Since going out and about could be fatal, it’s tempting simply to shut down, navel gaze, and become engrossed in one’s own small world.
Instead of feeding feelings of guilt, I searched online for other pandemic bloggers. See below - Healthy planet, anyone? - for bloggers working to ensure others’ health and safety during horrific times.
News blues…
The big day has arrived for Georgia and the US. The outcome could not be more important to how president-elect Joe Biden is able to steer the US away from evolving Republican madness.If Georgians - traditionally a "red state", that is strongly Republican - elect the two corrupt Republican candidates to Congress, the US is – in my opinion – essentially stalled. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnel (“Moscow Mitch”) can, and will, thwart any essential forward momentum proposed by Democrats.
Trump, meanwhile, continues to whine about “election fraud” while “working tirelessly” to improve his golf swing while ignoring the reality of the pandemic.
Trump, meanwhile, continues to whine about “election fraud” while “working tirelessly” to improve his golf swing while ignoring the reality of the pandemic.
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The Lincoln Project Traitor (1:06 mins) Healthy planet, anyone?
Pandemic-related blogs and vlogs:- The fun, friendly, garden wildlife-focused Lockdown Diaries of a Wildlife Cameraman – Warwick Sloss (3 episodes so far).
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Médecins Sans Frontières/ Doctors Without Borders (MSF):
Staff blogs | Fighting an epidemic in a pandemic | Patient blogs
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Meanwhile, back at the ranch…
With a deadly pandemic raging, I faced the reality of my precarious position as “sout pilitjie” (Afrikaans for “salt penis” refers to those straddling Africa and Europe so that the penis hangs in the ocean).I’m set up not to survive medically in SA.
To summarize: 1) I remain in SA, first, because of forced by the lockdown travel ban then because lockdown forced me to recognize my mother’s situation and its fallout was no longer tenable, 2) while here, I have no close, personal support system nor, more importantly, no medical support system, 3) I have no health insurance here (my CA insurance isn’t valid in SA and my travel insurance ran out months ago), 3) I have little practical knowledge about how to recognize if I – or anyone, including our domestic worker – contracts Covid. (The domestic worker has access to national health care plan, albeit iffy, under current pandemic conditions), and 4) I have no idea what to do or how to care for myself - or her - if needed.
Yesterday, I reached out to the medical professionals I’ve met while setting up a long-term plan for my mother’s care. They advised that, 1) “treating your symptoms should be your focus,” 2) if I contracted Covid and my health allowed it, I should “tell your doctor or pharmacist your symptoms and they will advise on appropriate medication and if a scrip is required”, 3) order pharmaceuticals and food online for delivery, 4) hire the care giver I’d hired for weekly visits to my mother; we know and like one another and she’s experienced at helping homebound Covid sufferers.
I also “consulted” the Internet and discovered “Practical strategies if you test positive for COVID-19 (or are in contact with someone who tests positive)” (38:00 mins) It’s long and more technical than I require, but it offers useful, current, information. (Many YouTube clips on selfcare for Covid, but are more than two months old while Covid morphs week-by-week.)
This endeavor requires vigilance against exposure to Covid while 1) taking taxis to the store to purchase fencing, then from the store to the urban taxi rank, then at least one more taxi for the 30 to 40 minute drive to the village about 40 kms away. She’ll spend most of the day in village (some socializing expected as she’s not been home for nine months), then she’ll return here via two or three more taxis.
I know she’ll be vigilant. I pray she’s more vigilant than the new highly contagious strain of coronavirus.
Yesterday, I reached out to the medical professionals I’ve met while setting up a long-term plan for my mother’s care. They advised that, 1) “treating your symptoms should be your focus,” 2) if I contracted Covid and my health allowed it, I should “tell your doctor or pharmacist your symptoms and they will advise on appropriate medication and if a scrip is required”, 3) order pharmaceuticals and food online for delivery, 4) hire the care giver I’d hired for weekly visits to my mother; we know and like one another and she’s experienced at helping homebound Covid sufferers.
I also “consulted” the Internet and discovered “Practical strategies if you test positive for COVID-19 (or are in contact with someone who tests positive)” (38:00 mins) It’s long and more technical than I require, but it offers useful, current, information. (Many YouTube clips on selfcare for Covid, but are more than two months old while Covid morphs week-by-week.)
***
I’d not heard “all year” from my son and his family in the Harris/Galveston County area of Texas, south of Houston. Both he and his wife are health care providers so on the front lines. Finally, he texted that their area is “getting swamped.” The Moderna vaccine reached them, however, and both have been vaccinated.***
After weeks staying at the house, our domestic worker will take today off. She will purchase fencing for her own home “in the village.” This endeavor requires vigilance against exposure to Covid while 1) taking taxis to the store to purchase fencing, then from the store to the urban taxi rank, then at least one more taxi for the 30 to 40 minute drive to the village about 40 kms away. She’ll spend most of the day in village (some socializing expected as she’s not been home for nine months), then she’ll return here via two or three more taxis.
I know she’ll be vigilant. I pray she’s more vigilant than the new highly contagious strain of coronavirus.
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