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Hi Guys, 

I am not around as much as before because I have been working more than ever (a good thing) and have been busy...that is a synonym for being healthy and happy.

Life is good. Work is demanding and my over 1000 students and 19 classes keep me hopping.

But that has nothing to do with this post. 

What are we up against? Really...what?

Well in the U.S right now you guys are about 2-3 weeks behind France in contamination of C19 and lockdown, and France is 2 full weeks behind Italy....we have already been confined and locked down for 2 full weeks plus 1 more work of pre-lockdown when all of the schools had already closed.

What is life like? 

Well, for one, everything that we thought that we knew, we have now realized that we do not.

Italy has lost over 10 000 souls in a space of weeks. There is no longer any room in the church cemeteries, and they have had to create temporary hospitals and morgues. Their death toll is at capacity. Their hospitals and ICUs as well...they are overwhelmed.

For those of you who have heard or believe that it is only 'the old and the sick' that are dying, you are wrong.

50% of all deaths are under 60. That is most of us. 

2 days ago, we had our first teenager pass away. She was healthy and 16 with no underlying pathology or weakness.

She had a tickle then a dry cough and finally respiratory arrest and all within 2 weeks...

Her sister took to Facebook for a whooping Rant about how no one told them that kids could get sick, that kids could die.

They thought that they were untouchable...immune because they were young.  They were wrong.

We are seeing more and more teens and young adults in ICU. There are no more beds. There are no more respirators.

Doctors and health care workers, as well as first responders, are dropping like flies. 

They are no longer 'choosing' who will live or die...they are now just turning the sick and dying away.

Or airlifting them to other hospitals or even countries (Germany and Switzerland)...until those countries turn us away because they no longer have any beds to offer us.

I am not a fearmonger. I am not paranoid. I am a realist.

I do not care if we are more or less immune, I do not care if we are supermen and women...we are human and that is enough for this virus to attack us.

It is alive and mutating. It is alive and totally insensitive to our opinions, beliefs or doubts.

It does not care if we are young or old. Loved or not. It will attack any host that it can find and it will not stop until it wins.

So do me a favour...do not help it. Do not facilitate it. 

Stay in, stay home and stay safe.

There is no other way. 

Sharon

 

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Scott,

It is so much worse than I can even describe...800 deaths in Spain today and 380 in France...there are no words to describe the sadness that I feel for those poor families that cannot even be by the side of their loved ones as they expire...

I cannot tell you how horrible it is for a parent to let an ambulance take their child away and not be able to follow.

I spoke to my BFF in Toronto today. They are living their lives as if...as if nothing is wrong, as if this is just a really bad case of the flu...shorter work days, school holiday...but they are still 'getting together', going shopping and traveling...what will it take? How do I tell those that I love not to do the things that they love doing? NOT to go to the bank or work? 

I know that we are not any less immune and probably for many of us, more so...although it is a lung problem, your guts may be involved (6% of all cases) we are just as vulnerable.

Please do not become a statistic.

Sharon

Thank you for your explanation of what you are experiencing.  It is a true tragedy at every level.  I am a Canadian nurse and it makes me cry when I see people together, not respecting the order to stay at home and physically distance.  I am terrified to go to work but grateful to have a job.

I implore everyone to STAY AT HOME, only one person in the household go out to get ESSENTIALS.  When that one person is out practice perfect physical distancing.  WASH YOUR HANDS.

So I am showing signs of being sick...headache, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, heaviness in my chest...I am sincerely hoping that this is a cold (went out today and forgot my scarf...colder than usual and all of the stores were closed so I had to walk 2 miles to find something open)...the incubation period of this disease is 2-3 weeks so I know that today did not do it...

If I did catch it, it was at the beginning of the month of March while taking the subway to and from work, teaching in a large school, going to restaurants of just hanging around people.

Inspite of the isolation, I have been out 1xs/week for the last 2 weeks for essential supplies; although careful and wearing gloves I did not cover my face or have a mask...

I would like to believe that if by some very slight chance, I have it, that it will be a mild case and I can stay home and treat it simply with isolation, medication and time.

To be sure to be prepared no matter what happens,  I have prepared a medical emergency letter for my hubby with my essential information (medications, K pouch information and the need to intubate or 'hook up' regularly, allergies and medical conditions.)

Please do not neglect this step as well as preparing a 'go-bag' if you have any special needs. Photocopy your scripts. Carry doubles of whatever it is that you use or need. 

Do not become a victim of unpreparedness.

Stay home, stay safe and be prepared.

Sharon

Great discussion and opportunity to compare notes. I was hopeful that our country (US) would learn from the advance warning from China and Europe. Some states are doing better than others . I am in California, where we were fortunate to have aggressive local and statewide shelter orders. It seems draconian at first, but we are coping. Being retired, my life is not that much different, other than not being able to shop at will. Plus, being super careful about keeping things clean.

So far, we are all healthy and watching a lot of TV, but still go on walks.

The biggest issue right now is that my Marketplace health plan provider inexplicably terminated my health plan with no notice. I can’t get through to the call center, so I am anxious about that. The good news is that I stocked up on my scripts before this happened, and I immediately filed an appeal to keep my plan in effect while this gets sorted out.

Everyone stay safe and encourage everyone to take this very seriously!

Jan

We are very fortunate here (within the scope of our misfortune) because we have comprehensive healthcare...social health insurance is a Godsend when you have no choice or are facing something like this.

I do not know if I am sick or not. I doubt that it is Covid 19 (more probably a banal sore throat) but no matter what it is at least my primary health insurance cannot drop me.

Take good care of yourself Jan, stay safe and fight that insurance company...it is ignoble on their part to drop you as this horrific epidemic has hit.

Sharon

I am better thanks...I had a couple of bad days where I wasn't sure what it was or where it was going (no fever and very rarely a cough; mostly a sore throat, exhaustion and pain in my right lunch). It seems to be almost over (could it be that the weekend is here and I am more relaxed?)...

At any rate, whatever it is, I hope that it does not return...lots of people around us who are sick, both family and others...people who we know and are shocked to find out are no longer around...Suddenly, sadly, incomprehensive, inconsolable...but that is what we are up against.

A silent killer. 

Do not be impatient to run out your door to hug a friend or a loved one...be patient to make sure that no one infects you and you infect no one...

Be kind to each other, call each other to hear their voices, their sadness and their fears. People are either scared to death, in denial or oblivious...

As one person said, if you are conscious then you should be scared...

Take care people...be safe, stay home

Sharon

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