I usually go to the gym twice a week if feasible, in the mid-afternoon to avoid the crowd, after I take care of urgent business through the morning hour. But, yesterday, I went to the gym in the morning for the first time more than a month. I was shocked to see virtually empty hall with a few guys around. Further, I couldn’t find many old folks, most of the morning crowd in the late morning! No old folks!
Well, I was told by the manager that Corona virus scared the people enough to stop coming through the week which I didn’t perceive. Especially the old folks stopped coming through the week. And then, when I stopped over at my favorite Vietnamese restaurant on way to the office to have a pho as lunch around 12:30 pm, expecting a big crowd, that place was also virtually empty with only one table occupied, which is always packed till 1:00 PM by the office workers. Same story by the owner with corona virus scare!
So, I was a bit shaken even before I walked in to the office -satellite- to chat over on this corona virus issue, wondering how the main office staffs in downtown cope with!
Well one message from the dean in regard to corona virus was waiting for me, as following;
TO: All MFA Physicians, Advanced Practitioners, and Staff
FROM: Barbara L. Bass, MD
VP and Dean, GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences
CEO, The GW Medical Faculty Associates
RE: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Revised Travel Policy
DATE: March 5, 2020
The School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) and the GW Medical Faculty Associates is closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation. Based on current information and public health guidance, school and MFA leadership have decided to adjust our domestic and international travel practices for our healthcare personnel.
Effective immediately, we are suspending all professional international and domestic travel for SMHS and MFA faculty, staff, and students in healthcare-facing positions. This means individuals who participate in the provision of healthcare services. This policy includes professional travel for both residents and students on medical rotations.
Our priority is to safeguard our healthcare workforce so that we can continue to meet the needs of our community. This policy will ensure that our personnel in healthcare-facing positions are present and fully prepared to meet additional healthcare demands within the National Capital Region should the need arise.
When I called down to Infectious Disease Division, to ask for the forecast through the summer before I cancel the scheduled trips in April-May, the chair sheepishly expressed his concern on my ignoring the increased risk of my super-senior age and worried about even the gym, asking me with maximum precaution.
Further, when I was about to leave the office, the nurse coordinator cautiously asked me whether we should continue to open the CVM clinic next week since the majority of the patients are from out of state, as the office manager is worrying.
I replied that if it were the preliminary precaution for the patient welfare, I would accept the plan with no qualm. But if it were for me as a super-senior, I would continue to take the chance since I no longer have the obligation to live and willing to leave this world when my due should come any time! They couldn’t look up but stayed mum.
Quite depressing!!!
BB Lee
2020.03.06 06:56
2020.03.06 07:30
Only a few days ago, my daughter-in-law sent an email from NYC, urging me to go to some places to buy Corona facial masks.
We never thought about threse things, but since we plan to trip to Hawaii in this month, we didn't want to go there in face of spreading corona prevalence.
But she said we had to go there as scheduled since the summer home was rented last year, and there will be no refund if cancelled by the prospective renters. So we decided to go there as planned.
Guess what? I was completely unsuccessful in finding any Corona masks out of Wegmans', Walmart, Home Depot and so on. The next day I lowered my goal and asked for just any regular facial masks, but they have been gone some time ago.
So, we will be travelling to the Paradise Island without the minimal protections, but my wife and I are not worried. When the time comes, we'll leave this world in the same way as we came in.
Kwan Ho
2020.03.06 09:26
Not only the face masks, the hand sanitizers (in a small bottle) are completely out of stock
in Walmart, regular drug stores, and groceries in Denver and California.
Now, we are thinking to stash at least two week's supply of necessities in our pantry.
BTW, Colorado got two new coronavirus cases for the first time near Denver
and a few cases in Orange County (we have a lot of Chinese here.) where I am at this moment.
Now, it seems that there are no safe places for us to go.
"Leaving this world" may be the eventual inevitable event for sure,
but I never thought to leave it due to a "flu"??
Only old folks used to die of flu. Then, are you telling me that we are one of them?
I like to do it in a more distinguished "Grand Finale" such as cancer, diabetes, heart attack, or Alzheimer's
but not by the stupid Chinese "coronavirus" only in a few days.
We should donate every penny in support of the medical industries before we die penniless.
(with a silent ㅎ, ㅎ, ㅎ.)
I think I am going to fight every inch to the end.
2020.03.06 12:21
Age-wise I may belong to the senior citizen group, but spiritually I can't shake off all the wonderful boyish dreams.
When the time comes, I want to leave this world quietly as in meditation like an old Buddhist monk.
I still have a little petty secular desires very personal.
1. My grandson, Connor, is going to graduate his college in May, I want to be there at the Cambridge in a month and a half.
2. In June, my granddaughter, Darcy, is going to graduate her high school, Sage Hill School, probably not far from your place.
We will be pretty busy for flying Boston to LA to attend these two graduations.
She was accepted at SCU and UCLA. She wants to go to one of the schools at the Northeastern, New England areas.
I hope she could go to the Penn, where her great grandfather finished his freshman year, and her father, Henry, is a graduate there.
If the dream comes true, I want to drive all the way from Rochester to Philadelphia, where I had two years residency 1968 to 1970, just to visit her at the campus and encourage her at the same time.
These kinds of humble wish and fun are pretty strong inside me, so I want to be around in this 속세(俗世) for the time being if ever allowed.
2020.03.07 00:35
KwanHo, I share your semtiment! Isn't it a dilemma?
Life goes on, anyhow and we all leave sooner or later!
All the best,
BB
2020.03.07 00:31
Steve, the only regret(?) to leave this world is this Donald would remain even after I leave! Simply unfair!
The hatred to this idiot gave me one motivation to remain struggling in order to curse/condemn this bastard!
Enjoy the weather, buddy.
BB
P.S. When the weather is good, we go out to the trail right behind to our house to walk for an hour. If not, we try to go to the gym at least twice a week. Now, the gym is one of the most vulnerable places to catch the virus according to my research coordinator who even stopped going to her yoga class since last week.
P.S. Dying in a honorable (?) way you mentioned is the prime interest to me in these days, Steve. Indeed, the senile dementia or Alzheimer's or invalid condition with the stroke before I die is the greatest fear and wish to leave this world suddenly either by the accident or illness with no suffering.
2020.03.07 05:16
Doc, I was just kidding.
By a prolonged death, one can give away everything to the medical establishments.
It seems that, in California, doctors are interested in making money before making you well.
They can not enrich themselves with a quick death. They will be greatly disappointed.
Trump won't live very long. On the day when his executive privilege runs out,
he will be heading for the jail that he worked so hard to get in.
2020.03.08 01:21
The problem with his legal liability is if this guy should be reelected, its legal validity will expire within the first year so that this idiot will go free there after! No chance to lock him up, doc!
Anyhow, 'prolonged death' is a real problem we all will encounter sooner or later, Steve. They use the stupid law as an excuse to keep the ventilator till the heart stops and naturally it would cost/waste enormous amount of tax money. Indeed, someone told me that more than two third of entire medical costs are used for the elderly through Medicare though I don't know how true it is. Heard lately quite a few peoples in Korea bought/made the reservation to go to Switzerland where they get the privilege for the euthanasia whenever they want. Is that true?
Anxiously,
BB Lee
2020.03.08 02:22
Just want to share a realtime story on Sunday involved to my three colleagues/friends in Italy; two in Lombardia and one inVeneto region, the first in Milan, the second in Cremona and the last one at Padova.
Gentleman of Milan Univ is now stuck at Barcelona, Spain after he delivered the lecture, struggling to find the way back home to Milan because his wife fell and hurt her back last week while he was away but there is not enough facility to take care of her spine fracture at the hospital because of Corona virus epidemics. So she will have to stay at home to find out how to get the vertebroplasty she needs. The second one at Cremona has been tied up at the hospital to lead the care, staying at the hospital with no chance to go back home located at outskirt of Milan every day through the week. But now he is worrying he doesn't feel good since yesterday after he visited to his family at Milan and getting the test today to be sure! The third one at Padova Univ was drafted through the last week and now at Venice to help the local team with no chance to come back home since Friday.
Aren't we glad so far we do NOT have the trouble that far yet!
BTW, the infectious disease division fellow called me home this morning to deliver the message from his boss that I should restrain to go to the gym especially in busy weekend and also my wife to limit to use the swimming pool at the gym as well. How about that?
BB Lee
2020.03.08 03:45
I think the "gym" is the source of "flu' and all other contagious diseases
in time of the Coronavirus epidemic or any other normal times without any flu epidemics.
I would use just the fresh air outside in the park for exercises.
People huffing, puffing, and sweating in a small space is a perfect prescription for a bad air
that's good for airborne contaminations.
The most curious thing about the gym is that they seldom have a good ventilation system.
Many of them have no windows that can be opened, creating a totally closed space.
2020.03.08 05:11
Steve, you are right! Yeah, no special ventilation, no window and many sweat like hell!
No one gave such a clear example in regard to the risk involved in the gym as you did!
I didn't think about it in depth.
You now convinced me the fresh air outside in the park will be a lot better for exercise. Thaaaanks, buddy.
Warm regards,
BB Lee
Doc, you shouldn't be willing to leave this wonderful world until you see the entire humanity get decimated.
Then, your obligation will expire and you may take the exit. ㅎ, ㅎ, ㅎ