It has been a rough few days.
I found out late Friday a co-worker tested positive for Corvid-19. The official word is to self -quarantine if we were within six feet of her two weeks ago. I was talking with her during that time but i wasn't really that close. Nonetheless, technically I am under self quarantine until Friday. I have felt fine...or I have not felt any different. No aches or fevers.
I am still holding on to the thought that even though there is nothing medically proven, using my saline solution helps with this by washing any potential problems out of my sinuses.
The roughest part of this is the hopelessness . Even though most people seem to eventually get past this there is no cure. And even though the numbers are smaller, quite a few have died from Corvid-19. That is something to be concerned about, even though I am not in the high risk group. Younger and healthier people have succumbed to this too.
For now I am on a week self-quarantine. I am not sure what happens after that. Until this weekend the president was hellbent on having business as usual. The Immigration Court also seems hellbent on having business as usual despite the protests from judges, government attorneys and the outside bar. The powers that be insist on bsiness as usual even though the general public is being told to shelter in place. Can't help but feel powerless.
Monday, March 30, 2020
Thursday, March 26, 2020
JOURNAL ENTRY #120
Today is Day 4 of my "self quarantine" from work. Someone on the job was feeling "unwell" and sought out a physician. They said they basically felt fine but in an abundance of caution they went to the doctor and let us know so that we could self quarantine. Additionally, someone connected to our sister office actually contracted Covid-19. That office was shut down.
It is easy to lose your mind during these times. The news regarding the corona virus is quite alarming as well as confusing. The fact that people are asymptomatic and able to pass this along is scary.
Like I mentioned before, I am almost certain I had this illness before. Because I get most of my problems through my nose I constantly check my sinuses. It's funny, initially it was said that the early symptoms were nasal congestion, a dry cough and a fever. For me a dry cough comes after nasal congestion. I get a feeling in my sinuses. If I don't deal with that it becomes post nasal drip and that gets into my throat causing that dry cough.If I still do not deal with it then it gets into my chest.
Being both an allergy sufferer and one with bad sinuses I learned a long time ago to use saline solution in my nose. It works just as well as Flonaise and even better when you take them both. The saline solution washes out your sinus passage and allergens, etc., are mostly gone.If I use it during the beginning phases it shortens the duration of the attack. It is even better using the solution every couple of days. Since it helped with the allergens I am trying it during this crisis. I got the idea from some of the reports talking about the nasal congestion symptoms and the test going through the nose to the back of the throat. This is one of those tiny details that may mean a lot. The focus seems to be on the throat, but the actions starts in the nostrils.
So far so good.
It is easy to lose your mind during these times. The news regarding the corona virus is quite alarming as well as confusing. The fact that people are asymptomatic and able to pass this along is scary.
Like I mentioned before, I am almost certain I had this illness before. Because I get most of my problems through my nose I constantly check my sinuses. It's funny, initially it was said that the early symptoms were nasal congestion, a dry cough and a fever. For me a dry cough comes after nasal congestion. I get a feeling in my sinuses. If I don't deal with that it becomes post nasal drip and that gets into my throat causing that dry cough.If I still do not deal with it then it gets into my chest.
Being both an allergy sufferer and one with bad sinuses I learned a long time ago to use saline solution in my nose. It works just as well as Flonaise and even better when you take them both. The saline solution washes out your sinus passage and allergens, etc., are mostly gone.If I use it during the beginning phases it shortens the duration of the attack. It is even better using the solution every couple of days. Since it helped with the allergens I am trying it during this crisis. I got the idea from some of the reports talking about the nasal congestion symptoms and the test going through the nose to the back of the throat. This is one of those tiny details that may mean a lot. The focus seems to be on the throat, but the actions starts in the nostrils.
So far so good.
Thursday, March 12, 2020
Mobile Log #2
Until the government comes up with a way for the average person to NOT lose money or their jobs doing the right thing by staying home if feeling ill this virus will humble us.
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
JOURNAL ENTRY #119
Still in Florida
Still following the coronavirus nightmare. Like I said, the powers that be are not taking this serious enough. Especially in the larger cities. It is nice to tell people to wash their hands often and to avoid placing their hands near their eyes. But those are just cheap ways of dealing with the situation.
1. We are being told to avoid crowds if we are feeling ill. Impractical. For one, you can be asymptomatic and commuting in a crowd and transmit the virus to that crowd.
2. There are no incentives to stay home if you are feeling ill. Common sense should dictate that you do stay home and get better but with a lot of people having little or no sick leave or being afraid of losing their job if they actually stay home, people will continue to expose others just because they have to work.
3. There should be incentives for jobs to offer more work from home options and compressed schedules for those who cannot work from home. The trains, buses and subways should not be packed with potential virus carriers. Most people start work between 8-9 in the morning meaning they commute mostly between 6:30-8:30. We should push to have people work a 40 hour week with more flexible hours.
4. Some people still have no health insurance, meaning that there is another reason they can't afford to get sick.
5. With point number 2, I'd like to see a special leave developed for this situation. For civil service employees they wouldn't have to use their sick or annual leave. If you have 10 hours of sick leave and you get this illness you have a problem and a decision to make. If you work fast food you may not have the leave. For private industry maybe create a grant for companies to use to pay people who are sick. In both situations the ill employee just has to show a doctor's note.
Those are just a few ideas. Elected officials need to get creative and acknowledge what we are dealing with.
Monday, March 9, 2020
JOURNAL ENTRY 118:
There are times I think people are lying about COVID-19 .
I have read that a runny nose is not a sign of the disease while most sites will state that is a symptom, along with a fever and a cough. We are being advised not to panic while at the same time being told to wash our hands or use hand sanitizer. On one hand COVID-19 is being treated like a growing pandemic and on the other it is being treated like it isn't a big deal. According to the NY Times about 595 people in the country contracted this and 24 have dies, yet the president reminds us that more people die from the flu. And they wonder why there is a panic.
Information is updated on new cases, but there is not much follow up unless the victim dies. For example, a week ago we were informed about a woman who visited Iran, then developed symptoms. Reportedly she had a mild case. What is a mild case? For people in a near panic a mild case might be like a cold. And being that some other sources state that the virus runs its course without medication we don't know what to do.
A couple of months ago I had what I think was either allergies or a reaction from my allergy shots. I start out ok, then get sinus irritation which leads to post nasal drip, then I get a dry cough. The dry cough then leads to phlegm in the throat but the cough is still dry for the most part. The first time I got this the doctor gave mean antibiotic and promethazine. Everything cleared up then returned two weeks later. Rinsing the sinuses helps a little but it came back twice, making it three times I had a sinus issue or cold. But....a few people on my job had the same issue. My godson has been coughing on some level for months. From the outside it looks like the same symptoms. Makes me wonder if COVID019 made it here months ago and we weren't told.
I have read that a runny nose is not a sign of the disease while most sites will state that is a symptom, along with a fever and a cough. We are being advised not to panic while at the same time being told to wash our hands or use hand sanitizer. On one hand COVID-19 is being treated like a growing pandemic and on the other it is being treated like it isn't a big deal. According to the NY Times about 595 people in the country contracted this and 24 have dies, yet the president reminds us that more people die from the flu. And they wonder why there is a panic.
Information is updated on new cases, but there is not much follow up unless the victim dies. For example, a week ago we were informed about a woman who visited Iran, then developed symptoms. Reportedly she had a mild case. What is a mild case? For people in a near panic a mild case might be like a cold. And being that some other sources state that the virus runs its course without medication we don't know what to do.
A couple of months ago I had what I think was either allergies or a reaction from my allergy shots. I start out ok, then get sinus irritation which leads to post nasal drip, then I get a dry cough. The dry cough then leads to phlegm in the throat but the cough is still dry for the most part. The first time I got this the doctor gave mean antibiotic and promethazine. Everything cleared up then returned two weeks later. Rinsing the sinuses helps a little but it came back twice, making it three times I had a sinus issue or cold. But....a few people on my job had the same issue. My godson has been coughing on some level for months. From the outside it looks like the same symptoms. Makes me wonder if COVID019 made it here months ago and we weren't told.
JOURNAL ENTRY #117 Return to Florida
I returned to Florida this weekend to check on the house and to attend the 92nd birthday party for a family friend who was very helpful while my mother and aunt were in their final days there.
While I was down there I gathered a few things my mother left behind, like wash cloths and towels. I got a few of her papers together as well. No matter how long after they pass it is still sad going through their belongings. You remember where you were when mail came in or when they used a particular item.
I slept on her bed and I remember days tucking her in. I remember walking her from the bathroom to the middle of the bedroom and getting her diaper on before making sure she got to bed. The home attendant was there so I didn't have to do it but for the most part I didn't mind it and I would initiate doing it.
The majority of Mom's papers can be shredded. I did come back with a few towels and a lot of memories.
While I was down there I gathered a few things my mother left behind, like wash cloths and towels. I got a few of her papers together as well. No matter how long after they pass it is still sad going through their belongings. You remember where you were when mail came in or when they used a particular item.
I slept on her bed and I remember days tucking her in. I remember walking her from the bathroom to the middle of the bedroom and getting her diaper on before making sure she got to bed. The home attendant was there so I didn't have to do it but for the most part I didn't mind it and I would initiate doing it.
The majority of Mom's papers can be shredded. I did come back with a few towels and a lot of memories.
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Mobile log #1
Mom has been gone for close to 14 months. Though I obviously still miss her, one of the things I don't miss are the phone calls I would get at 6 in the morning or at 11 at night.
Now with the coronavirus scare I am glad she is not here. A nursing home in Washington state was hit hard with the virus. About six patients have died from it. Since most of the patients are stationary howd they get it?
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