Symptom Status
I'm fine. Or at least, in most instances I am getting there. Since early this morning (Monday) my chief complaint is a semi-regular cough. So that's not much to complain about. The fever, elevated blood pressure, sinus / facial pain, and body aches, are no longer much of an issue. So hurray for that!
Isolation Days (are here again)
I've spent three full days in isolation, plus today. And depending upon the rules in place, it may be an additional eight days (or perhaps upwards of twelve) that I am kept in my room. Much depends upon how I test. Or if I test. And / or what guidelines are currently set in place (it truly seems there aren't any, according to invaluable sources). The administrative staff has yet to share any relevant details.
Update: they just locked down the entire unit, based upon five covid-19 cases in my unit, as well as several active RSV cases, plus two flu cases as well.
Beyond resting, I've got plenty of free time to re-engage with my bed bound activities, the kinds of things I did to occupy my time for six years consecutively, day in and day out. One of those includes the creation of a motivational screensaver for my laptop. I need to keep my mind focused. That's right, focused, not necessarily mindlessly occupied.
Because of this development, I won't be going to the Social Security office this week, nor to my scheduled dentist appointment, and not the urologist either.
Making music? Yes, that'll be something I can work on (energy allowing). And clearly, I now have time to write.
News: Well that sucks. I just attempted to reschedule with the urologist, and they're going to make me wait until mid January. The woman seemed disproportionately displeased with my cancellation actions.
The medical transport people were none too pleased either, as I had to cancel two separate trips.
Come on people, it's not like I have a choice! I will covid all over your asses if you really want me to!!!
Absence is Bliss
I'm still waiting to see a nurse. Or a doctor. Or some sort of medical professional. I'd like them to take a listen to my chest. I need some professional stethoscope action, analysis beyond and above what I am capable of doing on my own. But there seems to be very little concern regarding my condition. Perhaps my not having a fever is dictating their actions. No fever, no fear. My new motto. And perhaps that should be yours, too!
Oh, and I found this surprising. So, I tested positive Friday evening. And I was thinking the nursing home administrators would notify staff members who'd been in direct contact with me. Right? Does that make sense to anybody else?
Well, apparently that's not the kind of thing that happens here. And maybe it's due to HIPAA regulations. Which to me, seems like a stupid way to exist.
The same CNA I had Friday evening came into my room to say "hello" to me, and I informed her that I tested positive for covid-19. She was rather surprised. But how could she not know? Do they not share this kind of information with employees? The staff should probably know which residents are testing positive and which aren't. Then again, she's easily distracted, this particular CNA. She's addicted to her cell phone.
In the meantime, this pregnant and often distracted CNA (please note, there are other pregnant CNAs in our unit) went home to her multiple children and mothered them throughout the weekend, not knowing that she may have been directly exposed. Or perhaps it doesn't matter. These people are young and strong and so on and so forth. I'm also being told this covid strain isn't as severe as the previous models.
Moved
Staff members keep coming into my room, grabbing additional items and a few pieces of furniture to bring back to my former roommate's new abode, just down the hallway. I'm glad his possessions are being removed, the many many leftover items he didn't grab in days past, but my ability to nap has been repeatedly compromised. The trade-off is that I get to see other humans up close and somewhat personal, even though it's in passing. The maintenance guy came in to help move things. So did one of the social workers. She did most of the work.
Dead
My neighbor (and sometimes friend) Dora keeps asking if I am dead. She calls out my name regularly, whenever she needs help, or whenever she's freaking out. But for now, I cannot respond in any way, shape, or form to her hails. And really, I don't respond all the time anyway. Admittedly, that would be too much work for me.
Beyond her, I cannot fix anybody else, solve anybody's problems, nor comfort everybody who needs comforting, either. Although, I wish I could. It's just not my responsibility, and I need to remember that.
What tipped Dora off is that she hadn't seen me since Friday. And typically, I'm fairly visible, rolling up and down the corridors with great frequency and determination.
Fog
We had our yearly fog event this morning. Sometimes we go three years without fog. It's the desert. So it's not often that we have excessive amounts of moisture. But it rained all day Saturday here. Which was nice. Yes, very nice to see those drops falling and falling and falling. And the clouds were welcomed, too. Easy on the eyeballs.
Patient Patience
So now I wait to see which decisions come into being. Well no, I'm not just laying here waiting. I'm also working towards recovering. One nice thing is that I have no responsibilities. The pressure I place on myself to do things, to get out there, to accomplish and achieve, is nowhere to be found.
I apologize for the boring read, as my brain is kind of mushy. The big words aren't flowing. And the humorous anecdotes are few.
Take care,
Howard
I'm fine. Or at least, in most instances I am getting there. Since early this morning (Monday) my chief complaint is a semi-regular cough. So that's not much to complain about. The fever, elevated blood pressure, sinus / facial pain, and body aches, are no longer much of an issue. So hurray for that!
Isolation Days (are here again)
I've spent three full days in isolation, plus today. And depending upon the rules in place, it may be an additional eight days (or perhaps upwards of twelve) that I am kept in my room. Much depends upon how I test. Or if I test. And / or what guidelines are currently set in place (it truly seems there aren't any, according to invaluable sources). The administrative staff has yet to share any relevant details.
Update: they just locked down the entire unit, based upon five covid-19 cases in my unit, as well as several active RSV cases, plus two flu cases as well.
Beyond resting, I've got plenty of free time to re-engage with my bed bound activities, the kinds of things I did to occupy my time for six years consecutively, day in and day out. One of those includes the creation of a motivational screensaver for my laptop. I need to keep my mind focused. That's right, focused, not necessarily mindlessly occupied.
Because of this development, I won't be going to the Social Security office this week, nor to my scheduled dentist appointment, and not the urologist either.
Making music? Yes, that'll be something I can work on (energy allowing). And clearly, I now have time to write.
News: Well that sucks. I just attempted to reschedule with the urologist, and they're going to make me wait until mid January. The woman seemed disproportionately displeased with my cancellation actions.
The medical transport people were none too pleased either, as I had to cancel two separate trips.
Come on people, it's not like I have a choice! I will covid all over your asses if you really want me to!!!
Absence is Bliss
I'm still waiting to see a nurse. Or a doctor. Or some sort of medical professional. I'd like them to take a listen to my chest. I need some professional stethoscope action, analysis beyond and above what I am capable of doing on my own. But there seems to be very little concern regarding my condition. Perhaps my not having a fever is dictating their actions. No fever, no fear. My new motto. And perhaps that should be yours, too!
Oh, and I found this surprising. So, I tested positive Friday evening. And I was thinking the nursing home administrators would notify staff members who'd been in direct contact with me. Right? Does that make sense to anybody else?
Well, apparently that's not the kind of thing that happens here. And maybe it's due to HIPAA regulations. Which to me, seems like a stupid way to exist.
The same CNA I had Friday evening came into my room to say "hello" to me, and I informed her that I tested positive for covid-19. She was rather surprised. But how could she not know? Do they not share this kind of information with employees? The staff should probably know which residents are testing positive and which aren't. Then again, she's easily distracted, this particular CNA. She's addicted to her cell phone.
In the meantime, this pregnant and often distracted CNA (please note, there are other pregnant CNAs in our unit) went home to her multiple children and mothered them throughout the weekend, not knowing that she may have been directly exposed. Or perhaps it doesn't matter. These people are young and strong and so on and so forth. I'm also being told this covid strain isn't as severe as the previous models.
Moved
Staff members keep coming into my room, grabbing additional items and a few pieces of furniture to bring back to my former roommate's new abode, just down the hallway. I'm glad his possessions are being removed, the many many leftover items he didn't grab in days past, but my ability to nap has been repeatedly compromised. The trade-off is that I get to see other humans up close and somewhat personal, even though it's in passing. The maintenance guy came in to help move things. So did one of the social workers. She did most of the work.
Dead
My neighbor (and sometimes friend) Dora keeps asking if I am dead. She calls out my name regularly, whenever she needs help, or whenever she's freaking out. But for now, I cannot respond in any way, shape, or form to her hails. And really, I don't respond all the time anyway. Admittedly, that would be too much work for me.
Beyond her, I cannot fix anybody else, solve anybody's problems, nor comfort everybody who needs comforting, either. Although, I wish I could. It's just not my responsibility, and I need to remember that.
What tipped Dora off is that she hadn't seen me since Friday. And typically, I'm fairly visible, rolling up and down the corridors with great frequency and determination.
Fog
We had our yearly fog event this morning. Sometimes we go three years without fog. It's the desert. So it's not often that we have excessive amounts of moisture. But it rained all day Saturday here. Which was nice. Yes, very nice to see those drops falling and falling and falling. And the clouds were welcomed, too. Easy on the eyeballs.
Patient Patience
So now I wait to see which decisions come into being. Well no, I'm not just laying here waiting. I'm also working towards recovering. One nice thing is that I have no responsibilities. The pressure I place on myself to do things, to get out there, to accomplish and achieve, is nowhere to be found.
I apologize for the boring read, as my brain is kind of mushy. The big words aren't flowing. And the humorous anecdotes are few.
Take care,
Howard