I am the primary caretaker for my mother who is in a private independent care facility--but she is hardly independent. I have a nurse in with her Monday through Friday, but on weekends and evenings either I'm with her most of the time or a member of my family when I'm sick. Yesterday when I went to see her I discovered the facility wouldn't let me in at all--only medical personnel. My mom just got out of the hospital due to congestive heart failure and she has advancing Alzheimer's. I can't believe I can't even get in to see her.
Even though I don't live there I've been very impressed with the messages from Dr. Eileen de Villa, the Medical Officer of Health for the City of Toronto - she lays it all out in a very calm, precise and easily understood way.
We have the guardianship hearing for MIL on April 7th . . . . I sure hope there is a way for that to happen. We need her daughter (my SIL) to be able to make decisions, especially now. I"m hoping they will at least have something set up by video by then if nothing else!
The governor has ordered this to be enforced statewide. Majority of confirmed cases are in New Orleans.
We have special operating hours in place for 60 years and older individuals to shop so that seniors are exposed to fewer people.
My grandma is in an independent living facility. My mom was thinking about pulling her out for a bit but is satisfied with the precautions they are taking. All common areas are closed, common areas get cleaned multiple times a day, and there is somebody always in the office now. They do not want the residents visiting each other and have asked them to stay in their appartments. Only one family member may bring supplies. We are not even visiting grandma. If she needs something, we give it to her at the main door. Groceries now get ordered online and delivered.
We've stressed that she needs to wash her hands when coming back after getting the mail with antibacterial soap. Before this, we were looking for assisted living but for now it's best to keep her tucked away in her apartment.
Many stores don’t have enough food on the shelves to last a family for 2 weeks. For many Americans, at this time due to panic shipping AND people buying 2 weeks worth of food. you can’t go to just one store and buy 2 weeks worth of food. Stores here are still dealing with empty shelves. If I was to go grocery shopping today, there wouldn’t be enough on the shelves to make 2 weeks worth of meals for family of 4. I would have to go to multiple stores. I started prepping 5 days before our shelter-in-place order and had to go to 4 stores over an 7 day period in order to get 2 weeks worth of food. And I had to go to 2 of the stores twice on different days.
It is difficult to get meat, milk, eggs, bread, beans, rice, canned goods, frozen veggies, unless you lined up at a store hours before they open. And then you have to wait for the seniors to do their shopping. Most stores give them the first 1-2 hours to shop. Then anyone can shop.
I’ve even tried ordering on line but there is no stock on a lot of items.
" Dr. Gai Peleg told Israeli television that in northern Italy, the orders are not to allow those over 60 access to respiratory machines."
Scary!
Also, today is the last day I will be able to get paint. I will now have to wait 3 wks. I bought enough to get me started!
I think our governor doesn't know what she is doing!! Why did she order for us to stay in home with no visitors (about a week ago), but today, she is shutting down all non-necessary stores for 3 wks! Why did she want so long? Oh God help me!
I really hope that it warms up soon then I can at least be outdoors!😠
Don’t know what to think right now. I just know my husbands family, on his mothers side, tend to have BAD LUNGS! And each family member with the bad lungs, all found out upon getting pneumonia! 2 uncles died because their lungs were shot, too weak to fight it off and found out their lungs were shot was a total shock. His grandmother had pulmonary fibrosis as well and it wasn’t diagnosed until about a month before it killed her, she gotten pneumonia or so they said. She had been bed bound and in LTC for awhile by then...went to the hospital and they said her lungs were shot, she wouldn’t live but a few more weeks. So....if my husband gets COVID..hopefully he got his lungs from FIL side of the family.
Powers that be still not sure what to do with my department. I have had a mild sore throat since Thursday, don't think I have a fever, but couldn't get as thermometer. They are very slow at making decisions.
Denver locked down. Caused a mad dash to hoard at the liquor and recreational marijuana stores. Then mayor decided not a good idea, so liquor stores and Mary Jane are now considered essential.😳
Husband and I are both 63. We both have complicating conditions. I'm his caregiver - he has many issues, but some ability to improve. We were *just* getting to the point where we could expand our lives a bit.
LOL-LOL-LOL!
Current plan? Try to get us both into IL/AL when/if we're ever able to maneuver again. Too much isolation for either of us to reintegrate with the outer world.
FIL is in IL/AL and completely locked down. Facility lockdowns seems to be California policy now. But we still have phone and email.
Main problem is panic-shoppers and profiteers who empty the store shelves of most necessities. I must never go out, so ... FUN-FUN-FUN!
At least online shopping almost works.
I just realized today that I need to buy face masks. I know the governor will eventually institute the 'no going in public without a face mask' - for grocery shopping in the coming weeks/months. I just messaged fave sis that we need to buy it - even if it's not coronavirus resistant. We just need something because 'it's better to wear one than without one' mentality. I'm not saying to stock up like how people are doing with the TP. I just mean enough to pass protocol when shopping for grocery in public - until the real masks are available for public purchase.
And when tp hoarding started I wondered, cynically, if people were using it for masks somehow.😄
Yep, me and 90+mother surviving with continued Happy Hour each evening and lots of Netflix :)
Yesterday, I picked up 3 packages that I ordered online. Not sure if the senders had any contact with the virus, I decided to leave it in my car's trunk for at least 3 days under the hot sun. From what I read, the viable virus could be detected up to 2-3 days on plastic/steel.
Please keep taking the necessary measures to stay safe! But as long as they are shipping items across the U.S. to the stores and some hospitals they will get their supplies.
I hope this gives some hope to all of you out there:)
1. I had a bad cough about a month ago, sudden onset, eustachion tubes plugged as when I used to have a lot of sinus problems. I was all out of cough drops, so I inhaled and sipped lemon tea, peppermint tea, and chicken noodle soup. I also did a lot of deep breathing, nasally and abdominal (as I learned how to do when I took voice lessons).
I'm searching for a recipe to make lemon cough drops. I probably could have heated and inhaled the lemon juice I had, but didn't think of that at the time.
I like your idea of tea and honey, or vinegar and honey; my father used to faithfully drink a cider and vinegar concoction daily.
2. Are you interested in making face masks? I have a few good sites, one that's for the kind typically found in pharmacy departments, with the 2 elastic over the ear extensions, and another that's larger and ties on the back of the head.
My niece said the typical store bought ones aren't completely protective, but are better than nothing. She wears masks and an N95 over them, but has to change them every time she works with a different patient or tests a different person.
If you want links to the patterns, let me know.
Our local musicians are writing songs and since they can’t perform at their regular gigs at this time, they are playing their instruments on their front porches for neighbors who step outside on their porches. They are also having virtual concerts online with virtual tip jars!
They are taking a hit like many others. Our film industry is suffering too. Nothing is being filmed. No conventions at the convention center downtown. On and on and on. Our towns and cities have come to a halt, haven’t they?
Our numbers are going up. Just about 1400 confirmed cases now and over 40 deaths.
Our police officers, firefighters and medical personnel are among the infected. The clergy as well. Our archbishop has the virus.
The largest number of cases are in New Orleans but it’s spreading throughout the state. The lockdown that was previously only in New Orleans is now mandatory for the entire state. This is all so sad. 😞
I wish our lives could go back to normal. Lots of changes for everyone. I am hoping for the very best for each and everyone of you and hope things will ease up as soon as it possibly can.
Someone called the radio station complaining that when he called 911, the EMT refused to go near him. He complained that he had to do his own temperature. Because he didn't have a fever, he was not seriously ill to be taken to the ER. Radio announcer had to reason with him - to see why he couldn't go to the ER, that he wouldn't even want to go there at this time, etc... He eventually calmed down.
At least it was miraculous to me!!
Had to make a trip to the grocery store. As has become my norm, I went to the paper goods isle.
Once again, NO TOILET PAPER!!!
I resigned myself to the fact that I was gonna have to cut up more paper towels(put them in the trash. Don't ever put them in the toilet!).
While standing at the check out I spot a woman with a 12 pack of TP. I asked her where she found it??? She told me that they just found a box in the stockroom and the clerk was putting it on the shelf now! My hubby turned to me and said "RUN"!!!
I am happy to announce that I am now the proud owner of a 12 pack of TP!! At least for a while!!
Maybe a small victory, but a victory none the less!!
Hopefully you got a chuckle out this too!
Hang in there everyone!!
Last night: 1400+, 20 deaths
Noon: 1500+
Tonight: 1900+ cases, 23 deaths
This virus is spreading very rapidly.
Louisiana has endured so many crises and disasters NHWM.
I have read the possibility of epicenter news, and because we know you here, this makes the situation more personal than just reading about a place far away.
Please know that you are cared about by so many.
You will get through this. Hugs!
Gotta run because an electrical vault in our neighborhood just blew and electricity is out now. Minor, getting used to it.
But the computers will be down.
This is what everyone should own stock in! 😂 LOL
I guess more people should start backpacking and "roughing it" again, so we can get used to the new norm... That goes for water too... If you don't trust the water that is pumped into your home, boil it for 20 minutes? and use a water pitcher with filter... then refrigerate it.. I suppose...Boiling water should be good enough. And if you see a neighbor with a lemon tree, full of lemons... ask for a couple of them...It's better than seeing them rot.. I gave away a lot of lemons... this tree is supposed to be a miniature.. When they come in.. and I don't need all of them,, I will pack them up in recycled bags, and hand them out to people I know and don't know..I mail them to friends, a couple of good customers from work.. and they appreciate it. But it's a good way to meet your neighbors.:)
It's good she's in a facility, but I get that she's not independent, nor can be, and add hospital return. Thank God you have a nurse with her M-F. Would a nurse/s go Sat & Sun? Could you ask her Dr. to prescribe Home Health Care or whatever help she needs that would be covered by an insurer (Medicare, etc.) since she was just released from the hospital for congestive heart failure?
*I wasn't able to read all answers here (140+) so if someone already mentioned this, please overlook my unknowingly repeating it.
Please let us know.
Talking to her on the phone won't be the same, but if you can do that, it may help comfort you and her.
How things have changed in the last couple of weeks... Her household now has both a second fridge and a freezer. When she finds milk, bread or eggs, she wants to be able to store them for a few days until they are consumed. Leftovers are to be frozen and not discarded. Fortunately the local groceries had sales on beef and chicken in January and my freezer was fully stocked and I have been able to provide some frozen meat and other groceries, but NIL still hasn't adapted to conserving resources much. For example, I use beans in my chili and while there's limited ground beef availability I decreased the amount of meat and added two more cans of beans, using 1.5 lbs of beef and 6 cans of beans in 10 qt of chili which provides 12-14 large servings. A 10 qt pot of chili or soup is consumed in one day when the boys are home. NIL still wants to make chili without any beans using 4.5 lbs of chili for about 6 qts. I opened one of my cans of dehydrated ground beef from the long term pantry and found it works well in seasoned dishes; chili, spaghetti, tacos, enchiladas, lasagna, etc. so I'm saving the "real" ground beef for hamburgers and meatloaf; NIL doesn't want to use the dehydrated food supplies at all. I really cannot tell the difference in good re-hydrated vegetables and grocery store canned food except the salt content is lower. I've been using dehydrated onions, celery, carrots, potatoes and the like for cooking for several years, both because they are easier to keep and to avoid slicing and dicing. Fortunately my nephew can afford to purchase food from drive thru windows, at least for now.
So the rats are marching down empty streets looking for food. She is concerned about the diseases that rats carry. Geeeeez!
Anyone else’s mayor discussing how the rats are hungry in their city? Bizarre, huh? I realize all metro areas have rats but it’s just a topic that isn’t discussed on a daily basis.
Anyone else have any interesting local news stories to share?
Maybe the mayor can organize the musicians to stand outside their balcony and play their instruments/voice to hypnotize the rats like the Famous Pied Piper. Can’t say that there wasn’t any precedent. Eek! Gross just imagining it.
One older lady from up the street was shopping for a group but was distressed because she was only allowed 1 bag of milk (we get our milk in bags, one 4 litre bag contains 3 smaller bags), she'd have to come back again to get more. And why couldn't she split this with her friend in order to make due? Why because she wanted 1% and her friend wanted 2%.
Another person was out in search of toothpaste, because their grandkids liked a different kind than the adults in the house.
Still others were making a certain recipe an needed particular ingredients.
Hello? Pandemic going on out here, we're supposed to be practising self isolation and all that....🙄. Our leaders have been tossing out the war analogy - if instead of a virus it was an enemy sniper with a gun would we still risk going to the store for such trivial "needs"?