Keeping safe at the Doctors Office and Grocery Store during COV-19 coronavirus outbreak

Little birdhouse among the Pink Dogwoods and Redbud

Top of my list for places to NOT GO to during the coronavirus outbreak is to the doctor's office. For a month now I've been fighting a sinus generated ear infection. I threw everything plus the kitchen sink at it and nothing has cured my blocked up ears. I found some interesting remedies online and tried most of them. Typically a netty pot does help clear my sinus similar to using a saline nose spray. My mother swears by saline in the Spring to keep an often dry nose healthy and allergens cleared out. Sinus pain or even a light nose bleed can be a symptom of a dry sinus.

Pink dogwood's are in bloom on Forsythia Hill

So yesterday I reluctantly called my doctors office, which I describe as my country doctor because it's located in the woods back in a rural community nearby to my house just outside of Charlottesville. I've been drastically limiting the places I go because of my autoimmune disease. I had not been to my general doctor in 4 years, so a prescription could not just be called in. I was impressed to find that my doctor's office has set up a tent outside for those not wanting to enter the building and also for people with contagious symptoms. I felt really awkward making the nurse practitioner come outside but she made it clear that it was not a problem and that it was nice to get some fresh air.

Fluffy pillows of Leatherleaf Viburnum are blooming!

I'm now on an antibiotic to hopefully clear up my ears which are causing dizziness and hearing loss so it's not something I can continue to mess around with. Often I can bring on a dizzy spell by looking up and backwards and this exercise immediately stops the vertigo sensation. It also has stopped my dizziness from the imbalance caused by my plugged up ears.

Our Mockingbird is setting up his territory.

I also wanted to try minimizing my contact in the grocery store by trying the free Kroger Pickup service. I wasn't as satisfied with this as I was with my doctor's office experience. There was a 6 day wait to even be able to pick up after my order was placed and there was only one time slot which was from 6 - 7 pm. This was rather late in the day for me and sounded like a really busy time to go to Kroger. I decided to give it a whirl regardless. As I was driving to pick up my order Kroger called to tell me it would not be ready until at least 7 - 8:30 pm if at all! I rescheduled for the next morning. I received another call that night at 7:30 to say my order was ready. I again arranged to pick it up the next morning. Pick up was no problem but 7 items out of 25 were not available. I expected some items to be out of stock but I felt like this was excessive. A foreboding of what's to come? Lucky to get anything? Time will tell. 

The pink moon, named because creeping phlox is blooming.

My next strategy will be to try Harris Teeter on 29 North at an off time as I hope they will not be as busy as Kroger. I also will wear my homemade mask that has a protective non-woven lining! So far I've made 4 of them and hope to not make any more! I'm not crafty.

Minimizing exposure is all I can do. Nothing is perfect in life but I will continue to make my way as safely as possible. Staying home enjoying plants, birds, and even taking my first moon shot with my new zoom lens camera.

~Rebecca

Things to do to keep yourself safe from COVID-19 coronavirus

Limited access, social distancing lines in parking lot.

Trader Joe's in Charlottesville, Virginia is doing it right. Limiting the number of customers in the store at one time, social distancing the wait lines outside the store and limiting like item purchases to two. Staff even wipes down your cart before you enter and there is a buzz of constant cleaning inside. I was glad to see staff wearing protective gloves.

Of course I would get Typhoid Mary immediately behind me who coughed, sneezed, and kept creeping up closer and closer to me in line. You are not going to get in the store any faster by crowding me! I do not want whatever you have, STAY AT HOME! NO ONE is wearing masks.

I'm a bit disgusted today by the lack of seriousness converning coronavirus in the United States. I called the home health care agency in Tennessee that my in-laws hire for what is deemed "non-medical" support (no medicine is dispensed, no diagnosis, no monitoring, etc.) They responded to my questioning with mixed information. First I was told they didn't send anyone out that was sick, then I was told they didn't send anyone out without a mask that is sick. I was later told they were not required to make their staff wear a mask because they were "non-medical".  I could only demand that they not send anyone to my in-laws that was sick!

We're fortunate to have fresh eggs!

Concerning online information, it's a mixed bag. There is a 19 hour lag time before the Virginia Department of Health reports numbers. We know there are four reported cases in Charlottesville and the current "health department" chart only reports one. There is a EPA published list of disinfectants that can be used to kill COVID-19. It's a bit technical but it looks like Ammonia, Bleach, and Hydrogen Peroxide all kill the virus on surfaces. We always used bleach at the animal shelter to kill canine parvovirus and other nasty germs. Mix chemicals according to the directions, making bleach "stronger" is not going to kill anything more. It is only going to irritate your nose!  Also let the counters, surfaces and dishes air dry because the chemicals do take time to "work". Drying plates with a rag only covers it with more contaminants!

Weekend project, ripping out carpet, installing LVP flooring.

Please also be careful what you click when online. As with any crisis, there are always those trying to make a buck from a bad situation. Stay at home if you can, go out only if you must. Over and over I also see everyone looking at their phone when out and while shopping. Do not use your phone when you are out, it is a major source of contaminant.  Enjoy your time at home and employ a few of my tips to keep yourself occupied. Be well, be safe.

~Rebecca




 

Life Changes because of the coronavirus in the United States and First Death in Virginia

In our area of the state of Virginia there are no reported cases but you can not get tested unless you are symptomatic and it sounds like that is even hard to do. This makes everyone very suspect of the health of others. I've not seen anyone wearing masks in Charlottsville but I'm sure it's coming. Virginia announced the first patient death from Covid-19 today located in the Hampton Roads area.

I occupy myself in the garden!

We basically live in a college town and unless it's Summer or Spring Break stores are busy and traffic is thick. It's a very odd feeling to drive out in Charlottesville to find the streets nearly bare and stores not crowded and some even shuttered! A decision was made last week to host classes online at the University of Virginia.

CSSE at Johns Hopkins tracks COVID-19 worldwide and allows you to zoom and click on your area. As test kits are made available in the US, the numbers will drastically increase. I do believe we will see a significant rise that will reflect the extensive spread of this virus in our country.

I've also noticed an occasional ambulance siren more often on the nearby street which I rarely ever heard before coronavirus. One can imagine an elevated sense of fear could cause all sorts of related problems. I know I've been on edge.

Running joke are his hat variations, going Smurf w this one.

My husband is a computer programmer and he has been working from home since Thursday. He is very lucky to be working for an online retailer so hopefully his job will not be in jeopardy. It's unbelievable to think that a month ago we could not fathom such changes! I don't know that the seriousness of the repercussions have really set in. Best to just take one day at a time and first priority is to take measures to protect ones family from getting sick!

First honeybee spotted in the garden on my Peach tree!

The best way to do this is to limit trips out unless absolutely necessary. I've always planned all my business for one day of the week so staying home for an ever greater time is not much of a change for me. A lot of planning does come into play and some sacrifices need to be made. I can't just run to the store to grab a pint of ice cream. I need wait until I REALLY run out of items before I risk going out.

I've been stocking the pantry for weeks so have a nice supply of a variety of items. This allows me to not have to buy a bunch of things when I go out, I simply replace what we've used.

I just sold this adorable daffodil tea cup in my shop.

Things have not changed much for me as I sell online and have worked from home for 10 years. I do miss my weekly coffee meetup with friends as for now, I'm staying as far away from humans as I can. It was my luck to have to take my cat to the vet office and the vet was wearing a mask because of a sore throat!! I feel sniffly with some throat weirdness but my mother reminded me that it's allergy season and the pollen count is high! Hoping this soon will pass. Gulp.

~Rebecca

Coronavirus in the US, nervous binge eating from the storage pantry

My pantry items are growing

Over the last several days, I've been stocking up groceries and paper goods in preparation of a possible coronavirus outbreak in our area. Fear breeds panic and local stores could be temporarily wiped out of some key items. Minimizing your shopping trips can reduce the odds of infection. If you do get the virus in your household and have to isolate, game on, no trips to the grocery store! It certainly looks as if a community outbreak can happen anywhere. I'm particularly concerned because we live 15 miles from a large state medical facility, UVA (University of Virginia Hospital) and if someone needs urgent care, that's where they will be sent!

Only half of a Donut and a little Ice Cream blob.

As we wait for the virus to strike, my greatest concern is not eating my safety stash!! Having excess food tends to make one feel as if they can eat MORE! I decided to treat myself to a pint of Ice Cream and some Donuts, just in case there is no way to get SUGAR when in crisis mode. Might as well console myself and enjoy the top of the food chain delights before all hell breaks loose.

Nervous eating, obsessive thoughts, and worry does make you want to devour all that is bad for you!

Spirits must be booming right now!

It's normal to fear the unknown but it is not time to panic shop. First of all it's just plain rude and secondly there is no need for it. Read my prior blog post on what to stock up. If you get the virus, hopefully it will be a mild case and you will become somewhat immune to it. Of course the long term effects have yet to be determined because this is a totally new virus. I am concerned about my elderly mom and in-laws, not to mention that I have an auto-immune disease which makes it more possible that I could get really sick.

After we consume the fun foods, I'll eventually go retrieve some more of the boring stuff that can actually be saved for disaster use when the time comes. Be prepared but remember, this is not the end of the world and this too shall pass or at least become the norm.

~Rebecca