There have been more than 51,000 deaths from the coronavirus here in the USA. There are now more than 890,000 confirmed cases. It has been named as the leading cause of death in Los Angeles County. Despite the ever-growing rise in numbers, Georgia re-opened for business yesterday. Texas is planning on re-opening, despite a rise in cases and more deaths. The opening of southern states has many concerned. And up north, Michigan's governor seems to be caving under pressure to re-open the state after having armed protests outside of her home and the threat of mutiny of other state lawmakers (even as Grand Rapids has a surge in cases). Even Utah is looking at re-opening soon.
President Trump's bizarre advocation of disinfectants used as injections to cleanse the body of viruses on Thursday, has led spin doctors to say that the president was only being sarcastic with journalists. (Which is complete bull. Just watch the clips and you can see he was dead serious.) One article I found says that the president received a letter from a man who runs a church in Florida that fraudulently sells chlorine bleach for human consumption as a miracle cure. Is this where the president got his information about disinfectants that he was parroting? The president's reckless promotion of disinfectant as a cure prompted lots of calls to Maryland health officials asking if this were true.
NASA has created a ventilator specifically tailored to coronavirus patients.
The captain of the aircraft carrier that tried to get help for his crew that became infected with COVID 19 and who was later dismissed from duty, is being recommended for reinstatement. Meanwhile a second Navy warship's crew has come down with the infection.
The first paper stimulus checks are said to finally be in the mail.
I had a nice, chatty email from my friend Kathleen in North Hollywood, CA.
"We are fine," she says of she and her husband, Rick. "Being retired like we are, it isn’t as big a change for us as it is for most people. We haven’t been affected financially like so many others. We have lost many thousands in our mutual fund accounts, but we easily live on pensions.
"I miss seeing Joe (their son) most of all, and also his wife and daughter (my only grandchild). Joe’s been here briefly a few times for various reasons. We are not as worried about the virus as many people are. I don’t know why. My brother still comes for dinner a couple of times a week. He, like us, is not terribly worried. He is the only one we see.
"Rick and I, like you, have been dealing with health problems. Rick’s balance continues to get worse and worse. Part is due to diabetic neuropathy in his feet. Part is due to back pain due to scoliosis. He’s lost 4” in height. His back pain makes his mobility worse.
"I have always prided myself that I’ve not had back problems. Well, this has changed. I now have severe sciatica. I saw an orthopedist right before the Stay At Home Order, and he wanted me to have an MRI right away due to my symptoms. I had an MRI that day and it showed a bulging disc (the usual L4-5) that is impinging on a nerve. Doctor told me since he couldn’t refer me for physical therapy, I should do exercises at home. If I can’t stand the pain, an epidural is the next step. I’m a girl who is afraid of flu shots, so you can imagine how I feel about epidurals. Maybe I’m not so concerned about the virus since I have had such terrible pain? I’m able to sleep now after being unable to many nights, so I must be getting better but definitely have pain. It is worse sitting. Much better standing and walking. I go for walks a few times a week. I’m also doing stretching exercises.
"Joe (computer engineer for a prestigious financial institutional investment company) is working at home. His wife is an English teacher at a private school. She has been teaching 7th and 8th grade English via Zoom. She has been told that she will not get paid after this month since many parents are no longer able to pay tuition. The school is a church school and has been losing students before all this happened. This is a worry for us.
"Gwendolyn (granddaughter) is in second grade. She gets homework and sees her teacher a bit online. Gwen is having a hard time since she is trapped in their small apartment full time. She loves school and has good friends.
"We usually have dinner with Joe and his family on Friday nights. Now, we have wine with them on Zoom.
"I miss my gym class, although I wouldn’t be able to go right now anyway. I have a couple of good friends there.
"I miss going out to dinner as we’d done a few nights a week. I am cooking now and actually enjoying it. Rick heard that 2 in 5 restaurants are going to close. We feel worried about several waiters we are fond of, and also the owners of the restaurants. Even when they reopen, I wonder how many people will go? I’ve heard discussions about tables being far apart, waiters wearing masks, and menus being one time use only. Not only does this not sound fun, it sounds like the owners will not be making the necessary money to stay in business.
"I have not been bored even once. I talk to friends on the phone most days. And I email friends daily, too.
"Monday was really a perfect day, just in the 60s, my favorite. I met a friend and we walked together. She insists on masks. The head of LA County Public Health said masks aren’t necessary outside unless you are going to be around people and can’t be 6 feet away. I see people walk down my street wearing masks when no one else is on the block. I see people driving by wearing masks in their cars. My friend wears a mask when she walks her dog and no one is around. She thinks the virus could be floating in the air due to the wind."
I had my virtual cocktail party with my friends Ricki, Erich and Shookie. Vye couldn't join us, but we had a nice visit anyway. It was good to see everyone. We will all (Vye, too) meet up again on Zoom on Tuesday to celebrate Shookie's birthday.
Today I will be picking up pre-ordered groceries for the first time. I ordered them on Thursday, but the next pick up date was not available until today. This may be interesting...
Also, this evening sometime, I am going to be attending a wedding. The son of family friends was going to get married in August, but the virus might put a kibosh on that...so yesterday I was informed the wedding was being moved up to today. It will be broadcast on Facebook somehow for family and friends to witness. They plan a big reception sometime when this whole mess is behind us.
Finally, I spoke to my friend Nedra late yesterday evening. He test results have not come in yet, but she says she now feels fine. If she had the virus, it is now gone.
However, she will be self-quarantining. Nedra went to see her mother, who has COVID 19, at the nursing home yesterday morning. She said her mother is now on oxygen. Later in the day, they dressed her up in PPE and let her go in to the room to see her mother.
Nedra said that she thought her mother recognized her.They spent about 20 minutes together and then Nedra had to leave. She said she will FaceTime her mother tomorrow and the staff said that if it looks like her mother will soon be passing, they will let her know so she can come and be with her.
I feel awful that I can't be there with her. This is no time to be alone. And yet, like so many others going through similar situations now, she will have to go through this alone. My heart just goes out to her.
This really sucks.
Stay SAFE. Stay SHELTERED. Stay ALIVE.
CHEERS!
Continue to the next part HERE.
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