COVID Diaires - Dec 30

 

COVID Diaries - Dec 28

 

COVID Diaries - Dec 27

 

2020 So Far - in pics

 I'd like to describe the shit storm that has been COVID 19 in pictures.

Last dinner date before lock down.

Last time having friends in my house before lock down.  This was a day before my first (and worst) COVID scare.  (That one turned out to be not risky at all, but the lack of information in the beginning....)

First quarantine visit outside.

First time sorting masks for work.  This was when they still had disposable masks for us to wear.  There was a point where that stopped.

First time "masked" at the grocery store. 

Next time sorting masks for work.  This time they did not have disposable masks for us, so I got to wear one of the donation masks. 

Captain Smiley did a lot of casual clothes shopping. 

I practically lived out here from June to September.

I don't even know what's happening here.

My chef for the summer.

I did get to have an outdoor, limited attendance birthday party.

Olive got a bike that she could ride along side my slow ass while I ran.

I found the biggest fish in Minnesota. 

Got to test all kinds of masks.

I got attacked by a fucking owl while I was running.  

And there was the day I had to wait 30 minutes for a train to get out of my way.

We had a blizzard in October.

And then shit got so real that Dungeon Master had to drive over and check on me in December, in the freezing cold.  

"Shit got real" also means that old pics were dug up. This one is classic me.  If Aunt Barb was around, that's probably where I was.

Dec 8 - COVID Diaries

 Y'all - I have spent the day learning about COVID vaccines.

Phase 1 = 3 waves within the phase. I am potentially the 3rd wave of phase 1.  I have acute/chronic patient contact but not in a hospital or LTC facility. However, there's a lot of, um, distrust, of the vaccine.  And since it's an emergency use authorization, there's no mandate to actually get the vaccine.  So, who knows? 

Also, apparently cheese and cheese wheel distribution is at risk?  (Dry ice is important people.)

Overall message: the people running the state of Minnesota are absolute nerds led by a football coach.  We could not be in better hands.

Meanwhile, I'm over here ignoring the realities of winter.  Since we don't have snow on the ground and it's supposed to be 50* outside tomorrow.  Not sure if I'll go on a 'long run'.  I'm just going to live in my bliss.

Dec 6 - COVID Updates

I haven't really said anything about who has and has not gotten COVID in my life on here.  I'll try to be vague but precise here.

Self: so far so good.  Though there was definitely a moment I thought I had it.  For now, fingers crossed.

Minnesota peeps: I definitely know people who have tested positive and recovered.  (I walked with one of these people last week.  She was all "I knew you wouldn't be scared to walk with me.)  I know people who are still sick but expected to recover.  I don't "know" people who have died from COVID, except I do through friends up here.  

Family: One family member has tested positive and is isolating but currently has no symptoms.  None of us can believe this person has no symptoms yet, btw.  We are all just crossing our fingers so hard over here. 

Health care workers: Some family members and several friends also work in health care.  Isolation precautions in health care are, like, weird.  "Oh, you had a super low risk exposure in the community, no symptoms and a negative test within 14 days.  Get yourself to work." Because, if they didn't the hospitals and nursing homes would be closed.  Apparently in Minnesota the MN National Guard has already been assisting in some facilities.

Vaccine: I am told the first shipment of vaccines is like, imminent.  For my company, staff who have patient facing jobs get the vaccine first.  But, within that, I'm not sure who is prioritized.  Like, hopefully hospital workers are high on that list? 

I was thinking about the difference between rounds 1 and 2 of quarantine. 

COVID Snacks: So much talk in round 1; not so much in round 2.  Round 1 was like "I accidentally ate all my COVID snacks by day 3."  Second time around with this nonsense, it's like 'no, potato chips and cookies are not allowed in my house.'

Toilet paper: Yes in round 1; yes and why, wtf? in round 2   Same apparently goes for paper towels because no one uses rags anymore?  One of the bright spots of round 2 was when a dear friend (who is out of town for a long time) texts me and says "if you need toilet paper just let yourself into my house and take some; I have plenty".

Rice: Yes in round 1.  No one cares in round 2. Which is how I bought 25lbs of rice for $10.00 at Costco.  Now I see why they have all those big tupperware tubs at my Asian supermarket. 

Exercise: Yo, I was so much better in round 1.  Round 2 is like "how little can I get away with and keep my streak alive".  There's no such thing as weight lifting or anything.  It's been rough.

Dec 1 - COVID Diaries

 I cannot even believe it's December.

I saw one of my most favorite nurses today and she asked how I'd been.  "every day is the same" I replied.  It's kind of true.  There's parts I like about working from home, like parts I hope I can keep after lock down ends.  And there's parts I'm like "let me out; I can see humans again".

In running life, my foot is soooo much better.  And I'm getting stronger in running in general.  This year has been a real shit show for running, so feeling a bit stronger is lovely.

In 'what'd I sign up for now' life, I am doing a walking challenge for December, 30 miles on the month, so roughly a mile a day.  I tried some inside miles tonight after the sun went down. That was not ideal, so maybe I'll walk a mile in the morning and run in the afternoon? It's a thought.

In pandemic life... it's just EVERYWHERE right now.  Every time I turn around, someone I know or someone I work with or... someone's getting sick.  And it's such a crap shoot.  It's such a range of "I have no symptoms" to "I felt lousy for a couple of days" to "in the hospital and having breathing assistance" to death.  Young healthy people get nailed.  Frail old people skate through.  And vice versa.  For 80% or so, it's mild.  But yo, do you feel lucky?  Do you want to see if you're in that other 20%. 

Minnesota is a hot spot, but also expected to have a vaccine for front line health care workers in a couple of weeks?  Weeks?!?  I can't believe I'm writing that.

This is one of those things, when I look back on it, I'm really going to remember the uncertainty. Who's sick?  Who's exposed?  If we get sick, how bad will it be?   Will the vaccine really work? Will I get to see Grandma again?  So much uncertainty.