I got a call from my 96-year-old donor. He asked that I send an email to all dinner guests (for the post-forum gathering of 20 people in a private room at the Capital Grill) encouraging them not to attend if they have a cough or cold.
How to handle? Hm...
I told him that he could catch COVID19 (likely lethal for someone his age) from someone with no symptoms, and that the disease can be caught simply be breathing next to an infected person (i.e. air born and not from droplets). I also told him that it's allergy season, and many non-infectious people would be coughing from that.
At the dinner, I counted 5 people with coughs in the room, the worst cough coming from Licia James, Sly's wife. I was seated between her and 87-year old Alvin Brooks. He exhibited none of the concerns voiced by Bert Berkley. That night, he revealed to me that his cancer is back, and it's in his bones. Perhaps he is living for the moment. These circumstances are causing us all to slow down, and live more in the present as well.
The fact is....there is very, very limited testing here in Kansas and Missouri.
Some poor 70-year old fellow died in a nursing home; they tested him posthumously for the virus and he tested positive.
How frightening. I cannot imagine what it would feel like to be a fellow resident or worker in that nursing home. In any nursing home. What's really, really horrible is that nursing homes are on lock-down. You cannot visit your loved one, and they are isolated from the world, and from loving friends and family. They may sicken and die and you never get the chance to be with them. How awful.
Desi told me recently that she is relieved that mom is gone because of how incredibly scary it would be for her and for us to navigate these times with her. I feel so sorry for the ALS patients, especially those with bulbar onset, who must rely on caretakers and already use breathing machines. In order to survive this, they AND their caretakers will likely have to quarantine themselves.
I'm grateful that I don't feel worried about my children, about my spouse, and about myself. But we are witness to such change right now. And we are concerned about spreading the virus.
Universal Studios Orlando announced that it would close for the rest of the month. We were planning to be there next Wednesday - Friday. Our first real spring break trip. Ever. Dang it.
In the news
- World Health Organization declares Covid19 a pandemic
- Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson test positive while in Australia
- NBA suspended its season after a player tested positive for Covid19
- Big 12 basketball tournament (located in Kansas City) bars fans from attending
- Universities (but not UMKC) start to suspend in-person classes through the end of March
- Grocery store shelves are bare - toilet paper, bread, canned goods, meat, hand sanitzer, anti-bacterial anything (wipes, cleaners, soap, etc)
- Harvey Weinstein is sentenced to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault
- Dow Jones Industrial Average: 21,200 (On March 4, it was 27,090)
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