Coronavirus Thread

[Spiky Bugger]

Charles has started sewing face masks that he plans to donate to medical professionals. I'm going to wear one for my iron infusion tomorrow. My kids have started sleeping in late every day, which is good for me in terms of bandwidth and quiet while I'm working at home. Let's just say this is an interesting time to be in international banking [from our basements, living rooms and bedrooms]...

My parents routinely ignore my instructions, but I am trying my best to keep my mom (81 with asthma) safe and to figure out a way to connect her with my dad, as there appear to be user challenges on her end with Skype, even though her personal IT helpdesk (Charles) has conducted special in-home training sessions an inordinate number of times (from 6ft away, with sanitation of phone and keyboard afterward).

Our grocery store has a seniors-only hour from 7am-8am, which is great. But, Charles is doing the shopping and food delivery for all of us. Our favorite store was well-stocked yesterday, other than clorox wipes, hand sanitizer, and bagels.

My sister lives in Cambridge, UK - schools there will close on Friday.

Sláinte mhaith!

I saw various articles about face masks and thought it was a great way to not only provide actual help but to give suddenly-sequestered people something to do…but then, I read this https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-long-coronavirus-live-clothing-washing_l_5e724927c5b6eab779409e74. and want everyone making masks for those other than immediate family to know they should “heat treat” the finished product or hold on to it for several days before sharing.

And—of course I had to look it up—and learned that the response is "do dheagh shlainte" meaning "to your good health."

So, do dheagh shlainte!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Charles has started sewing face masks that he plans to donate to medical professionals. I'm going to wear one for my iron infusion tomorrow. My kids have started sleeping in late every day, which is good for me in terms of bandwidth and quiet while I'm working at home. Let's just say this is an interesting time to be in international banking [from our basements, living rooms and bedrooms]...

My parents routinely ignore my instructions, but I am trying my best to keep my mom (81 with asthma) safe and to figure out a way to connect her with my dad, as there appear to be user challenges on her end with Skype, even though her personal IT helpdesk (Charles) has conducted special in-home training sessions an inordinate number of times (from 6ft away, with sanitation of phone and keyboard afterward).

Our grocery store has a seniors-only hour from 7am-8am, which is great. But, Charles is doing the shopping and food delivery for all of us. Our favorite store was well-stocked yesterday, other than clorox wipes, hand sanitizer, and bagels.

My sister lives in Cambridge, UK - schools there will close on Friday.

Sláinte mhaith!

For all of us, but Charles, too:

 

[aaa]

Spiky Bugger Thanks for this. I did my weekly grocery shopping for my elderly mother and me today & will happily use a dish towel when I go next week.

 

[Sheanie]

From my Chicago kid, who works in logistics. Which is a fancy word for juggling shipments by truck across the country.

Long haul truckers now carrying perishables are completely exempt from time limits on driving. This means they do not have to legally stop to rest or sleep. At all.

So if you drive freeways or truck routes, be careful.

On a good note, my scientist daughter who manages food quality over 4 states and the Netherlands, says business is booming. Non perishables and long shelf life foods like bars, cereals, etc. are in very high demand.

Same company that had to refuse making cricket based bars due to the cockroach/cricket issue. Its apparently very expensive to DNA test bug body parts to ID contamination. Just a wierd FYI.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Spiky Bugger Thanks for this. I did my weekly grocery shopping for my elderly mother and me today & will happily use a dish towel when I go next week.

Or a vacuum cleaner bag!

We did online ordering w/local pick-up. He pulled into the pick-up parking space, called the number on the sign, a guy brought it out and put it into the car.

Way cool.

 

[Munchkin]

People are making masks out of bras.... Bras.

https://www.insider.com/women-making-coronavirus-face-masks-out-of-their-bras-2020-3

 

[Spiky Bugger]

People are making masks out of bras.... Bras.

https://www.insider.com/women-making-coronavirus-face-masks-out-of-their-bras-2020-3

And they match up busty women with big nose health care workers?

 

[JackieOnLine]

Long haul truckers now carrying perishables are completely exempt from time limits on driving. This means they do not have to legally stop to rest or sleep. At all.

So if you drive freeways or truck routes, be careful.

good grief, as if there wasn't enough to worry about!! but thanks for sharing.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

good grief, as if there wasn't enough to worry about!! but thanks for sharing.

Yes, Jackie, for those like me who are always at least nominally in the midst of “anxiety-depression syndrome,“
these are tough times. But I know that you cross into that territory ahead of me, so I hope this doesn’t get you down.

Your job is in healthcare which makes it at least sound essential, but it’s also around so many elderly that you might be considered a risk to them or they might be a risk to you.

We really should get our kitchen walls painted before the floor goes in, but it CAN BE done the other way. So I think I’ll see if they can come do it now. Given that this virus is spreading exponentially, it would make sense to have those installers here sooner, rather than later. (And then TRY to not drip paint on the new floor.)

 

[Sheanie]

Yes, Jackie, for those like me who are always at least nominally in the midst of “anxiety-depression syndrome,“
these are tough times. But I know that you cross into that territory ahead of me, so I hope this doesn’t get you down.

Your job is in healthcare which makes it at least sound essential, but it’s also around so many elderly that you might be considered a risk to them or they might be a risk to you.

We really should get our kitchen walls painted before the floor goes in, but it CAN BE done the other way. So I think I’ll see if they can come do it now. Given that this virus is spreading exponentially, it would make sense to have those installers here sooner, rather than later. (And then TRY to not drip paint on the new floor.)

Spiky, I LOVE painting and wallpapering. Did so much of it thru my life. Trim is my favorite. Now, with so much back pain, I am right at the point where I now grudgingly hire it out. And then am never satisfied. I touch up after they leave.

I am painting small stuff this week. Steps to garage, vanity, small desk. And wrapping up some upholstery jobs for garage sale in July. Those make me happy.

 

[hilary1617]

I'm going to whine. Please ignore, but nowhere to say it but here. Need to get it out.

I just had my little hospital visit to get an iron infusion and meet with oncologist. They want another MRI of those pesky lesions on my spine. Not keen on going back to the hospital and climbing in an MRI machine next week with the whole pandemic. But mainly not wanting to face the reality of the whole spinal situation.

Also, my son developed OCD behaviors post neurosurgery. It's probably linked to pituitary damage or his new tumor. He was getting meds and counseling to control obsessive hand-washing. Not sure what to tell him to do (or not) now.

Also, I'm sick of early morning video conferences. I cannot look fabulous before 7 am.

Okay, it's out of my system. I will return to my regularly-scheduled positivity!

 

[Sheanie]

I'm going to whine. Please ignore, but nowhere to say it but here. Need to get it out.

I just had my little hospital visit to get an iron infusion and meet with oncologist. They want another MRI of those pesky lesions on my spine. Not keen on going back to the hospital and climbing in an MRI machine next week with the whole pandemic. But mainly not wanting to face the reality of the whole spinal situation.

Also, my son developed OCD behaviors post neurosurgery. It's probably linked to pituitary damage or his new tumor. He was getting meds and counseling to control obsessive hand-washing. Not sure what to tell him to do (or not) now.

Also, I'm sick of early morning video conferences. I cannot look fabulous before 7 am.

Okay, it's out of my system. I will return to my regularly-scheduled positivity!

Whine away. This is my only outlet, as well.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

I'm going to whine. Please ignore, but nowhere to say it but here. Need to get it out.

I just had my little hospital visit to get an iron infusion and meet with oncologist. They want another MRI of those pesky lesions on my spine. Not keen on going back to the hospital and climbing in an MRI machine next week with the whole pandemic. But mainly not wanting to face the reality of the whole spinal situation.

Also, my son developed OCD behaviors post neurosurgery. It's probably linked to pituitary damage or his new tumor. He was getting meds and counseling to control obsessive hand-washing. Not sure what to tell him to do (or not) now.

Also, I'm sick of early morning video conferences. I cannot look fabulous before 7 am.

Okay, it's out of my system. I will return to my regularly-scheduled positivity!

We have, maybe three or four—or more in other directions—free-standing imaging places, not physically associated with hospitals, within three or four miles of home..

I know it’s best to have the same personnel and equipment looking at the same body parts so that they can compare with previous results, but...if you can locate an independent imaging place, might you be able to have both radiologists review both MRIs?

IOW, do you HAVE TO use a hospital?

ETA—If you wanted to whine w/out receiving unsolicited suggestions, I apologize.

 

[Munchkin]

I'm going to whine. Please ignore, but nowhere to say it but here. Need to get it out.

I just had my little hospital visit to get an iron infusion and meet with oncologist. They want another MRI of those pesky lesions on my spine. Not keen on going back to the hospital and climbing in an MRI machine next week with the whole pandemic. But mainly not wanting to face the reality of the whole spinal situation.

Also, my son developed OCD behaviors post neurosurgery. It's probably linked to pituitary damage or his new tumor. He was getting meds and counseling to control obsessive hand-washing. Not sure what to tell him to do (or not) now.

Also, I'm sick of early morning video conferences. I cannot look fabulous before 7 am.

Okay, it's out of my system. I will return to my regularly-scheduled positivity!

Whine away!!!!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

BUT, I just had a pleasant deja vu moment on my front porch!


Across the street and two doors down, a mom, dad and little guy, maybe three years old, are on their front lawn getting some Whiffle-type baseball action.

Three doors east, a neighbor is dealing with a tree, loaded down with too many lemons! Heading west, a mom is pushing a stroller and walking a dog. Heading east, we have a daddy walking along “a biker,” albeit a biker with training wheels on his bike.

I almost expect that some of us will soon smile, wave and shout “Hello!” to neighbors who have been strangers for years.

And any minute now, MiniSue, who has been working from home, will arrive here on foot to borrow an orbital sander. She does not have to combat what is officially the worst traffic in the country.

So, in this scary time, not EVERYTHING is scary.

Sincerely,

Some Pollyanna Inhabiting Spiky’s Body