Shooting the Rapids on the River Styx

That’s what this year feels like. We’re all flailing about, struggling, shooting the rapids on the River Styx.

I got word on Wednesday that my beloved father, who lives in an excellent nursing home in rural Western Pennsylvania, has come down with COVID. As of yesterday, he didn’t have a fever and wasn’t terribly symptomatic. Daddy, however, is 84, has been in a wheelchair for the past ten years (at least) and is pretty damn frail. I don’t expect the daily status reports to remain so benign.

I’m scared. Wicked.

Also, my heart hurts that I can’t go down and see him, hold his hand and make him laugh. A lot, my heart hurts.

While I found the home’s COVID precautions page a little confusing, my understanding is that they’ve been careful and strict about following CDC guidelines. As far as I know, apart from brief outdoor, socially distanced visits during the summer, visits have been limited to Zoom and talking through the windows. The facility is one floor and every room has a big window to the outdoors.

Here’s the thing though – the staff. They go home at the end of their shift. They see their friends and family. Are they all assiduously vigilant 100% of the time. Doubt it – these are humans not robots, not cloistered nuns. Even if they don’t go to restaurants and parties or run around maskless, someone they’re in contact with did.

Typically, a person develops symptoms 5 days after being infected, but symptoms can appear as early as 2 days after infection or as late as 14 days after infection, and the time range can vary.
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It’s possible for people to spread the virus for about 2 days before experiencing signs or symptoms and remain contagious for at least 10 days after signs or symptoms first appeared. If someone is asymptomatic or their symptoms go away, it’s possible to remain contagious for at least 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19. (source) 

Doing a temperature and symptoms check for nursing home (and hospital) staff at the start of each shift is wonderful BUT it’s not gonna catch the COVID carriers who aren’t yet exhibiting symptoms or are asymptomatic.

Obvs, some staffer at Daddy’s home was either not as careful as necessary OR was exposed to a careless someone.

Yesterday alone, here in Massachusetts, there were 6,675 new cases with 1,324 extra added hospitalizations. Across the country there were 216,548 new cases, 100,667 fresh hospital admissions and 2,857 deaths. Nearly 3,000 more dead in ONE day – it didn't need to be like this.

I was to have my annual mammogram at MGH yesterday. It’s already been postponed a couple times due to my slow-ass recovery. Yup, Jen rescheduled for me once again. I do NOT need to add Plague45 to the top of my health struggle sundae.

I texted with Doc Plotkin, my neuro minder yesterday. He’s given me the all clear to have the vaccine once it’s available. I’d asked if it would clash with the Nf2 or any of the myriad meds I’m on. Nope.

The NY Times has a handy site up that shows where each of us stands in the vaccine queue. Me? There are 602,400-ish fellow Bay Staters and 139,200 Bostonians in front of me. They include healthcare workers, nursing home residents, first responders and folks whose health is more dodgy than mine.

Huh, good and bad news. My health is less dire than I’d thought and I get to see how other people react to the vaccine before I take it. On the other hand, I have to wait. 

I HATE waiting!