More than 1,700 people died yesterday. Yes, that is the death toll for one day here in the USA. It seems that the "hardest and saddest week in most American's lives" is upon us. We have had 13,000 deaths from this thing and we have a long, long way to go before it is over. Worldwide, there have been more than 82,000 deaths. And the numbers just keep going up and up and up.
The great numbers of deaths globally and the contagious nature of the virus has caused religious funerary customs around the globe to be altered. Even here in the United States, mortuary services are overwhelmed and many parts of the country are having to get creative in their plans for funerals. It has gotten so bad in some places, that funeral homes simply have to turn families away.
Of the more than 4,700 deaths in New York, 61% of those were men. Yet in 83% of all of the cases of death (men and women),the victims had many underlying conditions. Those conditions were the following:
- The leading underlying illness was hypertension, which showed up in 55% of the deaths.
- Next was diabetes, which was diagnosed in 1,755 deaths, or about 37% of the cases.
- Other top illnesses found in those who died from coronavirus were hyperlipidemia; coronary artery disease; renal disease and dementia.
Meanwhile, President Trump seems to be losing it more and more each day. He has been consistently lashing out at reporters who ask valid questions that he can't or doesn't want to answer. He has been outright lying about many things during his briefings. One of the most outrageous was that his administration inherited faulty COVID 19 test kits (Huh? No one knew the virus existed until this administration). Trump is spreading so much misinformation that there has been talks of not airing or limiting the live daily coverage. He is now passing the buck and blaming the his administration's lack of preparedness on the World Health Organization -- which he is now threatening to defund.
Interestingly enough, it has been revealed that the president has a financial interest in Sanofi, the company that makes the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine that the president keeps pushing as a possible cure. Of course he does.
Politics aside, I've had several more friends check in and let me know what they are thinking or what is going on in their world.
"My mother had a massive stroke in November," Jenny, my friend and former co-worker from The Fresno Bee said. "She doesn't understand what is going on. There is no visiting now. I worry daily that she doesn't understand why we aren't visiting and think we have abandoned her. It's so sad."
My friend Kevin in Massachusetts made an observation recently.
"I have noticed in obituaries of people who have died from corona, how they are fat men with beards or mustaches," Kevin said. "I know having facial hair causes those people to touch their face more - because they like to touch that hair. It becomes normal for them to do that. Also, who knows what kind of germs the hair catches on the beard or mustache. And it is so near the nose and mouth too. So shave and stay safe hairless. At least the hair on your head is further away and less dangerous, right?"
My mention of getting the beginnings of a sore throat yesterday---and the brief panic it caused me--also seems to have sparked Kevin's health fears.
"Last night, my bones started to ache and it was very uncomfortable sleeping," Kevin said. "But I had no fever, cough, or any flu-like symptoms. This morning the aches were gone. I don't know what that was. Other than that, I am okay."
Also yesterday, Art in Boston had a similar moment of worry over his health.
"Holy crap," Art said. "You mentioned you've developed a sore throat. Well, yesterday, I too felt somewhat of a sore throat. It was not really bad, but scratchy, as you described yours. Right now it feels better. But I drove myself insane yesterday afternoon and last night. No other symptoms and thankfully better now. There's pollen everywhere here. But that bandana I mentioned had me freaked out. I'm currently better, as I said. I hope your throat improves, too. Your entire paragraph that read: 'Yesterday late afternoon...' every aspect, down to Googling and getting nervous, was me! 😩"
My friend Marian lives in Romania and recently became a father. Since this whole virus disaster started, I hadn't heard from him. I was concerned. I sent him a note, asking if Romania, or at least Bucharest, was closed up like so many other places in the world. His reply was:
I also heard from my friend Angel, who lives in Colombia. Angel is the friend I believe has had the virus, but was never formally tested. His English is limited (and I am clueless what he means by "seal"), but he wrote:
"I am fine, thank God," he said. "I was a total seal these days... I have slept every day .. all day and night and I feel that I still need to recover a lot of lost sleep. I hope you are well. My family is okay, thank God."
I heard that someone I went to college with, Danny S., had the virus and is recovering. That is good news.
Yesterday, my bank sent out a list of scams going around. I thought I'd repost them here.
My friend Beth sent this to me. It is a quarantine recipe exchange. It is supposed to be done via email, but since I do not cook, I thought I would post it here. Anyone interested (and it sounds fun, if you are into cooking) can just copy and paste it from my blog and attach it to an email and go from there:
*****
Going back to old times with a recipe exchange. As the world is social distancing right now, many of us are experimenting in our kitchens to help pass the time. So you have been invited to be a part of a #QuarantineCooking recipe exchange. Yay!
Please send a recipe to the person whose name is in position #1 (even if you don't know them) and it should be something quick, easy and without rare ingredients. Actually, the best one is the one you know in your head and can type right now. Don't agonize over it... It is the recipe you make when you are short on time.
After you've sent your recipe to the person in position #1 below (and only to that person), copy this email into a new email, move my name to the top and put your name in position #2. Only mine and your name should show when you send your email. Send to 20 friends via BCC.
If you cannot do this within 5 days, let me know so it will be fair to those participating. You should receive 36 recipes. It's fun to see where they come from! Seldom does anyone drop out because we all need new ideas. The turnaround is fast, as there are only 2 names on the list and you only have to do this once.
In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy, and STAY HOME.
Happy #QuarantineCooking!
1. Diane, quiltinggma5@yahoo.com
2. Beth,
BethKerner@gmail.com
*****
Good luck! Happy quarantine cooking.
Quarantine for me continues. I have all of these plans everyday, but very little seems to get done. I did shave and shower yesterday. I also realized I was out of clean underwear, so I did laundry. I've been tackling my DVD/BluRay pile, but yesterday I only got through one movie (THE NOSTRIL PICKER, which was only 1 hour and 15 minutes long) and two episodes of MAD MEN. But I have watched other things lately...
Stay SAFE. Stay SHELTERED. Stay ALIVE.
CHEERS!
Continue to the next part HERE.
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