How are you holding up?

[Iowa Dave]

Tele psychiatry is a real thing helping many people. Even in good times Telehealth saves people from driving long distances. Saving time, fuel, lodging and the cost of restaurant meals
Diagnosis of behavioral and psychological problems including ADHD, autism etc is a rapidly evolving discipline, one which finds my oldest daughter a proponent and recognized expert. There are new normals developing every day. Landscapes of all types change over time. The Covid 19 PANDEMIC will cause additional adaptations in the field of medicine.
Iowa Dave

[EdColorado]

Originally Posted by brightday

Sadly so! That said, the uncertainty and pain that many now suffer is one that none of my own family members must face. My heart goes out to those living by a shoestring, not knowing when they're going to run out of the money needed to feed their children and pay the utilities or rent. We tend to politicize this issue, but all along the political spectrum, folks simply want to be safe. For many, it's more like this: "The curve is flattening, so we can start lifting restrictions now" = "The parachute has slowed our rate of descent, but if we don't soon find a way to land, my family will die of starvation." Perspective is all.

And what you say is right, Ava.

If there was a clear, one-size-fits-all solution to this mess it would have been found and implemented by unanimous consent.

We struggle and search and hope and stumble and try our best.
What else can anyone expect of us?

Ed

My mantra
This too shall pass.

[UncleTim]

Hey Dave, I think you are on to something!

Every little bit helps and you do not know where it leads!

We are an emerging species! To say the least.

That is, if we don't kill ourselves first.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Just enjoy your border closing for another month.

2020 was to be our 40th annual fishing trip to Manitoba Canada
Three of us in our fishing group have never missed a year
Of the three I am the youngest at 70 , Paul being the oldest at 76
As much as I would like to continue the tradition , I must accept reality , their are things more important than me or getting to go fishing & camping
The Canadian Government has a responsibility to its citizens and owes me nothing

I guess it’s hard for some to recognize the true enemy in this scenario especially when blinded by self interest and political philosophy.
I look forward to meeting many of this forums Canadian members , if I have to wait till 2021 , I can live with that .

[Rossue]

I would say the opposite about selfishness. It seems the few want the many to sacrifice for a cause that at this point seems questionable to an ever increasing populace. That includes cancer patients that cannot get treatment or even diagnosed. Then what about the children and what this is doing to them?

Seems the older people get the more selfish they become.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

2020 was to be our 40th annual fishing trip to Manitoba Canada
Three of us in our fishing group have never missed a year
Of the three I am the youngest at 70 , Paul being the oldest at 76
As much as I would like to continue the tradition , I must accept reality , their are things more important than me or getting to go fishing & camping
The Canadian Government has a responsibility to its citizens and owes me nothing

I guess it’s hard for some to recognize the true enemy in this scenario especially when blinded by self interest and political philosophy.
I look forward to meeting many of this forums Canadian members , if I have to wait till 2021 , I can live with that .

Steve after speaking with you many times would definitely love to meet you in person ! Pat

[Greg A]

Masks/sanitizer/hand washing here whenever we go out and not rushing to go anywhere.
The sadness is in the death toll and affected families. Almost 20 years of the Vietnam conflict/war cost a little over 58,000 American lives. We're over 90,000 American deaths in approximately 3 months with many more to come, not to mention the death toll globally and our neighbors to the North and South. Like Vietnam, many of the Covid survivors are going to require lifetime medical care and deal with continuing health problems. There will be many social changes as a result of this pandemic.

[padlin]

Our DIL is a PA in Oncology just over the line in CT. She works every day treating cancer patients, guess they consider it an essential service. This is treating existing cases as opposed to diagnosing new ones. Not everything has stopped.

[JStelly]

Originally Posted by Greg A

Masks/sanitizer/hand washing here whenever we go out and not rushing to go anywhere.
The sadness is in the death toll and affected families. Almost 20 years of the Vietnam conflict/war cost a little over 58,000 American lives. We're over 90,000 American deaths in approximately 3 months with many more to come, not to mention the death toll globally and our neighbors to the North and South. Like Vietnam, many of the Covid survivors are going to require lifetime medical care and deal with continuing health problems. There will be many social changes as a result of this pandemic.

This is a false comparison and I think we should be careful making it. Why not compare it to car accidents, murders, cancer, pneumonia, or heaven forbid the flu?

I agree with many here in that it’s prudent to limit social interactions, wash our hands and wear a mask when appropriate. We all do other prudent things such as wearing a seat belt, getting a flu shot annually, getting a physical and trying to take care of ourselves. COVID 19 is new and we will adjust just like we have for other things.

[Greg A]

My apologies, you are correct it is not meant as a direct comparison, but just an illustration of the magnitude of where we’re at. You could do a direct comparison with the other things you mention, since they are all still current issues.
Since the virus has only officially existed since approximately 1/1/20, you’d have to get the reported numbers for cancer, pneumonia, etc from 1/1/20 to present and compare them to the Covid #’s. I haven’t seen anyone do that anywhere yet, but it would certainly be informational to have that data set to view.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Has it occurred to anyone of the tradeoff? Are you aware people are dying because of the shutdown? Mental health(just one of many issues)has always been one of those things we all support on the surface yet how many turn away to family and friends that suffer this even in good times?

I have to agree with this to some degree. So much is being lost along with some lives. We do need to control the possible spread to those that are more susceptible, with the vast majority being older folks with compromised immune systems, with them accounting for over 80% of the deaths. We have way too much closed down. I know of lots of people who are struggling now, and the wee pittance given out by the government, though helping, is driving all levels of government into extreme debt, something that the citizens will have to repay. The amount of money lost by many from their retirement funds due to the drop in the market is massive. I know quite a few people who are down well into the 6 digit category, and who knows how much or when this will recover. If we don't get business as a whole going, it will only get worse.

I support the latest measures provincially to get the economy started on a turn around. Of course they will need to do due diligence in monitoring how things are going, and take the measures required to correct.

This pandemic is a serious situation, but for many there are even more serious ones. To discount the level of suffering of our population is unwise. I do realize here in Alberta we have done well to battle the virus, while other ares have not. I do hope even those areas with the worst numbers of cases pull through as soon as possible.

[Patandlinda]

Just saw the best Graduation for 2020 . Don’t know how to start a new thread or post here from utube . It’s called Friday nights Oak Harbor high School . We were supposed to be there but my daughter posted on Facebook for me to see . Oak Harbor is on Whidbey Island . They sure made this a memorable day for the graduates unlike I have ever seen . Pat

[Jim Bennett]

I'll have to check that out when I am on my computer. It really is good to see groups and businesses during special things to help with bringing goodness in people's lives during these troubled times.

[padlin]

My 11 yo grand daughters birthday today. They are doing 30 minute shifts for folks to stop in and hang in the yard, compared to my grand son's a month ago where you couldn't get out of the car. It was great to see and interact with them, pretty much like normal other then you keep a little space.

Went for a walk on the new trail they bushwhacked off their backyard. Pretty cool when they point out the different plants along the trail, I remember doing that with my daughter when she was that age.

She got here 1st cell phone so this is a biggy of a birthday.

[brightday]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I have to agree with this to some degree. So much is being lost along with some lives. We do need to control the possible spread to those that are more susceptible, with the vast majority being older folks with compromised immune systems, with them accounting for over 80% of the deaths. We have way too much closed down. I know of lots of people who are struggling now, and the wee pittance given out by the government, though helping, is driving all levels of government into extreme debt, something that the citizens will have to repay. The amount of money lost by many from their retirement funds due to the drop in the market is massive. I know quite a few people who are down well into the 6 digit category, and who knows how much or when this will recover. If we don't get business as a whole going, it will only get worse.

I support the latest measures provincially to get the economy started on a turn around. Of course they will need to do due diligence in monitoring how things are going, and take the measures required to correct.

This pandemic is a serious situation, but for many there are even more serious ones. To discount the level of suffering of our population is unwise. I do realize here in Alberta we have done well to battle the virus, while other ares have not. I do hope even those areas with the worst numbers of cases pull through as soon as possible.

Well said, Jim. If only those at opposite ends could reach a meeting point! We have so many folks here in Texas who are continuing to behave as though COVID-19 didn't exist and others who accuse small groups of being selfish, even though individuals within these groups are observing the prescribed protocols. Politicizing this issue magnifies the problem, pushing people to their worst behavior. Praying for reasonable midpoints as we move forward to healing!

[JStelly]

Well said Jim.

[MyronL]

I think the only people who are "politicizing" the issue are those who support the ruling politicians. A total red herring. The rest of us are simply expressing support for the science.

[Vermilye]

I just finished making my 2nd set of 10 masks. Seems the masks provided by the state to the workers at our local college don't fit most of the crew. JoAnn Fabrics provides free kits (basically large pieces of fabric, although the first one I got included precut pieces & elastic). The only problem is some of the fabric doesn't go along with the typical user - one batch was big flowers, another teddy bears...

I'm no expert on a sewing machine (although I have made full sized theatre drops (20' X 40') from 54" wide fabric using industrial sewing machines that sew more than a foot per second. Making something as small as a mask is actually more difficult. My first ended up with the ear elastic on the inside.

[Greg A]

Glue gun might make short work of that project, Jon.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

I just finished making my 2nd set of 10 masks. Seems the masks provided by the state to the workers at our local college don't fit most of the crew. JoAnn Fabrics provides free kits (basically large pieces of fabric, although the first one I got included precut pieces & elastic). The only problem is some of the fabric doesn't go along with the typical user - one batch was big flowers, another teddy bears...

I'm no expert on a sewing machine (although I have made full sized theatre drops (20' X 40') from 54" wide fabric using industrial sewing machines that sew more than a foot per second. Making something as small as a mask is actually more difficult. My first ended up with the ear elastic on the inside.

I've been using a 2-piece shaped pattern (really 4 pieces- 2 front, 2 back- and it can easily be lengthened for bigger faces or to go over another mask.

And I get the teddy bears- some local mask makers keep asking for neutral or masculine fabric. (How masculine will it need to be to get the construction guys to wear it, though?).

The guys who built my fence wore no masks the first day, second day they wore them around their necks.