I have a home health care service that sends nurses to my apartment three times weekly to treat my legs. I have nothing but good things to say about the care I receive. Thanks to their expert care I have few problems with a condition that has previously put me into the hospital.
I don't always see the same nurse due to their scheduling of patient care throughout the Twin City area, which is likely a logistical nightmare. This morning the nurse who just left my apartment was the one who manages the rest of the nurses. Because of my previous conversation with another nurse described in the last post, I asked her to tell me everything she knows about the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Her reply..."Oh, it's just the flu."
She must have noticed the astonished look on my face because she then asked me what did I know about it.
So I told her.
When I finished, she remarked that the news broadcasts weren't reporting any of that. I replied that she must get her news from CNN.
I also told her that if the virus spreads much further here in the States, there would be a list of protocols that I would expect to be precisely followed upon each nurse's visit. She didn't look pleased, so I reminded her that at age 73, my lungs are wrecked and that I am on oxygen 24/7 and use a nebulizer 3 times daily, just to be able to breathe normally. A virus like this one for which there is no cure is apt to kill me off.
Folks, I am absolutely astounded that people working in the health care field are so completely oblivious to the known details of this virus. I am not saying it will reach epidemic proportions. But it could.
And one of the reasons it could is that people are not paying attention.
Opus 2024-401: Know You’re Informants
13 hours ago
You are right.
ReplyDeletePeople not paying attention is what is going to spread this thing - your country and mine. Take care, BW
DeleteI'm not surprised, Vicki. They are not reporting the accurate number of deaths in China, either. Or that the incubation period could be as long as 24 days. Have they reported you can actually get it twice?
ReplyDeleteTrust in God is all we can do.
God bless, Vicki.
LindaG...I am convinced that nobody across the planet is reporting the accurate numbers. But what is more worrisome to me is that people, at least most I come in contact with, either are completely uninformed or just don't care. Pray and prepare.
DeleteThat is astonishing. I don't watch CNN or mainstream either, are they not reporting all the deaths (and I'm sure it's higher than China is saying), quanrantines and flight restrictions on news? Or maybe health workers are being instructed to down play it when asked about it.
ReplyDeleteOne Family...I have been seeing where governments and health organizations are downplaying this epidemic. They say it is to avoid public panic. I tend to think that many here in the States just do not believe that anything that awful could possibly happen here - or they are so busy with their own lives that they just don't bother doing the research. Just today I read an article that said state governments are instructing local news outlets and medical personnel to keep quiet about any negative news concerning the virus. I can not vouch for that article since I don't know the source, but it would not surprise me in the least.
DeleteSince COVID-19 is a serious medical concern, it sure would be nice if the people who are in the health-related fields knew it existed. Why are the agencies, who send these people out into the communities they serve, not making an effort to inform and train the employees BEFORE the potential outbreak? We are going to be on our own and no...the government is not going to be available to assist in time of need. Heaven help us all...CW
ReplyDeleteCW...I have decided that either these health care workers are just plain oblivious or there are orders from on high to keep their mouths shut. We have to remember that those who govern us are the elite who believe we aren't smart enough to figure things out for ourselves and they know what is best for us. Phooey!
DeleteMe...I am going on the assumption that this virus is much worse than we are being told and the government will try to keep the facts hidden as long as possible to avoid panic and to avoid taking responsibility for lying to us. If there was nothing to worry about, why have 11 military bases been designated as quarantine camps? You don't need 11 camps for the 29 people they claim have the virus in the US. You are spot on when you say we are on our own. Pray and prepare, my friend.
You have to remember, Vicki, the powers that be want rid of 93% of us (Hillary's figure).
ReplyDeleteSpot on, Gorges...We and our president stand in the way of their One World Order agenda. Be careful, my friend, and stay well.
DeleteAnyone who has read up on the Spanish Flu knows that the government, in its attempt to stifle a panic, created the very situation that led to so many deaths!
ReplyDeleteI can just imagine the thought process of "the powers that be;"
"This disease seems to only be fatal to the very old and the very young. The very old? they're a "burden." They very young? We've got illegal aliens bringing in all of those we need, and they'll think our version of "America" will be just fine."
'Sounds harsh, but what else can you tie their pathetic "quarantining" response to?
Harsh but true, Pete...'Useless eaters' I believe is a term that has been bandied about for the likes of us. You know, I am getting really tired of our government officials treating me like I haven't the sense that God gave a goose - that I can't possibly reasonably handle the truth of a virus outbreak. Really? Most of us have handled what life threw at us for decades - some of that not terribly pretty. And if they think they are going to get rid of me that easily, they have another think coming! Hang in there, my friend, and we will prove them wrong.
DeleteREVR'ND!
DeleteNah, Pete. Just a chubby granny whose tolerance level for, as Tucker puts it 'lying pomposity and group think' is at an all time low. :)
DeleteNo surprise there. Look how we have been lied to about vaccines and what foods to eat all these years. My last stint in the hospital told me exactly how little nurses know about my lung condition, and the doctor was not much better. At 81 me and my hubby keep prepping. Say Hi to Harry for me.
ReplyDeleteAnd isn't it sad, Tewshooz, that their lying to our faces comes as no surprise.
DeleteI guess it did surprise me some to find out how ill informed the nurses are. Not so much about my condition, but about the fact that a potential epidemic has landed on our shores.
I haven't heard from Harry in a long time. I wish he would blog again.
Vicki~ Until it was proven that unwashed hands caused "Childbed Fever", Doctors did not even wash their hands if they had just come from the Dissection Theater at the local medical school. Most babies were delivered by midwife with no Doctor in attendance. Unless the mother was from an important RICH family. Your health is your foremost concern and staying healthy is important to you. The lack of curiosity from your health care providers regarding the wee beasties which will kill you with no regard should they take hold astounds me. Lord watch over us. Red
ReplyDeleteRed...I wrote this post and the last one mostly to let others know there was a possibility that health care workers weren't paying attention to this virus. I have to admit that it came as a surprise to me that the nurses were so clueless. Before all of this started, they weren't washing their hands before putting on gloves. Pulling on a glove with a dirty hand makes that glove useless. So now I provide antibacterial soap and clean towels which go directly into the washer after use. Soon, I believe, they will not enter my apartment without first removing their shoes and they will be wearing masks. Anything they touch will be cleaned with bleach water. Depends on how this virus progresses. I may be old, but I am not done living yet.
DeleteAnd yes...please...Lord help us!
When we lived in Florida, I was in the hospital for 3 days. the nurse I had daily contact with had to wear a mask, as she didn't get a flu shot that year. That was Florida Hospital Orlando's policy. If she had to mask up because she didn't get a flu shot what is this telling you about this virus..
DeletePS oh and if you have a cough when you see a dr here at our Allina Clinic They ask you to mask up. Have you noticed these evacs are going to a different Mainland Air Force Base...HUM..
DeleteRob...There are a whole bunch of odd things happening right now. I read about 11 military bases getting ready to be quarantine zones. If the powers that be are telling us there are only 29 positive tested cases in the States, why would they need that many quarantine zones? I think it is much worse than they are saying.
DeleteI didn't know about the mask rule at the clinics. I go in only once a year to get prescriptions refilled for the year and I am not due to go until April. But I am not surprised.
Don't you imagine that their superiors are quelling unrest by minimizing the risk?
ReplyDeleteLinda...I think that is a definite possibility. Either that or the people I deal with are completely clueless.
DeleteVicki do you think that it’s possible that the nurses are just simply trying to patronize the elderly so a not to scare them? If I were a supervisor and got a call from a client that one of my nurses had just scared them to death, I might be a little upset with that nurse. Nor would I want to deal with an irate son or daughter of the client who just called and is having some massive anxiety attack because some nurse told the client that the virus hits the elderly particularly hard and that China is incinerating all the dead and dumping the ashes in a hole in the ground and just covering it up.
ReplyDeleteI’m like you and want the whole unadulterated truth on this virus, but I can see how the nurses might not want to scare the clients and give them heart attacks. Not all the clients are turned like you are and can handle the naked truth.
Matt
Matt...I thought about that after each of the conversations. I understand that many of my vintage are perfectly content to just live out their remaining years without getting involved with anything they would consider troubling. And that is just fine and I do understand that. However, these nurses have been seeing me for a couple of years now. They know what my general attitude is and that I will not be patronized. We have talked about the various rants I have posted here now and then, as well as other subjects that some might consider controversial. I am positive the first nurse had no clue. The second who is the manager may very well have been given orders to soft-pedal any talk about the virus. But when, after hearing what I had to say about it, she still acted like it was news to her, then I was lied to. Either way, clueless or liar, irritates the hell out of me. Don't misunderstand. As people, I like them both. And I know they mean well. I guess I just tend to lose patience with those who live in a land of unicorns and fairy dust when I could easily be fighting for my life if this thing gets as bad as China.
DeleteI read about the mass cremations. A friend sent me an article this evening about a bunch of free-standing incinerators being sent to 'ground zero' because the mortuaries can't keep up. I really do wish our 'betters' would come clean and tell us what the true numbers are.
Once in a while I sort of wish I were one of those nice, little, lace wearing, pearl clutching old ladies who was happy with tea parties at the Senior Center. But I think I take after my Dad. When he was near 90 years old, I suggested that he spend some time with others of his age who gathered at the Senior Center in his small MN town. He promptly asked me why on earth I thought he would enjoy hanging around all those old people!!
Take good care, Matt.
So I'm clueless about the cremations. And I've been trying to search the news feeds as best I can the last few weeks. Care to share the link?
ReplyDeleteAnd, I'm so thankful you take after your Dad. I don't want the sugar coating either. I'd like the facts, thank you very much. Then I can make my own conclusions and plan accordingly.
BTW, my shopping quest for hand sanitizer was successful yesterday. But only because I found a generic brand that at first look appeared to be regular hand soap. I scooped up a few bottles and kept shopping.
A question for your readers - is anyone noticing their supermarkets reconfiguring their aisles and shelving? Two stores that I was in this week seem to be losing shelf space, ie reducing the number of items stocked. Anyone else seeing this?
Take care, SJ in Vancouver BC
SJ...Main stream media doesn't seem to be covering the virus - very little if at all. My buddy sent me the info about the cremations and about the portable incinerators being delivered to the epicenter of the virus. It seems the mortuaries there are overwhelmed with bodies and cremation is how the dead are being disposed of. I delete all emails after reading and/or answering, so I didn't save the source. I have seen similar articles in alternative media, but did not bookmark.
DeleteMother and Dad were both sticklers for the truth, but Dad was the one with attitude. :)
Good for you on finding the hand sanitizer. I hope the shortages mean that more people are now paying attention.
I can't help you on the condition of the stores, for I haven't set foot in one, except for a trip to Sam's, in a few years. I will ask my kids to see if they have noticed anything. And my grocery order for next week will include items like sanitizer, bleach and Clorox wipes. We shall see if all are available where that shopping is done.
Readers?
I just logged into my mom's health insurance online to renew some prescriptions for here. There was some Corona Virus info in comparison to the flu: Basically it said there were 15 cases in US and however many million it said was flu. Very downplayed, for sure
ReplyDeleteOne Family...I don't believe most of what main stream is telling us. First off, the incubation rate without symptoms can be up to 24 days and during that time the virus can be spread - even before symptoms appear. Second, only people with obvious symptoms who go to their doctor or hospital are being tested. And third - just as with prepping - most don't because they don't think anything bad can happen here. Downplaying the facts is going to cause many more deaths than if the truth was told. People need to know what they are dealing with so they can take steps to stay healthy. God help us. Take care of yourself and yours!
DeleteMy step-daughter has acquaintances in China. She told her father they are less frightened since Covid19 does not appear to be as deadly as initially feared. However, they are running out of food and water!
ReplyDeletesbrgirl...I wondered if food and water would be a problem. It is good to hear that the virus isn't as deadly as it was first thought to be. That has to be awful to survive the disease only to starve.
DeleteMy reply to your nurse's apathy is called normalcy bias, or as I like to say "Denial is not JUST a river in Egypt".
ReplyDeleteGood one, Suz…:)
DeleteThe other piece that probably plays into your nurses lack of worry is 1)they are just trying to get down everyone on their schedule for the day that day (BTDT) and 2) most nurses these days are in their 30's and 40's in homecare. Even old farts like me did not grow up or live with folks who went through the Depression or with the sacrifices folks of your generation did during WWII. There has not been a war/conflict/military action where the general public had their comfortable life disturbed. Same thing for being quarantined. Those folks on those cruise ships are the first folks in over a generation who have had to deal with being quarantined. And, according to the news there was plenty of whining about that. And that was only for 2 weeks!!! No one can imagine a month, never mind 6 months. It is totally out of our frame of reference. Which is the real reason why the majority of folks are not paying attention.
ReplyDeleteSuz...I think you are right about the nurses - or most others of their generation - not thinking anything bad will happen here because in their sphere of experience, nothing has. I was born directly after WWII, but my parents and grandparents lived through both the Great Depression and the war. My grandparents lived through WWI as well and I think those events shaped the way they all lived. They all had huge gardens and they preserved food and they kept their pantry shelves stocked because during those times of hardship, they needed to make sure they could feed their families. Doing those things became a way of life and they taught me to do the same. My own children (ages 48 - 54) and those of their generation and younger ones have not had to live through the hardships of their ancestors. They saw 9/11, but aside from resulting in some inconvenience at airports, it didn't affect their way of life.
DeleteA couple of mine get it and pay attention and a couple of them don't. Those that don't, see my canning efforts and dehydrating efforts and stocking up efforts as just something to keep Mom busy in her retirement. The grocery stores will always be well stocked and anyway, nothing bad can ever happen here.
Until it does.
I got the 'it's just the flu' comment from talking with my cousin yesterday. He lives in the SF Bay Area in California. I love him dearly but he's so far left leaning that he's almost fallen over.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I went out to the grocery store and got a few more things - bottled water, aspirin, laytex gloves as well as some regular groceries. Slow and steady, I'm still building my 'pantry'.
SJ in Vancouver BC
SJ...Had a conversation with my 'it's just the flu' nurse today. She announced she is for Bloomberg or Sanders. Perhaps that might explain the 'it's just the flu' thing. :)
DeleteEven with 'slow and steady,' you are way ahead of most. Pray and prep!
Vicki~ I went through a container with medical supplies. I found some medical N95 masks that I purchased from a company that was shutting down shop. My Husband asked why I bought them. I paid $2.00 for a box of 20. It was one of those good deals and nice to have just in case. I saw my Cancer Doc yesterday. She said so far so good but was insisting I start one of the cancer drugs. I'm glad I didn't 2 years ago as I think my immune system would be compromised now. Strange Days to be sure. May all of those that visit here be in God's Safekeeping. Red
ReplyDeleteRed...Buying the masks when you did was one of those times we buy what is on sale because it might come in handy to have. And now it is!!
DeleteI have not had to deal with cancer, but if the drugs compromise the immune system, now would not be a good time to have that happen. I think we all are probably doing everything we can to build up immune systems just in case. I know I am stocking up on everything I can think of to help with the flu-like symptoms. Also food. I think what with this new virus, we tend to forget about upcoming food shortages due to the late spring and bad fall weather. Plus with China basically shut down, shipments from that region will be late or not at all. Strange times indeed. Pray and keep on prepping.
Red, sending up a prayer for your strength and well-being. I have not had to deal with any major health issue so far, but...we just cannot take good health for granted. And thank you for your prayer for all of us. I do believe God has been kind to all who read this wonderful blog by making us aware of the need to prepare. Very good you purchased your masks when you did. Have a wonderful weekend!
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