My phone rings:
Nurse: I'm making a follow up call on how you are doing with your recent eye infection.
Me: Though I was tempted to sell the azithromycin to someone stupid enough to take medical advice from President Trump, I took it and it was better a few days later.
N: Any other issues?
M: Medical, no. Just am in a lot of pain.
N: Where?
M: Everywhere.
N: What do you mean everywhere?
M: Right toe, both knees, left hip, back, right shoulder, right elbow, both hands. Just about everywhere.
N: Did you fall? What happened?
M: I decided to not take my arthritis medication since it leaves me immune compromised and would rather live in pain than fear.
N: Did you talk to your rheumatologist about this?
M: No. I did not talk to Dr. ***
N: Ok. Thank you
A half hour later the phone rings.
Doctor: Why did you stop taking your medication?
M: Explains same thing I did to the nurse.
D: You should keep taking it.
M: Since I am working, I don't feel comfortable being immune compromised.
D: You are still working? What do you do?
M: *Explains what I do and mentions note given to me by director of operations*
D: You should not be working. I will send you a note to give to your boss. I want you to take your medication even if that means you have to be sheltered at home.
M: ok
At least unlike the other doctor notes I have been given allowing me to stay home from work that I have ignored, this one does not waste any paper.
I realized my error was initially telling the nurse that I am in a lot of pain.
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Getting out of bed
As I try to function through the day in pain am occasionally asked why I don't seek disability. My reply is that my alarm rings before the sun rises now so I can play tournament disc golf. To be fair, my reply five years ago was different but disc golf is my priority today.
Though it was expected, sanctioned tournament events have been suspended until the medical situation that many uninformed and ignorant people dispute or ignore.
People across the country heading en masse to a beach, a bar, or a restaurant in spite of warnings and guidelines established by medical experts validated by both political parties (after one initially refused to do so) act a child that refuses to listen to a parent.
Generally when that happens to a child, a parent will reply with harsher guidelines and if the pattern continues, the child is given a time out or grounded.
San Francisco is currently under a three week lockdown. Illinois currently has a ban on dine in food and bars. My co-workers who are unable to work from home along with people I know wondered why my company chooses to keep working.
I realized that it is possible that the government will shut down all non essential work. The longer my company is closed could increase the possibility that it would not reopen and unsure about if I would need to use paid time off, won't use any until I must.
So even though I have no clear idea when my next event would be (Apr 18, May 3, May 16-17) I still need to set my alarm and get to work in the morning as long as I am allowed to do so.
Though it was expected, sanctioned tournament events have been suspended until the medical situation that many uninformed and ignorant people dispute or ignore.
People across the country heading en masse to a beach, a bar, or a restaurant in spite of warnings and guidelines established by medical experts validated by both political parties (after one initially refused to do so) act a child that refuses to listen to a parent.
Generally when that happens to a child, a parent will reply with harsher guidelines and if the pattern continues, the child is given a time out or grounded.
San Francisco is currently under a three week lockdown. Illinois currently has a ban on dine in food and bars. My co-workers who are unable to work from home along with people I know wondered why my company chooses to keep working.
I realized that it is possible that the government will shut down all non essential work. The longer my company is closed could increase the possibility that it would not reopen and unsure about if I would need to use paid time off, won't use any until I must.
So even though I have no clear idea when my next event would be (Apr 18, May 3, May 16-17) I still need to set my alarm and get to work in the morning as long as I am allowed to do so.
Friday, March 13, 2020
Thoughts of an immunocompromised man
The United States created an organization to monitor medical issues worldwide and when necessary prepare the country for medical issues that may occur.
As others have posted, there have been illnesses before but in part to this organization, the effect on the US has been minimal.
This department was disbanded in 2018 as part of the cuts made to government programs.
That means when people started getting sick in China and then Italy as well as other places, there was no team available to procure testing kits or develop plans to contain and treat those who get sick or come into the country.
Unfortunately, COVID-19 is not just a cold or the regular flu and when it hit this unprepared country, there was panic. Because we do not have enough testing kits, we have no idea how many are infected and we might never know for sure.
There are a finite number of hospital beds and equipment to treat the sick and right now, extreme measures are being taken to try to prevent them from being overcrowded forcing doctors to have to choose which people would get the necessary treatment to survive and which ones to be allowed to die. (That situation has happened in Italy.)
The biggest reaction made by the current administration was to give bankers a huge sum of money in a failed attempt to prevent the stock market from falling due to the econimical impact this virus has created. Many have stated how that same money could have been used to help the people of the country one swore to serve and protect.
Please remember this in November.
As others have posted, there have been illnesses before but in part to this organization, the effect on the US has been minimal.
This department was disbanded in 2018 as part of the cuts made to government programs.
That means when people started getting sick in China and then Italy as well as other places, there was no team available to procure testing kits or develop plans to contain and treat those who get sick or come into the country.
Unfortunately, COVID-19 is not just a cold or the regular flu and when it hit this unprepared country, there was panic. Because we do not have enough testing kits, we have no idea how many are infected and we might never know for sure.
There are a finite number of hospital beds and equipment to treat the sick and right now, extreme measures are being taken to try to prevent them from being overcrowded forcing doctors to have to choose which people would get the necessary treatment to survive and which ones to be allowed to die. (That situation has happened in Italy.)
The biggest reaction made by the current administration was to give bankers a huge sum of money in a failed attempt to prevent the stock market from falling due to the econimical impact this virus has created. Many have stated how that same money could have been used to help the people of the country one swore to serve and protect.
Please remember this in November.
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Self quarantine
After hearing that a US Senator whose views I strongly oppose has been required to self quarantine due to potential exposure to the COVIN-19 virus, I started wondering what would happen to me in that situation if I got a notice today.
First off, I would stop at the grocery store or make arrangements to get delivered enough Coke Zero to avoid withdrawal as well as enough food. I would also try to find a way to borrow a treadmill and make arrangements to use two weeks of my vacation time and with no major plans in 2020, it would not be the worst thing to happen.
I would miss a tournament but it being on a course that exposes my two biggest weaknesses (distance and forehand), with one player who would be expected to be ten shots better than me for a 28 (yes, 28) hole round and three others who would be expected to be 15 or more worse than me (whom I have a 40% chance of playing with in round two). If I had to choose a planned event to miss, this would be on top.
Between gaming, streaming, and my putting basket, I might be able to find a way to occupy much of my time during this potentially losing 5 pounds while being physically in less pain and having a new desire to be back at work when done.
However, that would also mean that either my daughter or I would be exposed to a virus that with my immune suppression medication could be deadly. Since both of us deal with the public while earning money, this situation is plausible.
Hopefully, this plan of action won't be necessary.
First off, I would stop at the grocery store or make arrangements to get delivered enough Coke Zero to avoid withdrawal as well as enough food. I would also try to find a way to borrow a treadmill and make arrangements to use two weeks of my vacation time and with no major plans in 2020, it would not be the worst thing to happen.
I would miss a tournament but it being on a course that exposes my two biggest weaknesses (distance and forehand), with one player who would be expected to be ten shots better than me for a 28 (yes, 28) hole round and three others who would be expected to be 15 or more worse than me (whom I have a 40% chance of playing with in round two). If I had to choose a planned event to miss, this would be on top.
Between gaming, streaming, and my putting basket, I might be able to find a way to occupy much of my time during this potentially losing 5 pounds while being physically in less pain and having a new desire to be back at work when done.
However, that would also mean that either my daughter or I would be exposed to a virus that with my immune suppression medication could be deadly. Since both of us deal with the public while earning money, this situation is plausible.
Hopefully, this plan of action won't be necessary.
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