Mostly Apolitical Thread for Discussing/Venting our Rational/Irrational COVID-19 Fears and Experiences in 2020

These stories are horrifying and heartbreaking. I've had multiple friends the last couple of months lose family members - a grandmother, a father, a mother, a *son* - and it's just been a strange turn of events that *none* of them were covid related. On a positive, more hopeful note, I donated my bone marrow back in early October to a young girl who was probably going to die without it, and last week I learned that she was alive and well and into and enjoying all the things she should be enjoying at her age, which was just the jolt I needed.

In other neither positive nor negative news, virtual school is starting this week, and my high schooler is getting introductory emails from her teacher. My favorite might be from the the (for gym credit) World Dance instructor (whose initials are actual Ms. DJ):

"Yay! We see your face BUT… What’s behind you? What’s on the side of you? Is there talking in the background? Is that person in the background saying things that you would like for us to hear?
We will be dancing together. Do you have a small clear space to move? Are things in that space things you would be okay with us seeing?
We’re going to have a great time in class AND I’m not just saying that because I happen to teach it (*smile*). Let’s connect and build an atmosphere of community… ALL through DANCE.
I look forward to seeing you all in a few days. Dance, dance, DANCE!"

Gonna be some gym-class silliness going on in the house.

Related, and both sad and hilarious, my friend at the end of last year got a frustrated (group) email from his son's gym teacher, who complained that so few students had logged on to his class (which tbf was a virtual swim class; swimming is/was required at our high school) that he was taking the day off and starting fresh the next day. My own daughter has "adventure ed" later this year, which is rock climbing, kayaking, that sort of thing. No idea what that will entail. She also has an astronomy elective this year, since a couple of her lab-intensive science classes more or less got cancelled, but the way I read the email I don't think they even get outside to look at the stars.

So much sympathy for what folks are going through.

But I just have to say that "virtual swim class" has to be in the hall of fame for most pointless 2020 activities.

True story: I just got off a Teams call where I literally discussed with my son's occupational therapist whether 30 minutes a week was too much time to spend on "cutting a straight line with scissors."

I think we agreed that 15 minutes a week on virtual scissor lessons was probably adequate.

criminy

Here's a real-world math story problem for you: if my son's occupational therapist is spending 15 online minutes a week on using scissors, and my son is supposed to spend an additional 15 minutes a week on using scissors, how many minutes am I going to be spending on practicing using scissors?

Spoiler: Thirty. The answer is that I'm going to be spending 30 minutes a week on practicing using scissors.

tbf like math, you can never get enough practice with scissors. you can only get better!

http://www.alicia-logic.com/capsimages01/esc_056JohnnyDepp.jpg

My son in twenty years

and the guy on the left?

When my mom realized she'd never recover from this, she asked to be taken off the BIPAP machine as soon as possible. My brother, sister and I all got to the hospital as quick as we could and were able to be there with her. Mom was able to make a small joke about wishing her ice water was a bloody mary and I probably laughed louder than was appropriate. She passed very quickly yesterday afternoon, within 10-15 minutes of coming off breathing assistance. She'd been miserable for 2 years with a long list of health problems, so this was a relief...but it still didn't have to be fucking COVID.

Oh no WmC. I am so sorry. Fuck.

so sorry to hear this, all love WmC. Fuck covid.

I’m so sorry to hear this. I’m glad you got to be with her at the end.

I’m sorry, WmC.

Hugs, WmC

😞 condolences WmC

oh WmC i’m so sorry <3

So sorry for your loss WmC.

So sorry, WmC.

I'm sorry to hear this. I'm glad you got to be near her and that she still had a sense of humor.

<3 WmC

I'm so sorry, WmC. My sincere condolences.

Sending a great big *HUGGLEZ* your way, my friend.

Very sorry, WmC.

yes, sorry to hear it

so very sorry, WmC :(

Condolences and hopes for continued strength to you WmC.

Thank you all, u r best.

WmC so sorry, hard to imagine what you must be feeling. Sending best wishes....

My condolences, WmC.

oh WmC, i'm so sorry.

very sorry wmc... best to you and your family

Condolences to the whole WmC family.

Love and light to you and yours, WmC <3

I'm sorry for your loss, WmC.

Condolences WmC, so sorry for your loss.

I'm really sorry for your loss, WmC. It must be a shock.

Yeah, WmC, I couldn't help but think how abrupt it all must feel to you and how hard that would be to process.

Digital hugs to you, Wm - it's good to hear you were all able to get there, and it sounds like your mum was at least happy to have agency and awareness around the end.

Condolences, WmC. I'm glad you and your siblings were able to have some time with her at the end.

so sorry, wmc

Condolences.

So our nanny tested positive. We informed work and all of my family went to get tested. The nurse said regardless of the results, we should quarantine for two weeks. Our results came in yesterday and we let HR know and that the nurse said to quarantine.

HR said that I was all good to come back to work today. I informed them that CDC says that if a person has definitely been in close contact with an infected person, they should quarantine for 14 days. HR thanked me for doing some research and said that they respect my decision to make my health decisions and they would respect my wishes although it will have to come out of my paid time off. All of which tells me that the biggest museum in Houston that has hundreds of employees and was determined to be the first major art museum in the USA to open does not have its shit together. When I do go back to work, I'm going to go there with the knowledge that my employer is not following proper quarantine procedures.

At the end of our quarantine we're all going to get tested again. The kids are the ones who have been in close contact with the nanny. In theory, they could get it but not be infectious or symptomatic for 2-14 days before they give it to us. We're also finding that a lot of testing sites don't test kids. Which seems so fucking crazy.

HR thanked me for doing some research and said that they respect my decision to make my health decisions and they would respect my wishes although it will have to come out of my paid time of

This is terrible
I'm sorry they are terrible

they respect your decision to sacrifice your vacation time in order to keep the rest of the company safe. big of them.

Arrange a face-to-face meeting with HR where you very closely show your respect for them

i'm so sorry wmc <3

is your company too small in terms of # of employees to be required by law to provide the COVID Sick Leave that was passed earlier this year?

if i were you, i would call a reporter at a local paper and offer them a story as an anonymous source on the record.

it's an extremely ethical thing to do! you may save lives if they are shamed into following the letter of the law.

I'd absolutely find a way to get the info out too.

Still unbelievable to me that the university where I've been teaching welcomed students to dorms this week... they'll be closed and online-only within a week, the school had an uncontrollable mumps outbreak in 2019, and there's no way things have gotten better.

Sorry to hear the news, WmC.