to lower the risk for others and reduce the shock to the medical system with the first surge of illness.
20% is still a very large number of people especially if they all start to get sick at once, there is also some issue of liability
there is definitely too many recommendations flying around, I'm getting recommendations to my email from a communication group I was part of years ago (from people I don't know).... it's too much, it pissed me off.
there have been some interesting local things going on that aren't reported until days later in the news, we are trading stories of happenings on Facebook. A friend got a letter from their car service center that someone was sick at the center when they took their car to get fixed... stuff like that. I do appreciate people keeping me updated. It is overwhelming that every source imaginable is putting out info about it though. I'm tired of people talking about hand sanitizer and toilet paper. I say wipe with a wet tampon, scrape it off... whatever, make a homemade bidet with a water bottle.
All we know for sure is that this is ramping up.
(I like Outlander too Hops but I haven't watched the recent episodes!!)
It is interesting to watch the fallout of this:
Medical centers running on LEAN management systems with no extra capacity can't deal with a crisis.
Those in the low echelons of the service industry are important to society AND they sometimes need to call in sick.
OIL value controls our stock markets, our banks etc. Do we really want this type of financial vulnerability...
Should the Fed have more control over medications, pharm, insurance etc.
Anyhow this is flaming up the weaknesses in our infrastructure that people just wanted to ignore.
Sorry. I feel like saying anything about the topic is just adding more MORE.
lighter:
Hops:
It looks like we're (USA) not going to be as proactive as we could have been and I don't know where that's headed. Just that chances for containment are slipping through our fingers daily and the testing is fubar, a money grab (I heard $1,200.00 per test for uninsured folks) and not getting to health care providers.
And IF IT DID get into their hands.... what would be able to do about it? Once the Virus is out there.... it's out. We won't be able to chase patients down, bc we'll be busy deciding who gets access to ventilators.... like Italy.
I'm not catastrophizing... I'm paying attention to the scientists too, and the scientists seem pretty gobsmacked over our response, or non response.
It's likely the 3 teens in my house would be OK if they contracted the virus, bc they're not so much at risk.... older dd has situational asthma. Youngest has weak immune system. This boy thinks he has fibro myalgia and for sure has IBS dx. I had 2 really bad regular bouts of flu last 2 years. What could go wrong?
For some reason the government is demanding kids keep gathering in closed buildings... grade school, middle school and hs...... until the flu is in our community and our medical systems are overwhelmed. REALLY? We have to go there? For sure? It's in our State. It's in my sib's communities. It's here.
I've decided I'll go to the lake house IF things get really really bad. I assume brother and his kids might too. It's way out in the country. At some point, the kids are coming out of school.
And... I don't see this as "fear." I SEE a chance to be proactive and nip it in the bud. I see these chances slipping away daily. Stating that out loud isn't fear-mongering, it's just an unfortunate truth.
Oh, crap Trumps reading from the monitor now. No apology for saying this was all a hoax. I think he must have written it himself..... finger pointing...... It's Europes fault, and Trumps the hero in his own narrative. Of course. Friday midnight we're suspending travel to and from Europe... I think. Some exceptions... UK an exception?
Kids are still commanded to go to grade, middle and hs I assume and what would working parents with kids do if the schools closed? They're waving co payments for those with insurance.
OK..... the next appointment with my T we're working on reactivity around Trump's face.
Meh:
God going all the way to Canada for it! Gotta do what you gotta do. They are high risk though maybe they should advocate for time off?
Two people I know right now say they "have a cold". I'm pretty sure it's probably Covid19 considering the timing. Luckily I haven't been around them.
I am feeling a bit scared with the news trying to reiterate the positive, I understand why they are doing it but there are so many people who have "underlying conditions". A few days back while I was on a walk it hit me and I just started crying because I thought shit that is myself and many of the people I know. Our news here was first telling people it's less dangerous than the flu.... bogus.
Fact is a lot of people are on some level terrified. The situation is just compounded that it's slowly growing and the plan has been vague, no medicines etc.
Call me a wimp whatever I am frightened of this. I'm happy to wipe my butt with my hand if I must but I really don't want to get this virus. If it wasn't so cold I would probably go set up a tent for a few weeks just to get the hell away.
Hopalong:
You're not a wimp, ((((((G)))))).
You're feeling natural anxiety over a big unknown.
If you do the basics and avoid close contact you stand a great chance of NOT getting it.
Isolation is hard but I think people will come together even without coming together. Just with waves and asking folks what they need, setting up phone and email trees, all that.
But truly do limit your reliance on social media if people are spreading fear there.
FDR was right: What we have to fear is fear itself.
Big waves (mental hugs),
Hops
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