COVID-19 Anxiety and Despair:
There is no doubt that this is the nightmare
of our lifetimes. Awaking this morning and
learning that the current death toll in NY
is greater than several countries, including
China, is very unsettling. Like any
nightmare, you may wake up multiple times
during the night asking yourself 'was that
real?'. Then, going back to sleep, waking
up again and again, with other nightmarish
scenarios and finally arising, getting up
and reading, watching, listening to the grim
news. It is taking it's toll on all of us.
There is great grief for the loss of people
of all ages. There is tremendous worry and
fear.
When will this end? Who will get sick
next? If I get sick, will I recover?
Don't go there, just stick to the plan.
Stay home and you will be safe. Stay home
and you are a hero holding the line. Stay
home as we are hosing this fire down. Stay
home as an investment to insure that next
month, next year, and for years to follow,
we can reclaim our lives.
Re-enforce your mental fortress:
Want a good read? The Art
of the Good Life by Rolf
Dobelli, is great! I paraphrased an excerpt
below:
- Everything in life has
highs and lows. Accept the existence of
fate. This does not mean you cannot
change your fate by creating what you
get; so stay home, be safe.
- Everything we own and
has value and love is ephemeral: your
health, your partner, your children,
your family, your house, your money,
your status, your reputation.
Everything is on loan. Relax and be
glad if fate grants them to you.
- Remember that the
positive has outweighed the negative in
your life (or you wouldn't be
complaining) and that all sweet things
are tinged with bitterness.
- What cannot be taken
from you are your thoughts. These are
your mental tools, these tools determine
the way you interpret bad luck, loss and
setbacks. This space is your mental
fortress, it is a piece of freedom that
can never be taken from you. Stay in
the present moment, learn from the past,
plan for the future and stay home.
The numbers:
US: 399,929 cases
12,911 deaths
3.23% fatality rate (up)
Maryland: 5,529 cases
124 deaths
2.24% fatality rate (down)
(16.7% of tests in
MD are positive; 32,933 total tests;
1,210 have been hospitalized)
Diagnostics and Therapeutics:
Ingenuity and innovation! As I've said
before, necessity is the mother of
invention!
-
Hydroxychloroquine (HC)+Azithromycin+Zinc
therapy - we are almost there with
more information, may be by the end
of the week. HC may change the pH
in the cell and decrease viral
replication.
-
We are learning some valuable
information about COVID-19. It
turns out that the virus binds to
glycoproteins on our own hemoglobin
(carries oxygen) and then knocks off
the iron. So the hypoxia (low
oxygen) in part is from the
inability of our red blood cells to
carry oxygen. HC may interrupt the
binding of the virus and keep it
from pushing off the iron, so
oxygen-carrying capacity does not
decline. Blood transfusions with
helpful antibodies may work. We
are learning from Italy and Spain.
-
We are also learning that the
ventilators need to be on a
low-pressure setting, not at a high
pressure setting. In an effort to
improve oxygenation and avoid
hypoxia early on, the ventilators
were pushing in high pressures of
air with the oxygen; we are now
learning this may be causing a
problem rather than solving the
problem.
-
Every day we
are making progress, antivirals,
therapeutics, ventilator management,
vaccines and most importantly now,
social mitigation.
On a musical note:
On a lighter note:
Tonight begins the holiday of Passover.
This holiday is celebrated, not by going to
a synagogue, but by families gathering for a
traditional Seder meal. Prior to the meal
being served, there is traditionally a
service where the story of the exodus of the
Jewish people from Egypt is told. The
hallmark of this service is when the
youngest child in attendance (yes, you, SFG)
reads 'The Four Questions'. These questions
highlight the ways in which Passover customs
and foods distinguish the holiday from other
times of the year and starts with "Why is
this night different from all other
nights?". For most of the world, tonight,
like all of our recent nights, will be
different from all other nights. For my
entire life, my family has gathered for
Passover. Tonight will be different from
all others. Cherish your family. I miss
mine, particularly tonight.
For the lighter note, for those of you who
celebrate Passover, here is a photo of our
revised Seder Plate:
