ONE YEAR AGO!

The world is in upheaval right now.  It's really something that has never been experienced before.

But,  one year ago, OUR LIVES were in upheaval.

The world wasn't at risk or isolating, but WE WERE....or rather, RAH was in a very precarious position.

BUT, he had a good surgeon and our family rallied around.  I cannot ever express the gratitude I have for each one of our five children who helped us so very much during those two weeks.

FAMILIES ARE THE BEST!

I am eternally grateful for: Jenni, Justin, Jeremy, Kristi, Jordan.

As I look back at how serious it all was, it's like a dream.  But there they were every step of the way, beginning with Jenni going to the doctor visits with us and reassuring us.

WOW!  I love this amazing family.

A RARE Sunday Visit

...I was so excited to go  out and visit somebody.

I dressed up and even put on lipstick!

But, then I put a mask on over it!  HA HA...signs of these crazy days in our lives.

But, there we were on a lovely Sunday afternoon at Sheryl's delightfully decorated home, taking a peek at her fancy table setting.

It was so fun!

Maybe we can do it again some day!  HA HA HA HA Ha

The Challenge!

Jenni challenged us all to write HAIKU during this time:

This was her email to us:

Didn’t you wake up this morning thinking it’s about time to write some Haiku? Me too!!! 😉😂

Here’s mine:

The world has gone mad

Things will never be the same

Coronovirus

End of the handshake

Rise of the toilet paper

Bangs are in again

Let’s hear yours.....

5/7/5 syllables 

From Allen:

Black bird broke her beak.

Window light deceived her flight.

Freedom bright, then night.

From Jordan:  (Who is in New York fighting for many lives in a Long Island hospital!)

April rains come down

Bringing economic frown

Disrupts precious Tao

Everyone alone

Thank god we all have our phones

to share and bemoan

Yet, even still, blooms!

World alight with spring perfumes

Refreshing communes

Soon twill be alright

We will hug and talk all night

Laughs about our plight

From Jeremy:

These Haikus were fun

I'm not sure I can play too

Bangs are in again?

From Loni:

HEY,  I’m almost there.

I am still trying to think.

Could be a good while.

From Kristi:

be safe, stay at home

if you don't, you could get sick  

or could break a bone

i really enjoyed 

all of your thoughtful haikus

my family rocks 

From Eli:

Sunday drive with fam

Very, very, very big waste of time

I feel sick; let’s go

From Amy:

Teenagers make drives painful

Don’t appreciate

Quality time with parents

We went to Kamas

Spied cranes, geese, ducks on

Soggy, muddy banks

And, Jenni finished it off:

Jeremy, Kristi

Amy, Eli, and dear mom

So so so so great!

I love our family, as Kristi says, our family ROCKS!

Tell That to the Health Care Workers!

Really... a LIE!?!?!?!?

One day, Jordan was so emotional in his hospital that he teared up at the deaths of people.  That fogged up his mask, which he can't easily take off and desanitize.

Tell that to the thousands of people who have died or suffered irreparable damage; like the young man who lost his leg to this LIE!

It's a challenge to stay home; it's a challenge to stay away from friends and even family; it's a challenge to have normal life disrupted; it's a challenge not to get to shop, golf, socialize, eat out, play in the parks, but it is DEFINITELY

NOT A LIE!

Letter From the Front Lines of New York State

Hello friends,

Just a quick update so you all know I am okay. Things are moving along in NY. First off, here's the important update: Acer rubrum had finished it's early spring flowering and has begun to set fruit. Magnolia × soulangeana is putting on it's amazing annual show, peaking here 2 weeks behind their Virginia siblings. Narcissus are everywhere and the early tulips are popping. Cercis blooms have still not erupted but Prunus and Pyrus are at peak bloom. So, all proceeding apace. The beautiful renewal of spring has come despite the human world seeming to fall to pieces.

Personally, I'm feeling good, staying rested and fed. Yesterday, I drove out through the Hamptons and saw beautiful Montauk. You will all be reassured - I can confirm the NY billionaires appear safely tucked away in the 9 million dollar oceanside mansions with their Bentley SUVs parked out front, intact and shiny as ever. The daily deliveries of french wine, spanish cheeses and fresh toasted paninis does not appear to have stopped as all the high-end charcuterie have signs announcing home delivery, phew. 

Back on earth, hospitalizations have clearly peaked, as have new intubations. Nursing and clinical staff levels are approaching par. There remains intermittent, critical shortage of supplies. As one missing item becomes available, others run short. Monday, we ran out of non-sterile gloves and called for more. Central supply said that's all we get until tomorrow. So everyone got a pair of sterile gloves to last the rest of their shift. Wasteful but better than nothing. No one should have to work in a covid ICU without gloves. There is a lot of make-shift protective gear being used. Everyone is wearing a different kind of N95. Masks are from hardware stores, ski googles from the garage and hair nets from salons are commonplace. People use whatever they can find.

Someone told me about a room where they have PPE set aside for doctors. I went down to ask if they have any hairnets. It was just one guy sitting behind a table covered in reusable cloth gowns. Not surprisingly, that's the one item we've never run low on. There's always plenty of wrinkled, tiny yellow gowns. (See -Farley, Chris "Fat guy in a Little Coat") I asked if he ever gets anything else and he just shook his head slowly, with a mournful look. "But we have plenty of these gowns if you want one!"  (Many of you have offered to sent things up, which I appreciate greatly. Thank you. For now, I am okay. I reuse my personal PPE on a rotation, after letting it rest for five days).

From our clinical team, there is the usual parade of successes and failures. We had another extubation this morning. A 41 year old, previous healthy man, who had been intubated since 4/6. His kidneys have failed and he will likely need long-term dialysis but he is breathing on his own, awake and alert. And no deaths for three straight days!. (Well, not really... two people died on our service yesterday but I was off so...)

Today we started our first trials of convalescent serum. People who have fully recovered from Covid-19 have donated serum that we will now give to those who are sick. The hope is that the antibodies present will slow or stop the disease. The first patient in the hospital to receive it is one of ours, a 43 year old male intubated since 4/10.  We are very hopeful it will change the course of things. I'll let you know. Thank you so much for your well-wishes and for keeping in touch. I love you,

Jordan

He Never Met a Road....

...he didn't want to take!  (if it is out in the hoodies!)

On these rides, I can usually count on his to say two things:

1. It's not that far.
2.  I didn't think it would take that long!

But, another day in the outdoors just a few miles south of St. George, Utah.

And Other News From Across the Globe

UNBELIEVABLE!

This is the city where Allen and I lived for one year.  We would go to the McDonald's about once every three weeks to get my American food hamburger fix.  Of course, there are many McDonald's in the ginormous city, so this might not be the one that featured this sign.

The article went on to say that since the Chinese had read that Blacks are more likely to get the corona virus, this was necessary to prevent the spread.

McDonald's headquarters were outraged and closed the store temporarily.  The Chinese government also responded harshly against the store.

When will prejudice ever end?