To say I was a bit rusty in the W-2, clock-punching-work-world would be generous. For the past 13+ years I had no proper job. I filled my days with kid care; lacing in building and landscaping projects between diapers and driving. I was 12 years old when I got my first W-2 job dishwashing at... Continue Reading →
There is a small chunk of land between Nicaragua and El Salvador that connects Honduras to the Pacific coast. In retrospect, traveling those remote mountainous roads, in June 1990 was not the best place to be for two gringos. The UN was clearing the Nicaraguan Contra’s out of the country side; helping to stabilize the... Continue Reading →
As AZT and other proto-therapies for HIV and AIDS were coming out, my nursing school colleague, George, shared a project he was working on. It was his journal, in the raw language of our tradecraft, documenting the emergence of HIV and AIDS in Provincetown. The first cases morphed into the realization of a catastrophic dying process.... Continue Reading →
Thank You.
March 28, 2020 Science was trying to avoid the racism mistake this time. When this novel corona virus was first identified, the naming was intentional: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virus. The disease it produces is Corona Virus 2019 or COVID-19. This was intentional because science knows the history... Continue Reading →
A nurse with over 30 years ICU experience, a core of our community, a mother and a grandmother several times over, was supposed to retire yesterday. She posts: “…my retirement is on hold so that I may continue to help my friends (who are like family) during this pandemic, as ICU nurses are a rare... Continue Reading →
March 27, 2020 They didn’t train for this. The entire corps of them from nurses to doctors to techs and housekeepers. They didn’t train for going blind into a battle with gaping holes in their armor. We trained them to stand in the breach of a pandemic shielded by not just Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)... Continue Reading →
Do not resuscitate / Do not intubate. These are some of the most profound decision you and your loved ones will make. At this point, most everyone should have end of life care decisions written down or at a very minimum, expressed clearly to your next of kin. DNR or Do Not Resuscitate basically says... Continue Reading →
This week's testing numbers are what I was really expecting last week. As terrifying as they appear to be, it is actually a good sign. We are now doing modest testing and by next week it will be moderate levels of testing. I urge folks not to freak out. We knew the number of new... Continue Reading →
March 21, 2020 Just a quick note on the face mask thing. To start … to the healthcare workers: I am so very sorry. The system that was supposed to protect you failed. PPE, or personal protective equipment is what you know. It’s what you trained with: N95 masks, hoods, gloves - all single use... Continue Reading →
Big Word • Small World 