The Pandemic

So far the Covid-19 pandemic reality has not hit home yet. We are in Alabama near Fairhope, Robertsdale, Foley triangle. However, we noticed yesterday that Walmart and other big box stores are out of toilet paper, oatmeal, ammonia and lots of other consumables. We ended up at a Dollar General close to us and the manager said they were out of all the items mentioned and a lot more. We did buy some canned tuna, laundry soap, hand soap plus some canned chicken. The manager said the next truck load is supposed to be in Tuesday.

Our trip to Florida from Alabama was a casualty of the pandemic. All the venues we were going to participate in were canceled. The ones that were not canceled were groups of under 500 but that was a just technicality and we think are a bit risky (such as church and large group events). So we are going straight home from here in mid-April. Our Canada Maritime’s trip this summer may suffer as well.C

I have had the “flu” diagnosed twice in the last 5 years. Both times I picked it up from close coupled group environments like a marina and a RV park of seniors meeting in community events. This last time was in early 2020. The onset was very rapid – it started with a cough, then lethargic feeling and finally constant coughing with a suffocating feeling. Finally after 5 or 6 days I made an appointment with a nurse practitioner. She gave me a shot of Cortisone and an Z-pac of antibiotic. (BTW- I have had Pneumonia 13 and 23 shots but no flu shot this season). Still it took 6 more weeks to be feeling good and not coughing (after 4 weeks). This is no laughing matter for seniors (I am 70+) and I am healthy in most matters and exersize almost daily.