Checking in

[Monica]

Hey all! *waves from my desk at work* Just wanted to say hey, let you all know we're doing fine over here no matter what you may see on the news or social media for Washington state. I'm considered an essential government employee by my boss, so for me nothing has changed aside from no craft store visits, no spur of the moment shopping, and fewer people on the road. Aviation is also classified as essential, so hubby is still working as of today, although a more restrictive proclamation took effect at midnight because people were treating this like vacation time instead of following guidelines for distancing and self-quarantine. Idiots.

I'm hoping... not holding my breath, but hoping... that hubby will stay working, because there's a very scary real possibility that his company may go under if they can't keep working. And that scares me a lot more than the freak out over this virus.

I've been trying to stay social media light the past couple weeks, primarily posting non-COVID-19 things, given that I have to be on it at work since I maintain both the website and primary FB page for the city, and I'm avoiding all news channels entirely. I go home so mentally drained most nights that it's all I can do to get dinner made and do the basics around the house, and I've reached the point of irritation and jealousy over all the posts about people at home crafting or plotting ways to survive quarantine. Also have a huge urge to thump those who have been acting like it's a vacation and nothing serious. I'm not medical, food service, grocery/retail, or trucking, but I feel for them. The mental strain is wearing on me and others.

Well, I didn't mean to turn this into a pity party post... oops!

I hope you all are well and staying safe. I don't have so many family that I can afford to lose even one of you, so bear that in mind! Love, virtual hugs, and prayers for you all and your families.

Monica

[nchoney]

Monica... I hear ya!!

I'm working from home and am more exhausted than during our regular work-weeks. Hoping it'll calm down some now that we've got everyone capable of working from home in some form or fashion.

Hoping Mike doesn't catch this crap being out and about and still having to go respond to emergency calls. Haven't been too many... but even two in a couple days is two too many. If he comes in contact with this crap and brings it home to me, then that sure negates me having been working here at the house to distance myself. *sigh*

And... he's a volunteer... so if I get sick, that's going to be interesting on our total income.

As for scrapping... I've gotten a few layouts done in the evening when I need a break from looking at the computer. Thankfully, I had a bunch prepped.. so I can just pull out things and stick them on the layouts.

Sure hope we all make it through this. Just had our first reported case in our county... apparently a rental home owner who just couldn't stay home. Not a county resident... so we're making that assumption. They're not allowed in here anymore... but I have a feeling the damage has been done. Hope I'm wrong.... and we don't know where in the county.

[pat-czap]

Thanks for checking in Monica. Love you Hoping you can ease your mind and find an outlet to decompress.

You too Debi, take care. Be safe and illness free Mr. Mike!

We are fine here. Greg is working from home and son Daniel is furloughed. My son in Indiana is considered essential at pork processing plant. Son Doug in MN is working from home and trying to home school Oliver and Arlo. Trying times in that house, not to mention Pediatrician Mollie will be seeing Covid-19 patients. Yikes.

I was sewing masks for the local hospital.
Stay safe everyone.

[nchoney]

Hope Mollie stays well!!

First responders and all health care people have all my prayers!!

[Debbie J]

My granddaughter in Rapid City that is a rad tech just did a chest X-ray of their first positive patient......sigh!

[mpizzazz]

All is well here. We've been home for over a week now, going for walks when it's nice out and working on some projects that usually get put off. No excuses now to avoid them! We've had two showings of the house in a week. Otherwise, just biding our time. We have plenty of food and wine!

Ray will have his monthly infusions at our local hospital next week and then can skip May if conditions are much worse by then. Our county now has some virus cases. He wants me to make him some masks before Monday.

[pbp908]

I had to break the news to Adam this morning that his mother has possibly been exposed. She has several clients that she sees at their homes (she works one on one with children who have learning disabilities), and she saw one child on Monday who is with his grandmother during the day. She received a call Tuesday letting her know that the GM has spiked a fever and is being tested. We're holding our breath until she finds out what the test results show. This is yet another time when I'm very glad that he hasn't lived with her since he was in middle school.

Other than that we're OK. Not venturing out except for brief visits to the grocery when we run out of staples, and then scurrying back home.

Tomorrow, weather permitting, we're going to do some yard work as cabin fever is making us all a little crazy.

[pamcook]

We’re hanging in there. Joel (“critical university staff”) has been off work this week and might be going back on 4/1. That’s the plan for state university employees anyway.
I’m still working at my job for now. There’s still talk about us having to rotate through working in the drive through testing center. There doesn’t seem to be an exemption for nurses over the age of 60 with lung problems. Every day I get to do my own job I say a prayer of thanks.
Just got word that our son Chris (alone with a huge number of corporate employees at Nordstrom) has been furloughed. They’ve had a rough time for a few months but hanging in there.
New Zealand closed their schools this week. Cara & her family are about 3 weeks behind what we’ve experienced here in N.C. (and we’re several weeks behind Chris).
I remind them this is all temporary. Painful, scary, inconvenient - but temporary.

Please please please be safe. One of our cardiology fellows moved on to NYC a couple of years ago. What he described has all our team very concerned about what is heading our way.

Like Monica said - you’re all very important to me. Please be safe.

[Monica]

Seriously, huge virtual hugs to all of you. And Pam Cook... I was skyping this evening with a gal in Dunham and we got a kick out of you being only a few minutes from there!

[jmp1022]

Tom and I are staying in mostly. Venture out to get groceries and his beer.
I do try to walk my mile daily but sleeping too late in the morning puts me at walking at 85* which is too hot.

We are planning to head home to Ill on Sunday as long as they do not close borders.
We do not have any place to stay after the 31st. If I could get Tom to agree we could
make it in one long day but 17 hours of driving gets to you.

So far all is well in the health dept. but we want to be at home if we do get sick.

I started to double my dose of vitamin C. Trying to get Tom to keep taking Spirulina so his head is clear and
he will stop coughing.

[pamcook]

Seriously, huge virtual hugs to all of you. And Pam Cook... I was skyping this evening with gal in Dunham and we got a kick out of you being only a few minutes from there!

Ha! I am in Durham. Our mailing address is Chapel Hill because we're on the border and they deliver our mail.

[Monica]

Seriously, huge virtual hugs to all of you. And Pam Cook... I was skyping this evening with a gal in Dunham and we got a kick out of you being only a few minutes from there!

Ha! I am in Durham. Our mailing address is Chapel Hill because we're on the border and they deliver our mail.

That makes it even funnier!!!

[jmp1022]

My oldest daughter and granddaughter are both working at the hospital.
I'm scared for them.

[Monica]

Well, David told me last night they had to lay off 30 workers, and that he'll be working long hours for the foreseeable future... I got up at 6:40 and he had already left. Poor man. Today's his birthday but we can't even go out to celebrate.

[EDelValle]

I work with medical providers that see homebound
patients, so this week they will be doing some telemedicine
and then for some patients follow up with a home visit.
Our office staff is working remotely but I'm working in the office as some
tasks simply cannot be done from home. We have nurses orders that
must be signed and sent back to agencies otherwise patients may lose
their services, even in this period of crisis, plus we occasionally get
a call for an actual written Rx, so I now have multiple personalities,
depends upon whose work I'm handling at what time

Basically, I'm fairly low risk, I live with one person who is homebound,
I do most of my shopping online, have been for sometime now,
I drive my own car, and our valet parking at the building I work in no
longer does the parking, so my car has be disinfected and since they don't
park it, that's a good thing. I don't touch anything in this building with
my bare hands, I even disinfect the time clock before clocking in for the
day, then just in case, I wipe down my desk, keyboard and mouse before
working, and I do not get in the elevator if there is someone else riding
at the same time. God willing, we will all get through this without exposure,
but if we do get exposure, hopefully it will be minor but allow us to develop
the antibodies to fight it off in the future.
Wash your hands, keep your throat moist and drink plenty of fluids, they recommend
warm fluids, so heat up the wine before drinking