Currently the US has 325,000 cases with 122,056 in NY state and 67,551 in the City itself. The country as a whole has begun to shift mindsets and realize that this is not the flu, and it is not going to come and go quickly.
I’m not the greatest at putting my thoughts to words, but my amazing wife is. She wrote an amazing summary of her work in the hospitals.
It really is beginning to be a challenge to remember where one week ended and another picks starts. I mainly mark the passage of time by when my wife goes to work, at the end of the week. I think even a hobbit has his limits on how much gardening he can endure, and I am a hobbit.
The City
This week we’ve seen a number of changes nationally and locally. 1/4 of the NYPD is out sick, but thankfully crime is down 11 – 15% in the city.
I’ve only left the house once to grocery shop / get wine and in both places new rules were in place. The wine store only let 5 customers in the store at a time, and to enforce this they have a huge pile of boxes 4ft in the door to create a makeshift “checkpoint”. The grocery store is attempting space out customers in line. However, this has now caused the line to snake around the store into other sections.
Encouragement
At 7pm the city lights up for a bit. At 7, on the clock, for about 5 min, my block, and buildings around NYC and the world cheer for their healthcare workers, grocery workers, and other essential workers. In a sense, it feels silly, all of use with fake office jobs get to sit at home safely and work and then clap to show appreciation as if we’re the ones contributing to society and not waiting it out in our bunkers.
While it’s silly, it’s not entirely pointless. And just because it costs me nothing does not mean that it’s useless. On the rare chance that you do get to interact with healthcare works between them sleeping and working, they do need and welcome our support, both in show, and in action.
Thank You
Through out the last 3 weeks we’ve had a ton of friends and family, and family I haven’t met in 20 years mail us packages, supplies, bought us food.
Ash got us dinner! Thank you so much. New Yorkers are not suited to making meals 7 nights a week and we greatly appreciate a break.
Our friends Rich and Kate also bought dinner for us one night! Rich was even kind enough to bring us a few N95 masks he found.
My Father has been 3D printing face shields for Amanda’s unit, he’s been sending all of these to us.
I had some distant relatives that I personally haven’t seen in 15 or 20 years mail us a box of masks, Thank you Rick.
Amanada’s family was able to track down a few masks and send them our way. Thank you!
We received some 50+ cloth masks from Amanda’s Family Friends. Thank you for the extra supplies!
Our Church, Res Life NYC, brought coffee and food to Amanda’s floor one morning and the greatly appreciated that. A fed unit is one less thing they have to worry about while taking care of everyone.
I hope i haven’t missed anyone. I’ll add you if I do. Lastly, thank you to everyone who is Staying Home or providing essential services like our grocery stores, delivery workers, and everyone involved in healthcare from Doctors, nurses, cleaning staff.