03/26/2020, Thursday

Peps, FYI ... I made that table. I'm interested in population penetration of the disease. If California were on that chart (using this morning's numbers), it'd look like this:

So yes, California has a lot of cases. But California is the most populous state in the USA, so 3,183 cases in a state of nearly 40 million people still has low population penetration of the disease. In other words, there are a lot more diseased people in Connecticut per capita than in California.

Make sense?

Yup. Kind of goes to show how social distancing 2 weeks before most of the rest of the USA has had a positive impact on the disease spread here vs. say, NY or CT.

Yes, clearly that's one factor. Although other factors are also at play ....

Like the fact that California suburbs are not built like Manhattan where people live and work on top of each other with "streets" that are tiny windowless rooms otherwise known as elevators and subways. Talk about neighborhoods designed for disease penetration!

I wish the government would include this information with the other covid-19 statistics. I think it is important (and I like numbers too as you know Ann).

Yes, I know you like numbers, too. :)

And on a completely other kind of topic ...

I subscribe to Garrison Keillor's daily newsletter, "The Writer's Almanac." Here's the entry about today's featured author, Tennessee Williams:

It's the birthday of Tennessee Williams (books by this author), born Thomas Lanier Williams in Columbus, Mississippi (1911), author of more than 24 full-length plays, including Pulitzer Prize-winners A Streetcar Named Desire (1947) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955).

He said, "I have found it easier to identify with the characters who verge upon hysteria, who were frightened of life, who were desperate to reach out to another person. But these seemingly fragile people are the strong people really."

And, "A high station in life is earned by the gallantry with which appalling experiences are survived with grace."

And, "Make voyages. Attempt them. There's nothing else."

To subscribe, click herehttp://www.garrisonkeillor.com/subscribe/.

Weight: 160.0

I'd decided on a greek marinated grilled shrimp with couscous and a greek-ish salad. But after that news...pizza and wine.

Weve postponed potty training. No need to add that this week.

So you may hear me say "I" or "me" here a bit. my reaction is the ONLY thing I have control over, and even then not so much.

In case anyone is not caught up, my SIL had a lump in her lymph nodes. Originally they said odds were lymphoma, but her biopsy results came in yesterday with a diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer. The prognosis is not good. Google is not our friend. 5 year survival rates are around 5%.

I really appreciate all of your good thoughts and especially Liz's experience with her SIL. Time is the most important thing we can buy her. Time for new therapies to be introduced, maybe new trials. Right now we just don't know much of anything. She's meeting with her oncologist today and beginning chemo. She has to do all this alone right now because of all the hospital limitations with covid19. My first prayer is simply that we get her safely through this time and that at a minimum her mom (my MIL) and her other brother are able to come visit. She is local to DH and me but with this virus spreading around I'm sure she doesn't want to take any chances.

Everything is so uncertain right now. I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling like times like these really make you deal with your own mortality. And that's really uncomfortable. Their dad died at 53. And SIL's husband died at 47. My greatest fear in life is how long I'll have to live without my husband who is already 14 years my senior. I know that is a reality many of you, my dear sweet friends, are living. I guess the only thing each of us can do is try to lead a healthy life and seize the day. Even now, even in isolation, it's what we have.

In that spirit, I want to start doing more of the things that I always think there will be time for "later." or just drop it.

Bonnie ... ABSO******GLUTELY to everything you said!

"Do it now!" said my aunt when newly middle-aged me asked her advice about how to live life after 40.

"Do what?" I asked.

"EVERYTHING! Do it now!" she replied.

Best advice ever!

Our motto the last few years has been, if not now, when? And my husband like to add, zoom! Zoom has slowed down for now, but one day we'll be back on planes and looking at each other and saying, zoom! as the plane starts towards the runway.

As we kept telling my Dad with his 12% 5 year survival rate for stage IV bladder cancer - real people make up that 12%. Why not him?? He's still hale and hearty 4 years on. Not to say the early few years weren't extremely difficult, but it was worth the treatments to come out the other side. I'm holding hope for your SIL!