Trails for Two

Rainy days might well become rest days.

Here's how the week shaped up:

Mon: 6.5 miles
Tue: 6.5 miles
Wed: 2.8 miles (had to drive to work for doctor's appointment)
Thu: 7.1 miles (did a little walking at lunch)
Fri: 6.4 miles 
Sat: 0.3 miles (walking along the river watching sea lions playing in the water - it was actually longer, but I started my strava late)
Sun: Nothing yet.

Total: 29.8 miles. Fighting the urge to go out and clock a quarter mile around the block just to roll it over... 

Last week's total was 18.6 miles. Even with the extra distance, I don't think either of us felt as sore and fatigued this weekend as we did after that first week. Progress! 

However... Alita seems to have come down with a cold (no fevers, so not COVID-19), so we'll be taking it easy today. 

There's also some rain in the forecast, so we'll see what happens this coming week. As long as it's not pissing down rain at walking time, it's fine. Cross your fingers!

--

ps I'm toying with the idea of wrapping this blog and starting up a new one, resurrecting my old V-Team "Step by Step" title. What do you think?

That's a lot of going!  Found any news tips on your path for a cub reporter to earn his keep?

I guess I'm the only one that runs a blog until there's no more ink.  Go for it.

ounce wrote:That's a lot of going!  Found any news tips on your path for a cub reporter to earn his keep?

I guess I'm the only one that runs a blog until there's no more ink.  Go for it.

Actually, yes. One rule of thumb in my business is, "News is whatever the boss sees on his way to work." 

We'll see on the rebranding effort.

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:That's a lot of going!  Found any news tips on your path for a cub reporter to earn his keep?

I guess I'm the only one that runs a blog until there's no more ink.  Go for it.

Actually, yes. One rule of thumb in my business is, "News is whatever the boss sees on his way to work." 

We'll see on the rebranding effort.

Going to skip walking today. Alita is home sick and feeling cruddy with a sudden-onset upper respiratory infection. (No fever, though, so it can't be COVID-19, right?) So I'll take the car so I can come home for lunch and fuss over her, and get home sooner tonight. Besides, it's raining a bit.

Fever, cough, shortness of breath. -- cdc.gov

Mark B wrote:
ps I'm toying with the idea of wrapping this blog and starting up a new one, resurrecting my old V-Team "Step by Step" title. What do you think?

 Yeah...a new old blog.  I like the title.  It's appropriate.  When was this an active blog on the V-Team.  I think I started hanging around in about 2009 when I decided to train for my first marathon.

Mark B wrote:Going to skip walking today. Alita is home sick and feeling cruddy with a sudden-onset upper respiratory infection. (No fever, though, so it can't be COVID-19, right?) So I'll take the car so I can come home for lunch and fuss over her, and get home sooner tonight. Besides, it's raining a bit.

Good call.  Keep an eye on Alita.  I've heard the fever often comes a bit later.  

My swim friend just returned from China.  She went home to visit her parents before the virus erupted.  She was told to stay quarantined at home for 14 days.  She must have tested negative at the CDC in Atlanta(??).

Take care...of Alita...

Hi there, an update.

We had a long conversation with an advice nurse on the phone last night, and Alita doesn't hit the criteria for testing. (The criteria for testing in the US is controversial right now, since it's extremely limited and therefore will not catch people with less severe cases who are nevertheless spreading the disease, but what can you do?) So while it's not impossible she has a less serious case of COVID-19, it's more likely to be a bad cold or some other virus. She didn't have a temperature this morning, so she went to school. 

We will hear back in the next day or so whether any of seven people tested in our county were positive for COVID-19. If so, and they happen to be at Alita's school... well.. that'll complicate things, I'd imagine. Stay tuned!

I think I will launch (relaunch?) Step by Step soon, but for the meantime, same bat time, same bat channel!

This morning, I heard Dr. Fauci of NIH say that it's premature to cancel attending events like March Madness or NBA games or concerts.

https://www.nbcnews.com/video/dr-anthony-fauci-explains-possible-timeline-for-coronavirus-vaccine-talks-remdesivir-medication-79901253901

ounce wrote:This morning, I heard Dr. Fauci of NIH say that it's premature to cancel attending events like March Madness or NBA games or concerts.

https://www.nbcnews.com/video/dr-anthony-fauci-explains-possible-timeline-for-coronavirus-vaccine-talks-remdesivir-medication-79901253901

Well that's good. Can you imagine if they cancel the big track meet in Eugene this summer that they spent a bazillion dollars on rebuilding Hayward Field from the ground up? Oi!

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:This morning, I heard Dr. Fauci of NIH say that it's premature to cancel attending events like March Madness or NBA games or concerts.

https://www.nbcnews.com/video/dr-anthony-fauci-explains-possible-timeline-for-coronavirus-vaccine-talks-remdesivir-medication-79901253901

Well that's good. Can you imagine if they cancel the big track meet in Eugene this summer that they spent a bazillion dollars on rebuilding Hayward Field from the ground up? Oi!

Sounds like Japan is panicking after all the money they spent preparing for the Olympics..   I read that they wanted to host them later in the year if they were cancelled for the currently scheduled dates.

Interesting story.  I swim with a Chinese lady.  She went home to visit her parents before the virus broke out.  She was stuck there for a time but finally made it home.  They checked her out at the CDC in Atlanta.  Then she was allowed to fly home and she is quarantined at home for 14 days.  Then she is allowed outside but must stay away from crowded places until the 24th which is a month after her return to the US.  Apparently the incubation time after exposure is 10-14 days so even though she checked out OK she could still be carrying around the virus.  Here's the part I don't understand.  Her husband comes and goes from the house as he pleases.  If she is infected he will surely become infected as well and he's roaming about our community!!!  This does not make any sense.

I think some of the stuff people are doing/recommending may be an overreaction but if we really need to quarantine people then let's make it an effective quarantine.

My ski instructor cancelled a flight to California for a family wedding but his wife has a compromised immune system.  I think that was probably a good decision.  Limiting visitors to hospitals and care facilities...makes sense.  Closing schools and activities in areas that aren't yet affected by the virus...maybe a bit of an overreaction.

Should make for good news...

It's a brand new virus, so at the time of your Chinese friend, they were trying to control all of the what ifs.  It does make for good news, but great sensationalism.  Legit news outlets and govt officials (local to feds) are trying to assay the right data from the fearful data.

The cruise industry will seem to be an ongoing casualty a la Legionnaire's disease.

Good personal story on a big event, Nancy.

Interesting stories, Nancy. I think it's safe to say that the response to this disease has not been... optimal, shall we say?

We have one diagnosed case in my town now, but there's almost certainly more. Tests are being given only to those who are severely ill, which ignores the fact that many people with this disease will have mild, if any, symptoms BUT CAN STILL SPREAD THE DISEASE TO OTHERS. 

One such person is Alita. She never gets coughs, and she's been coughing for a week now with a truly weird, exhausting bug. But she never quite reached "fever" levels of temperature, her cough hasn't developed into pneumonia and she hasn't been to China, Italy, or Iran lately. So no chance at one of the handful of tests that have been administered locally. But... what is it? A flu bug that was almost-but-not-quite covered by her flu shot? Possibly. The mother of all rhinoviruses? Maybe, but it's unlike any cold she's ever had, and the coughing is highly unusual for her. (I'm the one who hacks his lungs up. Not her.) So... COVID-19? Maybe. Given that the virus that causes it is circulating in the community, it's certainly a possibility.

Given the lack of testing, who knows? And given that lack, it's impossible for public health officials to get a handle on the situation and respond appropriately. It's a scandal, and it will cost some people their lives.

That said, I think the biggest, most panic-inducing thing about this situation is the stock market. I'd reckon that watching the Dow plummet day after day after day (a long-overdue correction, by the way) has done more to gin up fear than just about anything.

Oop! As I was writing this, the Dow plunged 7 percent and trading was halted on the stock market. 

Cable news could always be doing a better job, but this fear goes deeper than what you see on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, etc.

Mark B wrote:Interesting stories, Nancy. I think it's safe to say that the response to this disease has not been... optimal, shall we say?

We have one diagnosed case in my town now, but there's almost certainly more. Tests are being given only to those who are severely ill, which ignores the fact that many people with this disease will have mild, if any, symptoms BUT CAN STILL SPREAD THE DISEASE TO OTHERS. 

One such person is Alita. She never gets coughs, and she's been coughing for a week now with a truly weird, exhausting bug. But she never quite reached "fever" levels of temperature, her cough hasn't developed into pneumonia and she hasn't been to China, Italy, or Iran lately. So no chance at one of the handful of tests that have been administered locally. But... what is it? A flu bug that was almost-but-not-quite covered by her flu shot? Possibly. The mother of all rhinoviruses? Maybe, but it's unlike any cold she's ever had, and the coughing is highly unusual for her. (I'm the one who hacks his lungs up. Not her.) So... COVID-19? Maybe. Given that the virus that causes it is circulating in the community, it's certainly a possibility.

Given the lack of testing, who knows? And given that lack, it's impossible for public health officials to get a handle on the situation and respond appropriately. It's a scandal, and it will cost some people their lives.

That said, I think the biggest, most panic-inducing thing about this situation is the stock market. I'd reckon that watching the Dow plummet day after day after day (a long-overdue correction, by the way) has done more to gin up fear than just about anything.

Oop! As I was writing this, the Dow plunged 7 percent and trading was halted on the stock market. 

Cable news could always be doing a better job, but this fear goes deeper than what you see on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, etc.

Excluding Coronavirus, what would you do to Alita's condition?

I just read an article that indicated that they were going to allow additional testing...even if you didn't meet the criteria mentioned earlier.  It appears that with a doctors order they are expanding the population eligible for testing.

I also read that the medical community can make a pretty good diagnoses based on a chest x-ray...quicker than waiting for the test I think.  Apparently the lung damage shows up in a particular, easily recognizable pattern and that serious cases quickly progress to pneumonia.  Now I'm not saying that there aren't a lot of mild cases out there that are still going to get missed but...

Hope Alita gets to feeling better soon!

Since this is a running/walking blog...are you still walking Mark or has this disrupted your walking?

nkrichards wrote:I just read an article that indicated that they were going to allow additional testing...even if you didn't meet the criteria mentioned earlier.  It appears that with a doctors order they are expanding the population eligible for testing.

I also read that the medical community can make a pretty good diagnoses based on a chest x-ray...quicker than waiting for the test I think.  Apparently the lung damage shows up in a particular, easily recognizable pattern and that serious cases quickly progress to pneumonia.  Now I'm not saying that there aren't a lot of mild cases out there that are still going to get missed but...

Hope Alita gets to feeling better soon!

Since this is a running/walking blog...are you still walking Mark or has this disrupted your walking?

Yes on the chest x-ray.  It shows up on the edges as a small, puffy cloud that is almost transparent, unlike pneumonia which shows as almost white on an x-ray.  Further, unlike the flu, coronavirus doesn't hit the intestines.  Just respiratory.

Ditto on Alita.

Actually, there are some reports of diarrhea with COVID-19, according to what I've seen. 

I think the most serious cases are getting treated and tested - pneumonia is kinda hard to miss - but the less serious ones, the ones that will allow the disease to spread further among the populace are generally not. There are more tests available now, but still not many compared with other countries, and labs are behind. They're still being rationed. It took more than a week to get results back from some of our tests. 

Interesting about the X-Ray. I saw a bit about CAT scans showing that puffy white cloud, but I didn't know a simple chest X-Ray could get it. That'll be helpful for the more serious cases.

Anyway, since this IS a running blog, back to physical activity. Or in our case, the lack thereof. Alita hasn't been able to walk since she first came down with this a week ago Sunday. She's still coughing - actually, she's coughing a lot more now, and more violently, than before - though even her low-grade temperature is gone and she generally feels well enough to go to work. She's still wiped out at the end of the day, though.

I am not walking, either, out of solidarity. I did once last week but I felt guilty. So once things are settled down healthwise, we will get back to it.

I'll take up the slack!  My pollen related watery eyes, etc is waning and the hacking is now coughing sporadically.

You can count on me, boss man!!

I prescribe for Alita some of those Cajun tater tots.  No tot for you!-----Tot Nazi.

Oh yeah, we're starting to get seasonal allergies here, too. My eyes are itching like crazy. 

Oh yes, it's the perfect time to be reminded by every health official on the planet to NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE, AND FOR THE SAKE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TOUCH YOUR EYES!! Which... itch... so... much!!! 

Maybe if I keep enough hand sanitizer on my fingers, the burning from the alcohol will serve as a deterrent to rubbing my eyes? 

Alita is getting better but is far from 100% yet. I'm watching her like hawk. She hopes to be ready to resume walking next week. Crossing fingers!

Oh, and we just found out yesterday that WSU is going to be moving to teleconference classes and exams right after spring break is over. We're planning to pick Alec up for spring break this weekend. The question everybody seems to be asking is, do we take them back? Alec could theoretically do all his classes from here, but... it'd be hard to concentrate, we're still paying for his dorm and food there, and there's a heck of a lot more COVID-19 virus circulating on this side of the state than over where he is. We're thinking he should go back, but we haven't heard an opinion from him yet.

Quite interesting on the WSU front.  It's happening down here, too.  School districts get 2 weeks for Spring Break.  I think the local universities are out until the first of April.

Easter is coming up on April 12, which means Good Friday is on the 10th.  Lots of people.

As far as the scratching the face, I remember when donating white blood cells that I wasn't going to be able to scratch my face due to a needle in each arm.  There were a couple of times when it happened, but if I didn't think about it, it went away.

I HAVE FAITH IN YOU, MARK, TO NOT SCRATCH YOUR FACE DURING ALLERGY SEASON.  If I can do it during non-allergy season, certainly you can do it during. 

Well, things have gotten serious since I last posted.

We're all fine, so it's not that. 

But K-12 schools are closed until April 24. Alita may or may not be getting a chance to work in the next six weeks. We don't know yet.

Alec is back home for spring break, but we will take him back to Pullman on Saturday. About half the guys in his dorm are coming back, including his roommate, so it won't be a remake of "The Omega Man" for our son. It might be a good shared experience and bonding moment, as long as they do it at a distance from each other. 

Anyway, we have weirdness at my office, as we're giving our employees the option to work from home. I'll still come into the office, because somebody needs to coordinate things in a central location, but who knows what the future holds?

At least it's still advisable to head outside, as long as you don't cluster up.

Ah, "The Omega Man."  I liked that movie.  Saw it every time it came on TV (pre-cable days).

So, this is a 'traditional' Spring Break for the lad?  Then the teleconferences.  Maybe the reception is better at the girl's dorm(s)?

Re: Alita, at least she has time to heal back up.  I guess there has to be a motion to pay the teachers and staff for that time period.

And the cats get to lavish (in a cat sort of way) him with purrs!

Now Alita can walk you to work every morning...  Hope she is feeling better.

Interesting times.  I expect they will get even more interesting.

The important thing now is to stay healthy and do what you can to keep others healthy.

Welp, Alita has it.

Went to the emergency room late-late Wednesday after an e-visit recommended she go right away. She couldn't stop coughing and was feeling short of breath. They didn't give her a lab test to absolutely confirm it, but when she asked, "do I have COVID-19?" they said "yup." Tests are pretty much limited up here to people going into the ICU, to absolutely confirm it's what they have and not something else.

So we're holed up in the condo now, all three of us. (Five, if you count the cats.) WSU has told students away on spring break to please not come back, since an explosion of cases in that small college town would be too much for them to handle. We don't know when he can come back. It's complicated by the fact that all his books and notes are there. We're waiting to see if they just shut the whole thing down. 

Me working from home is weird, but many of us are doing it now as a precaution. I was going to work in a sparsely populated newsroom, but after Alita's sorta-diagnosis, I couldn't anymore. I have a setup that works, except I don't get to hear the police radios and newsroom banter. Oh well. 

Alita has to self isolate for 14 days (13 now) or until 3 days after she exhibits no symptoms with no medication help. That isolation pretty much applies to me, too, but since I'm not displaying symptoms I can at least go to the grocery store. They don't even want Alita out walking along the river at this point. 

What a year.