An excellent video on how to safe guard the food you bring into your house.
Some things I knew, some I did not. Frozen food and take out were most interesting to me. I need to set up a clean table in the way that he does. I also think I might be taking all food out of my freezer, cleaning the freezer, and then cleaning the food packages before returning it into the freezer again. Might need to do the same for my fridge. It has been over a week since I brought in my canned goods...thinking on that one.
Looks like I will be busy for awhile.
As if I wasn’t anxious enough already. A guy we know was taking things to the landfill or recycling place. We had some rotted wood, so we had him pick it up. I look outside this morning, and my partner is standing less than 3 feet away. 4 teenage boys are with him. No one is keeping any distance and I’m freaking out inside the house.
This guy is an apartment building manager, and has had several tenants in a panic talking to him in a panic because their workplace is shutdown and they won’t have money for the rent.
So my partner has been less that 3 feet away from teenage boys and a man who has been in close proximity to many people and the people that they’ve been near etc. for weeks.
I was furious. And tonight I’m anxious. I’ve been taking so many precautions and now I don’t know what’s been brought into the house. My partner is nearly 51 and I’m 68. She should have known better. My anxiety makes it difficult for me to breathe. And, of course, that is one symptom. My city in Oregon doesn’t have that many cases, but it so easily can change. I’m also on a med that lowers my immune system.
As if dealing with trump the past 3 years hasn’t been bad enough...
Anita
An excellent video on how to safe guard the food you bring into your house.
Some things I knew, some I did not. Frozen food and take out were most interesting to me. I need to set up a clean table in the way that he does. I also think I might be taking all food out of my freezer, cleaning the freezer, and then cleaning the food packages before returning it into the freezer again. Might need to do the same for my fridge. It has been over a week since I brought in my canned goods...thinking on that one.
Looks like I will be busy for awhile.
Saw that video, and yes, some good ideas. But re: your freezer and frozen food -- Viruses and bacteria (and parasites*) cannot survive below freezing. I know this from my work in pro kitchens. Below 32F and above 165F you're golden. Between 32F and 42F is a bit of a grey area, but it's generally accepted in food prep that below 42 bacteria will not grow for a very long time (not sure about viruses). So if you just want to clean your freezer, have fun, but if you don't feel up to it, don't worry.
As for takeout - we're being very careful, my rule is: nothing raw/fresh, it has to be cooked and nuke-able. I unpack the food, put it onto plates, put extra in my containers, I nuke the plates, wash my hands, remove the plates and pop the extras in the fridge. I throw out or wash and recycle whatever it came in after we're done eating. Then I wipe down the counter as if I had used it for food prep.
*I mention parasites because it's known that frozen fish is better than completely fresh. That's why sushi is almost always frozen before being served.
I feel your frustration. My husband keeps wanting to "get together with one or two bandmates to do live online music", but I have to keep reminding him of how high risk we both are, especially me.
Experts are saying that if you think one person in the household has been exposed, to have them self-isolate in a bedroom for 2 weeks. On the other hand, I'd be less concerned about interactions occurring outside in fresh air that are not physical in nature.
Hang in there. We're all dancing on the sword's edge.
I have to go shopping today, because even though my husband is pretty good if I give him a very detailed list AND make him take pics of special items, my diet restrictions are so considerable that I have to do it myself in case my usual choices are not available - he couldn't begin to grok what my alternative preferences would be. I'll be masked, gloved, sunglassed and wearing a hoodie. Here's hoping they don't think I'm there to rob the joint!!
@lovendures. Thank you for posting that video on how to bring food into your home. I have sent it to my kids and family and friends. This is a video that needs to get widespread circulation. So good.
A good, clarifying article on the origins of COVID-19:
Thanks for the heads up. What a powerhouse of a warrior when we needed her most.
May she come back healthy and strong❣
Question for you: when you microwave, say, a slice of takeout pizza, how long would you nuke it for to make sure it's safe to eat?
Katie Porter is a single mom, too. We should all be sending healing to her and to all single mothers that they be protected and if already infected, healed. Being a single mom is tough in ordinary circumstances, much less these.
Question for you: when you microwave, say, a slice of takeout pizza, how long would you nuke it for to make sure it's safe to eat?
I think 1 minute is sufficient, if it's still warm you can get away with 30 seconds. If it's hot to the touch you're good.
And about microwaving things, don't forget to microwave a damp kitchen sponge for 2 minutes every now and then to kill the germs on it :)
I live in New York. My dad is a mandatory worker as a security guard at a condo in Elmhurst, where he is required to wear a face mask at all times. In the past 24 hours, there were 13 flu deaths at Elmhurst Hospital. Several of the tenants at the condo happen to work at the hospital, where he encountered a nurse without wearing a face mask. Fortunately, he gets to work by driving on the highway, instead of passing through Broadway.
And about microwaving things, don't forget to microwave a damp kitchen sponge for 2 minutes every now and then to kill the germs on it :)
You can also put it in the dishwasher with the dishes.
All, please be cautious and don't assume a virus will be killed by freezing...according to WHO guidelines ( https://www.who.int/influenza/resources/documents/food_risk_h5n1_11_2005/en/) any frozen food would need to be properly cooked in order to kill any potential infectious contaminants; the article goes on to say that H5N1 influenza can survive at refrigerator or freezer temperature for at least one month. But I did see a different article on line earlier today that said that food contamination has not yet been implicated in the transmission of coronavirus (such as if you are worried that someone has coughed into your take-out salad during prep). Just follow standard food prep practices including thorough cooking of frozen food. If you have reason to suspect that packaging is contaminated, disinfect it and don't assume the virus will be killed by your freezer.
Posted by @vestralux:
it sounds like we share a very similar early experience. Our bodies—not just our minds—understand in a very visceral, felt, lived way what it is that other people go through in times of suffering and uncertainty. For all the pain and weariness (I battle crushing fatigue nearly every day due to autoimmune conditions), that kind of sensitivity feels like a gift. It feels purposeful.
@vestralux, thank you for your kind and supportive comments. I agree that we share some similar early experiences. It’s probably why I’ve always resonated with your posts, especially as they relate to your understanding of trauma and the gift of increased sensitivity. I am always astounded by your compassion, insights and breadth of knowledge. I always learn something new from you.
The 25+ years of therapy – which I sometimes still roll my eyes and chuckle about – never got to the heart of the trauma. Various conventional modalities were used and they all helped me, to some degree. I became very good at “talking the talk,” but I knew there was a piece of my psyche that couldn’t be reached. I would even remark to some of my therapists that I felt there were some wires crossed in my brain. I just couldn't get at it -- of course not knowing what the "it" was. Most didn’t know how to respond to that comment. So it wasn’t until I reached the age of 60, when I was introduced to somatic therapy, that something clicked. Addressing that somatic piece helped me to move beyond the cognitive process of understanding my trauma. You hear about it a lot more now, but 30+ years ago when I sought help, not so much. In a sense there were crossed wires in my brain -- a dysregulated autonomic nervous system where my body still carried the burden of those traumatic experiences. Which is why, like you, I believe I now have autoimmune issues and chronic fatigue. I know that many people in this community can relate.
I do wonder though, at least in my case, whether it’s a combination of nature and nurture. I have a sister, and she processed everything differently. I’m not saying she wasn’t affected back then, but she never appeared frozen in time, dissociated, or struggled to move forward. She’s very different from me, and always seemed to fit into the world. The world she lived in was comfortable and made sense to her; it never did to me.
And yet, I’m finding that as we adjust to this new world order, she might be having more problems with it than I am. I sense that she might want or need my help. She helped me navigate that other world; I hope and pray that I can return the favor.
@polarberry, I meant to tell you -- when I had my crazy health scare two nights ago, I was searching my brain for something to calm me down. Then I thought about your sweet child and the brown bunny. When I connected to that image, I smiled. And when I smiled, I calmed down.
Thank you, my friend.
I was also given a vision this morning before the songs came but I can't quite figure it out. I was shown the outline of some US states. First Georgia state with the silhouette of a cat inside. Then Washington state and then Oregon in quick succession, then California. California was shown for a second or two longer than the others. Then I was shown Mississippi upside down, but I wasn't sure until I thought about it a while. At first I was like, what state looks like that? Then it occurred to me that it was probably upside down. I immediately thought the image of my state with the cat shape in it meant I would be home with the kitties instead of work (because of virus, I guess), or I would be taking comfort from my kitties in this weird time. The other west coast states seemed to be shown to me as an area that will probably be struggling with the virus, maybe California longer than the others? Then Mississippi? Is it upside down because of more distress from the coronavirus or some situation related to it? It might have meant Alabama two, I wasn't sure except I felt like probably mostly MS? Still not sure about the message there...any ideas? Healthcare and government response possibly poor to virus? I am not really sure about any of my ideas, that is just what comes to mind.
I posted the above March 12th. I did end up being required to telework starting Friday, March 20th. I saw some news about Mississippi that would explain my vision of it being upside down...Tate Reeds Mississippi's republican governor has decided his state won't be like China or North Korea, hence he ordered that the state classify "businesses including gun shops, department stores, and real-estate offices as 'essential.' " His ordering of many bussinesses as essential has resulted in several businesses in the Jackson area canceling their work-from-home plans. The article below explains the situation better than I can:
She helped me navigate that other world; I hope and pray that I can return the favor.
Thank you for your kind words, @deetoo. They mean so much to me.
And I'm so glad you found a somatic practice! Definitely rare to see it 30+ years ago, though embodiment vs. disembodiment has become quite the therapeutic question here recently, right? I'm happy to see that, too.
What you've shared about your sister was beautifully stated. It seems very true that the world of order and structure and rules and form is now feeling a lot more pain than anyone can remember. Those of us with less rigid, more liquid and perhaps mystical natures are being called on to lend healing balm to our loved ones.
Just today, as a matter of fact, my own sister sobbed on the phone to me for 2 1/2 hours. She's a young single mom and a phlebotomist for a pediatric care clinic in the greater Chicago area. The CoVid crisis has dramatically amplified her workload, her home life responsibilities, and her anxiety (which is already something she's treated for on a clinical basis). She's overwhelmed and exhausted.
She fell apart as she was describing to me how she has to keep refusing C-19 tests to patients, many of whom are children with cancer, because they "don't meet the criteria" and there aren't enough tests in any event. Their parents are panic-stricken and don't understand.
Then she cried about a thousand other things, which she'd been keeping in for a while, I imagine. I encouraged her to cry it out and for some of it, I cried with her.
As I listened, I tried to slow my breathing and make myself very still and deep and wide—as if I could surround and hold her from 675 miles away. I believe I succeeded in that. She's 12 years younger than I am, so I remember very well what it was like to hold her in my arms when I was still a teenager and she was just a teeny tiny thing.
When she was finished, I could physically feel in my own body how much lighter my sister felt in hers. I describe her personality as nonstop birthday confetti—bubbly, ridiculous, infectious—and the woman has more energy than any human should be allowed, always has. Hearing her laugh like a lunatic before we got off the phone made me feel like, at least for a minute, everything was okay in the world again. So, I drank that feeling for the healing tincture it is.
I'm praying for her and for all of you. Stay well. ?
“May we be at peace.
May our hearts remain open.
May we awaken to the Light of our True Nature.
May we be healed.
May we be a source of healing for all living beings.”
– from the Tibetan Metta meditation/prayer
Then I was shown Mississippi upside down...
@starpath, you were absolutely spot on.
I'm from Mississippi. Much of my family, including my 86-year-old grandmother, is still there. We're from a south MS county that borders Louisiana, not far from New Orleans, a veritable war zone of epidemic right now.
I was comforted this week to learn that some town mayors and counties had passed BIPARTISAN emergency votes to close their schools and non-essential businesses. I only learned today that, as of yesterday, Gov. Tate Reeves forced those towns and counties to rescind those mandates and put everyone back to work immediately.
As this is all happening, Reeves has been whipping up a polemical frenzy and taking action to ban all abortion services in Mississippi as "non-essential services." Please excuse me, Jeanne/all, but "sanctity of human life" MY ASS.
Reeve's insanity is a more persistent virus than our current pandemic, and I have reached out directly to tell him so. No doubt he's banking on all of this scoring him a future in Trump's Administration, and perhaps, afterward, a presidential delusion of his own.
Before learning of this nonsense, I was already deeply concerned because of that lunatic preacher in East Baton Rouge Parish who's violating the Louisiana mandates by continuing to hold large church services for hundreds of people. His church isn't far from my hometown or my elderly grandmother, who was only widowed last year, by-the-by. (She's been lonely and depressed ever since.)
Mississippi has always been "upside down." At least since the French arrived. It's the most economically depressed, racially suppressed, collectively traumatized state in the nation. The mighty river that runs along its eastern border has, in the last 120 years alone, been turned into the most toxic byway of carcinogenic pollution in the eastern hemisphere. But these callous, indecipherably cruel actions by Mississippi's so-called leader will leave my home state—a place and people I love deeply and deep down, despite itself—in an unrecoverable state of crisis for the next 120, or longer.
Both Reeves and that asinine "minister" argue that it's a violation of peoples' God given rights to try and prevent them from gathering to worship or work.
Well, newsflash, as*&H^$!
God isn't bound to buildings or mass gatherings (or collection plates!), and there will be no one left to work at all after nature is through with you.
Neither the pursuit of liberty or happiness are possible without first ensuring the possibility of life. The kind already given to beings capable of breathing outside someone else's womb, thanks.
ETA: Well, that was a rapid shift in mood. Welcome to The Great Transition, y'all!
Also, guess my Mississippi just came out. ;)