4/14
I think the lovely RN who swizzled my nares inadvertently scraped a few IQ points away. She went up there so far I saw stars. I dunno out in economically disadvantaged West Philadelphia where I got tested, everyone and I mean everyone was wearing a mask. Back home, here in the toney Art Museum Area less than half the people I encounter are masked. Ah the presumptions of privilege.
I have Kimberly to thank for the stylish mask and my own private essential healthcare worker to thank for the ride to the 42nd St. COVID-19 drive-through testing. It’s a good thing that she took me because if I’d have gone myself, they’d have turned me away. The triage nurse said, “We’re only doing 1 test per family.” (Does that sound like we have the testing protocol under control to you?) Yeah.
K responded that her Occupational Medicine Dept told her unless I was tested she couldn’t go back to work. They sent it up the chain of command and 30 minutes later I left the scene minus some nasal epithelium and viral baddies. Results expected in 3-5 days. Likely less since they’re eager to take my private duty nurse away from me and put her back to caring for really sick folks. What an adventure. I don’t recommend it unless you’re the sort who needs a crash course in empathy.
Another day, you wake up, read the obits and another 60-something (your age) has passed, another 90-something (your parents’ age) has passed but there’s a real leader on the tube searching for a silver lining, giving his daughters a virtual hug around the family spaghetti dinner and praising the bravery of his African American constituents who are on the front lines.
You can’t fake true empathy with empty self-praise, repeated nonsense phrases and inappropriate adjectives. You either have it in your heart or you don’t. You either live it or you don’t. This is one time the TV might put 20 pounds on you, but it doesn’t lie.
It’s extraordinary that #45 has managed to decisively prove in 3 years what Republicans have been saying for the last 30. Namely that (his) federal government is too incompetent and corrupt to reopen a dogpound let alone a 20 trillion dollar economy.
Leave a Reply