Tag Archives: health

23

May. ’20

Vitals

Like many people I have a few ailments that have been with me for so long that I rarely think about them. For everyone, that will be any type of ailment, known or unknown. These ailments do not hinder the daily activity or require a visit to the doctor’s clinic. This have been happening with me for several years and then came the COVID-19 pandemic.
For a few years I have been keeping a logbook of my vital signs. This is mostly for me and I share it with all my doctors so that they can get an overall picture of my health and not just for the day I visit them. This is more important during these pandemic days. I am imagining you saying this is a lot of work and time but contrary to that, it is not a lot of time and it is beneficial.
In my logbook, before I have my coffee or eat anything, I get my blood sugar test, date, time, blood pressure, weight, and body temperature. I can compare this with whatever was written yesterday, last week or whenever. I can think about what I ate yesterday or drank or whatever to make these readings increase, decrease, or stay the same. I am not a doctor but want to know what is going on with my body.
However, during this pandemic I keep a weary eye on my temperature because that is one of the signs that something is wrong. I keep an eye on my wife’s temperature because she wants to know about hers also. I am leery these days more so than in the past. Before I was in a routine, a habit, and it did not mean much to me. It was just a log of my body’s vitals, ho-hum. Now, every slight vital sign moves, up or down, have me wondering if it something I should be concerned about.
Years ago, when I first started keeping a record of my vitals, I never thought it would mean as much as it does now. A high temperature would be worrisome, at best. A drop or height in blood pressure and I start to wonder if I should be cautious. Is that cough a warning and am I smelling things? Should my blood sugar really rise would have me calling my wife and the doctor (I never had). Maybe I am too cautious, but it is better to be safe than laying in the hospital telling myself that I should have.
I am rambling on and on just to say the times have changed for many reasons and this is only one. Now is the time to really take care of your body and your significant other to stay healthy and give the doctors and nurses a needed break. You only have one life and it is up to you to take care of your body and see another day. Now is not the time to throw caution to the wind and take your chance of not getting sick. This COVID-19 is nothing to play with nor that a chance that it will pass you by.
I will continue to take my vitals, seldom venture out, stay away form people/crowds, wash my hands/sanitize often and always wear a mask (not only for my benefit but for the safety of others). The world has changed, and it is time we all do the same. There is nothing that is as normal as before. Stay safe and good luck during the re-openings.

 

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12

Apr. ’20

Ethnic Pandemic

Listening to the pandemic report the other day, I was taken aback by the report of Blacks having the ailment more so than other ethnic groups. I believe it is because the black people, most of the time, segregate themselves into one large area over another. Most of these areas you can call a food desert.
These areas are not only apartment housing but there are many single-family housings with minimal scattering of other ethnic groups. In this area, rarely will there be medical offices, pharmacies, grocery stores, etc. Where these places are is far from the areas where people live. When there is an illness, transportation is required to transit the long distance.
Then there is that most young people, across all ethnic groups, rarely (if at all) read or listen to the daily news. They rather tweet or text others and maybe they may hear something that is going on, usually from someone much older. Ask a young person about a worldly event and the answer usually is that they haven’t heard anything about it. In this way, they knew of the pandemic much later than others. They could have been a carrier or have the full-blown virus and never knew it was possible or what was happening to them.
Young people love to party and take chances. They normally say that it’ll never happen to them or they are careful and there is nothing to worry about. The President would not demand a national wearing of face masks but, instead, left it to the individual states to impose the law. When the states imposed the law most young people disregarded the order. When the states demanded social distancing among all people and establishments, most young people didn’t do it.
I’ll give you an example about what I am talking about. I had to go out (one of the very few times I ventured out) to make a quick pick-up. In the store I noticed a Latino couple with three kids. They didn’t have a face mask and the kids were loudly running and playing all over the store. A couple of times the kids ran into me while they were playing. The parents did not say anything. At the check-out, two people were working, one had a mask and one did not. Neither had gloves. I noticed a few Blacks shopping, not a mask to be seen. Ironically, all of the White shoppers had masks.
The pandemic is hitting the Black population hard but, from what I have witnessed, most can blame it on lack of caring for themselves and others. They can be a part of the solution by trying to protect themselves and others. To do this, at least wear a mask (factory made or homemade) and practice social distancing. If we all work together, maybe we can beat this virus sooner than later and save a few lives. Young people, no matter what ethnic group they belong, can catch this virus and, at worst, die. Babies as well as adults, no matter the age or health, have also caught it. Be smart and live.

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14

Mar. ’20

Let’s Come Together

COVID-19 is not “Fake News” nor is it something that is overblown to make the President look bad. It is serious business and everyone, both sides of the aisle, should come together and fight with everything available. We have, in the past, stood together and fought things that were harming the nation. In this case, it is harming the entire world and every nation in the world should join forces and fight this virus.
Today’s blog will not be long, I just want people, around the world, to listen to qualified health professionals and stop the spread of the virus. Politicians have said that we will have a cure in a few weeks but, if you listen closely, health professionals have said it will take many months. I tend to believe them instead of politicians.
Unfortunately, normal routines will be disrupted, and, for a short while, life will seem hard, if not unbearable. But life will go on and this too will pass, maybe not exactly as before but it will be better than a quarantine. I wrote in my other blog (www.faithingodministries.net) about coming pandemics and those of the ancient past. This too will pass, but we all, worldwide, must do our parts. Not one person knows it all and not one person can do it all. We all must come together and work together to beat this no matter your politics or faith.
All daily routines will seem tedious at best but if we put politics aside and do what is right, what is good for the nation, what is good for the world, we will live on to see another day. If we continue to let politics get in the way, many of us will perish, many may not be able to fight and there will be a different world.
Therefore, I am pleading with everyone to take this virus seriously and do the right things. Listen to the medical people and seriously do the things you are told. Be careful and hang in there. This COVID-19 is nothing to play with or to take for granted.

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26

May. ’18

Smoking Rules

There have been fights and arguments over smoking for many years. Whether it is someone’s right to tell, not ask a person(s), not to smoke, where to smoke, when to smoke and/or how bad smoke is to their body, or, on the other hand, a person(s) have a right to affect their body and smoke I believe is the smoker’s business. This argument goes both ways, have many variables and cross many lines, clear and hidden. I will only touch on it lightly.

Imperial Plaza have been going through this for a few years and, I hate to say this, will see no end to the controversy. Brookdale, who leased Imperial Plaza in the past, was to give clear guidance and areas in which to smoke to the residents last year. They never did proceed in the actions (I am guessing) because they knew for a long time they were leaving and they would let the new administration handle the volatile situation. Now the new guidelines are in effect with many people ready to carry the fight to full war.

I see both sides, I know that both sides have fanatics, I can agree with some of what both sides want. I used to be a supervisor, mediating many disagreements, seeing what both sides want while trying to prevent total war between the parties. Because of the smoking bans, cigarette companies have moved from states that put undue pressure on them, their source of money and extra taxes on them. However, the populace should look at, feel for and understand the smokers that are caught in the middle of it all.

First and foremost, like the non-smoker, smokers have rights also. The way things are set in the USA, smokers don’t have any rights except to be able to buy cigarettes when they reach a certain age. Then they are greatly taxed for buying the legal weed and layered with many legal issues in order to smoke the legal weed. They are told the over taxation goes toward the over burdened medical system in order to care for the health problems that smoking brings upon the human body. Okay, then don’t allow the nonsmoker benefit from the program, let that money take care the smoker.

Then, the smoker is put out in the rain, cold, boiling hot sun, humid air and placed yards away from everyone. If a nonsmoker happen to come near, smell the smoker and complain, the smoker is moved even further or told not to smoke, even though the nonsmoker could have walked around or gone in a different direction. To me, the smoker do not have rights.

Somerby have done just that. They have banned smoking in many areas and to be able to smoke the resident have a long walk to get to the area, if the resident is not lucky enough to live in the nearest building. I am a cigar smoker and I have a few days left before I am completely moved to another community. I will not have to do the things residents here does. I am one of the lucky ones. Maybe these rules/laws will effect me a few years from now but at this time I will not be under the strict laws that have come about.

The nonsmokers do not have to go out into the rain, sun, wind, cold, snow, etc. to do what they have a right to do under the laws that were passed by our elected officials. The smoker, as far as I see, does not have the same rights and they are not only over taxed (and the nonsmoker benefit from that) but shunned worst than our pets. I see both sides and feel for both sides. All I have to say is I am moving at the right time and I am sure more will do the same, I have heard rumors. Neither side want to bend (give a little) but in order to have peace and tranquility the sides must.

After I wrote the part about peace and tranquility an incident happened that shows that there are people that do not want peace. Three or four people were sitting around smoking and talking, enjoying the afternoon. A person that live two buildings away came over to confront the smokers, called the police to the Imperial Plaza property but refused to lodge a formal complaint. True, they were illegally smoking, however, they were not in her area of domicile nor were they bothering other people. All I can say now is GOOD LUCK people at Imperial Plaza. My wife and I are out of here!

 

 

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