Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Weight 126.6, WW Bluepoints 8. I hope I drop some by tomorrow so I can at least be flat for my WW Weight (which I will enter before my virtual meeting). Needing to feel some control somewhere again...

VERY quiet here - boring. I stayed in my leggings all day yesterday and read/walked the dog. More of the same indefinitely. But DD still wants to come tomorrow even though she will be quarantined with us - no bars/restaurants (still open, but...). I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to be alone in her apartment. DS talked his doctor about feeling ill yesterday and the doctor said it did not sound like Covid-19. No sore throat, no chest congestion. I think he might have a sinus infection based on what he sounds like. He is having his uncle stay with him - same issue about being alone as for DD.

I am changing what's on my blackboard backsplash for something to do. I need to manufacture some more projects to keep busy.

I hope Diane's DH and Ann are doing well today!

1. Within Range: yes
2. Blue SmartPoints: 16
3. General Wellbeing: 8
4. FSF: minimal
5. Yesterday's Insights: I still need structure within this new normal.

Eager to hear from Ann. DC's surgery went well but they have dramatically reduced visiting hours to 12-1 PM OR 4-5 PM, for one person. When they got him up yesterday for PT, he was extremely light headed and they ended the session. He is still relying on IV narcotics for breakthrough pain management., thus may have to stay another day. My DD and her husband in Vancouver, BC are doing well, but the boarder is being shut down. My youngest DD in NYC is struggling with the enormity of it all. Most of the nurses in her clinic are being redeployed to deal with the influx of cases. The hospital is working with the health care professionals to help them wrap their heads around the life and death decisions that will have to be made, and trying to front load emotional resilience as there will soon be no time to make that a priority. I hadn't been using my asthma rescue inhaler and steroids, as I wanted to save them in case I get sick. My daughter insisted that I begin low dosage to help protect my lungs now. I have several former teachers in their last trimester of pregnancy, wondering what hospitals will be like when they deliver and looking for home birthing alternatives.

How things have changed in a week ! At least our president no longer thinks it's a hoax and Florida is beginning to come on board.

Practice self care and Use your meds. All of us that can stay healthy will be one less stressor on the health system. Good advise from your daughter! Happy to hear DH surgery went well, and hope he is comfortably home asap.!

159.8. I don't know how my weight has dropped.

I think I've begun to be afraid there may not be food eventually and that I need to conserve. Until I eat my emotions, that is.

Glad to see Shirl's updates on facebook. Waiting to hear from Ann. Glad Chuck's surgery went well. At my sister's hospital they have closed all entrance's except the main, and as of a few days ago only 2 visitors allowed for any patient during the entire stay and they had to be screened (temp taken) upon entry. New moms only got the one visitor--dad or whoever else support.

Anyone worried that flattening the curve may look more like delaying the curve? I think even Fauci suggested that, while isolation has been helpful in China, it remains to be seen what will happen once normal activities resume.

What will happen to the elections? I know at my polling places, most of the workers are definitely the vulnerable class we keep hearing about. At first the postponement of Louisiana's primary, and then Ohio's, concerned me as it is so essential to our freedoms. But it also hardly makes sense to tell people to avoid gatherings of more than 10 but that it's okay to vote! And it's not just presidential primaries--even down to the propositions listed! Of course it would seem that the answer might be mailing in ballots but with so much concern over election tampering I cannot see how the American people would accept the legitimacy of an election through the mail--at least not for the general election. Dear God I hope we're not still dealing with all this then!

I keep reminding myself how lucky I am. We are very, very lucky and I want to remember those who are not but I also need to count my blessings. Life looks kinda normal for us. I am a little bummed that I start committing to the gym only for all of them to close! But I am enjoying cooking and keeping to the house. DH started teaching me how to play chess a few weeks ago and I see this as an opportunity to really practice! As well as I bought him a cribbage set for Christmas so we will be doing that as well. My kiddos are getting a little cooped up but mostly felt by Becca who doesn't understand how dad can be home but not playing.

My corned beef and cabbage last night was a little mushy overcooked but still pretty tasty. A guiness to round out the evening.

I think I'll make some pasta (perhaps lasagna) for tonight and watch Bombshell. I think one truth will reveal itself in the next few weeks: I will consume greater amounts of carbs and watch more movies than ever before.

Love to you all. stay sane.

Good Morning, Checking in after a rough day yesterday. 2 failed attempts to get up with extremely low BP- was 67/43 and I felt so ill!

i was on a machine that cycles your leg up n down. She got me to 85% and it hurt a lot. First session was 2.5 hrs. Second one I lasted about 20 mins before the tears started. It was horrible. I couldnt control it. Had just gone back on last night when surgeon came. He took me off and upped my pain meds. I rattle with all this but trying to keep on top of the pain. Have managed a few good blocks of sleep so that should help.

Will pop back later. Pain meds are kicking in & Im going to try n sleep some more

Diane O- thinking of DH lots

Ann - how did you go?

Love to you all xxx

Shirl, I'm so sorry for the rough start. I hope it improves quickly.

OUCH! So, sorry you had a bad spot! Hopefully, the pain meds kick in and you'll start feeling better.

I'm so sorry you have to go through the hard recovery and pain to get to the feeling great phase!

Sorry for the rough start, Shirl, but good for your surgeon upping the pain meds! I was kept on the spinal for several days after the Whipple because "being able to walk some for healing trumps every consideration" and if it didn't hurt so much, I could move. Rest up- it will get better. I'm holding your hand from here, sweetie. You've got this!

My new reality has me somewhat down. The governor said yesterday that no one should expect schools to reopen before summer break. That really got to me.

So glad Shirl and Chuck have reported in and are doing well. I don't expect to hear from Ann until later today or really tomorrow. Liz, glad to see that Florida is hopping on board the social distancing wagon. I saw interviews with Spring Break kids. It brought back fond memories of feeling young and invincible about things like Corona virus, though at a their age I was constantly alert and worried about HIV. However, their cavalier attitudes will not help us in keeping the spread in check.

Bonnie, the idea behind flattening the curve is to slow the spread and stagger the infection rate. The same number of people are expected to become infected over time, but not all at once which would inundate and over load the health care system, as is happening in Italy, and result in a higher death rate. The flattening of the curve gives everyone a better chance at receiving the best care possible and increasing the survival rate.

Unlike Ceci, I am not a hard core rule follower. However, I have not left the house since Saturday except for "essential services". It is a misdemeanor here to be out and about for non essentials. We can go to the grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, hardware stores, veterinary hospitals, hospitals, and do our banking. Restaurants here are closed or only open for take out. Non-Essential services like nail salons, hair salons, gyms, clothing retailers, and the like have all been closed. Walking and doing outdoor exercise is allowed, but not in groups.

I managed to get communications out to all my student families, get out a two week plan for at home learning and work, and sent several ideas for things to do to supplement those things - including on line story times, directed on line art lessons, etc... I will check in with families again tomorrow.

I have caught up on sleep, too. I think that may be a bit of my downed spirits coming into play. Yesterday I napped in my chair in the afternoon. Then last night, I fell asleep in my chair, too. Turning into an old man!

My eating was less that stellar yesterday as I engaged in some comfort eating. But I did make a lovely rack of lamb with sautéed broccolini in fresh lemon and mashed potatoes for our St. Patrick's Day dinner. (Lamb is more Irish than corned beef, don't ya know! Corned beef is actually an Irish American dish that was adopted from the German immigrants. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

I've had some interesting dreams, too. Most of what I remember is just kind of self help related, but my dreams indicate that I am carrying a level of stress about the Shelter in Place we are under and illness COVID-19 is causing. We have a number of cases in my county, but no deaths so far. In the greater scheme of things 100 local identified cases is not that significant considering the population here, but those are only the identified cases. The true number of infections is most likely far greater than the 100 in the two neighboring counties.

Today I have to create a to do list. It is too easy for me to get lost on the computer doing absolutely nothing. I think I also have to spend some time journaling so I can figure out really how I'm feeling about the sudden change in daily life. I know I'm a bit down, but not exactly sure why. I'll have explore that a bit today. This current situation is strengthening my long time desire to live in the country.

Stay well. Love to you all!