Recent Developments 

I'm trying to blog more. Partly because of the new crackdowns and censorship on social media platforms (namely, F and T), and partly because so much has been happening here, most of it not good. 

I left full-time work a year ago and have not regretted it one bit, though I have been continuing to see patients part time. One main reason I left was my parents' and aunt's ill health. My mother in particular has been in a slow decline for months. Just before Christmas, their caregivers were diagnosed with COVID and my parents tested positive the day after Christmas; I tested positive one week later. Fortunately none of us had to be hospitalized. My father had basically no symptoms, I had the equivalent of a bad cold; my mother had a heavy cough and bronchitis but no fever. All the caregivers were out sick and it was a very rough two weeks, but things are much better now. 

Unfortunately my aunt has metastatic cancer and without giving details, she is not doing well. I will be staying with her to provide support as she tries to make a decision about stopping treatment. Ironically, my COVID infection could not have been better timed; I'm bulletproof now, at least for the next few months, and am no longer infectious. I tested positive 17 days ago.

The inauguration is tomorrow, I have no plans to watch. I am honestly disappointed with the results of the election. I don't see things going well, what with immigrants on the march from Central America and the president-elect's plan to shut down the Keystone XL pipeline (what the hell is that about?) - and the New Management hasn't even been sworn in yet.

As for the immigration issue, I have one word: COVID. Uncontrolled immigration into Southern California and other areas of the Southwest US, already a hotbed for COVID infection: what could possibly go wrong? Or to put it another way, how is our already overloaded health system supposed to cope with this? No one has thought to ask that question so far. 

I'm going to sign off for now and try to find something else to think about.

Labels: Medicine, Politics, Random Thoughts