Day 8 of Sheltering In

I am LIVID! My daughter has been put in isolation in her room at the group home for having a temperature of Friday night 99.6°. That’s not a fever. A fever is 104° or higher.

Normal Body Temperature Range 97°-99° The protocol for isolation for the group home residents is a temperature of 101°! My daughter had a temperature of 100.4° Thursday morning after she was in the hot box of the 2nd floor and running downstairs for meds. The b***h who bullies my daughter turns the thermostat all the way up. 

This morning the staff taking temperatures refused to tell my daughter her temperature or let her see the thermometer. This person has treated my daughter badly and picked on her since she started working for the group home. Who the fork does she think she is not letting my daughter see that thermometer? That’s a HIPAA violation. I know this because I talked to someone we know that works for the same company, who also told me isolation protocol was 101°. Those readings are what is keeping my daughter in her bedroom, with no television, being completely isolated from all her housemates. I’m willing to bet my daughter didn’t have a temperature and that’s why she didn’t show her.

The nutjob who bullies my daughter is constantly yelling through my daughter’s locked bedroom door telling her to do her chores and harassing her saying she has to do them. NO SHE DOESN’T! She’s only allowed to leave her bedroom to go to the bathroom, get food/make a meal, and get her medications 3 times a day. That b***h is constantly screaming through my daughter’s bedroom door.

⬆️ This situation would be difficult in a mentally healthy person. Can you imagine what it’s doing to my mentally ill daughter?

I am so happy I had to drop off a prescription to her Thursday. I don’t know what it was, Mother’s Intuition, or what, but I made her a special care package. I gathered up a portable DVD player and a bunch of movies (my daughter already had several boxed sets of shows she got for Christmas), and her Kindle. I also went shopping and bought her some frozen fruit and vegetables (the person buying food for their house has not bought ANY fresh or frozen fruit or vegetables in at least a month), and some Bubly sparking waters. Oh, and every time we see something “birthdayish” at the grocery, we buy it. Last week was Birthday Party Rice Krispie Treats. Yesterday it was Birthday Peeps. I am so thankful I thought to do the care package. 🦸‍♀️ 

I am so angry/anxious. All I can think about is how horrible she is being treated. Her birthday is the 4th. She damn well better not still be in isolation for no damn reason! She has no other symptoms. I have half a mind to have her pack a bag and the stuff I brought her and bring her home, but things aren’t exactly peachy here.

I have already made 1 call to the team lead and I am very close to made a second call and conference called my wife in. The team lead claims she’s going to my daughter’s group home Sunday. I have zero belief she will show up. I guarantee I will be calling, emailing, or both the Director and Assistant Director on Monday. This homey don’t play. I will not stand for my daughter being treated like this! You isolate her with no television and allow a nut job (yes she is) to yell at my daughter all day. And she yelled at my daughter any time she came out to do what she’s allowed to do. The nut job did not observe 6 foot distance and got in her face a few times. I spent several afternoons this past week emailing them back and forth because of other issues.

 

Food, bottled water, and Gatorade were supposed to be brought to the group home Saturday. Nothing. They are out of bottled water. 

Today was just a really long day. I 🙏🏻 tomorrow is a much better day for my daughter.

Lola’s Diner cc.  2008-2020

Day 7 of Sheltering In-Lucky 7!

I’m so excited! So glad I bought lottery tickets!

Friday I’m getting 4 dozen Free Farm Fresh eggs. (1 will be for my sister-in-law if she wants it.) A woman in a Suburban group I belong to had too many, and with what’s going on she would rather offer them for free.

I officially made 2 new Facebook friends. Both from a Suburban group I belong to. One is the egg lady, the other is someone who is going to try to help me get part of the major stuff we lost when the sump pump died and the basement flooded. Washer, Dryer, Furnace. The first 2 are more likely. But she does have a brother-in-law who does HVAC, so I can get an honest estimate.

I had been on Facebook and Messenger all day Thursday. Started out just reading the stuff on my feed, sharing a few funnies. Then I came across a local news video and was reading the comments. One of the commenters was asking for help with food. She lived in Illinois further south from me. She’s disabled and has an autistic teen. I’ve been there, struggling to feed my family when the kids were young, and I wanted to see if I could get her help. I put a message on the Suburban group asking if anyone knew of any food pantries closer to her, or any resources they could recommend. Bing, bang, ZOOM! I had 2 people wanting to drop off groceries at her front door, 2 people who wanted to order food from Amazon and have it shipped directly to this woman, another wanted to chip in a grocery gift card, and yet another passed along the name of someone at a school in her city who had a wealth of resources to offer her.

After messaging with the woman about my dead basement, she contacted the admin of the group to ask if she could start a post where people could ask for what they needed, and others could offer up items. The admin approved because of the tough times now, and to come. People were sharing questions with others in the group to see if they had any resources for what I needed. One wonderful woman pledged $100 towards a washer or dryer. Unbelievable! In 2020, people who have the means actually helping those struggling. God bless all of them.

It all started out with me helping find people to help the woman who needed food. I have a saying I use too often “No good deed goes unpunished”. The woman in need had messages to me coming so fast I couldn’t keep up with her and the Facebook comments offering her food. I admit, the phrase did pop into my head. Doesn’t apply to all that happened. Thursday was more of a “You put good karma out, good karma comes back to you”.

So that’s what I learned today.

“You put good karma out, good karma comes back to you”

I like it!

Lola’s Diner cc.  2008-2020

Day 6 of Sheltering In

Finding it really difficult to find something to watch on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. I don’t care for horror movies and their blood and gore, no period movies or series. And no subtitles. I can’t read them because I’m too far from the screen.

I had been watching “That 70’s Show” from the beginning as filler. When it’s too late to start a movie, or don’t feel like it I watch a filler series. Finished that. Now my filler series is “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”.

“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” ran from 1970-1977. I watched the original run back when I was 9-16. Recalling when I first saw it I remember Mary as being kind of mousey, quiet, didn’t stand up for herself. I don’t know why that’s the way I remember it because watching it now she seems the opposite. She was an independent woman of the ‘70’s. She stood up for herself at work, actually told Lou Grant off a few times and she fought off advances from love interests. I found it kind of funny how they skirted over the overnight date. You never saw it, but if you added up the clues, maybe? Of course with Sue Ann Nivens there was no ambiguity. It wasn’t onscreen, but Sue Ann certainly talked it up a lot. 

The white elephant in the room...what’s going on. The number of reported cases is increasing. Illinois numbers are relatively low. I saw a map, I can’t find that same map now. It made me sick to my stomach. I don’t personally know anyone with it, but there are quite a few celebrities who have tested positive (in order of the most recent I heard of first). Jackson Browne, Ulga Kurylenko, David Byron of Bon Jovi, Placido Domingo, Kathy Griffin, Prince Charles, Andy Cohen, Debbie Mazar, Idris Elba, Rachel Matthews, Terrance McNally (died), Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson. I did not count any “The Bachelor” contestants. They aren’t celebrities, they’re low rent celebrity wannabes.

The increasing numbers and number of celebrities is concerning. But what is most disturbing are the people who flooded California beaches a few days ago, and the Chicago lakefront yesterday. These young people...it’s not going to kill them to miss spring break this year. Insisting on still doing spring break activities in large numbers literally could get them killed. They should change this generation’s name to the “me me me generation”. Only care about themselves and doing what they want. Do they have elder parents, or grandparents? Given they the number of people they’ve come in contact with, ask them...What are you doing to keep your parents and grandparents safe? What are you doing to keep other people’s parents and grandparents safe?

My daughter’s iPhone won’t charge. If it’s not charged by morning I will have to pick it up the next time I drop off prescriptions and I’ll have to drop off an alarm clock. There are a number of things I can try, so we’ll see. She still has 6 payments!

I keep seeing lost pets on Facebook and I’m saying I want a dog...A lot...Out loud. My spouse keeps saying no, no, no. Today she said if I do decide to get a dog it has to be female. I disagree. My first and only dog was male. I know what male dogs do. Maxwell did that nasty before I got him fixed. After, never an issue. My spouse went on and on about her friend’s huge, dopey, boxer. We went back and forth and I think she got a phone call and that was it. I think 3 cats and a dog is too much, so I’m thinking this is a far off decision...with plenty of time to work it. 😏

Lola’s Diner cc.  2008-2020

Day 5 of Sheltering In

Spent the entire day with my daughter on the phone trying to find out what was going on with her job. We went back and forth all day. She called and left a message for her union rep. 

In between I was in touch with the Asst Director and Director relaying what happened and trying to find a way to help. It ended up they were going to have the Medical Director write and fax a letter explaining how the state controls the group home and ordered the lockdowns. Not sure if that fax went out. 

My daughter heard from her union rep who blew her top about the “probably be fired.” She said no way is that true. The person you spoke with does not handle any aspect of HR and should have directed you to one of these 3 managers. She was told to call 1 of the 3 and let them know what happened yesterday and the reason why she can’t work. He was super nice, apologized and reiterated what the union rep had said. He suggested she bring a doctor note when she is able to return and she should check in once a week with him to keep him informed.

I got the Golden Ticket (WiFi password), but it was too late for her conference call with her doctor about her toes. So she has the WiFi password and can use it for her upcoming pulmonologist conference call appointment.

I did get an acknowledgement that my wife was rough on me about visiting her dad. After thinking about it she realized I was right. We shouldn’t be going there until the lockdown ends and things have settled down. Whoop T Do! I still don’t like how the original conversation went.

My insomnia has gotten a lot worse this week, and I’ve had important calls wake me up early. Too early.

Lola’s Diner cc.  2008-2020

Day 4 of Sheltering in

I’m at day 4 today. I began Saturday because I had prescriptions to pick up and deliver and pick up items my daughter needed. A sort of care package. A few things she needed for dinner, items from the bakery department for her to share with housemates. And flavored sparkling water. She asked for soda. I went healthy. When she was coming on home visits I would have her try different flavors, trying to get her to make the changeover like I have. I drink soda when I have low blood sugar, it’s seldom, but that’s it.

My daughter found out yesterday the group home is no longer allowing clients to work because of the coronavirus. The assistant director made the calls to all of the employers and clients. My daughter’s boss wasn’t in so the MOD was given the details and my daughter must call her boss today. She called her union rep yesterday to get assurances about her job. She was scheduled T-F, but then had taken vacation late next week because of doctor appointments which have now become phone consultations. It’s also her birthday the 4th. A couple years ago she started celebrating her birthday for a week, actually, she’s been doing it for all of our birthdays. Not sure where that came from. But that was the reason she took the time off. Any time beyond that she will be on leave until the group home allows clients to return to work. She seems ok with it. Maybe a bit relieved.

UPDATE: So much for her job being safe. My daughter called and spoke with a different MOD than she was supposed to, the other one was not available. She was told she needed a doctor’s note and she might get fired. She has a call in to the assistant director and her union rep. It’s not like she doesn’t have enough to ruminate on.

I told her yesterday, and will be telling her everyday that we will celebrate her birthday when the restrictions caused by the coronavirus are lifted. I also told her the same thing about Easter. I ordered her gift before all this, so I already have it. I also bought a small amount of Easter candy. Not sure why I did it because I’ve been saving money by buying things the day after the holidays. Anyway, I’m all set except for last minute things like the birthday cake and ham for Easter.

I really hate being the enforcer, or common sense person in the house, but this coronavirus is some serious shirt. My spouse wanted to go visit her dad and do some laundry. While it would be nice to do laundry for free, it’s just not a good idea. Her dad is in his 70’s and has asthma, diabetes, and other health issues. Late last week news articles were reporting that people could have no symptoms, yet be a carrier. I caught all kinds of shirt for insisting we not go visit him due to these new reports. 

In light of those news reports would you meet your senior friends (asthma, diabetes, and more) for a picnic at the pond by another nearby friend’s house? The husband was recovering from a blood clot in a lung not that long ago. True, she said we would do social distancing, but I say you err on the side of caution. I certainly would never visit her dad, or these friends if there was a possibility that myself, my spouse, or my son were to later find out one of us were carriers and infected any of them. Yes, I agree I’m being melodramatic, but am I really? Look how fast the number of cases are increasing. I don’t know when the complaining is going to end. It’s a bit overwhelming. I don’t understand where the animosity is coming from. Because I made a smart decision, I have to suffer for it. Not right.

My daughter’s group home still won’t give up the WiFi password. Last week I spoke to the assistant director about this and was assured that due to the lockdown the password would be given to clients. It hasn’t been, so Sunday I FaceTimed my daughter. It made her so happy, really brightened her mood. Yesterday she wanted to do it again and I had to tell her no. If we go over on our data plan we will be bumped to the next plan which costs about double. I can’t do that. I need to check my data used so far and see if we can do it again on Sunday.

My daughter has 2 infected toes. This is her 4th episode of toe infections. Two separate episodes landed her in the hospital for several days each time. I can’t reach our doctor or his staff to try to get him to send over prescriptions for antibiotics, or do a phone consultation and then the prescriptions. She has to get on the antibiotics ASAP or she will need IV antibiotics and no way do we want her to need to be hospitalized.

UPDATE: My daughter has a video appointment later this morning. 

As if I didn’t have enough on my shoulders, right?

I’m getting stir crazy. Maybe when we get a warmer day I can have my morning coffee outside. At least I would get some fresh air. Neither my spouse, nor I can go for a walk. Her back is bad, and one of her knees. My back is terrible and I have no sense of balance. I think coffee on the porch is the safer bet. If I feel up to it maybe I’ll give my son instruction on some yard work. Sounds like a good plan.

Be safe 

Lola’s Diner cc.  2008-2020