Thread: Four days in

I'm am right outside of Atlanta so we already have plenty of cases in the area.

Wife and I opened an insurance office last February and we are still there 6 days a week trying to establish ourselves. We are limiting the number of people that come in and trying to be really clean. We wash up and change clothes as soon as we get home now. We avoid going out. Due to health issues I don't sleep well and it must impact my immune system the way I get sick, so I'm hoping we are able to avoid it.
My MIL lives with us so she is watching our daughter all day since daycare is closed. Probably for the best though because those kids share EVERYTHING. Daughter already shared a stomach virus with me this year shortly after we got over the flu.

My wife's family is in China and they are under a lot more stress due to the quarantined cities being locked down. Because of the quarantine her sister is the only one in her household allowed to go out of the apartment when they need supplies/food. They can't work at all.

Unless she gave you a hug and a kiss for helping her I think that was way overkill.

If you were replacing an ignition switch I could see wiping down the steering wheel and washing you hands but the droplet that "might" be there if she coughed while driving are not going to jump up and let you inhale them so the mask was a waste.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

Well, it was bound to happen eventually. I was exposed today...well, technically I was exposed to someone who was exposed to someone who was exposed. Did a job for a friend that I had to order stuff for and circle back. I got to the door and he comes out and says, "Hey, just so you know Linda (girlfriend) found out today she was exposed." So I glove and mask because I was working on her car. Turns out she was at work (hospital) in proximity to a doctor who was in proximity to someone who was Infected.
Very low risk to me but I still went straight home after and took a shower. Of course I sanitizered everything twice at the scene but just an abundance of caution.

First and foremost, I do hope that you aren't infected. Your post interaction cleansing is a good idea. Better safe than sorry.

Once I'd gotten home from the TX meet and a two week visit at my best friend's place I called my buddy Ski to let him know that I was home and he invited me down to shoot some pool the next day. I asked him if he was sure due to the virus outbreak and he asked if I was sick and I told him no and that I'd checked my temperature and it was normal so he said to come on down. I did check my temperature before heading to his place the next morning.

He lives in Oregon and they don't have a sales tax so if I order something pricey I have it sent to him and I pick it up later. Well I ordered a pretty pricey item and I knew it had landed at his place.

I just got off of the phone with him and he's decided to self quarantine himself and told me that I could still send things to him but he'd have them out on the porch for me to pick up. He also thought a quick BS session with a distance between us could happen.

He did make a point to let me know that we could get back to our normal routine after a few weeks.

I thought it was exceptional good thinking on his part. As he said, he knew that I wouldn't want to find out that it was me that got him killed.

Ski is a bit older than this 66 year old but he has COPD so he's at a much higher risk than I am.

Frankly, this has not been much of a change for me. My daily life does not require me to interact with others and my hobbies are largely single person types.
This isolation has been made much easier for me since my helper/friend has disappeared about 3 weeks ago. No explanation, no nothing. I will be checking on him on Monday evening. If he does return I will keep him away for the next 8 weeks until all this virus stuff has subsided. He is married, with 4 children and lives in a house with 4 other adults! To much risk for me. With my health issues I cannot afford to take any chances. If I get that virus then someone else will be running the 2021 Texas Razor Meet.

I do visit a 81 year old friend who is currently undergoing chemotherapy. I keep my distance of course. My other friend, 99 years old, is now in a nursing home but does not recognize me anymore and cannot remember where he lives or why he is in the nursing home. He was a great friend to me. Doc Molenaar.

I will be happy when the weather gets better so I can ride my Harley again, and when this virus stuff subsides I can start building new friendships.

This to shall pass.

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

I didn’t mention it but those who know me know that I’m good on bourbon, I buy all mine by the case and some in multiple cases. I got enough knob creek to last till the next millennium and jack in all flavors, woodford reserve, 4 roses, Jim beam, talisker, McCallum, glen livet, Elijah Craig and several of the clear whiskeys and plenty of other stuff, and one refrigerator full of beer,

If I were still a travalin' man I'd be on your doorstep in half a sec. Prodigious testing is a requirement of older aged gentlemen.

Originally Posted by randydance062449

Frankly, this has not been much of a change for me. My daily life does not require me to interact with others and my hobbies are largely single person types.
This isolation has been made much easier for me since my helper/friend has disappeared about 3 weeks ago. No explanation, no nothing. I will be checking on him on Monday evening. If he does return I will keep him away for the next 8 weeks until all this virus stuff has subsided. He is married, with 4 children and lives in a house with 4 other adults! To much risk for me. With my health issues I cannot afford to take any chances. If I get that virus then someone else will be running the 2021 Texas Razor Meet.

I do visit a 81 year old friend who is currently undergoing chemotherapy. I keep my distance of course. My other friend, 99 years old, is now in a nursing home but does not recognize me anymore and cannot remember where he lives or why he is in the nursing home. He was a great friend to me. Doc Molenaar.

I will be happy when the weather gets better so I can ride my Harley again, and when this virus stuff subsides I can start building new friendships.

This to shall pass.

Cat herders are hard to find so stay healthy!

Originally Posted by 32t

Unless she gave you a hug and a kiss for helping her I think that was way overkill.

If you were replacing an ignition switch I could see wiping down the steering wheel and washing you hands but the droplet that "might" be there if she coughed while driving are not going to jump up and let you inhale them so the mask was a waste.

As a point of fact she was wearing a surgical mask and gloves and I only came close to her to take her CC and let her finger sign on my phone.
I would hardly call wearing a mask while I was working on it a waste. An abundance of caution for me is not even to protect myself as much as to protect others. I have no choice but to interact with people and I don't always know who/when. It would be irresponsible for me to not take excessive precautions if for no other reason than to reassure my customers that I am doing so.

Edit: I should also add that she had gotten out of her car just minutes before. It was still cool inside from the AC running (87° here today) so conceivably droplets could still have been airborne.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

As a point of fact she was wearing a surgical mask and gloves and I only came close to her to take her CC and let her finger sign on my phone.
I would hardly call wearing a mask while I was working on it a waste. An abundance of caution for me is not even to protect myself as much as to protect others. I have no choice but to interact with people and I don't always know who/when. It would be irresponsible for me to not take excessive precautions if for no other reason than to reassure my customers that I am doing so.

Edit: I should also add that she had gotten out of her car just minutes before. It was still cool inside from the AC running (87° here today) so conceivably droplets could still have been airborne.

The waste part is because there are shortages of where these things are needed and the unnecessary use of them creates shortages.

People that are being transported in a common area of a hospital may be wearing masks but no one around them does. Put the mask where it performs a purpose. Are you using an N-95 mask also.... Have you been fit tested for them if you are?

If you choose to use one you should wear it all day. Don't take it off or touch any part but the rubber bands when you take it off. Don't slide it under your chin or up on your forehead. That is what the health care workers are required to do.
[Within reason}

Have her with gloves wipe her card with a cleaner and then swipe it and sign. I laugh at that signing because you could do it for her as most are unreadable anyway.

Covid -19 is a droplet precaution not an airborne. Unless there are specific procedures that are usually done in a hospital that is not a worry.

I am a maintenance person not a doctor or nurse but as a general rule I enter more rooms per day than they do. If a heating valve leaks in an airborne precaution room I have to go into fix it, etc etc.

As much as for myself I have to be careful that I don't carry stuff from patient to patient, room to room. This is part of my daily tasks and hasn't changed from 4 months ago.........

A little venting.

Please when if by chance you are in a precaution room don't complain that the air mattress on the bed is making to much noise. They do much more than you might be used to and I don't want to have to explain that to you in person....

I'm a government lawyer. The strange thing is that while the gov't is shutting down many small businesses causing much economic pain and telling everyone to stay home and social isolate, myself and most of the hundreds of others who work in my building are required to go to work every day. My hope is that everyone on this forum especially, takes care and that we all get through this soon.

Originally Posted by Razorfeld

If I were still a travalin' man I'd be on your doorstep in half a sec. Prodigious testing is a requirement of older aged gentlemen.

And you would be welcome, sometimes it takes 2 to really evaluate a good whiskey