Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[crazycatlady58]

The problem with not treating people who refuse the vaccine is ,as talked about. is people concerned about having a reaction to the shot. I know someone who has that concern and we have someone here who has a concern about that. You also have people who have different mental health issues that may not get the vaccine. You have people who for different reasons do not have the ability to get to the place where shots are given. Now I think everyone should have the shot but I am concerned about denying treatment or reducing treatment because someone is not vaccinated..to many reasons why they may not be vaccinated.  Now if we could isolate the people who refuse because.." my rights, the government is going to poison me ..ect,  well I sorta feel different about them but then I think of their children.

[Rootbeer]

1 hour ago, crazycatlady58 said:

The problem with not treating people who refuse the vaccine is ,as talked about. is people concerned about having a reaction to the shot. I know someone who has that concern and we have someone here who has a concern about that. You also have people who have different mental health issues that may not get the vaccine. You have people who for different reasons do not have the ability to get to the place where shots are given. Now I think everyone should have the shot but I am concerned about denying treatment or reducing treatment because someone is not vaccinated..to many reasons why they may not be vaccinated.  Now if we could isolate the people who refuse because.." my rights, the government is going to poison me ..ect,  well I sorta feel different about them but then I think of their children.

It will never happen.  The medical community has very strict rules of triage in the event of limited resources and it would be unethical to deny treatment to anyone on the basis of vaccination status.  Triage is based on which patient needs the intervention more, which patient is more likely to survive the illness; etc. but can never be based on any non-medical criteria.  If anything, because they tend to be younger and overall healthier these days. unvaccinated COVID patients may well end up prioritized over vaccinated patients who are usually older and more likely to have comorbidities.

I was working with a med student today who is also doing an ER rotation.  She says they are sitting at the computer, constantly refreshing it, hoping for an ICU bed to open up so they can ship one of the multiple critical patients in the ER up there and it has gotten pretty competitive as the doctors and nurses present their cases for why their particular patient is most deserving of the single open bed while the others will continue to wait, often a day or more.  Very Game of Thrones.

That does not mean that doctors and nurses working the front lines won't curse under their breath when they see someone who could've gotten vaccinated but chose not to do so turn up needing critical care.

If we're going to deny care on the basis of preventive actions; then anyone who crashes their motorcycle while not wearing a helmet, who gets in an MVA without a seatbelt, who texts and drives are also going to need to be scrutinized and then where do we draw the line?

Edited August 31, 2021 by Rootbeer

[GeeGolly]

1 hour ago, crazycatlady58 said:

The problem with not treating people who refuse the vaccine is ,as talked about. is people concerned about having a reaction to the shot. I know someone who has that concern and we have someone here who has a concern about that. You also have people who have different mental health issues that may not get the vaccine. You have people who for different reasons do not have the ability to get to the place where shots are given. Now I think everyone should have the shot but I am concerned about denying treatment or reducing treatment because someone is not vaccinated..to many reasons why they may not be vaccinated.  Now if we could isolate the people who refuse because.." my rights, the government is going to poison me ..ect,  well I sorta feel different about them but then I think of their children.

After reading this I realized its really more about all over behaviors and not just the vaccine. Many who refuse the vaccine also refuse to mask and refuse to respects others' space. Some non-vaxxers get lumped in with them.

Certainly, if most unvaxxed folks wore masks throughout the pandemic, we wouldn't be where we are today.

[Liddy52]

4 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

After reading this I realized its really more about all over behaviors and not just the vaccine. Many who refuse the vaccine also refuse to mask and refuse to respects others' space. Some non-vaxxers get lumped in with them.

Certainly, if most unvaxxed folks wore masks throughout the pandemic, we wouldn't be where we are today.

I know of one very sweet lady who is terrified to get the vaccine because she thinks it will make her sick. But she always wears her mask out in public and maintains physical distance from others.

[crazycatlady58]

11 minutes ago, Liddy52 said:

I know of one very sweet lady who is terrified to get the vaccine because she thinks it will make her sick. But she always wears her mask out in public and maintains physical distance from others.

Yes, that's the thing there are many reasons not to get the vaccine as there are people. I know someone will not be denied treatment due to whether they have a vaccine or not but it concerns me when it is talked about. I do fight within myself not to think that it should happen to the ones who are rebellious about getting the vaccine.  I think I should not feel that way if no other reason than I am a Christian and should show compassion if not to the adults but to the children left behind. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jcbrown]

My cousins (Metairie, Kenner, NOLA, and Slidell) and their families are all safe from Ida, albeit without power. My friend in NOLA, same. My sisters-in-law and their families (Mandeville and NOLA--in the Lakeview district and lost her home in Katrina) are safe, all sheltering in Mandeville, and have generator power. My one SIL was working a double shift at the hospital (she is an ultrasound tech working with COVID ICU patients) during the storm and is stuck there for the foreseeable future. The hospital has generator power but as of yesterday did not have water and was relying on well water. Not great but fantastic compared to Katrina.

Edited August 31, 2021 by jcbrown

[Jeeves]

It's good to hear that Ida, while devastating enough, seems not to have imposed Katrina levels of horrors on the area. I grew up in Houston. I was in middle school when Hurricane Carla hit.  I moved out of Texas more than 40 years ago, but I swear, I still take hurricanes seriously. A relative in Houston lost electric power for more than TWO WEEKS when Hurricane Ike went through and was thisclose to having her house flood although thank goodness it was spared. I like the DIY/HGTV show "Big Texas Fix" also known as "Restoring Galveston." But almost every time I watch and think about  being in Galveston, I think of having to hurricane-proof your home and evacuate the island when a hurricane's on the way. Sigh.

This morning I went to a special museum exhibit about Stonehenge. Not that I'm intensely interested in Stonehenge, but I do like visiting the UK, I'm a museum member, and I wanted to get out of the house. I booked a ticket for opening time, in hopes it would be less crowded. I wore my mask although I don't think they required it, and enjoyed the exhibit more than I expected to. I was amused to learn that like more modern construction, Stonehenge was actually "remodeled" a bit during the centuries BCE when it was in use. The exhibit wasn't crowded, which was great. 

 

[Turquoise]

My third grandchild arrived this morning, 39 weeks on the dot. She’s petite, but doing very well.

[zoomama]

15 minutes ago, Jeeves said:

I like the DIY/HGTV show "Big Texas Fix" also known as "Restoring Galveston." But almost every time I watch and think about  being in Galveston, I think of having to hurricane-proof your home and evacuate the island when a hurricane's on the way.

i enjoy that show too. i also have the same feelings about the coast of texas as you. my son wanted us to move to port arthur.  i said no way - hurricane danger is too much for me to handle.  ...mind you i live on a huge fault currently and if it shakes, i would probably fall in. 🤪

[BitterApple]

8 minutes ago, Turquoise said:

My third grandchild arrived this morning, 39 weeks on the dot. She’s petite, but doing very well.

Aw, congrats! What good news!

[jcbrown]

Congratulations, @Turquoise!

[BetyBee]

Congratulations, @Turquoise!

[ginger90]

Congratulations @Turquoise and family!!

[lookeyloo]

I think one reason that things aren't as devastatingly bad from Ida, (bad enough) is that the levees didn't break in New Orleans.  We were living in Baton Rouge then and had access to local information from locals that sometimes isn't available elsewhere.  So getting the info from people actually there is the best info.

[CalicoKitty]

Well, the smoke is getting worse.  Tahoe was evacuated yesterday, and the evacuation center in Gardnerville is now full.  There have been bear and mountain lion sightings around my neighborhood (poor animals).  I am usually just fine being alone, and I enjoy spending time reading and watching tv, but I am missing being able to spend ANY time outside.  My poor cats sleep in their beds all day because they think it is time to go to bed.  Luckily, I have some N95 masks to use if I do have to go outside.  There are times the ash it looks like it is snowing outside.  Hopefully this will get under control soon. 

 

[Jeeves]

@CalicoKitty, I'm glad you checked in although the news isn't so good. When I heard on the news about the latest evacuations I wondered if that included you and your cats. Ash falling from the sky is so creepy. It's happened here in Denver although not very often. But there was one awful summer more than 16 years ago when there were a few huge fires burning to the west of us. I remember one Mother's Day, I cleaned up my townhouse's back deck, including washing off all the furniture out there. It was a real spring cleaning.  Then I left to join my local family's Mother's Day gathering. I got home that afternoon to see that ash had fallen all over the deck and furniture. Yep, like snow. It was from a forest fire many miles to the west but close enough for the weather systems to bring it to us. During those fires there were days when the very sky would be a strange color. Ugh. I hope you continue to stay safe. 

@Turquoise - Congratulations, and thanks for sharing the good news with us! 

Edited August 31, 2021 by Jeeves

[Scarlett45]

I checked in on my NOLA people. One family went on Mobile, the other is headed to Gulfport with their pets to stay with another childfree couple that will have them all. 
 

Hot damn I don’t regret leaving NOLA. My heart hurts for everyone in Orleans Parish. 
 

BUT guess who I heard from today? Park Guy! No he didn’t want to sell me Amway products or ask me out again, he wanted to know how was my outing with my cousins at Museum of Science and Industry😋. 

[Scarlett45]

8 hours ago, Turquoise said:

My third grandchild arrived this morning, 39 weeks on the dot. She’s petite, but doing very well.

Yay for a new baby lady. 

[NotthebadVictoria]

16 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

I don't think its in practice anywhere either, but I did read that a TX hospital system has brought it up to their ethics committee. The thought was it would only be used when they ran out of resources. Say, two patients needed a vent and there was only one left, could the vaccinated patient be prioritized. 

 

Isn’t the whole point of the vaccine to prevent being hospitalized?it defeats the purpose If you can still get it and spread it and then end up on a vent 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Love2dance]

So happy for you and your family, @Turquoise. Thanks for sharing your news about your new baby granddaughter. 
So sorry to hear about all the damage and power loss in the South from Ida. But glad that so far all the people are ok. My thoughts go out to all of you dealing with hurricane and fire devastation. 

Edited September 1, 2021 by Love2dance

[Cinnabon]

2 hours ago, NotthebadVictoria said:

Isn’t the whole point of the vaccine to prevent being hospitalized?it defeats the purpose If you can still get it and spread it and then end up on a vent 🤷🏻‍♀️

The vaccine greatly decreases the likelihood of severe illness and death, yes. 

Edited September 1, 2021 by Cinnabon

[ChiCricket]

11 hours ago, Turquoise said:

My third grandchild arrived this morning, 39 weeks on the dot. She’s petite, but doing very well.

💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

[Leeds]

 

8 hours ago, NotthebadVictoria said:

Isn’t the whole point of the vaccine to prevent being hospitalized?it defeats the purpose If you can still get it and spread it and then end up on a vent 🤷🏻‍♀️

Covid isn't the only reason one might need to be on a vent or in hospital.

[Rootbeer]

8 hours ago, NotthebadVictoria said:

Isn’t the whole point of the vaccine to prevent being hospitalized?it defeats the purpose If you can still get it and spread it and then end up on a vent 🤷🏻‍♀️

All vaccines have breakthrough infections.  Even so, those who are NOT vaccinated against COVID are EIGHT TIMES more likely to be hospitalized than those who are. The vaccine most definitely decreases the chances of becoming infected, getting sick and dying.  

These breakthrough infections among the vaccinated are the reason the concept of herd immunity is so important.  If enough people are vaccinated, the virus will find it much harder to spread and will die out, but that seems to require about 75% of the population to be vaccinated.  While there will be some breakthrough, we're not concerned about asymptomatic people or those with mild infections and that is mostly what we'd see.  We need to prevent disease severe enough to result in hospitalization.

For example: about 10% of people vaccinated against rubella will not develop antibodies and would be susceptible to the infection.  Why don't we see rubella outbreaks here in the US?  Because, with the vast majority of people out there being vaccinated, the virus never has a chance to take hold and spread.  Same thing with chicken pox these days.  Most of us are old enough to remember getting chicken pox along with all the other kids in the school or neighborhood and then passing it along to our brothers and sisters.  That almost never happens anymore because so many kids are vaccinated.

Edited September 1, 2021 by Rootbeer

[frenchtoast]

8 hours ago, NotthebadVictoria said:

Isn’t the whole point of the vaccine to prevent being hospitalized?it defeats the purpose If you can still get it and spread it and then end up on a vent 🤷🏻‍♀️

Also, the percentage of protection was only ever around 90-95%. That means that some vaccinated people could end up in the hospital, it just greatly reduces the amount of people. The number I have seen thrown around is 99.02 of the people dying are unvaccinated. The breakthrough infections that happened in Provincetown MA, nobody vaccinated ended up on a vent, though of the number (and I think it was around 100) only 2 ended up in the hospital and it wasn't requiring ICU. 

The short version of this: The vaccine was never ever touted as 100% prevention with 0 risk for Covid or hospitalization. But the efficacy is still high enough to warrant vaccinating in order to relieve pressure on hospitals and masking to prevent spreading. It will never be a 0 but it's still better than not getting vaccinated. 

 

[Absolom]

One county in California the risk of being hospitalized is 29 times higher for the unvaccinated than the vaccinated.  That seems to justify being vaccinated.  We've always known there would be breakthrough cases.  

[GeeGolly]

9 hours ago, NotthebadVictoria said:

Isn’t the whole point of the vaccine to prevent being hospitalized?it defeats the purpose If you can still get it and spread it and then end up on a vent 🤷🏻‍♀️

If you wear a raincoat in the rain, you will likely stay dry, if you wear a raincoat in a hurricane your chances of staying dry decrease.

Covid is like a hurricane now, yet most vaxxed folks are 'staying dry'. Of the millions who are vaxxed, only thousands are getting sick enough to need treatment. 

[Jeeves]

Good morning, folks. 

I posted recently - here - about my battle with junk mail in my role as executor of the estate of a friend who died five months ago. She was on an astounding number of mailing and catalog lists. Seriously, A LOT. And all that started swamping my home mailbox of course. Aargh.

I'm making progress, I think (and hope).  What has given me the best feedback that it's effective: emails. I'm learning to snoop through the mailing to find the organization's URL. I go to their website and explore it, and usually will click the "contact us" link in search of an email address I can use. Sometimes there's a specific address for "donor relations" or "membership," or something like that. Other times it's more of an "info@xxxxx.org."  I use a subject line like: "Help needed - remove deceased donor from mailing lists." And the text is very simple and courteous, explaining X died on [date], providing the addresses they have used for her, etc. I have a great little document scanner. I scan the donation form enclosed with the mailing, and attach the scan to the email. Those things always have codes, numbers, etc., on them that help the email recipient locate the account in question. 

And - the emails have been paying off. I've been getting a good percentage of responses. Almost all of them say that they've removed her from their lists but "in process" mailings may go out in coming weeks. Some say up to six weeks, and many say up to twelve weeks.

I am hoping that the worst onslaught of junk mail will be a distant memory by, say, Thanksgiving. As I said before, it's interesting that the organizations/companies can almost immediately update their databases so that they start sending mailings to a new address within like two weeks? But to actually drop that person from the list takes months. . . . *eyerolls*.

Here's something that might be helpful to know about catalogs. I've combed through the catalogs that have arrived. Some of them are different branches of the same parent company. There's often an order form inside the catalog with fine print worth reading, because especially if it's a large corporation they will have some privacy policies and a contact for that. I've had good luck with a few catalogs by emailing their privacy people, and with others by going to their website and combing through their contact/customer service information. I hope they haven't lied when they've replied that they've deleted the name/address from their lists (same thing, about mailings already in process that may keep coming for awhile). 

Sorry to write a book, but maybe this info could be useful to someone. I've decided that since the pandemic hit and so many offices went to work-from-home? Snail mail to a business can be a crapshoot because you don't know how they have arranged for handling of incoming snail mail. I sent some letters about the junk mail early on but never got a response, 

Edited September 3, 2021 by Jeeves
removed bad link

[Bewitched]

On 8/31/2021 at 12:22 PM, Rootbeer said:

That does not mean that doctors and nurses working the front lines won't curse under their breath when they see someone who could've gotten vaccinated but chose not to do so turn up needing critical care.

We're pretty much cursing out loud these days.  

@Rootbeer - I actually helped deliver a baby last week in the ICU.  After intubation and cannulating the mom for VV ECMO.  Our 2nd unvaccinated mom in the same scenario in two weeks.  (The first one at least made it to the OR).  All 8 of our COVID patients right now are unvaccinated, 6 are on the vent.  We have another expectant mom who we are watching closely.  Her husband asked for ivermectin for her.  Luckily, I live in a county/state where no judge would be allowed to force me to administer it.

Edited September 1, 2021 by Bewitched

[Absolom]

After our discussion above, I feel compelled to post this from our county's weekly update:

Hospitalization rate for not fully vaccinated was 86 times higher for that week.  It appears that week may have been the peak in our county for the current wave.  I hope so.  

[SunnyBeBe]

Congratulations on your sweet baby girl grandchild news, TURQUOISE!  🥳💐

I’m hoping those with weather and fire concerns are ok.  NC is going to get some storms, but nothing severe as of yet. 
 

I just ordered some more masks.  I’ve gone hardcore again on precautions. 
 

On a lighter note….this weekend I heard this magical, musical sound….I looked out and it was a pink ice cream truck!  Man, that took me back.  Such good memories.  🍦

[Nysha]

9 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

On a lighter note….this weekend I heard this magical, musical sound….I looked out and it was a pink ice cream truck!  Man, that took me back.  Such good memories.  🍦

I love the sound, but don't buy the ice cream. It's expensive and for some reason doesn't taste as good as it did when I was a kid. The pictures are the same, though.

[SunnyBeBe]

I dIdn’t run out and get any either, but I thought about it.  Apparently, they’ve had a resurgence lately.  

[Rabbittron]

First of all I know that wildfires are no joke.  This is a funny story about how my mom got kicked out of 2 cities in Colorado.  She went to Fort Collins to visit her relatives and while she was there a wildfire broke out so her relatives barred her from that city. The very next day she went to visit some relatives in Colorado Springs and another wildfire broke out. So her relatives barred her from that city.  To date she has not been to those cities. 

[Mindthinkr]

My daughter’s medical procedure went as well as the Dr had hoped. I’m keeping her home running. I’m busy between cleaning, the animals, going over homework and ferrying kids around. I think she will be well enough for me to pack the cats back up and go home Saturday. The kitties are being as good as they can. They like the attention from the grandkids, but would prefer not seeing the dogs. Yes, I have them well separated. 

[Love2dance]

So glad to hear your daughter’s kidney stone treatment went well, @Mindthinkr. Hope her recovery continues to be easy and complete. Now you can breathe easier!

 

Edited September 3, 2021 by Love2dance

[SunnyBeBe]

Great news about your daughter MIndthinkr!  It sounds like you are really busy.  
 

It’s such a beautiful day in NC!  Sunny and 70 degrees! I’m looking forward to an enjoyable long weekend. I hope others are able to have good weather as well.  
 

Good news is that my shelves arrived this week…..they appear to be more complicated to assemble than I had thought.  Oh well, another project on the to do list. 😁

Edited September 3, 2021 by SunnyBeBe

[Mindthinkr]

Well Dancer, not so fast on the breathing easier. My daughter knocked at my door this morning. She is taking her youngest to be tested for Covid. She still hurts from the lithotripsy, but said she doesn’t want me to be exposed any more than I have been. I was riding in the car with him yesterday mask less. He has a fever, diarrhea and doesn’t feel well. The flu is going around this area. The kids grandfather has it. He was vaccinated and tested negative for Covid. The good news is that I’ve been vaccinated, the bad news is I have no energy today and a headache. I’m wheezing and can’t distinguish if it’s my asthma or something I should be worried about. This may be a false alarm, but I figured that my next request couldn’t hurt. Could I please ask for some prayers for the health of my family? I’ll update you on what’s happening when my daughter returns. (I feel like a bad Mom letting her take him to be tested and not doing more so she could really have today off and recover.) 

[SunnyBeBe]

MIndthinkr, my goodness….I’ll pray for you all.  I hope all will turn out well.  

[Scarlett45]

@Mindthinkr I am so sorry your family is going through this!

[zoomama]

1 hour ago, Mindthinkr said:

 Could I please ask for some prayers for the health of my family? 

100% yes you can. i will pray right now. usually when people ask for prayer, i post  immediately but not knowing the boundaries of written prayers here, i will talk to God here at my home. i am sorry your daughter is having to deal with real life so darn soon after her procedure. 

on a different note, i was able to start my shots of the new-to-me med dupixent.  i was told to not expect results any time too fast. i am here to tell you that, 9 days later,  my energy level is WAY increased, my breathing is already showing marked improvement and i went on a short 5-house-lengths walk outside this morning and only stopped once! i am so very hopeful!!! and, if my scale doesn't trick me on monday, i will have dropped a couple pounds!  God is so good and i am excited about life again. 

[MargeGunderson]

You got it, @Mindthinkr!

[Love2dance]

Oh, @Mindthinkr, I am so sorry about yours, and your family’s, continuing health challenges. I hope you will all feel better soon. I’m sending hugs and healing thoughts to you.

Edited September 3, 2021 by Love2dance

[SunnyBeBe]

I just realized today is the 25th anniversary of hurricane Fran! I’m not sure how many here were affected.  Man, it’s difficult to believe. That was a very memorable event in NC.  The storm devastated Raleigh, which is far from the coast.  We had massive damage that took years to restore.  Today, was so very different, thank goodness.  

Edited September 3, 2021 by SunnyBeBe

[Rabbittron]

MommyRabbittron here and as some of you know I have been really sick with congestive heart failure and I am back in the hospital.  It only took 3 days to get a bed in the CCU . I miss being in the ER because of all the action there. Last night Rabbittron came to visit me and she went to the library so I can have something to do.  She knows what I like to read and then she surprised me The Hope We Hold. I always said that I wanted to read this but I refused to give them one penny. I also told her that if I was healthy that I would go to Smuggars hearing and demand the judge to make him go to the prison in Colorado so I can wave and say fuck you everytime I drive by. 

[Mindthinkr]

@Rabbittron I’m sorry to hear Mommy Rabbitron is in the hospital. I’m happy you got out of the ED and into a CCU. I hope things get better. 
Enjoy the book and please rest so that you can feel better. 🙏🏻

[andromeda331]

I'm sorry Mommy Rabbitron is in the hospital @Rabbittron. Praying for you and your family.

I'm sorry about your grandchild @Mindthinkr. Praying for you and your family.

 

[Rabbittron]

49 minutes ago, Mindthinkr said:

@Rabbittron I’m sorry to hear Mommy Rabbitron is in the hospital. I’m happy you got out of the ED and into a CCU. I hope things get better. 
Enjoy the book and please rest so that you can feel better. 🙏🏻

Thanks 

36 minutes ago, andromeda331 said:

I'm sorry Mommy Rabbitron is in the hospital @Rabbittron. Praying for you and your family.

I'm sorry about your grandchild @Mindthinkr. Praying for you and your family.

 

Thanks 

[ginger90]

(From Facebook)

PSA:

[Jeeves]

Best wishes to Mommy @Rabbittron and @Mindthinkr. I hope you are both feeling better today.