June 2, 2020

Still sitting in my easy chair after doing a few things through the day.  I need to get a few more steps in just to keep the blood flowing.  Or I could watch the news which gets the blood flowing, too.  The things I did were simply watering flowers, washing my hair and putting it in rollers.  Rollers are how I have dealt with the too long hair.  I did cut about 3 months growth just straight across the neckline.  That has worked fine with the rollers giving the too long on top a little help not doing the pancake to my head. 

Been on Marco Polo several time with my sisters today.  #1 is feeling better after getting probiotics in her system.  Last year's super infusion of antibiotics messed up the gut flora.  After this years hip surgery just the typical amount of antibiotic again upset the balance in the gut.  She and #4 met tonight for dinner.   #4's husband's knee was needing to be constantly after something happened that sent him into severe pain.  He went to the doctor but chose not to get the MRI cause he did not want to have it done now.  #1 met #4 with the ice packs used following knee surgery.  They just checked in and each was on their way home.  Businesses in the area where #1 and #4 ate were closing due to planned protests in support of George Floyd and others.

The #2 sister in Oklahoma had an appointment to check for new hearing aids.  Dr. started at $10,000.  She talked him down to $6,600.  She still felt she needed to think on it.  And I already have been told I need hearing aids for both ears.  I guess when a year starts this way it can only get better.

Vandalized in our parking garage on January 3, 2020.  

The individual that broke the window was apprehended.  The district attorney office contacted us so I know the prosecution was moving forward.  Haven't heard a word since late February.  Will never see a dime for the cost of replacing.  Oh, well.  It is only $$$.

Now did the year get better?  Esophageal endoscope on January 8.  Fun.  Not better yet.  February meeting with surgeon for hiatal hernia surgery is cancelled once, twice, three times.  They would call back in April.  Surgeon had a family crisis.  I wonder now if it was Covid.

1/8 scope of esophagus

New surgeon found and had meeting scheduled asap.  Except that asap needed to wait till after spring break, 3 weeks away.  Okay.  Fears of how the Covid 19 is spreading social distancing is recommended.  March 6 we attended, as it turned out, the last lacrosse game for #1 Grandson. 

Next came the awful toilet paper crisis of 2020.  I have yet to figure out why there is a TP shortage.  Covid does not cause diarrhea.  I guess folks just were having the poop scared out of them.  Masks, shortages, near panic over food stuffs, empty shelf after shelf of all things disinfectant.  And omg, still no TP!  Fortunately her in June we just used the supply we had purchased in January as a subscribe and save order from Amazon.  Good thing I had it 'cause as we were nearing the end of our supply I would order and the store was out of it all.  I am not certain how the city sewer systems have managed so much TP use.

Son refused to allow anything nearer than 6 feet between us and anyone.  Fine.  Just.  Fine.  I had been able to meet the surgeon sometime in late March.  He schedule the Nissen Fundoplication surgery for May 20.  We all crossed our fingers.  Dr. Wade was on the emergency backup list for the Austin area if needed for Covid cases. 

Life continued in the weird way of shutdown.  One state then another as the virus spread.  We who have lived this through the screens of our televisions/computers will recall when the cases in the US could be counted on your hands.  Within days in hotspots the cases doubled every few days.  Some areas experiencing doubling daily for a short period of time.  What started in China leapfrogged to Italy, which became the next hot spot.  US west coast started seeing number rise as did Georgia.  New York took a major hit as well as several of the neighboring states.

We as a nation worked together for the most part to stay home and stay safe.  Flatten the curve by washing hands, groceries, hands, doorknobs, hands ad infinitum.  Armies of people sat at their sewing machines making masks for health professionals and other front line personnel.  My reflux was so bad during that time I could not stand to lean forward to sew without becoming short of breath.

Businesses closed, some never to return.  People lost their jobs with unemployment reaching the highest levels since the Great Depression.  It was a solid month from the shutdowns in early to mid March before the rise in cases began to slow slightly.  Deceased persons were being stored in refrigerated trucks as the mortuaries were totally overwhelmed.  The dead included some of the health professionals, teachers, some children, more young adults and middle aged than expected.  Of course the highest number of deaths occurred in the 55 and above aged people. 

Between deaths, sickness and all the job losses things looked damn bleak.  Protests began to spring up across the US.  Protests to reopen the economy.  By not removing the stay at home orders folks were saying their liberty was being violated.  Protesters attired in battle gear showed up on the steps of state capitol buildings.  Under the pressure of folks need for a living and the reducing of the numbers of new Covid cases decreasing, states began reopening in late April.  The openings were different in each state.  Some just sort flung the doors open.  Most approached in a more methodical, incremental opening.  Limited numbers in restaurants.  Still social distancing and masks.

after surgery  5/20

Hospitals were allowed to begin performing elective surgeries.  May 20, 2020, I finally had the surgery.  Stores were reopening.  Scheduling curbside pickup at Walmart and a local grocery chain became easy.  No waiting 10 days but actual same day pickup became available, for a price.  Could it be possible for life to come back to some sort of normalcy?  It would not be the same but life outside the confines of a single abode could be possible.

Son and #1 Grandson came over to help clear the patio.  They both gave us hugs.  #1 GS had not had any of the fanfare connected with high school graduation.  He seemed okay with it.  Far more jazzed about having a job as a wait person in a restaurant.  Good for him.  Maybe this will return to normal.  Lord knows, we all were hoping and praying for something near that.



On May 5, a 28-second cellphone video leaked onto social media. The video showed Arbery getting shot and killed.  The date of the shooting was 2/23/2020.  Ahmaud Arbery death investigation is reopened.  It had taken over two months and repeated demands by his family to bring this to the state authorities.  But it took the leaked video to get the attention of the state authorities. Three men are arrested.

On Monday, May 25, Amy Cooper does not like a person asking her to put her dog on a leash in a leash required area.  She calls 911 to say an African American man is threatening her and her dog.  The gentleman records the incident.  Ms. Cooper is fired and the dog is taken from her.

May, 25, George Floyd was arrested by police on the charge of passing a fake $20.  Floyd is drunk and is not cooperative with the police.  He is handcuffed and placed face down on the street.  Placing a handcuffed individual face down is against the local police policy.  An officer places his knee on the neck of Floyd.  Floyd begs the officer to get off as he cannot breathe.  None of the 3 other officers present do anything to get the knee off Floyd.  Bystanders attempt to approach the officer to help Floyd.  They are restrained by the other police.  Floyd dies.

What starts as peaceful protests about the lack of an arrest of the officers soon ignites.  Are outside groups influencing the violence, looting and fires?  Evidence says they are.  That just gives the folks that would put a knee on a man's neck till he dies of asphyxiation credence for racism.  Very counter productive.  The reality is school districts in Texas are still fighting laws passed in the 1950's and 1960's regarding school desegregation.  There are plenty of folks that wish harm on persons of color.  Some are police, some are supervisors in factories, some are that person you would just pass on the street.

Tonight was the first time sisters #1 and #4 had seen each other in over 3 months.  They live a 40 minute drive apart.  My sisters are told the restaurant is closing early.  Sister leave so the owner can close and lock the doors.  The owners will do their best to protect their properties because the Covid closures haven't been enough to destroy them.  And for the record the restaurant is owned and operated by persons of color.  Nope, it looks like it will be a long time before things will be normal here in the US.  I certainly for the sake of all persons of color it never is that kind of normal again.

Ya'll all stay safe, stay healthy and keep Love for humanity.

Janice