quote:

Originally posted by bald1:

And FWIW not that I'm superstitious or anything but April has been the bane of my existence all my life. It is the month I had a heart attack and was informed of my leukemia diagnosis among other "milestones." I don't want to add contracting Covid19 to the list.

For what it's worth, I think you deserve a pass...you've been through more than enough already. None of us get to make those decisions, but God bless you anyway. I hope it works out for you.

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Originally posted by sns3guppy:

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:

And FWIW not that I'm superstitious or anything but April has been the bane of my existence all my life. It is the month I had a heart attack and was informed of my leukemia diagnosis among other "milestones." I don't want to add contracting Covid19 to the list.

For what it's worth, I think you deserve a pass...you've been through more than enough already. None of us get to make those decisions, but God bless you anyway. I hope it works out for you.

Thanks. Your sentiments are appreciated. And yes, success as posted at the bottom of the previous page. Phone visit and skipped lab tests for this quarter!

Hang in there guys.

I'm sort of manic at this point. We have a plan for short to medium term, we have ways to cut some expenses. We will survive, even if severely damaged financially. Sometimes this makes me feel good that we won't lose our house or anything, then the next day I get upset about watching savings diminish and goals postponed.

I should be happy (not the right word, relieved maybe) we are prepared for something like this, instead I'm mostly angry, I didn't do a damn thing to deserve this.

My grandfather called me a second time today to tell me his wife has stage IV cancer. Not sure if he forgot because he was self medicating with Martinis, distraught, or just age. It pains me to think what he's going through right now and kills me I can't get to go see him.

On a brighter side talked to my grandma last night, they are well provisioned and have figured out which food delivery apps they like best (Peapod was their favorite for anyone who shouldn't be out in public). She's a globe trotting granny, but is fine with being a shut in for a while and going through her volumes of journals and photos of past trips.

Well, my current hospital gave me two weeks notice (I work in the OR and we are slow, I mean 1 case a day slow). I have plenty of food and water for a long time, and money isn't a problem, but I fear boredom now. Everything is shut down and I really can't stay focused to the TV long enough to Netflix. The golf course is open with restrictions, so maybe my game will improve! I'm playing the TPC Marriott for a vets/first responders tourney on Easter, so that gives me something to do.

I also put my name on the list in case the Army needs my specialty, but from what I've heard they're not even doing anything but emergencies, so maybe I can retrain and be of help on one of the floors.

Anyhow, if there is anyone in the Uvalde, Tx area, I have a pass-key to the range if you want to go put holes in paper!

My wife is a nurse at a hospital. Stress is building day by day for her and her coworkers. I’m feeling strained a bit myself but she has it worse.

I am trying to keep it in one sock. I work in a ER at a major hospital in Cleveland. I am sure I will get infected. Waiting for the wave of sick. Do not want to make hard decisions about people. Who gets ICU care and vents and who does not. Do not want to bring it home and risk family. Most cases are going to be mild but there are healthy people dying from this. Bourbon and cigars help.

Things are looking up!! Tonight Im looking at the Paycheck Protection Program loan docs for my company. These are part of the stimulus relief just passed.

Basically 2 months of payroll (2019 average monthly) costs including benefits in a forgivable loan if you keep people working. This is incredible!!!

Anyone with a small business I can send you the same docs (my CFO gathered these together) along with the loan app. Pleas PM me and and can send them to you!

Loans can be submitted starting on April 3rd.

My oldest son is supposed to graduate high school this may but now we don't know if there will be a graduation or a just a letter in the mail. It sucks. So were just trying to get through this whole home school thing with both boys and that sucks too. Thankfully we haven't suffered economically. I hope that continues.

Just my wife and I, both retired and in good general health. Enough money as long as we are careful. Our area of s Indiana is not suffering like some parts of the country and our grocery stores are well stocked. I'm a homebody anyway so not a lot of change.

What does break my heart is I've got a niece and nephew that are exceptional students. Our niece is class valedictorian and has never made less than an A. She has an academic scholarship to Indiana University but she won't get the recognition of a graduation ceremony.

My nephew has been an outstanding baseball player since peewee league and was set to be the ace of the pitching staff and cleanup hitter. Plays third when not pitching. he's good enough to play college ball and has some small school scholarship offers but a big senior year could have landed better offers. Sad for them.

I've done a news media blackout the past few days, shit is getting to me. I check in here from time to time just to catch up, but I just cannot listen to this stuff all day anymore.

I was in the ED the other night admitting suspected COVID-19 patients when my colleague called me to transfer one of my patients down to the ED to be intubated and mechanically ventilated. She, also, was a suspected COVID-19 patient. You see, our three ICUs are completely full so critical patients are being held in the ED until a bed becomes available, either by successful extubation from the ventilator or by attrition.

I knew this patient well—she has been one of my “stable” patients for the last few days. She is in her 70s and only had interstitial lung disease (ILD) which is a broad umbrella term for a category of progressive lung diseases, some with a known cause and some without. She was actually teaching yoga at a nursing home when her husband became ill with suspected COVID-19. He came in on a stretcher and she followed him on foot. She was feeling a little under the weather as well so was also evaluated. They were in adjacent beds in the ED separated only by a curtain. They argued who would get the bed with the TV...they both insisted that the other get it.

They were both found to have low oxygen levels and were admitted and placed on supplemental oxygen. The husband had the typical chest X-ray findings that we’re seeing in COVID-19 patients. He was admitted to another team while I admitted her to mine. Unfortunately, her husband decompensated very quickly and was placed on the ventilator.

She had, on several occasions, mentioned not ever wanting to be on the ventilator. Her lung doctor also practices at the hospital and confirmed that. I also confirmed it myself when she was admitted. Given her ILD, the chances of her being extubated from the ventilator were almost nil irrespective if she had COVID-19 or not. We all knew that, including her. So, we continued with the nasal prongs (cannulas) but her oxygen levels kept falling despite my giving her 100% oxygen through a mask. She panicked and decided that she wanted to be intubated.

When she got down to the ED I gowned up and donned my full face respirator—I had to pay price-gouging premiums for it since I didn’t feel safe with reusing N95s for a whole week, especially with a pregnant wife at home. I asked the nurses to set me up with the ventilator, the intubation equipment, and sedation medications. I went to her bedside and looked her in the eye, held her hand, and asked her, “Is this what you really want?” She answered in the affirmative. I then told her that I needed to go over options and potential repercussions so that she understands exactly what she’s asking for. I reminded her that given her ILD, she would never survive a ventilator, and that she has had a plan for years for end-of-life. She asked me if she would get better without the ventilator? Heartbreakingly, I told her, “No.” I told her that the options were dying with a plastic tube in her throat or dying with drips that will assure her comfort. She said she wanted to live. I choked up and told her that that’s not an option right now. She chose comfort.

Her husband coded a few hours after that—I responded to it and pronounced him dead after working on him. I went to her bedside to inform her but she was too out of it at that point. Her oxygen level was only 50% despite us giving her 100% O2. I pronounced her dead a few hours after that. She died very peacefully and without any observable physical pain or suffering. The ensuing phone calls to their family were heartbreaking. Their tests both came back positive a day after that.

I went to the ICU after that to see my patients before I handed them off to the night time doctor. One of the nurses heard the story and asked how I was doing? I looked around the ICU—every single patient is on the ventilator—and looked at her. I told her, all things considered, I’m grateful to God to be alive.

I came home, undressed in the garage, and went straight to the mudroom shower to scrub myself clean. I gave my pregnant wife a long, loving hug before we had dinner. I lit cigar in the backyard afterward and prayed for those two lovely souls as well as the other six we had die that day. I recounted the other deaths that we had on my stretch of 21 days straight in the hospital (actually working a couple doubles, so really 23 shifts) and just hoped and prayed that we all take the warnings seriously. The worse is yet to come. My biggest fear: rationing ventilators.

The thread question inspired me to share. How am I doing emotionally? Fearful of what is to come, grateful for God’s blessings on me and my family, and grateful to be a tool of God’s healing, whether in life or in death. But still, fearful.

My wife and I are both nurses. My wife stress level is a lot higher than mine right now, simply because of her type of nursing job. I am a bit stressed out too. My unit closed down today. We discharged our remaining 2 pts today. Then turned off the light at the nurse station at the end of our shift today. Tomorrow, I report to my old unit for the next few months (depending on when this whole COVID 19 will end). They will start working/modifying our unit to be used as Step Down unit.
Really stressful time to healthcare workers.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
My wife is a nurse at a hospital. Stress is building day by day for her and her coworkers. I’m feeling strained a bit myself but she has it worse.

Choang-3. I'm very sorry to hear that. Your story is extremely heart breaking and the first posting on here making the Corona virus REALLY sink in as to it's effects and the reality of it. Also the first I've heard (so far) of ventilators being out of supply. You are a hero to many people to go to work every day and do what you do, given what you have going on at home.

choang3, thank you for your hard work, compassion and dedication. I’m sure your patients are in good hands.

Had to go to supermarket tonight (Albertson's) to get cat food and some stuff for me. Not a lot of activity, only 2 registers open (one Express). Marked floor for customer separation at the checkouts. Not a lot of empty shelves, but I was surprised to find that my favorite canned cat treats were all gone and I had to find substitutes (more expensive). Stopped by Popeye's chicken on the way home for dinner at the drive-thru, and found long line that took forever. When I got home they'd given me the wrong order and I had to go back. (I can't read the receipt in the car and don't like to hold up the line pawing through the order before I leave. Guess I'll have to start doing that.)

Other than that, all is well here. I'm not likely to go crazy and act postal, so don't worry about me.

flashguy

Our office received instructions on Monday to work from home. We're IT so it's no big deal. It's actually kind of nice. I don't need to dress in my business casual, just go and sit at my computer and start coding. No commute, no parking problems, and no need to deal with a couple of jerk programmers. The wife and I make dinner and watch Netflix after work. The nagging mental issue I have is that I work in finance and people are starting to make withdrawals to pay bills. If this keeps up there won't be much of a need for programmers.

Well, if I survive I will be much poorer for this.

Amazing how quickly circumstances can change.

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
Well, if I survive I will be much poorer for this.

Amazing how quickly circumstances can change.

Two weeks ago we were in the best financial situation we have ever been in. Today figuring out how to trim the budget.

I applied for a job today, I am sure I won't hear back, I didn't check all the boxes, but figured maybe they just need someone that is licensed and are willing to allow for on the job training as there are only so many Master Electricians floating around.

My wife is considering asking if her employer will take me on for a temp position doing data entry and research. It'd be a huge pay cut, but a 50% check is better than a 0% one.

It's amazing what a difference two weeks time can make.

Some of these posts are truly heartbreaking. I pray that each and every one of you make it through this ordeal as unscathed as possible.

To those on the “frontlines”, I thank God for your willingness to be at the forefront of this crisis and I pray He keeps you safe as you help those afflicted with this virus.