SOME THINGS CAN’T BE FIXED.

There are some serious disasters affecting our country right now. California wildfires. The Covid-19 pandemic. Our disastrous withdrawal from the war in Afghanistan. And now, Hurricane Ida. Once upon a time, historians looked upon wars and natural disasters as nature’s way of controlling the population. However, no one thinks that way anymore. We look to our leaders to prevent such events, or get them under control once they occur. Unfortunately, some things can’t be fixed.

Governor Newsom is undergoing a recall election in California right now. He’s getting blamed for a lot of things, and one of them is the wildfires. . They say he could have prevented them if he’d managed the forest growth better. Newsom promised to clear underbrush and thin forests with prescribed burns and other techniques, Wow. Should our governors go all over the states chopping down trees ? That would be an unimaginably complex undertaking, involving a lot of private and public property. I don’t follow California politics, and I have no opinion as to Governor Newsom’s competence. Nevertheless, I think the extreme heat was the main cause of the wildfires.

The Covid-19 virus was a political football from the git-go. President Trump didn’t take it seriously. He predicted the epidemic would be over by Easter of 2020. And even though he pushed through the development of a vaccine, it wasn’t enough for the voters. Consequently, he lost to Biden, who everyone thought would get the virus under control.

Biden’s doing his best to get everyone vaccinated, but we’re still in the midst of a pandemic It seems to me we’re expecting miracles from our presidents and state governors. They can try, but they can’t outwit nature.

And now, we have Hurricane Ida. Homes destroyed. Three weeks without power in New Orleans. No way to cook or run your air conditioner. The misery goes on and on. Yes FEMA can step in and help rescue stranded people, provide food and supplies and shelter. But in the end, the damage was done by an act of nature and there’s nothing any one could have done to prevent it from happening 20 years after Katrina..

Remember the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 29 AD? The city of Pompeii and surrounding cities were buried under volcanic ash. Thousands were killed. Titus was the Roman Emperor at the time, and he organized a huge relief effort to help the victims of the disaster. But there’s no record of anyone complaining that he didn’t do enough.

Some things can’t be fixed.

March 3, 2021March 3, 2021

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR

2020 WAS the worst election year I can ever remember. And that’s saying a lot, considering my age. Politics got all mixed up with health care. President Trump went into denial, saying the COVID -19 pandemic would be over by Easter. Not true. New York Governor Cuomo was more afraid of Trump’s criticism than the lives of nursing home patients. Instead of taking advantage of a Navy ship sent to accommodate covid-19 victims , Cuomo shipped them out of hospitals into nursing homes. What a mess. Locked up at home, we binged watched the internet, listening to our TV cable news station of choice. It was exhausting. Now that the pandemic is nearing the end, do yourself a favor. Quit thinking about politics.

Don’t predict the dire outcome of Biden’s presidency before it’s even started. Let it spin. There’s nothing you can do and if you believe you can foresee the state of the USA in 2024, you’re kidding yourself. Already, Trump is saying Biden’s first month was a disaster. No one can know at this point in time whether the Biden presidency will be a success. A lot can happen in four years. Looking back on the history of our country, who could have predicted Pearl Harbor? The 9/11 attack on the world trade center? . The 2008 recession? The Covid-19 pandemic of 2020-2021?

This is what I know and believe: No matter who is elected as President, the United States of America is–and will remain—strong. . We are a nation of immigrants, with the courage to leave their native country, and the resilience to start a new life in spite of all the hardships they had to endure in a new land. Yes, some presidents do a better job than others. But: four years isn’t enough time to ruin all the marvelous things that we have achieved in the past four centuries.

So do yourself a favor. Return to school or work at home. Get some exercise. Play games. Take your family on a picnic. Have some fun. Turn off the news and enjoy your life.

January 25, 2021January 25, 2021

VACCINE BYPASSES ASSISTED LIVING

In our state, octogenarians were second in line to receiving the covid-19 vaccine. Health care workers and first responders were ahead of us. The first day we were eligible, I got on the internet and made appointments. Only problem was—you had to get there on your own. Which meant that unless you could drive or have a caring relative nearby, you wouldn’t be able to take advantage of the offer. And if you’re locked down in an assisted living facility, you’re out of luck, because the vaccine bypasses those seniors. As an example, 86% of assisted living residents in the city of San Diego don’t have a date to receive the vaccine.

Vaccines Bypass Assisted Living. They're old enough to qualify, but can't get out. iving — Vaccines bypass assisted living facilities. They’re in lockdown and can’t leave. But some of them are over 90 and desperately need to be vaccinated.

Spoke with a lady in that situation who is 10 years older than I am.. She’s happy where she is, and is able to interact with the other residents on her floor at meal times. But when I asked when and how she’s getting vaccinated, she said she wasn’t sure. Said they’d been assured that someone would bring the vaccine to them “pretty soon.”

The state now reports the number of cases and deaths at individual nursing homes—but no such information is provided for the adjoining assisted living residence. At this particular facility, there have been numerous active cases and several deaths reported in the nursing home. Seems like the people who vaccinated the nursing home residents could easily have gone next door and finished the job on the octogenarians who can’t leave the facility at this time.

Nothing’s perfect, I guess. At least our state has used some common sense in scheduling appointments. It’s disheartening to see the long lines of folks in other states waiting to get their vaccines. What is wrong with these health departments? Why can’t they schedule appointments in an orderly way? It’s ridiculous to see people sleeping over night in their cars to get vaccines delivered in a first-come-first serve basis. Did the local state health departments not stop to meet and do some planning? It’s no wonder covid-19 cases are rising, and out of control in some states.

Meanwhile, will my nonagenarian friend get vaccinated anytime soon?

December 30, 2020December 30, 2020

7 New Year Hopes & Dreams

For the past 10 months, we’ve been treading water. Just trying to keep going, staying alive and well. It’s been a time of emotional ups and downs, as we adjust to the social isolation and other restrictions of the covid-19 pandemic . Now. there’s light at the end of the tunnel. We can allow ourselves to think of seven New Year hopes and dreams for 2021.

Vaccine: Not sure when it’s going to be available. We’re hoping to get it in the next month or so. My husband has agreed to go first. If he can handle it all right, I’ll get it too. Not looking forward to the side effects, but there really isn’t any choice.
Dinner at a fine restaurant. We’ve done a lot more take out this year, but sitting down with cardboard containers at your table doesn’t quite do the job. I want to get dressed up, go out for dinner, and enjoy the ambiance: Romantic lighting. Soft music. An appealing menu of delicious food. . Attentive wait staff. Afterwards, nothing to clean up or throw away in the kitchen.
7 new year hopes and dreams include dining at a fine restaurant.
Getting a Haircut.. Salons have been open, but I’ve not been willing to take that risk. I’ve done a pretty decent job of cutting my own hair, but a professional will do much better.
Talking to people when out in public. When wearing a stocking cap and mask, most people don’t recognize me. And even if I see someone I know, , I’m afraid to stop and chat. Didn’t realize how much I miss interacting with casual friends and acquaintences.
Swimming. Yes the pool at the YMCA has been open. And they’re following all the guidelines for social distancing, but it’s a little too high risk at my age. I was okay with it in the summer because I could leave without going into the locker room. But walking out in the cold with damp clothes is not my idea of fun. I just want to dive in the water, swim, do some exercises, get out, take a shower, dry my hair, get dressed, and walk out into the sunshine.
Senior center activities. Our local senior center is a haven for the retirement crowd. Miss the camaraderie of participating in tai chi and playing mahjong. Eager to once again see friendly faces, and having a good time.
Family get togethers. You can Skype and Zoom all you want, but it’s not the same as hearing the laughter of your grandchildren, seeing the light in their eyes. and the feel of a warm hug.

Happy New Year!

December 26, 2020December 26, 2020

LET’S HAVE SOME TEA

The Christmas holidays are a magical time. Everything comes together— family dinners, cards from far away friends, calls and visits from loved ones, beautiful music, and delicious food. We want everything to be perfect. But often it’s not. Things don’t always turn out the way we expect. Someone’s late for dinner, your son has a fender bender, you burned the coffee cake—there are dozens of little annoyances that are bound to happen even during the best of times. How to cope? Take a tip from the British. When things go wrong, they say, “let’s have some tea.”

I was never much of a tea drinker until the covid-19 pandemic started last March. The weather was still cold, and we were all a bit panicky and depressed. All of a sudden, I had a craving for tea. As the days wore on and the virus continued to spread, I started heating the water in the late afternoon, and sitting down to sip a cup of hot tea. It was more soothing than I had ever expected. It also gave me a little lift —not the jolt you get from your morning coffee, just a feeling of calm and clarity.

The history of tea dates back over 5,000 years ago to ancient China. In 2732 B.C. Emperor Shen Nung discovered tea when leaves from a wild tree blew into a pot of water he was boiling . He enjoyed the pleasant scent of the resulting brew and described a warm feeling as he drank the tea.

Besides giving you a boost of energy, tea also has other health benefits. According to Harvard Health, it’s an anti inflammatory which may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. It also boosts memory and may prevent cognitive decline. Drinking tea after a meal reduces blood sugar levels, which is helpful for those with Type 2 diabetes.

There are various types of teas. Green tea is preferred by many, and is supposed to have more health benefits. Personally, I prefer black tea with a little bit of honey. The next time something goes wrong, and everyone’s feeling stressed, you might suggest “let’s have some tea.”

September 14, 2020September 14, 2020

UNPAID CAREGIVERS ARE UNSUNG HEROES

During this pandemic, city parks have provided much needed relief from enforced isolation. Every shelter is occupied on holidays and weekends, and the roads are heavy with traffic slowly navigating around joggers and walkers. Also, we’re suddenly seeing more caregivers of disabled children or aging parents. Did you know that approximately 43.5 million caregivers have provided unpaid care to an adult or child in the last 12 months? Unless you are a caregiver, you may not realize what a difficult task these people are performing. Unpaid caregivers are unsung heroes.

There are varying degrees of caregiving, but all of them require patience and empathy. Aging parents may require just a bit of help with shopping and household tasks. But a sick or disabled child or spouse often requires full time commitment. Lately, at the park, I’ve seen many more children in wheelchairs with missing limbs or other handicaps. . My heart goes out to the parents who so lovingly devote their lives to the care of their children. Where do caregivers get their strength? I guess it’s the power of love.

Caregiving can be a lonely business, leading to caregiver burnout. Often, it falls on one person in a family. Other relatives and friends go about their lives without much regard for the day to day efforts required to take care of a disabled or handicapped person. When you’re the only one who can shop, cook, clean and run errands while taking care of a person’s needs, you often feel worn out and forgotten. What’s worse is seeing a loved one through episodes of pain or suffering with no one around to comfort them but you.

Unfortunately, caregiving is highly stressful and hazardous to the health. Thirty percent of caregivers die before the people they care for do. A 2003 study of caregivers by a research team at Ohio State University discovered a significant deterioration in the health of caregivers when compared to a similar group of non-caregivers. Even more disturbing is the fact that caregivers had a 63 percent higher death rate than the control group. Before the end of the 6-year study, 70 percent of the caregivers died and had to be replaced.

What can we do to help caregivers? If they’re strangers we encounter in public places, perhaps all we can do is open a door, or give a smile of encouragement. It get’s a little more complicated if they are family or friends. The last thing a caregiver wants is advice or implied criticism. What they really need is your emotional support and appreciation. A phone call or visit means a lot. Just let them know they’re not alone in all of this.

Unpaid caregivers are unsung heroes.