Why, Look at This -- it's 2022

The kid's boyfriend has tested positive for Covid. Since he lives with the kid, there's no way for the kid not to be exposed. (The apartment is too small.) The other roommate moved out and is staying with friends.

The boyfriend has a mild case -- he was double-vaxxed. My kid is tripled vaxxed (both doses and a booster) so right now we're just hanging tight.

UGH. 

Happy New Year.

Life in the Pandemic

 My university has been in session for a week; the kid's university starts on Monday. All of his classes are what we're calling "remote delivery," which basically means online. So his chances of catching Covid-19 are lessened.

Dr. Skull also goes back to work on Monday. This, I am less sanguine about. Our public schools are all meeting f2f. We've had over 200 teachers* resign in our school district rather than risk catching the virus, so there's lots of work for substitute teachers. And he plans to wear his mask. And we desperately need the money.

AND YET.

I'm resting my hopes on him having caught Covid-19 when I had it, back in May (if I did have it, which was never confirmed), and thus being immune now.

Capitalism. 

You have to open the schools, even if it's going to put lives at risk, because how else can parents go to work, and you can't pay people to stay home, because if you did that, people wouldn't take shit jobs just to stay alive, and of course they don't have enough money saved to stay home on their own, because they've been paid shit wages all their lives.

So people are going to get sick, and then of course you can't pay for their medical care, because how else would health care executives be able to afford six vacations a year and three houses? Not to mention that private plane! So people are going to be saddled with immense medical debt, which means they'll have to take the shitty jobs at the shitty pay being offered. What a system!

*Obviously resigning is not an option for most teachers. No unemployment if you quit, so you can't quit unless you have someone who can support you. For teachers with wealthy partners, or those old enough to start drawing retirement, it's an option. Not for most people.

"Sometime soon, it's just going to go away."

4.4 million (official) cases.

150,000 dead, so far.

Meanwhile, as someone who probably had it (I was never officially diagnosed, so like many people I'm not included in the above count), I'm suffering many after-effects.

I get dizzy, quite often.

I still have no appetite. And when I do eat, I feel sick for about an hour afterwards.

For about a month, I had weird headaches. (This seems to have stopped.)

For nearly six weeks, I was exhausted most of the time. I had trouble walking my usual exercise route -- a mile and a half, some of it uphill. For awhile, I could only walk about a quarter of a mile out and back. (This has mostly gone away. I still get more tired on the walk than I did before I was sick, but I can walk the whole way now.)

Also weird insomnia -- I fall asleep okay, but then wake up about three hours later and can't fall asleep.

I don't know how much of this is due to the virus, and how much is due to being shut in the house 23 hours a day.

Evidence is coming out showing that the virus can leave lasting damage to the heart.

That it has life-threatening effects on children.

That it can have long-term effects on the kidneys and the lungs.

It can lead to amputations.

But Trump says it's just the "sniffles," and anyway it's going to "just go away," any day now.

So don't fret.

Update on the Virus in Arkansas

Covid-19 is spiking in my state, though we're still doing better than many places. We have over 20,000 confirmed cases now. Our governor, who is a Republican*, cautions that that number is probably low, since we haven't done that much testing. Nationwide, over 126,000 people have died. So far**.

I, for instance, did not get tested. This is only partly because I'm afraid of how horrible the test sounds. Ever since I had a "esophageal manometry" test done before my stomach surgery, I have a literal phobia about things being stuck up my nose.

But mainly I avoided it because I'd heard horror stories about how much people were being charged for the tests. I'm already paying 20% of my income for medical costs every month, so miss me on that.

Despite the increasing number of people infected, and hospitalized, most people in my town are still not wearing masks. When we make a grocery run, I'd say about 20% of the people in the store are masked. And I had someone inform me on FB today that the "Kung Flu" was not a big deal, and the "Democrats" were exaggerating the effects of the virus in order to "start a race war."

Which, okay, Karen.

I blocked her. That's my new policy -- one strike, and fuck you.

Meanwhile, our university has formulated the beginning of a plan for how we might resume classes in August -- split classes in half, and teaching half the class on, say, Tuesday, and half on Thursday. Public schools might well be doing a version of this. That will leave half the students at home on any given day, and I have no idea how parents are going to manage that.

How are things where you are?







*I mention that he's a Republican because apparently simple data is now a political issue, just like wearing masks.

**This is almost certainly not an accurate count. The real number is almost certainly much higher, despite what MAGA Americans keep claiming. (They think the number is much lower. Or, you know, they pretend to think that. Since everything they say is a lie, this probably is too.

117,000 Dead

In case you thought the pandemic was over, nah.

A hundred and seventeen thousand dead so far. 754 dead yesterday.

Trump's solution? He's going to hold a rally. But don't worry! He's making his slavering fans sign a waiver promising not to sue when they get sick.

As for me, it's been almost a month since I got sick, and I am still not well. At this point, all I want is to feel relatively normal again. (Whine, whine.)

Day 16

Unless something changes, this will be my last virus update. My temperature has been normal for four days now, and I don't have any symptoms left, except for my changed taste preferences. I'm even finding things I can eat.

Whatever I had, Covid or whatever it was, I seem to be over it. Hurray!

Day 15

Three days with a normal temperature. The CDC says I need to go seven days without a fever before I can break quarantine. (I've kind of broken it already, in that I take brief walks down the road and back; but I know I won't meet anyone in this neighborhood, so that doesn't really count.)

I'm hungry again, at least sometimes; but most food is unappealing. I haven't lost my sense of taste, but thing do taste different. For instance, I used to love salt. Now I can't stand it. Same for toast and butter.

I can't find anything except yogurt that I do like a lot now.  I might get Dr. Skull to roast a chicken for me, and see if I can eat that.

Day Thirteen

Last night my temperature was 99.8, but it's been normal so far all day today.

I still feel a bit wobbly, but my other symptoms have cleared off. I'm making a concerted effort to eat more -- difficult with no appetite, not to mention the terrible state of the country.

I've banned myself from both FB and Twitter for a few days, anxiety and depression making nothing any better.

Been able to work a few hours each morning. That's helping some.

Day Eleven

Dr. Skull is fine today. So that's good.

I had a fever of 100.8 yesterday. Also took a three hour nap. No appetite. I get hungry, but everything tastes unappealing. (I still can taste, though, and smell, so that's good.)

The national news, meanwhile, is extremely depressing. And of course white moderates are deploring the terrible, terrible way churches and department stores and policemen are being treated. If only people would protest peacefully.



As Alexandra Erin puts it:

What is happening across this country is that the police are rioting in response to attempts to hold them accountable.

— Alexandra Erin (@AlexandraErin) May 31, 2020

Day Ten

The weirdest part of this virus -- I still don't know if it's Covid-19 -- is the way the excruciating pain moves around my body.

Like, in the early days, it was pain in my knees and feet. Then those bones stopped hurting and my rib bones hurt. Then all my bones stopped hurting, except for mild aches, and I had a knife-like pain in my left kidney.

Which, as you can imagine, brought on some mild panic.

But that didn't last. The pain moved to my guts, where it stayed for several days. It felt exactly like shards of glass were stabbing me from the inside: first up high in my abdomen, then down on the right side, then a little higher on the right side.

Then I got a mean headache, which has lasted until this morning. The pain in my head moved around too -- low around my temples, then the middle of my forehead, and now up at the very top of my head, like a damn skullcap.

My fever is gone. And it never went to my lungs. So...good, I guess?

I'll be glad when I stop hurting.

Oh, my appetite is returning, but I can't eat much without feeling queasy.

Day Nine

I am very nearly better. Still a headache, still some lingering gut pain and nausea, but no fever for two days, and my appetite is -- slowly -- returning.

I am told Golden Milk may help with the pain and nausea. I have all those ingredients! Worth a shot.

Also no nap yesterday, though I did sleep ten hours last night.

I might try a short walk up the street and back today. (That's safe here because no one in this neighborhood leaves their houses.)

Day Seven

My temperature is still normal. I feel very tired, though, despite sleeping five hours yesterday afternoon and ten hours last night. Also my guts still hurt.

I'm getting cranky. Maybe that's a good sign.

Update: My five hour nap was only 4 and a half hours long today. Still no appetite.

Day Six

I think I'm almost better -- no fever at all day. Still some symptoms (headache and gut pain, mostly), but they're relatively mild.

Still no cough, and I can still smell and taste. No appetite, though I try to eat something when I can.

I'm still sleeping a lot -- still fourteen or fifteen hours a day. (10-12 hours at night and frequent naps.)

I'll continue watching for a relapse.

UPDATE: Another five hour nap today. My fever is up to just over 100, but I feel all right otherwise.

Progression of Symptoms

According to Dr. Google, right now is indeed when I'm either going to start getting better or fall off the cliff.

I'm betting on getting better, since my symptoms are not severe and my fever is very nearly gone entirely -- it was 98.9 last time I took it.

But more information is here, and also here, and finally here.

Clearly I need to watch my symptoms carefully over the next few days.

Day Five

I think I'm better?

Hard to say, exactly. My fever is down -- between 99.1 and 99.6 most of the time -- but the body aches are worse, and my headache was terrible last night. Also serious pain in my intestines, like debilitating pain. That's intermittent, though, and only lasts a moment or two.

The dreams continue. Last night, I dreamed I had to put crates and crates of cookbooks into alphabetical order, except some were too big to fit on the shelves, and all of them were so heavy they made my hands and arms hurt when I tried to move them around. Also there was a lot of dust.

This probably means something, but I can't think what.


UPDATE: This says the abdominal pain may be a symptom of the virus. I also have a loss of appetite, so.

UPDATE: Here's a nice self-assessment from the CDC. It says I don't need a test, yet; but I think I'll call my teledoc (the university got us teledoc access) tomorrow and make sure.

Day Four of Whatever This Is

I'm still not sure this is Covid-19 -- I'm not really very sick. I mean, I'm sick. I feel terrible, my bones hurt, all that. But I'm not nearly as sick as I was with the kidney stone.

Anyway, my fever is down today. My bones still hurt. I have a dry cough. I'm sleeping sixteen or seventeen hours a day. And I keep having these very odd dreams, when I have to complete a bizarre and endless task (stitching together the grassy plains around a ranch house, for instance).

I'll be glad when I'm better.

Pandemics Are Fun

I have a fever -- 102 last night, 99.9 today -- and body aches. Time for another round of "Is this the virus or just a virus?"

No cough so far, or pains in my chest. And I still have my sense of smell and taste, though absolutely no appetite.

UPDATE: Still have the fever. No other symptoms, except general aches.  Also my neck hurts.

UPDATE #2: Every time I feel a little better, I try to eat something. Always a mistake.

Money Money Money

Yesterday our stimulus check finally arrived. Since it arrived after the banks closed, we can't put it in until Monday, but that's okay. Dr. Skull's unemployment money means we're not hard up at the moment anyway.

Still, I'm relieved to have it.

The kid, as it turns out, will not get stimulus money. He's still on our tax returns as a dependent, so he can't get his own check; and he's too old to qualify for the $500/credit. So that kind of sucks.

Meanwhile, everyone here is still well. The kid has a friend whose father, a man in his 40s, got the virus, and is now in the hospital with blood clots. And one of my colleagues at the university (no one I know) has it. That's as close as it has come to us so far.

The weather continues to be amazing. Highs around 70 every day, lows in the 50s, sunny and breezy. We keep the French doors and windows open all day long. And on our walks down by the river we're seeing all sorts of birds, including a black bird with white on its wings and back. IDK what bird this is -- I'd think it was this guy, but the range is wrong. In any case, it flies in flocks, and is very lovely in flight.

Also, I think I've identified the purple flower that is blooming all over the walking park at the moment, thanks to this site. I think it's cow vetch, which is an invasive species. But very pretty!



How's things where all y'all are?

Yep

The venn diagram of "zygotes have rights" people and "fuck your grandma, she's gonna die anyway" people is one big sociopathic circle

— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) May 6, 2020

I mean, we always knew that "pro-life" people had absolutely no interest in "saving babies." They were always in this in order to create more low-wage workers and keep women disempowered.

There's been some bitter satisfaction in watching them reveal this truth to the entire world, though.

I Mean, It's Just Your Death

I have been lurking on the pages of MAGA Americans, a practice I am now putting a moratorium on, because it is just too depressing.

But meanwhile I have learned that they currently hold the following positions:

(1) The virus is real, but the pandemic is propaganda

I've heard some version of this phrase maybe 15 times now, so I suspect it's something that got said on either Faux News or Rush's charming show. This claims says that sure, Covid-19 exists, but hardly anyone is actually dying from it.

What about the seventy thousand dead in America so far, and the 258 thousand worldwide? FAKE NEWS, they screech. Those people are actually dying of heart attacks, or car accidents, see, and then their doctors are all lying about it.

Why would they lie about it? Because if someone dies of Covid-19, the hospitals get $$$ in the form of grants. So clearly they're just inflating the numbers of dead.

A vast medical conspiracy, stretching world-wide, so that US hospitals can bilk the US government. What genius!


(2) Sure, people are dying, but everyone dies. You can't destroy an economy just to keep people from dying!

I mean, you can sure destroy people's right to control their own bodies to protect the life of a zygote; and you can destroy the lives of 100,000 Iraqi citizens because Saudi Arabian terrorists killed 3000 Americans; and it's fine to murder some guy who was jogging aggressively because you're "defending yourself."

But taking precautions to protect the lives of the couple hundred thousand people who will likely die from this virus? Psh, pointless. They'll just die anyway.

(3) Forcing people to stay home, wear masks, or avoid large gatherings is tyranny. 

In fact, it's pretty much exactly what the Nazis did to the Jews. And if we do what those Jews did -- just go along with it!! -- then we'll end up in death camps just like they did.

(An actual argument I've seen two different MAGA Americans make so far.)

An alternate to this claim is that "the government" is using this virus to destroy "your" civil rights.

Which government? Federal? State? Local? The evidence for how "your" civil rights are being abrogated is that some stores and parks are closed, and some places are requiring face masks. All this is mainly being done by local city governments, though also by some state governments. But their argument is that the Constitution gives them the right to shop wherever and whenever they please, and also they don't have to wear masks, and also the masks don't work anyway.

Also, wearing a mask and socially distancing is just "living in fear," which none of this yabbos do. That's why they own so many guns. Because they're not afraid.


(4) The virus was "micro-engineered" in secret labs as a bio-weapon. Also, it was set loose upon the USA so that vaccine manufacturers could make money.

First, no it wasn't. 

Second of all, oh my God.

Also, by the way, you'll be interested to hear that the vaccine is just a plot to microchip American citizens.

(5) The pandemic is just another witch-hunt aimed at destroying Trump.

In the movie Contagion my favorite line is when Military Intelligence asks the scientist if someone might have weaponized bird flu, and the scientist gives him an exasperated look. "We don't have to weaponize bird flu," the scientist says. "The birds are doing that on their own."

We don't have to destroy Trump. He's doing that just fine on his own.


(6) We have to open the economy to save the economy. People die just as dead of starvation as they do from a virus!

On the surface, this almost seems logical. But it's a false dilemma. It's possible to save the economy while still practicing social distancing and basic hygiene.

Also, the idea seems to be either that we "save" the economy, or people die of the virus. Which, no. If we get rid of social distancing, we also increase the spread of the virus. Then instead of a hundred thousand dead (the low-ball estimate at the moment) we get a couple million dead.

You want to see a damaged economy, kill off a couple million Americans -- most of whom need medical care while they die -- in the space of a few months.


(7) Social distancing is the wrong solution! We need to develop herd immunity and we can't do that except by letting people catch the virus. 

People who parrot this one have no idea what herd immunity is.

Also, their corollary is almost always that "only" sick and old people will die from it. Also not true, and besides which, wow.