This is myself (in the fighter pilot helmet) hugging my daughter who had been working as an ICU nurse with strictly COVID prone vented patients for 4-6 weeks straight. She was struggling with her work and her inability to socialize - see family and friends - and working 12 hour shifts 5 or 6 days per week. She was a new nurse (only been in ICU for 4 months when COVID hit). She has a passion for elderly and hospice care (she worked at the VA in step down care the year before). I was getting calls from her in the middle of the night crying and hysterical because she was profoundly sad that COVID patients were coming in talking and walking and then would be on vents within 24 hours. The idea of not having anyone with them when they were dying was tearing her apart. She was seeing patients her own age, her parents age as well as older patients. She was seeing a large portion of the patients being black and hispanic. She was literally operating in a 'shock' mode. She was so worried about myself and my husband getting sick. I was so proud of her and worried for her own health and mental health but could do nothing other than face time and send her gifts. In this photo we met at a highway rest stop in Indiana (we each drove 2 hours to meet) and our family brought her the family dog to help with her sanity and be sure that she felt less alone in her Chicago apartment (which her roommate had moved out due to my daughter working strictly with COVID patients). Our dog stayed with her for 3 weeks and I truly believe that this saved her life (mentally at least). Her mood and ability to cope changed immediately. People need people (or dogs) and they need 'a reason to keep going and getting through the days'. Thanks for letting me share.
September 7, 2020
A sign in Frankfurt airport after we arrived from the US ... ours was one of the only flights checking in, and there was NO ONE ahead of us at international security as we checked in for our flight. Felt really eerie. ... The UEFA European championship is going on right now, and seating apparently is really limited in some places like Munich, but tonight we saw footage from Hungary where the stadium was totally packed. Unsurprising with Orban in charge. Later this evening on TV we saw an hour of performances from the Elbjazz festival earlier this month, and one of the performers was quoted talking about how great it feels to finally be playing live again -- but we couldn't tell from the broadcast whether there was an audience there or not. I'm thinking no. ...
June 23, 2021