CoViD-19: House Vetoes Covidiot-in-Chief, Dems Dare Senate To Act | How To Fight COVID At Home |

Masked Up at San Diego Zoo Safari Park (Taken 11.18.2020)

I guess part of the thing about writing a blog, or regular social media posts, is that I'm not a very motivated person when it comes to sending out holiday cards. I think I've sent cards one time as an adult and it's been a couple decades. But I love receiving them. We don't get many but I look forward to the ones I do get. And it was completely understandable that we got even fewer after this crazy year, but today we got that unmistakable writing from Susie and her beautiful card she designed from boygirlparty and all is right in the world. 

It's so hard to see it snowing in our local mountains and not race up to play in it. In winters past, we would drive up to Cuyamaca with the van, but last time Darren had a hard time with the chains because we were already in the thick of an active snowstorm before we put them on. Since we've barely used the van this year at all, I wouldn't really feel safe driving it up without a big inspection. We also have a problem with the headliner falling, which may be among the first things we spend our *massive giant* relief checks on. It seems like such an erroneous and unnecessary way to blow $300 but it's actually really unsafe and hard to drive when it's falling on your head. 

One other thing I had on my mind, and was reminded by this facebook post that's going viral which I'm pasting at the end of this email, was that on top of all of our efforts to stay home as much as possible, and wearing double masks and goggles when we have to go out and shop or do laundry, I've been following recommendations I've seen since early in the pandemic. I take daily Zinc, C, D3, B12 and a Probiotic. We bought a no-touch thermometer and do temperature checks everyday, sometimes multiple times a day because we bet who will be closest to 98.6. Today I re-upped a vitamin order from Costco and have a pulse oximeter on the way. We always, even pre-pandemic keep a fair amount of aspirin, Tylenol, and Advil on hand. We always keep a stash of Emergen-C, local farmer's market honey, and tea in the pantry. Thankfully none of us have had any symptoms or even contacts, as far as we know, though you can be certain we'd get tested if we ever thought otherwise. I read a tweet from a woman who tested positive and thinks she got it from her building's elevator and it's just a reminder that, even if you're alone, if you're in a confined space like an elevator, any bathroom that isn't your own, any retail or restaurant for pickup , you should at the very least be masked up. We'll be waiting our turns for our vaccines but won't hesitate to get them. I dunno. I'm not a doctor and have read enough to believe we're being as safe as possible, but even if we're wrong, I'd rather go overboard than not have done enough. Maybe I also rationalize that it offsets me and Darren's whiskey and beer speakeasy nights. Healthy living, except when we're not, ya know? 

• Politics/News:
• Don't expect McConnell to move on these at all, but the House certainly called the President's bluff: House approves Trump’s $2K checks, sending to GOP-led Senate - AP News (12.28.2020)
• House votes to override Trump’s veto of defense bill - AP News (12.28.2020)
  The Senate still needs to override with 2/3 majority, and Bernie is saying he will vote no until they take up the $2000 stimulus. Not sure he wields that much power in the Senate, but we'll find out. 
• Trump’s Delay in Signing the Relief Bill Cost Unemployed Americans $300 - Slate (12.28.2020)
• Trump’s Cruelty Will Cost Americans Billions for Literally No Reason. Insert dark joke about Trump’s terrible deal-making here. - Vice (12.28.2020)
• Global COVID-19 Stats (JHU 12/28 5:23pm):
• 81,247,248 Known Cases
• 1,772,869 Known Deaths
• US COVID-19 Stats (COVID Tracking Project):
• 162,190 New Cases/19,072,721 Known Cases (+7% Change over 7 Days)
• 1,491 New Deaths/326,322 Known Deaths
• 121,235 Current COVID-19 Hospitalizations
• 22,592 Currently COVID-19 patients in ICU
• 7,951 COVID-19 patients currently on ventilator
• San Diego County Stats
• County Data:
• San Diego County COVID-19 Update – 12-28-2020 - County News Center
• 1,751 New Cases/147,530 Total Cases 
• 2 New Daily Deaths/1,404 Total Deaths
• 9% Daily Test Positivity/12.3% (7-day avg after 7-day lag)/10.4% Test Positivity (14-day average)
• 36.3 cases/100k population (Assessed on 12/22. Adjusted case rate per 100,000 excluding prisons.) 
• 49% Case Investigation (under 70% goal)
• 4.5% Increasing Day Over Day COVID-19 Hospitalizations (1,491 patients, 136% increase over 30 days)
• 17% ICU Capacity (under 20% Trigger. 389 patients, 125% increase over 30 days)
• 1,527 total CoVID/Suspect Cases|4,548 Total Hospital Census|4,822 *80% Bed Capacity
• 0 New/59 Community Outbreaks (7-day)
• Business 22
• Restaurant/bar 1
• Restaurant 1
• Grocery 1
• Faith-based Setting 5
• Government 3
• Daycare/preschool 4
• Healthcare 9
• Construction 1
• Emergency Services 2
• Food/Bev Processing 1
• tk-12 school 3
• Warehouse/Distribution 2
• Hotel/Resort/Spa 3
• Comm-Based Org 1
• HOW TO FIGHT COVID AT HOME (from a person from a COVID survivors group)
• No one ever talks about how to fight Covid at home. I came down with Covid in November. I went to the hospital, running a fever of 103, a rapid heart beat, and other common symptoms that come with Covid. While I was there they treated me for the high fever, dehydration and pneumonia. 
• The doctor sent me home to fight Covid with two prescriptions -  Azithromycin 250mg & Dexamethason 6mg. 
• When the nurse came in to discharge me, I asked her, "What can I do to help fight this at home?" She said, “Sleep on your stomach at all times with Covid. If you can’t sleep on your stomach because of heath issues sleep on your side. Do not lay on your back no matter what because it smashes your lungs and that will allow fluid to set in.
• Set your clock every two hours while sleeping on your stomach, then get out of bed and walk for 15-30 min, no matter how tired or weak that you are. Also move your arms around frequently, it helps to open your lungs. Breathe in thru your nose, and out thru your mouth. This will help build up your lungs, plus help get rid of the Pneumonia or other fluid you may have.
• When sitting in a recliner, sit up straight - do not lay back in the recliner, again this will smash your lungs. While watching TV - get up and walk during every commercial.
• Eat at least 1 - 2 eggs a day, plus bananas, avocado and asparagus. These are good for Potassium. 
• Drink Pedialyte, Gatorade Zero, Powerade Zero & Water with Electrolytes to prevent you from becoming dehydrated. Do not drink anything cold -  have it at room temperature or  warm it up. Water with lemon, and little honey, peppermint tea, apple cider are good suggestions for getting in fluids. 
• No milk products, or pork. 
• Vitamin’s D3, C, B, Zinc, Probiotic One-Day are good ideas. Tylenol for fever. Mucinex, or Mucinex DM for drainage, plus helps the cough. Pepcid helps for cramps in your legs. One baby aspirin everyday can help prevent getting a blood clot, which can occur from low activity. "
• Drink a smoothie of blueberries, strawberries, bananas, honey, tea and a spoon or two of peanut butter. 
• We always hear of how Covid takes lives, but there isn't a lot of information out there regarding how to fight Covid. I hope this helps you or someone you know, just as it has helped me.