COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus Observations
As we sheltered-in-place, I decided to do something therapeutic and write a log of my observations about our personal experiences with the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. I have found putting everything in writing is the best way for me to organize my thoughts and arrive at reasoned conclusions. The topic and content of each day and tab is purely based on my observations at that moment in time. After the epidemic has passed and we are back to normal, it may be interesting see where I was and wasn't on point. Below click on bold text or Read More to expand
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This will be my final entry. A year ago I predicted the impact Covid-19 would be far-reaching and last a long time. And I believed we would be fighting two battles: finding a cure for the virus and saving the US economy. It never occurred to me that political lines would be drawn. Instead I naively believed that the nation would rally together like we have always done in the past during a crisis.....Read More
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Yesterday I got my second shot on the Covid-19 Pfizer vaccine and today I met with my cardiologist to review my recovery from my recent heart surgery. After months of dealing with bad news regarding the acceleration in the spread of the virus and after spending two months in and out of the hospital, I can now sense a positive shift. We seem to be turning a corner in controlling the virus and hopefully in regaining my personal health and strength....Read More
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Today I was admitted to the hospital with a very severe infection unrelated to Covid. Soon I found myself laying in bed hooked up to an intravenous (IV) drip and in extreme pain from a mysterious infection; concerned about the escalation of Covid infections and deaths; and disappointed about not being able to get vaccinated. Then I turned on the TV and watched with dismay as the President of the United States openly encouraged demonstrators to storm the Capital. The Covid psychological pressure on our nation has been never ending and the political support system was coming unhinged while I was dealing with my own serious health issue. As I contemplated what was happening, everything seemed to be in a state of chaos.....Read More
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My wife and I got vaccinated and for the first time since the pandemic began, we both experienced a small sense of euphoria. For the past 10 months the nation has been dealing with the effects of the coronavirus on a daily, minute-by-minute basis with the constant reminder to observe prevention protocols of wearing masks and social distancing. Receiving the vaccination feels like the first sign that we may be actually turning the corner in this fight against this deadly plague.....Read More
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I am calling my latest diet the COVID Diet, but it really has very little to do with the coronavirus. It just happens that I have begun dieting in the midst of the pandemic. The four components of my COVID diet are: growing a beard, abstaining from alcohol, getting vaccinated for virus, and losing 10 lbs. My goal is short-term and my resolution is that I won’t consider shaving until I have been vaccinated and have lost 10 lbs. I am sure this may sound very goofy to everyone but me, but I do whatever works!.....Read More
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By the end of March 2020 the nation panicked as we came to recognize and anticipate the longer-term impact of the coronavirus. The stock market tanked as many Americans, including me, sold off stocks thinking the economy was headed into recession. But the economy didn’t tank and nine months later COVID hasn’t damaged my personal wealth, other than some unwise investing that I brought on myself. Despite my blunders my financial portfolio is worth more than it was a year ago and I remain financially sound......Read More
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With all the talk about vaccines in the battle against COVID-19, I came to realize that I know what vaccines do (i.e., immunize the body against a disease), but I didn’t know what vaccines really were? And why does it take so long for vaccines to be developed? So it was time for me to gain a better understanding of something (vaccine) that is so important to the general well-being of the entire country. Here is what I discovered.....Read More
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FDA approval of COVID-19 vaccines appears to be imminent and lifting optimism. The next logical questions are when will the vaccine be available for general distribution, and whether my wife and I would be comfortable being early recipients? My answer is, “Yes.” I am ready; figuratively My Hand Is Raised. Bring it on!.....Read More
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Coronavirus infections rates are trending up across the country and around the world, and with each passing day new records are being set for daily instances of the virus in the United States. Earlier this week Pfizer announced that preliminary tests of their vaccine yielded an over 90% efficacy result. The bad news is the virus infection rate is on the rise but there is renewed optimism that a vaccine will be available in the first quarter of 2012....Read More
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Election Day is finally here and even though I have no idea who will be the winner of the presidential race, I feel a sense of relief. It is my fondest wish that the presidential verdict will be decisive so that the country doesn’t go through an extended period of challenges and legal battles. With the election stress out of the way, we now can look forward to the day, hopefully soon, when a vaccine is approved and available....Read More
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It has been over 7 months since the pandemic began dominating our day-to-day lives and it is less than a week before the Presidential election. The one thing that is in common with both the pandemic and the election is that the American people have grown weary on both fronts.....Read More
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While the country idles in neutral waiting for the pandemic to end, there is a general sense that everything is temporary and we will eventually get back to the way things have always been. Is that true or do we need to recognize we are in the midst of an evolving permanency; a new world of computer applications that will have vast social and business implications......Read More
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Hurricane Isaias missed us but in a perverse way the anxiety provided a welcomed diversion from the daily news detailing the number of cases, number of deaths, etc. The mode reminds me of the 1960s when the Vietnam daily death counts were broadcasted daily and anti-war demonstrations were being held across the country and dominating the political discussions......Read More
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America seems to be in a state of suspension awaiting some good news regarding the discovery of a vaccine or a steady decline in the number of COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths.....Read More
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We are spending every day at home and following the protocol when we stray out in public we are wearing masks and maintaining social distancing. We are making do but everyday seems the same. In fact because all the days seem the same, each day seems to be blending into the next. We have settled into a state of constant sameness......Read More
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We are in the midst of the most serious health crisis that has occurred in my lifetime. Instead of the country pulling together to overcome the disease, the virus itself has become politicized. The doctors have continued to instruct us to follow a simple set of precautions: socially distance; wear a mask; and wash your hands frequently. Then we have politicians saying to disregard the guidelines. What fools!......Read More
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The past couple of weeks have been an emotional roller coaster. Dealing with our emotions has become a daily preoccupation; something that is not healthy but seemingly unavoidable.....Read More
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The stock market opened today on a positive note as investors continued to indicate they believe that the economy will continue to rebound despite the rise of new cases of the virus over the weekend......Read More
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We arrived home last night after spending 4 days visiting with daughter and family in Seaside, Florida. The majority of people weren’t following social distancing protocols and not wearing masks. The whole scene was startling and left me with an uneasy feeling.......Read More
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Florida has reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases for the third day in a row, but the state is continuing to relax restrictions and allowing more types of business to reopen. The economic strain and the populace tiring of the lifestyle now outweighs the fears of a second wave. We are not going to get the type of political leadership that previously put lives before money, so it is apparent that there is no going back.....Read More
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The combined impact of the pandemic and racial unrest has shown a brighter spotlight on racial inequality in America. Minorities have experienced a disproportionately higher rate of COVID-19 infections and deaths from the virus.....Read More
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For the first time in over two months the pandemic is not dominating the headlines. Last Saturday was a moment of national pride when SpaceX launched. However overshadowing everything has been the widespread reaction to a black man in Minneapolis that died on Memorial Day during a police arrest......Read More
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Making the right decisions at the right time is dependent on the publication of pertinent factual information. On one hand we have the doctors and epidemiologists doing their best to tell us what we need to know, truth. On the other hand we have the politicians telling us what they want us to know, propaganda. Then we have social media propagating misinformation. We are left to our own resources to choose the right path or suffer the consequences......Read More
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We are now entering into a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic; the reopening of America. For the past two months my wife and I have faithfully followed recommended guidelines for social distancing, and for the most part it has not been a hardship. But people are ready to return to a normal life now, not a year from now. Consequently the restless keep pushing the envelope, restlessness is transforming into recklessness......Read More
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For many years I have contemplated how the combination of technology and patient self-testing could have a positive impact on patient/doctor relationships, in terms of convenience, efficiency, timeliness and costs. But instead of trying to insert my ideas into the process, I decided to act as a test case, in which I would document in detail every aspect of the process and provide a detailed critique at the conclusion......Read More
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Along came COVID-19 pandemic and suddenly my wife and I were spending most of the day complying with the sheltering-in-place order. So we began to view exercise as a personal treat. My wife engages in kayaking and cycling on a daily basis, as well as jogging. It was as if she was training for the Iron Woman competition.....Read More
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Around April 1, a group of volunteers was organized to make masks for distribution to the Veterans Hospital, and) is humming along and has produced over 200 masks. Beautiful hand-made thank you cards will be included with each package of masks, thanking these medical service providers for their efforts in the face of the risk to their personal health.........Read More
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I am in my 80s and I am aware that the Good Lord only allocates to us so many good days on this earth. And as time goes by and I hear the news that another friend or peer is gravely ill or has passed away, I am constantly being reminded my time is running short. I can accept the thought of my ultimate demise, but I dread the thought of when the time comes and I can no longer be physically active.....Read More
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It has been approximately 3 weeks since we began sheltering in place. At first we had to come to the realization that the COVID-19 coronavirus had suddenly turned our world upside down, forcing us to restructure our daily lives......Read More
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The COVID-19 coronavirus will be far-reaching and dominate our society for years to come, and the country won’t be able to fully return to normal until a vaccine is readily available. It certainly won’t be the same for senior citizens like me that have health issues and have to proceed with caution. But rather than focus on the bad news, I have tried to take a glass-half-full approach, identifying the silver linings.....Read More
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My wife and I are strictly following all of the guidelines for sheltering-in-place and we have become obsessed with cleanliness. In a matter of a week I have become a total germaphobe and have come to accept the probability that this new reclusive lifestyle might be permanent for a long time; a year or more until a vaccine is widely-available.....Read More
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Sheltering-in-place is providing me with lots of idle time, and I see the opportunity to think about what may potentially ensue in the future. One area that has intrigued me for a longtime is tele-medicine along with patient self-testing and monitoring of our own health......Read More
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Today the country is in the grip of two battles: one with the COVID-19 virus and the other to save the United States economy. What makes these intertwining conflicts so unsettling is uncertainty. When will we recover: a month, 6 months, a year, longer, or never?......Read More
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