The Woman's Club Times
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‘You’re not stuck at home. You’re safe at home.’ The Woman’s Club Times of Danbury/New Fairfield Volume 1, Issue 5 May 1, 2020 Covid-19 News Hello, Members: The following two articles are related. In both, people who are gravely sick are foregoing emergency care and staying at home, putting their lives at risk. I felt this knowledge was important for you to have, so you’ll be alert to the problems and have a plan made—just in case. Ginny ‘They are terrified’: Fearing coronavirus, people with po- tentially fatal condition avoid emergency care Doctors say a crisis within a crisis is brewing as the sick stay home. “Stay home.” That’s the message public health experts and political leaders have foisted onto Americans in recent weeks, and that was the message ringing in Alan Phenix’s mind when the pain crept into his abdomen earlier this month. “We followed all the guidance very well and we were sheltering in place, basically isolated,” Phenix said of his Los Angeles-based family. “So there was this concern that by going to the hospital I would expose myself to the risk of infection.” With an immunocompromised wife at home, Phenix, 62, waited five days after symptoms emerged before seek- ing treatment for what turned out to be appendicitis. By the time he received medical care, his appendix had ruptured and an infection had set in…see the whole article here: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/terrified-fearing-coronavirus-people-potentially-fatal-conditions-avoid/ story?id=70306931 1 Young and middle-aged people, barely sick with Worth Noting covid-19, are dying from strokes The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added six symptoms of the novel coronavirus to its Thomas Oxley wasn’t even on call the day he received list, suggesting health experts are learning more about the page to come to Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital the growing number of ways physicians see the virus in Manhattan. There weren’t enough doctors to treat affecting patients. all the emergency stroke patients, and he was needed in the operating room. The symptoms, which the CDC reports could appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus, are: The patient’s chart appeared unremarkable at first • Chills glance. He took no medications and had no history of • Repeated shaking with chills chronic conditions. He had been feeling fine, hanging • Muscle pain out at home during the lockdown like the rest of the • Headache country, when suddenly, he had trouble talking and • Sore throat moving the right side of his body. Imaging showed a • New loss of taste or smell large blockage on the left side of his head. Oxley gasped when he got to the patient’s age and Previously, the CDC listed just three known symptoms: covid-19 status: 44, positive. The man was among sev- shortness of breath, cough and fever. eral recent stroke patients in their 30s to 40s who were all infected with the coronavirus. The median age for that type of severe stroke is 74. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index. html As Oxley, an interventional neurologist, began the procedure to remove the clot, he observed something he had never seen before. On the monitors, the brain typically shows up as a tangle of black squiggles — Spread the Word! People who tested positive for “like a can of spaghetti,” he said — that provide a map and recovered from COVID-19 can donate blood of blood vessels. A clot shows up as a blank spot. As plasma at Danbury Hospital he used a needlelike device to pull out the clot, he saw new clots forming in real-time around it. Nuvance Health has developed a convalescent plasma program to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients. If a “This is crazy,” he remembers telling his boss…see full person has tested positive for COVID-19 and recov- article at: ered, they may be able to donate their blood plasma. This blood plasma contains antibodies that can be https://www.washingtonpost.com/ transferred to patients fighting the virus. health/2020/04/24/strokes-coronavirus-young-pa- In order to donate, a person must have had a positive tients/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_me- COVID-19 test, be symptom-free for at least 14 days dium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_ with a repeat negative swab, or 28 days symptom-free most with no need for a repeat swab. If you were hospital- ized for COVID-19 and your treatment plan included a convalescent plasma donation, you’re not a candi- date to be a future donor. Nuvance Health is recruiting volunteers. Potential do- nors can register by filling out an online questionnaire located at nuvancehealth.org/plasmadonorregistra- tion, or call 888-410-1211 for more information. 2 Activities at Home 13 Foods That Are Still Safe to Eat after the Expiration Date Wait! Don't throw out that food just yet. Just because it's days (or weeks) past a food's expiration date doesn't mean it's not still safe to eat. https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/tipsandtricks/7-secret-tricks-for-extending-food-expiration- dates/ss-BB13hFnz?ocid=spartandhp#image=8 Over 60 And Self-Quarantined? From Kathy Krieger Do These 5 Exercises Daily How to Drink Alone—This was in NY Times Maga- Physical Therapist Ed Deboo takes you through 5 exer- zine cises that can be done at home and will help you with posture, strength and balance. “Something that’s comforting and familiar is good, especially in a time like this,” says Shannon Mustipher, https://youtu.be/yQ0G5x5hI28 a former bartender and the author of “Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails.” As the pandemic keeps people in- with sugar in it,” she says. It is the national drink of side — and makes bars and restaurants a far-off dream Martinique, a favorite vacation spot of Mustipher’s. It’s — we’re all looking for distraction and comfort: televi- intended to be adjusted to your personal taste, hence sion bingeing, Instagram scrolling, drinking. the local saying: “Chacun prepare sa propre mort,” or “each prepares his own death.” If you’re a wine or beer drinker, stick to your regular. For those more adept at mixology, try taking one of To make her regular punch, Mustipher combines two your favorites and lightening up the pour: Make it with ounces of rhum agricole blanc and lime juice (any cit- half the alcohol, or dilute it with sparkling water. Still, rus juice will do if you’re out of limes) in a rocks glass, pay attention to how much you’re taking in, to avoid then adds an oversize ice cube and soda water. Turn overdoing it. “If it’s on the lighter side, you can have a the preparation into a project. Mustipher has used few and not get too tanked, which is good,” Mustipher overripe fruit to make syrups for drinks. says — especially in a time like this. Self-isolation is also a good time to start an “infinity A devotee of rum drinks, Mustipher has been making bottle,” in which you combine various leftover whis- a lighter version of one of her go-to cocktails, what she keys that might be taking up space in your bar into a calls the Ti’ Fizz. Ti’ Punch, “basically a glass of booze single mixture, adjusted according to your stock and your preferences — smoky, spicy, briny, honeyed. “You I HATE could spend a couple of hours tasting through your DRINKING stuff and figuring out what you like,” Mustipher says. It ALONE will age, too. “Monitor over a few weeks, and have fun BECAUSE with it that way.” And when you restock, try to shop I’M SUCH locally, whether from privately owned liquor stores or A BAD restaurants and bars looking to unload their spirits — INFLUINCE that way, you might be able to help the community’s ON ME. economy as well as your next old-fashioned. 3 Let the Sunshine In Sunlight is not a cure for coronavirus, but it does have other benefits for mind and body. Deciding whether to head outdoors or to stay at home has never before felt so fraught, as many of us continue the weigh the benefits of getting some fresh air versus the risks of getting sick. For many, however, the entice- ments of a spring day are too powerful to resist. “Yesterday it was raining and we felt kind of sorry for ourselves, but it’s hard to feel sorry for yourself on a sunny day like today,” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/28/well/live/coronavirus-sunlight-uv-stress-mood-immune-system-vita- min-D.html?rref=health&module=Ribbon&version=context®ion=Header&action=click&contentCol- lection=Health&pgtype=Blogs 4 Member to Member From Georgeann Kishner How we Feel How We Feel lets you self-report your age, sex, ZIP code, and any health symptoms you experience. It only takes 30 seconds! Aggregate data is securely shared with select scientists, doctors and public health professionals who are actively working to stop the spread of COVID-19. The app doesn't ask you to sign in or share your name, phone number or email address. The first time you download the app and donate your data with a check-in, they will donate a meal to people in need through Feeding America—up to 10 million meals. Gov. Lamont has encouraged participation. If you are interested, download it here: https://howwefeel.org/ From Mary Lynn Howard / New Fairfield Senior Center We Are Not In The Same Boat qualify for unemployment and are running out of I heard that we are all in the same boat, but it's not money.