So, as of today, here are the number stats:
1.6 million people infected worldwide
466,033 confirmed cases in United States
16,000 U.S. deaths; 25,000 U.S. Recovered Cases
10,230 cases in Texas;
199 deaths in Texas;
Only 170 of 254 counties have cases at all
Brazos County has 108 cases
Bigger areas like Houston and Dallas have more cases - Houston has 2300 and Dallas has 1300
Denton County has 398 cases
Right now, they expect the virus to "peak" in the U.S. on April 14-15th. But, then it varies around the country as to when different areas peak. They expect Brazos County to not peak until end of May. The northeast, particularly New York is in really bad shape. They are peaking now and have had 161,000 cases and 7,000 deaths already. Peaking means the most people have it and are occupying the most hospital beds.
It is different everywhere around the country. Right now, areas like New York are on true lockdown where they can't go anywhere, except maybe for food. Hospitals are full, people can't work, and it's just bad.
Here in College Station, and most of Texas right now, we are considered "shelter in place" or "stay at home". They are telling us to only get out for essentials (food, gas, medicine, etc.), exercise or to go to work. Schools are closed and we are e-learning. Churches are closed and we are e-worshipping through videos and paper packets for teaching the kids. Stores are closed everywhere (for in-store shopping) unless they have essentials. So, grocery stores are open; Sam's Club is open; gas stations are open; Target/Walmart/etc. are open because they have food, cleaning, toiletries. Other essential businesses like Lowe's, Home Depot, and other construction and home fixing places are ok to be open. Campus is closed down with skeleton crews. Everyone pretty much has to do business online. All medical facilities, of course, and veterinary facilities are still open. I am sure there are a few more considered "essential", but most retail type places are doing curbside pickup or free shipping or are just closed. Oh, and all restaurants are still open and offering curbside pickup.
In some ways, it still doesn't seem real. I am used to being at home and enjoy being at home and do not have a job I am having to stay away from or do at home. So, it's hard to wrap my mind around it sometimes. I stay nonstop busy all day with the kids, so there is not much time to think about what is happening. When the kids and I have driven out to pick up Target orders, and to go to some outdoor places just to run around, the town doesn't look too different. It looks like it's just summer break and the students aren't in town. We do notice empty parking lots too. But, it almost seems like everyone is going about their business.
The rules are to stay 6 feet away from others (that do not live with you); do not gather in more than 10 people in a group; stay home; wear masks if needed; wash hands for 20 seconds at least over and over; sanitize your hands all the time; and don't touch your face.
The virus can only enter through your noise or mouth; it resides in water particles in the air. So, if you breathe them in, you could be sick. We keep hearing all kinds of things and they change; because this is so new, doctors and scientists are still figuring things out. Some say 6 feet is not enough space. They say that it fills your lungs with fluid and that is why it can be so dangerous. However, they do not know the lasting effects of this virus or how much damage is done to your lungs. They still want you to stay home, even if you suspect you have it, unless you need emergency care. There is not medicine for it, other than regular virus cold meds and pain killers. Fever, weakness, coughing, and shortness of breath are all factors. They say 80% of people will recover with no problems. Those that are most susceptible to complications are those with underlying conditions (high blood pressure, asthma, lung problems, old age, poor immune systems, etc.). Most people passing are elderly, but they pass in all ages. A couple of infants have passed, but mostly kids have not been bothered with the virus. There are not enough test kits to test everyone and even when they can test, the equipment to run the samples to diagnose take a long time, so people are waiting days and days to get results.
They say the quarantine period is 14 days after exposure. But, people could be walking around with the virus and not know it yet, so who knows how many people are being exposed that way as well? They are working on a vaccine, but that could take 18 months to 2 years possibly to have that down. There are all kinds of ideas out there to prevent it, but they all take time to test. There are thoughts that once we all get over this in a couple of months and find ways to go back to regular life, that it could all come back this winter, when the normal flu season hits. Some people have said that the virus cannot live in hot, humid areas (so College Station would be a great place for it to die! ha!), but again - they don't know yet. Some think if we could just get it and get over it, our bodies could start to build up the immunity to it. But, of course, until you have it, you don't know how your body will react to it.
Vic and the kids and I feel good. Vic is mostly the only one to go out. He goes to the grocery store, gas station for gas, and he is going to work. He has been to Lowe's. He is now, as of Monday, wearing a mask to the grocery store. And as of Tuesday, he has to wear a mask at work, unless he is behind his office door working. His employee made him a fabric one to wash and wear. That is another problem: the good quality masks are hard to come by and so people everywhere are making fabric ones. Wei, our neighbor who is from China and whose family is still there, had his brother send him lots of good quality surgical masks and he shared a bunch with us to use when we need to. I stayed indoors for 2 weeks and then this past weekend, I went to Walgreens and HEB. I just needed/wanted to get out. I anti-bacterial'd my hands and changed my clothes.
Its' so hard to know how far to take things. Should Vic come home, strip before he comes in, shower, wash his clothes and do all of that before touching anything or saying hi? Or is he ok just changing clothes and washing his hands? We don't know. You don't realize how many things you touch (doorknobs, faucet handles, steering wheels, mail, etc.) that you don't think to sanitize before touching. I feel so good about me and the kids, because we have been to Target for pickup but not touched anyone or anything. However, I haven't wiped down everything in our bags, and maybe I should have? We have been outdoors, but not been with anyone. I did, however, visit at 6 feet distance, outside on the street between our houses, with Kelly & Leah last night. It was so wonderful to sit and visit about everything. It's so nice to get other perspectives and have some adult conversation and laugher. For Kelly, she works in marketing at St. Joseph's, a hospital here, and is hearing all of the things I've mentioned in her many phone calls. Her husband is a trial consultant nd has been furloughed but hoping his company that he works for gets a small business loan; then he can go back to work. Leah is a part-time instructor for Kinesiology at A&M and has been e-teaching her classes, but has already had two cut from the summertime (won't be offered to students). Her husband is in construction and mostly working from home. Each of them traveled to Florida and Colorado over Spring Break. They have stayed healthy since then, so that is good. They are doing the same as us - best faith effort. But, it's nice to hear their thoughts. Leah knows a family who think they have it, but are not telling anyone. They are staying home and hoping to get over it and see how it goes. Vic and I do not know anyone personally who has COVID-19 and I hope we don't because that means it is going away.
Vic's family is staying home and so is mine. Melbo, Pa & GG aren't going anywhere except GG when she does curbside pickup for groceries. Mom is staying home too, although she did go get goat feed one day. And Dad is the one who is having to go to work. They are being extra cautious at the jail, but he says it's only a matter of time before it starts to spread through an inmate or employee there. Ana and Charley are both working from home too, while keeping Norah with them.
School has gone great, until last Wednesday. It was just a rough afternoon with Atticus after a beautiful day with the kids playing outside. Then Thursday was rough. Then Friday, we took a trip to George Bush Library to run around outside and it was better. The weekend was pretty good but then this week has been rough again. I think the honeymoon period of no school wore off and now they are missing friends and routines. I think, honestly, they are fine for awhile and then when I make them do their schoolwork, they wish for real school. I haven't heard "I'm bored" hardly at all; it helps to have siblings to play with. But, sometimes they are just not in the mood for school, or listening or trying. So, I lose my patience or they lose theirs and we get frustrated and sometimes yell or they cry or my least favorite is when they will say "I know! I'm just the worst person in the world". ugh. Atticus is saying that a lot right now. I think he does it mainly to get me to pay attention to him, but I don't like hearing him put himself down. It's not true and he doesn't need to let himself think that way. But, he is not behaving the best and I am getting onto him more. It's hard; I want him to know he is loved, but I won't let him get away with purposely not trying or being ugly. So, the days have been long since last week. We will have so many highs and so many lows. Sometimes, they both work like the work is so fun and easy and they are all on board. And other times they don't. The good part is that there are lots of fun online activities for school, which they enjoy. And we can have so much flexibility with ur work. The hard part is the little girls; I can't pay attention to them well when I'm helping the big kids. Everly is ok; she plays a lot by herself or happily watches TV. But, Hazel wants me all the time. And I can totally tell she is reacting certain ways because I don't give her full attention. When I can finally sit and just devote time to her, she is so much better behaved and enjoys herself. So, it is SUCH a hard thing to give everyone attention plus feed them and clean up after them and break up arguments and get them to do schoolwork and everything else.
School is all e-learning. So, on Sunday afternoon, (we are on week 4 of no school; week 3 of district provided e-learning lesson plans; week 1 of having to turn in assignments), we get a packet of work. And for both kids combined, it takes me about 1.5-2 hours to go through it, organize it, make daily lesson plans, find the extra stuff the teachers posted, organize the Zoom schedule of virtual meet-ups, and prepare for the week ahead. We are doing everything through Schoology, which I actually like, although it takes some time to figure it out. But, now I feel great about it. Most people are not liking it though. The work has been mostly review, but if this continues through the end of May, I think they are trying to give some new information and not just review. Grades are for completion only; so Atticus' last numerical grades for 3rd grade ended last 9 weeks. Grace doesn't get numerical yet. I struggle between wondering whether I should be doing these lesson plans or just making sure they do some math, read a book, and that is it everyday. Now that we turn stuff in, we have to do a little more. But, I'll decided again Sunday night what our weekly plan will be. I have been having them do a journal entry most days though and I like those. I will keep those forever. We are lucky that Pop gave the kids a laptop for Christmas, because they can both be working on computers at the same time. Overall, school is very busy and when I'm tired, it can feel overwhelming. But, when we are getting through it, I don't think it's that bad. Most parents are not feeling that way though and I am sad for them.
I struggle because I think in so many ways, we have it really good so I don't want to complain. But, I do sympathize with those who are struggling so much with having their kids home with them and trying to do their jobs and make schoolwork happen and still cook dinner and make sure they make grocery store trips and everything else.
I definitely get no breaks during the day like I used to; I mean, I'm always with at least one kid back before this started. But, now, all 4 of my sweet babies are with me. And while it's fine, there really isn't much time, until right now in the middle of the night, to just "be" and decompress. But, I wouldn't change it, in these circumstances. I'm glad I'm home with them and glad to be a mom first. I just hope I can find ways to make this memorable in a good way for them too.
The hardest part is not knowing when we can go back to normal or what our new normal will be. Everyone says this is history making stuff that our kids will tell their grandkids about. I hope it's not because of the number of deaths, but more for what we had to do to get through it.
Vic, on the there hand is SO busy at work. His job has become all about COVID-19. TVMDL has been in the process of rushing through approvals to do human testing, and not just zoonotic testing. They are buying supplies and reagents and new machines to test. They have the technology and staff and machines to test 2000 tests a day if needed where the county heath department's machine can only do 100 or so a day. So, TVMDL could be very helpful if needed. But, there are so many hoops to jump through and dollars to track and everyday, things in the COVID-19 world change. So, Vic isn't doing any of his own job, but only the COVID-19 things TVMDL is working on. It's a crazy time.
I don't know what else to say. Gas prices are low; lots of free shipping for shopping; warm/cool temperatures (it's spring so it changes up). People are social distancing, but thankfully we can keep up with instagram, Marco Polo, Zoom, texting, etc. We have a busy month of Easter, and 2 birthdays so I have been shopping and organizing for all of the fun activities for our family. Oh and FBCBryan has packet pickups and Sonshine School has packet pickups for the kids for preschool and church.
It's a crazy time, although in my house, I don't feel scared or crazy. Actually, I'm not really scared at all right now. We are healthy and just doing our own thing. We just need Vic, and our entire Seidel Six to stay well. Okay, signing off for now. I wonder what my next update will tell you!
Here's some more pictures from our e-learning/stay at home life the last week or so!
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