Yay askye! May your holidays be restful and allow you to recuperate.

Timelies all!

Yay askye!

It looks like we are cancelling our trip to Florida over Xmas. Gary was talking with his stepmom and she was worried about exposure to COVID. She and Gary's dad don't leave the house these days, mostly because of his mobility issues. Sigh...

On the other hand, the COVID test I took yesterday was negative.

Thank you all

And then mom texted me about my cousin is Jay back in the hospital Mom should be talking to the dr soon to find out a plan. It looks like kidney problems. He is in a not great rehab place where he is not getting much rehab for his paralysis for his stroke. He showed some improvement but he got a UTI and ended up in the hospital and of course he got sent right back. He has Medicare. He has a trach there are limited options. The UTI was from his catheter not being cleaned properly.

So in Nov about when I hit my head he was back in the hospital for a UTI. I don't know the details but ...he was sent back to the rehab place as soon as he was stable. For the same reason. I think he was still on antibiotics or maybe in Nov he was back for his 3rd UTI I'm not sure.

After the first UTI I told mom that the rehab place is going to kill him through neglect . And that is what is happening.

Jay was able to talk some but now he has regressed. He is, I believe, permanently paralyzed on his left side. He can feed himself but that is about it. And it won't be more unless he can get in a better place. Which he can't because he has no insurance.

His fiance ended their romantic relationship although she still loves him and is still fighting for his medical care, at least for now. He is 2 hours from his son and there is probably no way he will be able to live closer than that. I'm sad and I am angry but not ..it's more of a resigned angry. Because this is how our medical system is set up. And we can't change even the most basic things about our country because the Senate is split and Manchin can dictate things he wants. And also too many Democrats thought he wouldn't put is own self interests first.

I'm digressing sorry.

And I feel bad but I don't have enough for mental energy for the stuff I have going on and to think too much about this. It's the kind of thing that makes my brain tired.

I’m sorry about your cousin, askye. Our medical system is frustrating at the best of times, which these very much aren’t.

Happy Solstice, everyone. More light will be good.

But brains are really important so let's both do this and ensure the future brain spiciness.

That is a most excellent plan.

I'm sorry for all battling the horrid healthcare system we have.

DH went and got a Covid test today because he had a couple players sick with probable Covid, haven't heard yet. He is great about wearing his mask and stuff. Anyway, yay proof of negativity once again.

Yes, do take care of your own brain, Cass!

That's so sad about your cousin, askye. It all sounds so avoidable. Well, not all, I guess, but a lot. Adequate care doesn't seem like too much to ask for.

Cindy - Nilly is good and says hello to everyone. Shir was on also and is very busy finishing up her dissertation.

Omicron SUCKS ASS. Our new case rate in the state is vertical. Straight vertical. Our Gov is positive. The County Executive in my workplace (not my building) is positive.

I would like time off, like a week or more, to stay inside and ignore things.

Ooh. I think you should have that, msbelle, fwiw

The covid scare from our division holiday party seems to have not infected anyone else, yay. But the news about omicron is such that I just bailed on a work trip to the mid-Atlantic in late January. That will be at the peak, and from what I hear folks in those offices are not masking. No thank you!

Best of luck to everyone. It's gonna be another weird Christmas, but at least we won't all be outdoors? (It's raining here.)

The testing lines in DC are really, really long. Early morning, over a block at Farragut Square. Other places, they can be two or more blocks. Test sites are running out before everyone in line can be tested. I'm not sure if the demand for tests is a good thing or not; obviously, running out of tests is a bad thing.

I'm often the only one in our office, although my boss prefers to work here than at home. I think that's been positive, since I think we're on a friendlier basis than before. Everyone else is working from home almost all the time, including the three that have moved out of state. The office is formally closing down starting Friday and through the new year. I'm looking forward to being able to sleep late and goof off during that time, although coming back is going to be a pain.