Every generation got its own disease

[gwyn]

Someone was putting together a pandemic playlist on Metafilter and I suggested Fury in the Slaughterhouse's Every Generation Got Its Own Disease: "So let's shake hands with plastic gloves" --I mean, come on. It's perfect, especially since it was written during the AIDS crisis.

I got the stitches on my face removed on Tuesday, and had called the dermatologist to ask about my back incision and the fact that it didn't seem to be healing; they wanted me to come in and made an appointment for after the stitches (which suprised the hell out of me, since it's so hard to get in there). It was handy because I could walk between the two locations and they gave me enough time.

Despite falling on my face when I passed out and grinding my cheek incision into the bathmat, the nurse said everything looks good, and they said I could do a follow-up in six to eight weeks where they might be able to do some dermabrasion on it to minimize the scar a little. I don't know if I can afford it, but I'll see. Right now there are steri-strips on it so I can't really see how terrible the scar will be, just that it's very visible. My friend Keith made me laugh a lot when I said I would have a horrible Heidelberg Fencing School scar and he said, "How worthy of cocktail talk that would be. 'Herr Erich von Kreplow gave me this to remind me to keep my parrying arm up.'"

They put some steri-strips on the back wound, too, but they also took a culture and it turns out there is an "opportunistic infection" so now I'm back to taking the scary antibiotic. They seem to think that'll make the wound heal, but I'm skeptical at this point. I mean, I know I need to clear up the irritation to it, but it just seems like at this point it's never going to close, and I have to keep buying nonstick pads because it's so gross. I don't know. This has been going on now for over a month, and I'm just...really tired of it.

It was weird being on what we call Pill Hill here, where all the medical offices and hospitals are. I stopped at Starbucks on the way down and everything feels so strange. I made liberal use of the Purell stands on every floor at the buildings, but I have only one tiny 3/4 full bottle of sanitizer now and there's none to be had anywhere. There are no places to wash hands so sanitizer is the only refuge when you're out and about. I have to go places, because I live alone, but most places that have sanitizer now won't soon, and the supply chain has been seriously affected and will likely get worse. I already spend a lot of time home, but I still have to get groceries and things. Most of the health care workers were really blase about things, I noticed that it seemed to be visitors and patients who were the most jittery. Since we've had so many deaths in the county where I live, precautions make sense, but on the other hand, a lot of people could lose everything because of this. Capitalist America is a terrible place to be--landlords aren't going to be postponing rent payments when a business isn't getting enough to survive in, people not getting work hours won't be able to pay for anything and could lose housing, etc.

It is just very weird here. I could still get things like toilet paper as of last night, which a lot of places are out of, but I don't know how long that'll last. And I have to go to the store again tonight for some things I forgot last night, so I can make some meals in the crock pot and such, which would help me stay home a little more. But--you have to go out to be able to stay in. I also am naturally a coughy person--I have to try so hard not to cough when I'm out, when I normally do just because of physical activity. Plus I have to keep touching my face because the incision itches like a sonofabitch and it's right under my eye, next to my nose.

Anyways, thanks for all the comments on my last post; I still have pretty bad bruises on my knees and the goose egg on my head, and I may have to go get x-rays for my wrist, but with any luck maybe I'm on the mend...? We shall see. But I appreciate the kindness.

Comments

[minim_calibre]

LMK if you need me to bring stuff down. Also, seriously considering getting Everclear to make black market hand sanitizer...

[devilc]

You can use everclear. Any liquor you use has to be at least 120 proof.

You can also use 70% isopropyl alcohol.

[minim_calibre]

I am personally set for sanitizer, for various reasons (I end up with a lot of minis during convention season), but yeah, I figured it might actually be easier to find Everclear in Seattle right now than hand sanitizer.

(I have plenty of 70% isopropyl, too, but I have other uses for it. Unlike Everclear. Which I think I last consumed a quarter century ago, making it ideal for sanitizer making.)

[gwyn]

I would happily assist you with Everclear experimentation. :-D I am unhappy about the idea of not hanging out for the foreseeable future.

[musesfool]

Are you able to have groceries delivered? That's what I do since I don't have a car and don't want to carry jugs of detergent or large quantities of anything. Mostly I only go to the grocery store for produce and meat nowadays.

[gwyn]

I could, but I discovered with deliveries when I was recuperating from the colon surgery that it was expensive (so many Seattle taxes on things I buy, plus delivery fees and tips, etc. and everything's super spread out here, so deliveries cost more), and almost no one carries most of the things I want at one time. I might sign up for Safeway's service where they bring things to your car at a designated time, and just go there at odd hours.

Seattle sucks. :-)

[ratcreature]

I hope your wound will heal soon. The American healthcare systems seems to make everything worse.

And your icon is very apt. Bucky in his full gear with mask and goggles and everything would have much less trouble fitting in these days. Everyone would just assume him to be particularly germ phobic...

[gwyn]

Yeah as well as our garbage fire government. They could have dealt with this before it got bad, but of course they didn't, and as I discovered talking to my friend who's a right-winger and probably believes all the Fox talking points, people think they *are* doing stuff when they're just mismanaging shit. I don't know if this could finally be the thing that brings Assface Drumpf down, but we can hope. Since he's teflon, probably not, but they had the chance to contain this beforehand and didn't, and people will figure that out eventually.

I honestly wish I had some Winter Soldier gear right now.

[ratcreature]

On the other hand at least they can't pay off a virus so they won't get it themselves. I mean, they quite likely are going to monopolize some of the limited number of ICU beds and respirators that others would need more via money bribes, but they are going to get sick and die too, and more than the average, even with all their money because they are all old and in that group that has a really high mortality rate. So for once their money won't protect them, not fully. And Trump is still doing his stupid rallies too. And I heard there was a case at that Republican conference too...

[kass]

Thinking of you and sending much love.

[sineala]

*offers more hugs*

[mackiemesser]

My mom says she remembers seeing old men with dueling scars when my parents were in Germany in the early '60s.
Not that this is tremendously relevant, but it does give you an opportunity to reflect on your misspent youth if someone ever asks about the scar...

I have a massive head cold right now, so I am very much with you on the trying hard not to cough in public thing.

[gwyn]

I never knew there had been this culture of dueling scars and status until I became obsessed with Poldark when I was young, and Ross's lovely scar. (The 1970s version) Apparently even recently, there's a revival and university students have been deliberately scarring themselves in dueling clubs. Amazing.

[mackiemesser]

Deliberately...scarring themselves...in dueling clubs.

I. Just. I.

I am having trouble processing how absolutely, phenomenally stupid that is. Unless your dueling partner has perfect aim the possibility of losing an eye or having permanent nerve damage is very high. Or a sliced throat. Or...I mean, there are a lot of very bad things that can happen when you go waving a long, sharp, pointy thing around.

What the actual fuck.

[devilc]

Just now read the saga of you waking up on the floor and having low idea of how you got there.

JFC -- I'm sending you vibes for swift healing and no cancer.

As for hand sanitizer, buy some 70% isopropyl alcohol and mix it with aloe vera gel.

[gwyn]

Thanks. Just wishing I could be done with this.

Believe me, we know about alcohol! You can't get that either, or aloe or glycerin or anything for suspension. You can't even get small spray bottles to just dump the pure alcohol into to spray your hands with and use moisturizer afterward. Most places are out of disinfecting cleaners. I have only 1/4 bottle of alcohol left, as I was using it up before buying a new bottle. Too late now! If you have any left in LV, believe me, I will gladly buy it from you and pay postage. Aloe vera gel too.

[kore]

a lot of people could lose everything because of this. Capitalist America is a terrible place to be--landlords aren't going to be postponing rent payments when a business isn't getting enough to survive in, people not getting work hours won't be able to pay for anything and could lose housing, etc.

Yeah, most of the people I know who have jobs where they can't work remotely don't have insurance and probably won't be given sick time, either. I never go anywhere, except occasionally to the movies, but I was thinking of all the arts activities that will be affected: movie theatres, playhouses, classical musicians, touring bands (especially the smaller ones), the opera and symphony, gallery openings, book fairs, author tours....

[batwrangler]

Waves and sends hugs and best wishes! <3

[grammarwoman]

All the hugs and health to you. Bodies are the worst.