Day 295...Deep Breaths...
Jan. 8th, 2021 08:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatThe news from the South Carolina home front isn't great...
At 12:30 pm - I talked to Mother, and found out the following:
1. Due to a serious COVID Outbreak in South Carolina - their Independent Retirement Community is going on lockdown again, which means Aunt K will be booted out on Sunday.
Me: Why? She's tested negative for COVID.
Mother: She's a visitor and there are liability issues. Also she comes and goes, and can infect the health care workers caring for your father.
Me: They come and go too. So do the employees.
Mother: Not the same apparently.
2. The home health care worker scheduled to stay with my father and Aunt K tonight, cancelled because they called in sick. And they couldn't find a replacement because they are seriously understaffed due to the COVID crisis.
So, they have to put my Dad in the memory care facility or the Preston. Aunt K can't take care of him by herself. And he requires 24/7 care now.
Mother: He told your Aunt that she would make a horrible tour guide of Melbourne. Apparently they are in Melbourne at the moment, and have been touring Australia in your father's head. He also told Aunt K that there were a bunch of people there watching them, but they were hallucinations, so she shouldn't worry about them - they'd go away soon.
Mother: Your Aunt explained that he was going to the Preston in the following way - "You have to go, because of a COVID outbreak - and in the Preston, you will be safe from it."
Which is actually kind of true, since everyone in the Preston has been vaccinated. My Dad won't be - because it was done through the Federal CVS program and CVS won't come back out to vaccinate one person. But he went without any argument because of that.
3. Mother has to go to a rehab acute care facility off-island to get rehab for her hip. (As it was later pointed out to me by various folks including my brother and mother - this is actually a better idea, since she won't get well in the Preston with my Dad. And she's less likely to get out of the Preston if she went in with him. This way she can focus on getting better herself. Also before she goes into the Preston or sees my Dad, she'd have to be under quarantine for fourteen days. So, acute care, quarantine, then Dad.
Might be 6-8 weeks now before she sees him again. Although acute care may just be two weeks.)
I sent flowers to Aunt K - which will hopefully arrive on Saturday so at least she'll get them. I had a basket not a vase. I realized this morning that I probably should have waited until she got home first. Oh well. It's a minor thing.
After talking to mother, I called bro, and explained it to him. He came to the rapid conclusion that Dad in the Preston was the best bet and Mom could go there too - but later, apparently went along with Mom's view that that wouldn't work - she'd have to go off-island.
Then called Aunt K. And then after work, various family members. Aunt K will be there tomorrow - to bring stuff over to Mom and Dad, in their separate facilities. Then she'll leave for her home on Sunday, it makes no sense for her to stay - since they are booting her out due to the outbreak. And she can't get into the place after that. But someone from the Cypress or a neighbor, may be able to bring things to Mom. Also Mom can have visitors.
I called Mom's cousins and her sister to convey the news. I'll let Aunt K contact my Dad's crazy siblings.
Spent most of the day on the phone. Most of the time with mother - who called me five-six times. She wasn't taken to the rehab facility until 9:30 pm tonight. Apparently they don't do laundry there - so she'll need someone to pick it up and do it for her - but she has lots of volunteers.
God I'm tired. I'm losing my Dad in the worst way...and there's nothing I can do to stop it or help.
After work, it was too cold and far too late to walk around Greenwood Cemetery. Not that I got a lot done at work. I was writing up a change order justification, contract modification, and filling out spreadsheets - which normally take two hours - took two days. I couldn't focus.
Can't think why. (Sarcasm)
On the walk, I overheard a man tell his friend..."You can't get angry or blame anyone, COVID just is - it's no one's fault...it just is." And I thought, yes, getting angry isn't helping. Then I saw this ...which weirdly comforted me on someone's door. It's funny how the simplest things can comfort me right now.
Cousin Jim told me tonight, when I asked how he was doing, "We're pandemic fine. It's what we call it - all of this is happening outside our window or on the tv, it feels almost surreal."
It does. And the WAR such as it is - is being fought across social media and on the television set far far away from here.
When I wasn't trying to work or talking to my mother and extended family, I was checking various news sources.
It turns out that I was right - the Republican Party imploded on January 6 and now is scrambling to fix the damage.
Life-Long Republicans, family members (who did not vote for Trump and hate him) have left the party and don't want to be associated with it any longer.
And, in a move that followed Mark Zuckerberg's announcement on FB, a scant twelve hours later, Twitter decided to permanently suspend Donald Trump's account.
Twitter went from blocking Trump's account to permanently suspending it. When Trump tried to post under his White House account, they removed his tweets.
Now if we can just remove Fox News, and all right-wing media conduits.
Governor Cuomo and Mayor DeBlasio - in between pleading for people to get vaccinated and more vaccines to be given to nursing homes and over 75, condemned Trump and asked for his resignation or impeachment. Cumo went so far to call on Federal representatives to condemn him openly and renounce him, and do what they could to remove him from office.
And...it's not just Trump being condemned, but those who supported him and condoned the coup.
Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), whose willingness to join the House members who were going to challenge the counting of the votes, and who thus was a key figure in making their false accusations seem legitimate, watched his star plummet today. His key mentor, former Senator John Danforth (R-MO), said supporting Hawley was the “worst mistake of my life.” One of Hawley’s major donors called him “an anti-democracy populist” who provoked the riots, and called for his censure.
When Simon & Schuster canceled Hawley’s new book contract, the senator fought back, insisting that he was a victim of “cancel culture,” with “the Left looking to cancel everyone they don’t approve of.” He insisted this was a “direct assault on the First Amendment,” and that all he had been doing with his challenges to counting the electoral votes from certain states was “representing my constituents, leading a debate on the Senate floor on voter integrity.” It was a desperate statement that he must have known to be false. The First Amendment protects us from censorship from the government: a private publishing company is under no obligation to publish anything. And the courts have rejected the idea that preventing Congress from counting the certified votes from citizens of other states is a legitimate way to represent his constituents.
The editorial board of the St. Louis Dispatch from Hawley’s home state wasn’t having it. “Americans have had enough of Trumpism and the two-faced, lying, populist politicians who embraced it,” the board wrote. “Hawley’s presidential aspirations have been flushed down the toilet because of his role in instigating Wednesday’s assault on democracy. He should do Missourians and the rest of the country a big favor and resign now…. Trumpism must die before it morphs into Hitlerism.”
Josh Hawley is the Republican, who replaced Clair McCaskill as Senator from Missouri. He was recently re-elected. Someone on FB declared he'd be in office for 20 years. I corrected him, no, his term is up in 2024 (I know I looked it up) and he's already lost his major donor (who denounced him) and his mentor, who disowned me, along with his publisher who dumped his book.
He'll be censored, and all plans for a Presidential run in 2024 are flushed down the toilet.
Four New York Representatives are being called out on their actions, and will most likely serve only one term. No bills, no promises kept. One of them stated that her first week in the Capital felt like three years.
In the last 24 hours - the calls from both sides of the aisle for Trumps impeachment or removal from office have multiplied. No one wants to wait until January 20. Not any more. The only ones still defending him are well those who aided and abetted him - Fox News, and its pundits. I foresee Fox losing advertisers and support in the days ahead. They are trying to spin doctor it - but can't.
Meanwhile, the people who participated in the Big Mutant Zombie Apocalypse (that wasn't) - are being called out on their activities in various ways. Many have lost their jobs. The MTA just suspended a Metro North employee, who was recognized in news footage and selfies in the invasion on the Capital. He's been suspended without pay, and is facing disciplinary action via his union. One CEO of a marketing company who participated, apologized for his actions in the hopes, no doubt, of saving face or being forgiven.
And those who once allied themselves with Trump, are fleeing. At least two cabinet members have resigned to avoid invoking the 25th Amendment. And sedition charges. While Pence is also avoiding invoking it - because he doesn't want to be railroaded into pardoning Trump.
It's a mess. And the timing for the Republicans and Trump could not be worse - yesterday, the US had more people die than any other day. And in the last five days, more Americans have died of COVID than in the last four wars combined. More people died on Wednesday January 9, then on 9/11. And in the raid on the Capital Building, four people died. One of them a police officer.
January 6, 2021 is a watershed moment. A turning point in history. Similar to November 11, 2016, and September 11, 2001. It is the end of the Trump era, and the end of the Republican Party as we currently know it.
Nancy Pelosi is preparing for impeachment next week, and has met with the Joint Chiefs of Staff to limit the things access to nuclear codes.
New York vs. the Corona Virus, or rather the world vs it.
We discussed vaccines at work, and I keep getting emails. Public transportation employees fall under Phase B of the vaccination effort. We've allegedly completed Phase A. Not everyone got it. Some nitwits refused out of fear of side effects. But I'm way down the list of Railroad employees, since I don't interact with the public in any way and am administrative - I am however above some of my colleagues, in that I'm both high risk and over 50 but below 75. The Governor's email went into precise detail, which gave me a headache, so I won't bore you all with it. During the discussion, admin clerk asked about what the reprimands would be if you refused the vaccine? Would there by any? They keep saying that's your choice of course. But I'm wondering...if there should be consequences?
My Aunt and Uncle are getting theirs tomorrow in Michigan - because they are a) over 70 and b) help with a hospital. Someone posted on FB her tracking of the side-effects, and that people should know. They do know. But the side-effects are rare. Folks there's side-effects to everything. I know people who don't get the flu shot or the measles shot because they are convinced it causes autism - it doesn't in everyone. I'm not sure it actually does in anyone. I've had it - and didn't get that. Nor does my brother, niece or any family member. Autism has other causes. Critical thinking and logical reasoning really needs to be taught to folks. Just saying.
Sorry, don't have a lot of tolerance for the - "I'm too scared to take it" - when I can't visit my mother and father, and my Aunt can't stay and help them, because they are unable to distribute the vaccine to everyone.
Am I worried about it? Yeah, sure. I wrote a book in which half the population becomes mutated due to a miracle vaccine that changes DNA with RNA Messenger. So sure. But I know it is safe. And I'll take it. I didn't take the flu shot for years - but in 2019 I did, and I did this year. And outside of slightly sore shoulder for a few hours, I was fine. I've been watching and those who have gotten the vaccine are fine. The RNA messenger leaves, and no lasting damage. It also may not keep you immune forever. But if enough get it and we get herd immunity, the virus will weaken and disappear. Viruses are parasites, they can't survive without hosts.
So, right now? 2021 feels a bit like a continuation of 2020, with hope in sight.
Congrats, folks, we made it through this week. I've been dreading this week for a while. And it's been harrowing from start to finish. I'm hoping next week is better...
At 12:30 pm - I talked to Mother, and found out the following:
1. Due to a serious COVID Outbreak in South Carolina - their Independent Retirement Community is going on lockdown again, which means Aunt K will be booted out on Sunday.
Me: Why? She's tested negative for COVID.
Mother: She's a visitor and there are liability issues. Also she comes and goes, and can infect the health care workers caring for your father.
Me: They come and go too. So do the employees.
Mother: Not the same apparently.
2. The home health care worker scheduled to stay with my father and Aunt K tonight, cancelled because they called in sick. And they couldn't find a replacement because they are seriously understaffed due to the COVID crisis.
So, they have to put my Dad in the memory care facility or the Preston. Aunt K can't take care of him by herself. And he requires 24/7 care now.
Mother: He told your Aunt that she would make a horrible tour guide of Melbourne. Apparently they are in Melbourne at the moment, and have been touring Australia in your father's head. He also told Aunt K that there were a bunch of people there watching them, but they were hallucinations, so she shouldn't worry about them - they'd go away soon.
Mother: Your Aunt explained that he was going to the Preston in the following way - "You have to go, because of a COVID outbreak - and in the Preston, you will be safe from it."
Which is actually kind of true, since everyone in the Preston has been vaccinated. My Dad won't be - because it was done through the Federal CVS program and CVS won't come back out to vaccinate one person. But he went without any argument because of that.
3. Mother has to go to a rehab acute care facility off-island to get rehab for her hip. (As it was later pointed out to me by various folks including my brother and mother - this is actually a better idea, since she won't get well in the Preston with my Dad. And she's less likely to get out of the Preston if she went in with him. This way she can focus on getting better herself. Also before she goes into the Preston or sees my Dad, she'd have to be under quarantine for fourteen days. So, acute care, quarantine, then Dad.
Might be 6-8 weeks now before she sees him again. Although acute care may just be two weeks.)
I sent flowers to Aunt K - which will hopefully arrive on Saturday so at least she'll get them. I had a basket not a vase. I realized this morning that I probably should have waited until she got home first. Oh well. It's a minor thing.
After talking to mother, I called bro, and explained it to him. He came to the rapid conclusion that Dad in the Preston was the best bet and Mom could go there too - but later, apparently went along with Mom's view that that wouldn't work - she'd have to go off-island.
Then called Aunt K. And then after work, various family members. Aunt K will be there tomorrow - to bring stuff over to Mom and Dad, in their separate facilities. Then she'll leave for her home on Sunday, it makes no sense for her to stay - since they are booting her out due to the outbreak. And she can't get into the place after that. But someone from the Cypress or a neighbor, may be able to bring things to Mom. Also Mom can have visitors.
I called Mom's cousins and her sister to convey the news. I'll let Aunt K contact my Dad's crazy siblings.
Spent most of the day on the phone. Most of the time with mother - who called me five-six times. She wasn't taken to the rehab facility until 9:30 pm tonight. Apparently they don't do laundry there - so she'll need someone to pick it up and do it for her - but she has lots of volunteers.
God I'm tired. I'm losing my Dad in the worst way...and there's nothing I can do to stop it or help.
After work, it was too cold and far too late to walk around Greenwood Cemetery. Not that I got a lot done at work. I was writing up a change order justification, contract modification, and filling out spreadsheets - which normally take two hours - took two days. I couldn't focus.
Can't think why. (Sarcasm)
On the walk, I overheard a man tell his friend..."You can't get angry or blame anyone, COVID just is - it's no one's fault...it just is." And I thought, yes, getting angry isn't helping. Then I saw this ...which weirdly comforted me on someone's door. It's funny how the simplest things can comfort me right now.
Cousin Jim told me tonight, when I asked how he was doing, "We're pandemic fine. It's what we call it - all of this is happening outside our window or on the tv, it feels almost surreal."
It does. And the WAR such as it is - is being fought across social media and on the television set far far away from here.
When I wasn't trying to work or talking to my mother and extended family, I was checking various news sources.
It turns out that I was right - the Republican Party imploded on January 6 and now is scrambling to fix the damage.
Life-Long Republicans, family members (who did not vote for Trump and hate him) have left the party and don't want to be associated with it any longer.
And, in a move that followed Mark Zuckerberg's announcement on FB, a scant twelve hours later, Twitter decided to permanently suspend Donald Trump's account.
Twitter went from blocking Trump's account to permanently suspending it. When Trump tried to post under his White House account, they removed his tweets.
Now if we can just remove Fox News, and all right-wing media conduits.
Governor Cuomo and Mayor DeBlasio - in between pleading for people to get vaccinated and more vaccines to be given to nursing homes and over 75, condemned Trump and asked for his resignation or impeachment. Cumo went so far to call on Federal representatives to condemn him openly and renounce him, and do what they could to remove him from office.
And...it's not just Trump being condemned, but those who supported him and condoned the coup.
Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), whose willingness to join the House members who were going to challenge the counting of the votes, and who thus was a key figure in making their false accusations seem legitimate, watched his star plummet today. His key mentor, former Senator John Danforth (R-MO), said supporting Hawley was the “worst mistake of my life.” One of Hawley’s major donors called him “an anti-democracy populist” who provoked the riots, and called for his censure.
When Simon & Schuster canceled Hawley’s new book contract, the senator fought back, insisting that he was a victim of “cancel culture,” with “the Left looking to cancel everyone they don’t approve of.” He insisted this was a “direct assault on the First Amendment,” and that all he had been doing with his challenges to counting the electoral votes from certain states was “representing my constituents, leading a debate on the Senate floor on voter integrity.” It was a desperate statement that he must have known to be false. The First Amendment protects us from censorship from the government: a private publishing company is under no obligation to publish anything. And the courts have rejected the idea that preventing Congress from counting the certified votes from citizens of other states is a legitimate way to represent his constituents.
The editorial board of the St. Louis Dispatch from Hawley’s home state wasn’t having it. “Americans have had enough of Trumpism and the two-faced, lying, populist politicians who embraced it,” the board wrote. “Hawley’s presidential aspirations have been flushed down the toilet because of his role in instigating Wednesday’s assault on democracy. He should do Missourians and the rest of the country a big favor and resign now…. Trumpism must die before it morphs into Hitlerism.”
Josh Hawley is the Republican, who replaced Clair McCaskill as Senator from Missouri. He was recently re-elected. Someone on FB declared he'd be in office for 20 years. I corrected him, no, his term is up in 2024 (I know I looked it up) and he's already lost his major donor (who denounced him) and his mentor, who disowned me, along with his publisher who dumped his book.
He'll be censored, and all plans for a Presidential run in 2024 are flushed down the toilet.
Four New York Representatives are being called out on their actions, and will most likely serve only one term. No bills, no promises kept. One of them stated that her first week in the Capital felt like three years.
In the last 24 hours - the calls from both sides of the aisle for Trumps impeachment or removal from office have multiplied. No one wants to wait until January 20. Not any more. The only ones still defending him are well those who aided and abetted him - Fox News, and its pundits. I foresee Fox losing advertisers and support in the days ahead. They are trying to spin doctor it - but can't.
Meanwhile, the people who participated in the Big Mutant Zombie Apocalypse (that wasn't) - are being called out on their activities in various ways. Many have lost their jobs. The MTA just suspended a Metro North employee, who was recognized in news footage and selfies in the invasion on the Capital. He's been suspended without pay, and is facing disciplinary action via his union. One CEO of a marketing company who participated, apologized for his actions in the hopes, no doubt, of saving face or being forgiven.
And those who once allied themselves with Trump, are fleeing. At least two cabinet members have resigned to avoid invoking the 25th Amendment. And sedition charges. While Pence is also avoiding invoking it - because he doesn't want to be railroaded into pardoning Trump.
It's a mess. And the timing for the Republicans and Trump could not be worse - yesterday, the US had more people die than any other day. And in the last five days, more Americans have died of COVID than in the last four wars combined. More people died on Wednesday January 9, then on 9/11. And in the raid on the Capital Building, four people died. One of them a police officer.
January 6, 2021 is a watershed moment. A turning point in history. Similar to November 11, 2016, and September 11, 2001. It is the end of the Trump era, and the end of the Republican Party as we currently know it.
Nancy Pelosi is preparing for impeachment next week, and has met with the Joint Chiefs of Staff to limit the things access to nuclear codes.
New York vs. the Corona Virus, or rather the world vs it.
We discussed vaccines at work, and I keep getting emails. Public transportation employees fall under Phase B of the vaccination effort. We've allegedly completed Phase A. Not everyone got it. Some nitwits refused out of fear of side effects. But I'm way down the list of Railroad employees, since I don't interact with the public in any way and am administrative - I am however above some of my colleagues, in that I'm both high risk and over 50 but below 75. The Governor's email went into precise detail, which gave me a headache, so I won't bore you all with it. During the discussion, admin clerk asked about what the reprimands would be if you refused the vaccine? Would there by any? They keep saying that's your choice of course. But I'm wondering...if there should be consequences?
My Aunt and Uncle are getting theirs tomorrow in Michigan - because they are a) over 70 and b) help with a hospital. Someone posted on FB her tracking of the side-effects, and that people should know. They do know. But the side-effects are rare. Folks there's side-effects to everything. I know people who don't get the flu shot or the measles shot because they are convinced it causes autism - it doesn't in everyone. I'm not sure it actually does in anyone. I've had it - and didn't get that. Nor does my brother, niece or any family member. Autism has other causes. Critical thinking and logical reasoning really needs to be taught to folks. Just saying.
Sorry, don't have a lot of tolerance for the - "I'm too scared to take it" - when I can't visit my mother and father, and my Aunt can't stay and help them, because they are unable to distribute the vaccine to everyone.
Am I worried about it? Yeah, sure. I wrote a book in which half the population becomes mutated due to a miracle vaccine that changes DNA with RNA Messenger. So sure. But I know it is safe. And I'll take it. I didn't take the flu shot for years - but in 2019 I did, and I did this year. And outside of slightly sore shoulder for a few hours, I was fine. I've been watching and those who have gotten the vaccine are fine. The RNA messenger leaves, and no lasting damage. It also may not keep you immune forever. But if enough get it and we get herd immunity, the virus will weaken and disappear. Viruses are parasites, they can't survive without hosts.
So, right now? 2021 feels a bit like a continuation of 2020, with hope in sight.
Congrats, folks, we made it through this week. I've been dreading this week for a while. And it's been harrowing from start to finish. I'm hoping next week is better...
no subject
Date: 2021-01-09 09:45 am (UTC)kerk
no subject
Date: 2021-01-09 06:13 pm (UTC)That was the poster used for the Women's March in 2016.
no subject
Date: 2021-01-09 06:42 pm (UTC)I have to try and find my photos.
kerk
no subject
Date: 2021-01-09 02:08 pm (UTC)The Post-Dispatch has always been a fiercely Democrat paper, so their indignation doesn't actually mean as much.
no subject
Date: 2021-01-09 04:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-01-09 06:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-01-10 12:54 am (UTC)I'm guessing I might be able to get the shot by the start of March. I'm high risk but also not in contact with people, so I'm guessing it won't be that quick for me.
no subject
Date: 2021-01-10 02:04 am (UTC)My guess is March. There's problems. People who are afraid of it, and distribution/supply. Also a big push to vaccinate the 75+ group first. The 75+ group is in my group. And oh, they have to do all the teachers and educators. Phase B is huge.
It's basically everyone who works in the public sector and those 75+. They want herd immunity as fast as possible.
I now know of about four people who got the first dose. Two with the Pfizer, and two with the Moderna. No side-effects for any of them.