Conoravirus ...

[Anomaly]

Hmmm, general travel to Italy (not to Lombardy or Veneto) is up to Level 3 ("reconsider"). For the first time, I'm starting to doubt that my trip may not occur (not due to my decisions, but to travel restrictions). Oh well, I guess I could use the week to get some boat projects done...

[BeauV]

It turns out that as of yesterday morning we have 4 cases of coronavirus in Santa Clara County. We're all at the beginning of this.

The good news, having done a lot of research in the last 12 hours, it that the vast majority of people who get sick with this virus don't feel particularly bad. The bad news is that those folks who don't feel bad end up spreading the germs all over the place!

My opinion, and I"m no doctor, is that there are many many many more people already infected than we realize. This means that the fatality rate may be vastly overstated. It also means that we'll be living with this disease for the rest of our lives.

[Jamie]

I posted a link with mortality rates a couple posts up. Keep in mind the China data is likely missing a lot of infections and deaths. If you are under 70 and don’t have some kind of pre-existing condition, the death rate is relatively low. If not, then do take all precautions. Death rate outside of China is much lower so far despite no specific treatment.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

[Anomaly]

and don’t have some kind of pre-existing condition

Well, I've got lots of those.... (e.g., see the boat count thread), but I know you weren't judging

[Jamie]

and don’t have some kind of pre-existing condition

Well, I've got lots of those.... (e.g., see the boat count thread), but I know you weren't judging

Those preconditions might cause our demise by other means.

I have asthma, so I don’t want to catch this or any kind of pneumonia

[Tigger]

and don’t have some kind of pre-existing condition

Well, I've got lots of those.... (e.g., see the boat count thread), but I know you weren't judging

Those preconditions might cause our demise by other means.

I have asthma, so I don’t want to catch this or any kind of pneumonia

My wife has systemic lupus. She's one of the lucky ones for who medication brings her back to at least 95% of 'normal' ... but that's 95% with a compromised immune system.

[Jamie]

and don’t have some kind of pre-existing condition

Well, I've got lots of those.... (e.g., see the boat count thread), but I know you weren't judging

Those preconditions might cause our demise by other means.

I have asthma, so I don’t want to catch this or any kind of pneumonia

My wife has systemic lupus. She's one of the lucky ones for who medication brings her back to at least 95% of 'normal' ... but that's 95% with a compromised immune system.

Ouch! Be careful!

[SemiSalt]

This is the first of the big virus scares that I feel is aimed at me. I'm 73, and have CLL which carries a presumption of a weakened immune system. To make things worse, in about 6 weeks I'm going to start of course of treatment that will definitely make my immune system weaker for a period of months. So, it's just possible that I'll be at my most vulnerable point just about the time the risk is greatest.

I'm thinking that best case scenario is about 6 months of voluntary house arrest.

[BeauV]

Semi - that is a serious bummer. Over the last week, I've seen a marked change from "Can we get together" to "Can you teach me how to use Zoom or Facetime? Give me a call." I think many of us will be considering limited social interactions. Maybe this is the time period where you stay home and write your Great American Novel? You could think of it as an anchored cruise ship, with self-help amenities.

[Tigger]

Good gallows humour ... copied and pasted from FB ...

NEIL DIAMOND: touching hands
CDC: no don’t touch hands
NEIL DIAMOND: reaching out
CDC: please avoid that
NEIL DIAMOND: TOUCHING YOU-
CDC: everyone in Boston is doomed

STING: Don't stand
Don't stand so
Don't stand so close to me
CDC: Now you're talkin

STING: Every breath you take, every step you make...
CDC: Yes, we will be watching you.

Proclaimers:
But I would walk 500 miles
and I would walk 500 more
just to be the man who walks a thousand miles
to fall down at your door
CDC: Please quarantine in place

MC Hammer: You can't touch this
CDC: Not without proper sterilization and washing hands

JIM MORRISON: COME ON, COME ON, COME ON NOW TOUCH ME, BABY!
CDC: That is not advised.
JIM MORRISON: CAN'T YOU SEE THAT I AM NOT AFRAID?
CDC: Immaterial.

Phil Collins: Shes seems to have an invisible touch
CDC: get her into quarantine immediately!

Pink Floyd: HEY YOU
CDC: oh hell
Pink Floyd: out there on your own
CDC: ok, self quarantined, not so bad
Pink Floyd: sitting naked by the phone WOULD YOU TOUCH ME
CDC: god damnit

EXILE: I want to kiss you all over
CDC: Absolutely not.
EXILE: and over again.
CDC: GOTTDAMNIT!!

Alanis: Cause I got one hand in my pocket.
CDC: Make sure it's sanitized.
Alanis: And the other one is giving a high five.
CDC: That's it. I quit!

MILEY: "It's a Party in the USA!"
CDC: "You really should avoid large gatherings."
MILEY: "My tummy's turnin' and I'm feelin' kinda home sick!"
CDC: "See! What did I tell you?"

Bon Jovi: You're love is like bad medicine.
CDC: We're actually still finding the cure.
Bon Jovi: Bad medicine is what I need.
CDC: It most certainly is not.

BEATLES: Yeah you, got that something, I think you'll understand
CDC: It's Covid-19
BEATLES: I wanna hold your hand
CDC: Not advisable
BEATLES: I wanna hold your hand
CDC: No

Eddie Money: Take me home tonight!
CDC: NO!

Foreigner: “I’M HOT-BLOODED! Check it and see.”
CDC: “Well, yes, we do advise constant monitoring of body temperature
Foreigner: “I’VE GOT A FEVER OF A HUNDRED AND THREE!”
CDC: “Dear God. Why are you still singing? Can we get an ambulance here? Right away?”

Robert Palmer: Doctor, doctor, give me the news. I've got.a bad case
CDC: Oh no...
Palmer: Of loving you
CDC: *sigh of relief*

[Slick470]

that was fun.

[BeauV]

Good fun Tigger - You got me trying to sing all the melodies. There's a lot to be said for gallows humor.

[Jamie]

Flying in the Time of Corona this evening makes me choleric.

[LarryHoward]

Flying in the Time of Corona this evening makes me choleric.

Yep. I have to be in Long Island next week. Driving.

[Ajax]

They're going to end up calling this the Boomer Flu or Medicare virus because that's who's going to suffer the most. I am concerned for older folks and those with underlying conditions.

My mother has lung cancer and just had one of her lung lobes removed. There were cancer cells in some of her lymph nodes. She's going to end up on chemo which will in turn, depress her immune system and down the garden path we go.

[Jamie]

Flying in the Time of Corona this evening makes me choleric.

Yep. I have to be in Long Island next week. Driving.

Does that entail tactical rest stops in New Jersey to avoid exposure?

I was tempted to road trip PDX to PBI just for fun in the STi but couldn’t find the time.

[LarryHoward]

Flying in the Time of Corona this evening makes me choleric.

Yep. I have to be in Long Island next week. Driving.

Does that entail tactical rest stops in New Jersey to avoid exposure?

I was tempted to road trip PDX to PBI just for fun in the STi but couldn’t find the time.

Going to have to make a NJT stop for gas and a bathroom break on the way up and back but figure that is better than airports and crowded aluminum tubes. With the "early spring", real question is whether to swap to summer tires or do the trip on the Dunlop SP's.

I did stock up on lysol spray, wipes and what hand sanitizer I could find for the office before the panicked hordes buy it all up. About 1/2 of my folks can work remotely if they have to. If we have to shut down, struggling with how to take care of the touch labor hourly mechanics and techs.

Son Chris is on a rotation in Jacksonville FL. Am planning to fly there on 10 April and road trip back here with a detour through Tail of the Dragon and possibly the Cherohala Skyway on the way back. Of course, that presumes anyone is travelling next month.

[LarryHoward]

They're going to end up calling this the Boomer Flu or Medicare virus because that's who's going to suffer the most. I am concerned for older folks and those with underlying conditions.

My mother has lung cancer and just had one of her lung lobes removed. There were cancer cells in some of her lymph nodes. She's going to end up on chemo which will in turn, depress her immune system and down the garden path we go.

Tough situation. was thinking this weekend that I'm thankful i'm on the other side of the chemo and latest blood work is completely normal. I have an appointment with my oncologist tomorrow for follow up (CT last week). Will be interesting to ask how they are dealing with this at Washington Hospital Center. I expect them to be overrun once this hits DC as they already provide primary care for a lot of DC's poor.

[Ajax]

Yup.

We also purchased cleaning/sanitizing supplies. I also purchased a couple of boxes of disposable gloves.

I took the 5-ton on a refueling run. Filled the tank and filled all of my fuel cans (diesel and mogas.) No, I'm not planning on evac'ing in the 5-ton. The fuel tank holds 78 gallons of diesel, which I can then siphon out for other uses, such as the HMMWV or the boat. I'm basically treating it like a fuel tanker.

[kimbottles]

They're going to end up calling this the Boomer Flu or Medicare virus because that's who's going to suffer the most. I am concerned for older folks and those with underlying conditions.

My mother has lung cancer and just had one of her lung lobes removed. There were cancer cells in some of her lymph nodes. She's going to end up on chemo which will in turn, depress her immune system and down the garden path we go.

Well I feel her‘s and your pain.

I have breast cancer and will have a modified radical mastectomy of my left breast tomorrow. Then after the surgery recovery I will have chemo and radiation for a number of months. So I am watching this virus thing very closely. Other than the breast cancer I am very healthy, but the chemo will, as Ajax notes above, depress my immune system.

What are the chances that Susan and I both get breast cancer? At least we have already been down this road during the six years of her recovery. I will use her oncologist who we know very well after six years. (He was surprised when I called him with the news a month ago.)

My dermatologist found it in January during my normal every six month skin inspection. She biopsied it right there as it was just below the skin so she could reach it with her “punch biopsy” procedure. That really cut down the time to mastectomy, but the last six weeks have been nonstop tests and scans. Even got a mammogram to check my right breast and genetic testing as my mother had breast cancer many years ago.

This is going to be an interesting year!
On to a new adventure.

(I did take FRANCIS over to the boat yard last week for some upgrades including the electric winch kits. Might as well have her laid up while I am laid up.)

[Slick470]

Sorry to hear that and wishing you the best Kim. Wonderful that they caught it, but unfortunate news all the same.

[Ajax]

God damnit. I sure an sorry to hear that, Kim. Stay tough and stay positive. I'm sure Larry will tell you that a certain part of victory is your mindset.

[kimbottles]

Thanks gentlemen.

Susan weathered her bout with breast cancer very well (and she lost both breasts as she was a rare case of bilateral breast cancer.)

So now I am a rare case of male breast cancer, but at least I only have one coming off.

We are quite the pair. (She is of course a wonderful partner to have for this adventure.)

I expect to make a full recover.

It will just take some time to get through all the Chemo and Radiation. We will know more about that after the post surgery lab results come back.

(Bob Perry and I have decided that the scar will be known as the Stigmata of Robert the Bruce, an English sword slash from the Battle of Bannockburn that appears from time to time on the left chest of a male descendent of the Bruce.)

[Slick470]

sounds like you have the right mindset for this Kim.

[Ajax]

Thanks gentlemen.

Susan weathered her bout with breast cancer very well (and she lost both breasts as she was a rare case of bilateral breast cancer.)

So now I am a rare case of male breast cancer, but at least I only have one coming off.

We are quite the pair. (She is of course a wonderful partner to have for this adventure.)

I expect to make a full recover.

It will just take some time to get through all the Chemo and Radiation. We will know more about that after the post surgery lab results come back.

(Bob Perry and I have decided that the scar will be known as the Stigmata of Robert the Bruce, an English sword slash from the Battle of Bannockburn that appears from time to time on the left chest of a male descendent of the Bruce.)

I'm a little jealous of your Scottish heritage. I wish I could legitimately wear a tartan and I love bag pipe music.

[kimbottles]

sounds like you have the right mindset for this Kim.

Hey! What are you going to do? It is what it is, so I will just deal with it.
Something will ultimately kill us.

My mother died of heart failure 30+ years after her mastectomy.

Thanks for the good wishes, I appreciate them.

[BeauV]

Kim, you don't need any advice on this, but keep safe. For a couple of reasons, I've been crawling all over the Virus data and reports. I have the very good fortune to know a UCSF Medical School Epidemiologist who has been really really helpful, although the news isn't "great" it's this isn't Ebola or the Pague either. Fortunately, you can shelter in place as you go through all this. One piece of advice which I'm passing along broadly.

If ever there was a time for home delivery of goods, this is it for the immune-compromised. Obviously, we'll need to treat the packaging as if it's polluted with the Virus, but the bugs don't appear to last all that long on dry surfaces and are thought to hate sunlight. It's a simple matter to wipe the packages down with an alcohol or chlorine wipe after leaving them outside for a few hours to ensure that any of the Virus applied during delivery is most likely dead.

All that said, the data seems to indicate that the Virus has been circulating in our population for some time (around 6 weeks), it's popping up in lots of folks who have had no direct link to anyone from the stricken countries. Also, it appears that many folks are carrying a mild case and haven't felt sick enough to check themselves into a medical facility or even stay home. If that's the case, then the question is probably not "If one catches it?" but more like "When one catches it?" Therefore, the obvious strategy is to avoid the risk of infection just as we do this flu or a cold, but realize that the strenuousness of one's efforts needs to be managed based on how bad off we are.

For you, Kim, I think you'll want to go into hibernation-mode once you're immune-compromised and avail yourself of all the tricks you learned when you were in the Federal Witness Protection Systems. But, seriously, I've been going through the options, and Ajax is right, this is a Virus which will attack we old boomers. However, we old boomers also are the folks most likely to be able to stay home, watch old re-runs of the Lone Ranger and Hopalong Cassidy, and wait it out.

[TheOffice]

Wow, lots to process here, from humorous lyrics to Kim's news.

As Sarge would say on Hill Street Blues - Let's be careful out there!

Kim, wishing you a speedy and complete recovery.

Joel

[Jamie]

sounds like you have the right mindset for this Kim.

Hey! What are you going to do? It is what it is, so I will just deal with it.
Something will ultimately kill us.

My mother died of heart failure 30+ years after her mastectomy.

Thanks for the good wishes, I appreciate them.

Tough news. But you’ve very much been a good model for “get busy living.”

[Tigger]

Fingers crossed Kim! Take care.