What is the highest risk activity you have engaged in during pandemic?

[Glynda]

I feel your pain. My husband is a physician in Florida. I know for a fact that the hospitals here have the COVID patients totally isolated from the other patients. I would assume that is happening where you are. I hope this alleviates your distress. I wish him a speedy recovery.

Thank you. I feel your's. I believe we do have them isolated though more ICUs have had to be created from other spaces and there has been concern of running out of space. As I understand, one of our smaller, but newer, hospitals has converted to only accepting COVID patients.

 

[Glynda]

I've had one pedicure, mostly because I felt I owed it to the gal who does my manicures and pedicures (if that makes sense). Not sure when I'll have the next one. I had bought a gift certificate from a spa I love so I could get a massage when this was "all over". I have no idea when I'll finally go. I have felt pretty comfortable with the one on one appointments I've had, like getting my teeth cleaned, but still waiting for others.

I'd die to have an oyster. I love them. But I quite literally might die as I developed an allergy to them.

I cancelled all doctor and dentist appointments. I've had one online appt with my doctor. I have had my hair done... wearing a mask, first appointment of the day, watched her wipe everything down, and no other hairdressers or customers in the large room. The other thing I forgot to mention missing is my housekeeper every other week! I continue to pay her. There are some rooms and corners of this house that haven't been touched since March! Thankfully, no one has been inside but us.

Oh, how sad to have an allergy to oysters!!! Does that include all shellfish?

Good idea to buy a gift certificate for yourself later. A spa sounds dreamy right now.

 

[Glynda]

Well I tried. Dh and I used to get oysters quite a lot. No problems. Then one year we went to Maui, had oysters for dinner, and I was in the bathroom puking my guts out all night. I had no idea what it was. Had oysters the next night, same results. Figured it was the oysters. I love them, but not worth it.

Huh...maybe, at that time, there was a bacterial thing going on in the oyster beds they came from.

 

[Luanne]

Huh...maybe, at that time, there was a bacterial thing going on in the oyster beds they came from.

Since I am also allergic (same reaction) to abalone and clams, I doubt it. I haven't wanted to try since then. I also have never had a mussel or a scallop and have no desire to try. Funny thing though I can eat shrimp and crab.

 

[Glynda]

Since I am also allergic (same reaction) to abalone and clams, I doubt it. I haven't wanted to try since then. I also have never had a mussel or a scallop and have no desire to try. Funny thing though I can eat shrimp and crab.

I get it. Once you've been really sick on something, you lose your desire for it. Plus there is the dying part.
Shrimp and crab have a different sort of shell I guess.

 

[geekette]

Funny thing though I can eat shrimp and crab.

that's really all that matters!

except, lobster!

 

[Luanne]

that's really all that matters!

except, lobster!

Not a big fan of lobster. The only thing that appealed to me about that was the melted butter.

 

[Luanne]

I get it. Once you've been really sick on something, you lose your desire for it. Plus there is the dying part.
Shrimp and crab have a different sort of shell I guess.

I also realized that if it had been a bad batch of oysters dh would have gotten sick as well.

 

[geekette]

Not a big fan of lobster. The only thing that appealed to me about that was the melted butter.

sumptuous for crab, too...

oh man... the chicken quarters are going to be soooo disappointing in about a half hour.... I do bake them with melted butter in the casserole ; )

I am hoping for a trip to the ocean in October. If 'things remain whack', I may order a frozen pack to pick up or have delivered to resort. oh man. that is A Long Time from now. the salmon filet that got to the freezer just yesterday is not long for this world...

 

[geekette]

I think my highest risk is about to come next month.

My FIL passed in April and they are having his services next month. The church has given the ok for 150 people and then there will be an outdoor repast with that may have more in attendance. I'm already having anxiety attacks about it.

Oh my, that's difficult.
I hope you can find some peace and serenity to ward off the anxiety, that's a rough way to exist for a month.

I understand why you feel you need to be there, but, you don't have to be there the whole time, you can mask and distance, can avoid hugs, etc., and you can politely not feel well and excuse yourself right before repast. It's no lie, I can't imagine you would feel ok.

I would strongly suggest you have an exit strategy planned. Your health, mental and physical, is yours to protect, so try to stay in your comfort zone.

shower when you get home so you have a good chance of actually resting at ease.

I'm so sorry for your loss, and the compounding of it.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

We just brought back our house cleaners. My kids are home and it's too much to clean the house for a family while working full time. May stop service again after my kids return to school. Or have them continue 1x per month if they will allow me to do that.

 

[Luanne]

We had our house cleaners start back a few months ago. I had been paying them for the times I didn't have them come. They bring all of their own supplies and wear masks. The only contact I have with them is when I hand them the check.

 

[grupp]

Probably the risky thing I have done is help serve meals at the homeless shelter, which was 187 people in 45 minutes yesterday. We obviously have gloves and masks and try to stay adequately distanced. They also check temps of everyone before they enter.

 

[bluehende]

Probably the risky thing I have done is help serve meals at the homeless shelter, which was 187 people in 45 minutes yesterday. We obviously have gloves and masks and try to stay adequately distanced. They also check temps of everyone before they enter.

Thank you for what you do. My wife and I have provided 725 meals for the front end. Every time we drop them off we realize what the people that serve are doing to serve this community. We do the easy part. The organization we are associated with has served 20,000 meals since this began.

 

[Monykalyn]

hysteria of COVID and the bs

I consider the unending news cycle about constant "spikes" and "hotspots" and daily death toll (without also a recovered number) or headlines screaming hospitals at 89% capacity!!! and then finding out that is a NORMAL level and the actual number of patients hospitalized ONLY because of covid is like 2%. It is this what I consider hysteria and has led to the "super anxious" about anything resembling approaching "normal" or those who refuse to seek care for other medical issues for fear of catching the virus. That is the unfortunate side effect of the "hysteria" the media has whipped up and for which they will NEVER accept blame.

less so than meat packing, more so than work from home.

Love this sliding scale Actually isn't that how we are now defining our own personal risk?

It can be argued that It was all about me when I went in to Trader Joe's even though I wore a mask and stood back waiting for an area to clear enough to go in. I didn't have to be there.

Sure-and those who just needed that fast food take out-my daughter worked at a McAllisters all through this: unclear why she was considered essential but the local small business owner (who had much more to lose-like their entire livelihood) wasn't. Or garden stores weren't essential (in some parts of country).
(Discloser-This is a rant NOT directed at anyone here!! I actually applaud Glynda for her insight!!)It is actually why I despise the "all about me crowd" characterization. We do not know what that person perceived to be just "out partying" has been through. I suspect if one goes back to when they were in their 20's, healthy, and lived alone in a tiny apartment-and now put themselves in isolation for MONTHS perhaps their empathy may be a teeny bit better. It is way way way too easy to judge and social shame. Those tourists that Just HAD to have their vacation? What if they were front line workers who worked 80 hours weeks for months and this is their first break? Wasn't there a recent lament from a Tugger who was upset to have to cancel their much needed mental health vacation for his spouse?

il we have a vaccine.

Please don't put all your hope into a magical vaccine! Despite what Fauci is saying or the headlines want you to believe - putting your life totally on hold until a vaccine is available you could realistically be waiting years.

Science | AAAS

www.sciencemag.org

How — and When — Can the Coronavirus Vaccine Become a Reality?

It is likely we’ll eventually have a coronavirus vaccine — but perhaps not as quickly as some expect. From development, to clinical trials and distribution, ProPublica reporter Caroline Chen explains the tremendous challenges that lie ahead.

www.propublica.org

A Vaccine Reality Check

So much hope is riding on a breakthrough, but a vaccine is only the beginning of the end.

www.theatlantic.com

Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine: A Reality Check (NYSE:PFE)

Pfizer-BioNTech get the go ahead ($1.95 billion contract with the US Government) based on 60 healthy adults receiving first try at formulating the vaccine.

seekingalpha.com

 

[rapmarks]

Monykalyn mentioned single person all alone needing to get out.
my niece lives in Italy and made her living giving violin and piano lessons.And teaching at a school. She has no tv , no car, and lives alone. She was shut down for months. The police would go by with loudspeakers warning people to stay inside. If she walked to grocery store she would be stopped and questioned. People were not allowed to go for a walk. We were so frightened for her and so worried about her mental state.

 

[bluehende]

and then finding out that is a NORMAL level and the actual number of patients hospitalized ONLY because of covid is like 2%.

Currently over the whole state of Texas there are close to 20% of the total of all hospital beds filled with confirmed by lab test covid patients.

ArcGIS Dashboards

ArcGIS Dashboards

txdshs.maps.arcgis.com

and daily death toll (without also a recovered number)

Here are those numbers

 

[silentg]

Last week I questioned my husband about why he was going to keep his in-person appointment with his primary care physician instead of having a virtual appointment. He informed me that he's been having chest pain, numbness and a shooting pain in his left arm, slight feeling of nausea and headaches off and on for 3 months!! He kept the appointment and was sent to our local hospital, which takes COVID patients, to have a nuclear stress test. Two days later he saw a cardiologist and has a cath procedure scheduled for Monday at the same hospital.

I'm not just fearful, I'm terrified for him. If they can't get the cath in through his arm and have to do it in his groin, he may have to spend the night. If they have to put in a stent/stents, he may have to spend the night or longer. If he has to have bypass surgery, it could be many nights. I can't go in with him. I can't visit him. I can't be there if he had a bad reaction, a heart attack, and/or is dying. One week ago, this wasn't on our personal horizon. But it can be on any of our horizons in a nano second! Maybe not heart but something else could see us, or someone we love, having to be in the midst of a pandemic hospital.

I am angry right now. No. I've been angry. I blame all those who are so "me centric" that they have turned our state (and others) into a red state and our home area in Charleston the "epicenter." I blame our governor for re-opening too soon and not declaring mandatory mask wearing. I blame those who just have to go out to bars, restaurants, the beaches, stores, and on vacation. What's wrong with us (i am including myself) that we can't be inconvenienced for the sake of others as well as ourselves?

So yeah, I'll take being one of "the fearful crowd" now.

Hoping your husband gets the care he needs. Lot of people postponed dr appointments during quarantine, thus resulting in tragic results. The hospitals are taking many precautions to make non Covid patients feel safe and give extremely good care. I would have no problem getting care, I had a minor procedure in out patient facility and felt safe. My husband was allowed to go with me, but had to wait outside during procedure.

 

[Glynda]

I also realized that if it had been a bad batch of oysters dh would have gotten sick as well.

Ah! Probably.

 

[Glynda]

Not a big fan of lobster. The only thing that appealed to me about that was the melted butter.

I like lobster now and then and you're right, it's the butter (with lemon) that makes it good. At one time lobster was considered a "trash seafood" and was fed to prisoners.

My favorite NE meal is steamed clams with butter and lemon juice.

 

[Glynda]

We just brought back our house cleaners. My kids are home and it's too much to clean the house for a family while working full time. May stop service again after my kids return to school. Or have them continue 1x per month if they will allow me to do that.

Do you stay while they are there? We've always been around when they are here. I've thought of leaving just before they get here and returning some time after. I just don't know...but I do miss and need them.

 

[DebBrown]

I can't think of anything too risky that I've done. In early March we flew to Montana to see our new grandson. This was right when things were getting crazy and we were anxious about getting our flights home. This was also before masks but we washed our hands a lot and sanitized our seats and basically didn't touch anything. As soon as we got home, we moved to our lake house in Michigan. It is very isolated and we've been here ever since. I pick up groceries curb side and very infrequently get take out food. I talk to my neighbors from a distance and do a lot of yardwork. Now that it's summer, I visit roadside farmstands. DH and I can both work from home so it's really been ideal. If you're going to isolate yourself, you might as well have a kayak. So... we've had our kids visit us and that is probably the riskiest thing but they've all isolated themselves for at least a week before coming.

 

[Monykalyn]

I'm surprised non of the lists/charts mentioned living with an "essential" worker. My daughter has come home several times during this and she's worked all along. Works in restaurant which didn't have dine in until recently, mask mandate also inplace-but also late (separate issue of masks should have been in place as requirement for opening if they were really to be that helpful)

confirmed by lab test covid patients.

Right-but did they come in for covid symptoms or were tested and found to be positive when they came in for a different procedure? There is a difference and with good, strong, clear guidelines for reporting and tracking we'd know more of the true extent as to severity. And remember-more $ for covid +-->and smaller hospital hurt badly by the stoppage of elective procedures for months. And there are dedicated chart reviewers who go through charts by the line to make sure every single ICD code that can be used is as it related to reimbursement.

 

[bluehende]

I'm surprised non of the lists/charts mentioned living with an "essential" worker. My daughter has come home several times during this and she's worked all along. Works in restaurant which didn't have dine in until recently, mask mandate also inplace-but also late (separate issue of masks should have been in place as requirement for opening if they were really to be that helpful)

Right-but did they come in for covid symptoms or were tested and found to be positive when they came in for a different procedure? There is a difference and with good, strong, clear guidelines for reporting and tracking we'd know more of the true extent as to severity. And remember-more $ for covid +-->and smaller hospital hurt badly by the stoppage of elective procedures for months. And there are dedicated chart reviewers who go through charts by the line to make sure every single ICD code that can be used is as it related to reimbursement.

Good what if.....I gave my source for my data. Do you have any data to back that up.

 

[Glynda]

....

We will just have to disagree about hysteria, numbers, hot spots and a vaccine.

Yes, I did realize that my comment about "the all about me crowd" was too black and white a statement as gray areas do exist. I hold to my belief, however, that we should sacrifice for the good of others as well as for ourselves while also recognizing that there are things that people must do. Personally I have a hard time viewing vacationing right now as one of them.