Trying to Relax While Being a Caregiver for Karen

Karen is improving, albeit slowly which is a good sign.  She is eating much better which will result in gaining weight.  As a caregiver, I am on call almost all day.  I have to do many of the household chores that Karen would do.  Hopefully, as she recovers, she will be able to gradually resume some of those tasks.

I am trying to relax by doing the following:

• Surfing the web - I have cut down my time doing this.
• Watching game shows on TV.
• Doing trivia games online
• I find it very difficult to read since I just can't concentrate on the book or magazine
• Sleep.  A few nights ago I had a dream about facing a transit delay.

I thank everyone who has sent prayers and kind wishes over the past few weeks.

Anxiety Has Taken Its Toll on Me

My first experience with Telemedicine

Advances in technology have really helped the medical profession.  A visiting nurse often visited a patient who was just released from the hospital.  During this coronavirus pandemic, nurses don't want to visit a home and risk being exposed to the virus.  A visiting nurse from Northwell Health phoned me and sent a link to download a cell phone app where we could communicate with each other.  She gave me instructions on how I should give Karen injections that she will need for a few weeks.  We have had two electronic visits so far.

Karen is On the Road to Recovery

 I usually don't like to post medical issues in this journal or on Facebook, but I feel this time I should.  I will omit some details since many people who read this don't "know me."  About two weeks ago Karen started to cough violently.  She did not have a fever, so I was hoping that it was not the dreaded COVID-19.  I finally convinced her to go to the Northwell Health Urgent Care Center in Bayside.  When they examined her on Monday, April 13, her oxygen levels were low.  They immediately sent her by ambulance to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset.  The next day she was diagnosed with COVID-19.

Some complications developed as a condition she had a few years ago returned.  She also developed a urinary tract infection.  I must say that the medical care she received was excellent.  It was a shame that I couldn't come to visit her.  Finally, after 12 days she is home.  She has a catheter that will not be removed for another 10 days.  I also must give her injections 3 times a day to help boost her immune system.

I will be her caregiver for the foreseeable future.

God bless the doctors, nurses, and medical staff at North Shore University Hospital.

What Will be the New Normal and How Will it Transpire?

We know that no official will tell us to immediately return to the way it was.  There would have to be a gradual change to a new environment that may have to exist until a vaccine for the Coronavirus is developed, manufactured, and delivered to billions of people.  Will this virus ever be permanently eliminated?

• Can there be public transportation systems with people standing right next to each other?
• Will there be sporting events, movies, and theaters with people sitting next to each other?
• Retail establishments can become very crowded especially during the holiday season.  Can we go back to the "old way"?
• Will distance education be the primary way of delivering instruction in the future?  Has it worked at the K-12 during this pandemic?
• How many businesses will not return?
• Likewise, will some people that have lost their jobs not be able to find permanent employment after the crisis end?
• Obviously rural areas will be able to "normalize" sooner.  Will this cause flight from cities to outlying areas?

I have raised several questions, but no real answers.

Dr. Anthony Fauci Warns that Coronavirus could be a Seasonal Threat

He stated, "We need to be prepared that since it will be unlikely to be completely eradicated from the planet that as we get into next season we may see the beginning of a resurgence."  Will this mean we will have to stay home indefinitely and remain social distancing?  I certainly would listen to him than to our president.

If there is a silver lining behind this miserable cloud, the American people will realize that Donald Trump is a terrible president and doesn't know what he is talking about.  In February Trump publically suggested that there was nothing to worry about the Coronavirus.  Now Trump says Coronavirus would be reduced to easily extinguished “embers” by the time next fall’s influenza season strikes.

Joe Biden for President.

No Good Song for My 71st Birthday - I guess I'll have to improvise

There was When I'm 64 by The Beatles.
Last year there was Old Friends/Bookends by Simon and Garfunkel with the lyric "How terribly strange to be 70."
So instead of No Song Today, I'll substitute No Milk Today by Herman's Hermits

Covid-19 is an assault on all that Judaism teaches.

I like to refer my readers to this article in the New York Jewish Week.  I was looking for some discussion of this miserable pandemic from a religious point of view.  I also recall a line from a Bob Dylan song:

So now as I'm leavin'
I'm weary as Hell
The confusion I'm feelin'
Ain't no tongue can tell
The words fill my head
And fall to the floor
That if God's on our side
He'll stop the next war

This is certainly a war, But, where is God?  Why can't he stop this?

Good Things Come to Those Who Are Patient

I certainly miss many things such as:

• Sporting Events
• Museums
• Libraries
• Movie Theaters
• Restaurants

I feel most sorry for those who are sick from this miserable coronavirus.  This illness has struck my family, but I would rather not discuss the details here.  It is quite sad to hear about all the deaths from this dreadful disease.  Each statistic is a real person with a family.

This too shall pass, but we all must be patient.  If we try to go back to normalcy, the virus could return with a vengeance. We must listen to the medical experts.

God Bless.

Full Lyrics to I Contain Multitudes

These lyrics were published in Far Out Magazine, a British publication.

Today and tomorrow, and yesterday, too
The flowers are dyin’ like all things do
Follow me close, I’m going to Balian Bali
I’ll lose my mind if you don’t come with me
I fuss with my hair, and I fight blood feuds
I contain multitudes

Got a tell-tale heart, like Mr. Poe
Got skeletons in the walls of people you know
I’ll drink to the truth and the things we said
I’ll drink to the man that shares your bed
I paint landscapes, and I paint nudes
I contain multitudes

Red Cadillac and a black moustache
Rings on my fingers that sparkle and flash
Tell me, what’s next? What shall we do?
Half my soul, baby, belongs to you
I relic and I frolic with all the young dudes
I contain multitudes

I’m just like Anne Frank, like Indiana Jones
And them British bad boys, The Rolling Stones
I go right to the edge, I go right to the end
I go right where all things lost are made good again
I sing the songs of experience like William Blake
I have no apologies to make
Everything’s flowing all at the same time
I live on the boulevard of crime
I drive fast cars, and I eat fast foods
I contain multitudes

Pink petal-pushers, red blue jeans
All the pretty maids, and all the old queens
All the old queens from all my past lives
I carry four pistols and two large knives
I’m a man of contradictions, I’m a man of many moods
I contain multitudes

You greedy old wolf, I’ll show you my heart
But not all of it, only the hateful part
I’ll sell you down the river, I’ll put a price on your head
What more can I tell you? I sleep with life and death in the same bed
Get lost, madame, get up off my knee
Keep your mouth away from me
I’ll keep the path open, the path in my mind
I’ll see to it that there’s no love left behind
I’ll play Beethoven’s sonatas, and Chopin’s preludes
I contain multitudes

Another New Bob Dylan Song - I Contain Multitudes

I received an email from the British Dylan fanzine Isis stating that a second new Bob Dylan song was released within 3 weeks.  I'll leave it to the Dylan experts to pick apart every word.  Is there a new Dylan album on the horizon?

Heroes by David Bowie - Dedicated to the First Responders

Jack Sullivan played this song on his show on WESU last night.  It is very appropriate.

One Day at a Time

One Day at a Time was a TV Series in the 1970s starring Bonnie Franklin, Pat Harrington. Mackenzie Phillips, and Valerie Bertinelli.  It was the first time I heard that cliche which is very meaning, especially with the events surrounding the spread of the coronavirus.  Today it was announced that the New York City School System will continue with distance education until the end of the academic year.  I am certainly familiar with the use of distance education in universities but am not knowledgeable of its effectiveness at the K-12 level.  Hopefully, all students are receiving a good education.

There is some cautious optimism as the number of admissions to hospitals and to ICUs have declined in recent days.  However, death counts each day are still high.  I am sure that everyone wants to return to work and have cultural activities back, but we must proceed with caution.  If we return to "normalcy" too soon, there may be a recurrence of the infections.

Let's take things one day at a time and hope for the best.

Matzoh Brei for Breakfast for the next 8 Days

While I was working I could only have Matzoh Brei for breakfast on weekends.  Since I am now retired, I can have it for all of the 8 days of Passover.  Here is the recipe from the New York Times.  The issue is that Passover food is always very dry.

All Things Must Pass by George Harrison - With Significance to Today's Situation

Without checking, I am almost certain that All Things Must Pass has appeared in Bruce's Journal before.  Very often lyrics of a romantic or anti-romantic song can be applied to another situation.  George is addressing his former lover saying that:

Seems my love is up and has left you with no warning
It's not always going to be this grey

I am applying this to the COVID-19 situation as "it's not always going to be this grey."  There will come a time that people can again gather in movie theaters, museums. libraries,  Broadway theaters, sports arenas, and baseball stadiums.  It won't happen overnight, but we must do what's best for public health.

Keep Safe!

Virtual Meeting of Bob Dylan Fans on Zoom Last Night

With so many people quarantined, many academic and professional meetings have been held using the Zoom app.  I sent an email to the people who attended recent face-to-face meetings at NYU with the information on how to log into the meeting.  I made the mistake of announcing on Twitter, so many undesirables tried to attend the meeting.  We all learn from our mistakes.  Anyway, the only consequence is that we had to start over with individual invitations.

Most of the discussion was devoted to the new Dylan song Murder Most Foul that considered the JFK assassination. We also discussed Dylan's acceptance speech and the subsequent response he sent to  The National Emergency Civil Liberties Committee (NECLC) regarding his seeing things that Oswald felt, in him.

  https://www.corliss-lamont.org/dylan.htm

More virtual meetings will be held.

Where Have You Gone John Bartolotta? A Nation (France) Turns its Lonely Eyes to You

John Bartolotta was a classmate of mine while we were chemistry graduate students at the University of Rhode Island contacted me in 2014.  At that time he sent an email to me at my NJIT address which was deleted after I retired.  Marshall Margolis, another fellow graduate student just contacted me asking if I knew how to contact John.  I looked in the alumni directory and found a phone number that I gave to Marshall who said that it was disconnected.  It turns out that a third fellow student, Ante Krstulovic, now living in France, was trying to contact John.  I had a nice e-mail exchange with Ante as we recalled some of our mutual acquaintances.  Marshall said that through Ancestry.com he found John's daughter and would try to contact her.

We'll see if John, a native of New Britain, CT, can be located and reconnect with us.

Watching Movies on TV These Days

Of course, during this coronavirus pandemic, all movie theaters are closed.  For many years I have subscribed to HBO so I often use their On-Demand feature to view movies.  Spectrum is giving all subscribers access to EPIX and Showtime until April 19 thus I have more choices.  However, it appears most of the movies on these three services are aimed at a younger audience.  Oh well. 

Twilight Zone Marathon Last Night on SyFy Channel

There is usually a Twighlight Zone marathon on the SyFy Channel on New Year's Eve going into New Year's Day.  I was pleasantly surprised to see a marathon last night.  I watched one episode last night and recorded 4 episodes overnight.  I have read on Facebook that some people are binge-watching their favorite TV series and they are staying home.