How to fight COVID at home

This was shared on a Covid survivor group...have heard many of these before but it seems helpful:

No one ever talks about how to fight Covid at home. I came down with Covid in November. I went to the hospital, running a fever of 103, a rapid heart beat, and other common symptoms that come with Covid. While I was there they treated me for the high fever, dehydration and pneumonia. 

The doctor sent me home to fight Covid with two prescriptions -  Azithromycin 250mg & Dexamethason 6mg. When the nurse came in to discharge me, I asked her, "What can I do to help fight this at home?" She said, “Sleep on your stomach at all times with Covid. If you can’t sleep on your stomach because of health issues sleep on your side. Do not lay on your back no matter what because it smashes your lungs and that will allow fluid to set in.

Set your clock every two hours while sleeping on your stomach, then get out of bed and walk for 15-30 min, no matter how tired or weak that you are. Also move your arms around frequently, it helps to open your lungs. Breathe in thru your nose, and out thru your mouth. This will help build up your lungs, plus help get rid of the Pneumonia or other fluid you may have.

When sitting in a recliner, sit up straight - do not lay back in the recliner, again this will smash your lungs. While watching TV - get up and walk during every commercial.

Eat at least 1 - 2 eggs a day, plus bananas, avocado and asparagus. These are good for Potassium. Drink Pedialyte, Gatorade Zero, Powerade Zero & Water with Electrolytes to prevent you from becoming dehydrated. Do not drink anything cold -  have it at room temperature or  warm it up. Water with lemon, and little honey, peppermint tea, apple cider are good suggestions for getting in fluids. No milk products, or pork. Vitamin’s D3, C, B, Zinc, Probiotic One-Day are good ideas. Tylenol for fever. Mucinex, or Mucinex DM for drainage, plus helps the cough. Pepcid helps for cramps in your legs. One baby aspirin everyday can help prevent getting a blood clot, which can occur from low activity. "

Drink a smoothie of blueberries, strawberries, bananas, honey, tea and a spoon or two of peanut butter. 

We always hear of how Covid takes lives, but there isn't a lot of information out there regarding how to fight Covid. I hope this helps you or someone you know, just as it has helped me. 

After Christmas Letters

We thought we were finished with Santa letters.  I received this from Canada Post:

We received a very high volume (Over 5000 so far) of mail to Santa from Japan before our pre Christmas deadline and stopped replying to them in favour of late domestic receipts from December 17 to December 22

It appears we and other National locations have received the highest volumes of late mail ever. (Mailed after our publicly advertised  deadlines) even though we went above and beyond by processing every letter received with replies right up to the 21 and some local destinations on the 22.

All mail received too late to receive a reply by Christmas day, receive a post card as shown above.  

It was strange to get this much mail after Christmas.  My cousin in the UK told me I sent her the only Christmas Card she received from Canada.  Now I know at least three people for sure that have sent cards.  I sent mine in November.  Carol said the reason the international mail is so late is because many flights are cancelled.  That would explain it.  The only reason local mail was late must be people mailing after the deadline.

The weather forecast shows rain, rain and more rain.  Cheryl took this picture from her deck yesterday morning. She gets a great view of Mt Baker.   

Our family Zoom call

On Sunday, we Zoomed with our cousins in Nottingham!  Cheryl organized the call.  Paula, Gordon, Nancy, Sharon, Cec and I all tuned in from the lower mainland.  Erin tuned in from South Carolina.  Erin just moved there from Norway and it was 70F on Christmas Day and they have palm trees in their yard.  Erin is loving the change and it was great to see her!

Freya is a police officer in Nottingham.  Her dad was too.  She is now working from home doing follow up.  Her mom lives not too far away and they are in lockdown!   It's been a long time for Nottingham as they had many early cases and have been locked down for much longer than other parts of the UK.  There are three universities in Nottingham and it spread early on very quickly through the universities.  

It was wonderful to see them both and we all really enjoyed it!   We are doing it again in a couple of weeks!

Funny quotes

 

     


    


    


    

  
  


   


   


    


    

  
  


  

 

 

A quiet Christmas and relaxing Boxing Day

Our Christmas was awesome.  It was quiet and I must say I did enjoy it.  We never saw Dave or Lexie but Cheryl came over with her half of the dinner.  She wore a mask the entire time and I gave her my half.  It was great only cooking half a meal.  Everything was delicious.  We had a Zoom call at 6 PM and all ate together.  

Cheryl said she would go to Costco on Boxing Day as soon as they open as she needed gas and a few things.  I didn't need much but never pass up an opportunity to go there.  In other years, Costco on Boxing Day is very quiet.  They rarely have anything on sale and most people do their shopping before Christmas.  I set the alarm to make sure I got up in time and we got there at 9.   No wait at the gas pumps (1.159 a litre) and no lineup to get in.  The parking lot was 1/4 full!   Cheryl had something to return and there was no wait in the return line!  I didn't need much but it was a nice day to look around.  I saw the Alaska King Crab and I don't think I would ever pay $253.41 for dinner but it was best before Dec 27th and I have lots of turkey left overs.  They had fresh turkeys on sale at $25.00 off!   I don't need a turkey but that was a nice price!

We got to the cashiers and they were all standing around!   Cheryl went to one and I took the cashier beside her.  What a lovely shopping trip!   That's it for shopping for me until next year.  I'm stocked up and love to go when it's super quiet.  I talked to a friend who said Metrotown was really busy.  I read online there were traffic jams at Tsawwassen Springs and the airport Outlet Mall.  

The nicest Christmas video this year:  Feliz Navidad

Happy Boxing Day!

 

Merry Christmas!

 At 12:01 am on January 1, 

for the first time ever, 

Hind Sight will actually be 2020.

And if you are home not seeing family and friends you are not alone.  Many of us are adhering to the requests of our health officials.  Pat yourself on the back and think back over 100 years:

Happy 80th Birthday Dr. Fauci

 

Today is Dr. Fauci's 80th Birthday.  The mayor of Washington, DC has proclaimed today as Dr. Anthony S. Fauci Day in DC.  

I was pleased to hear US President-Elect Joe Biden has asked him to be Chief Medical Adviser.  

Another year has finished

Yesterday we did the final batch of Santa letters.  They were all local and probably mailed past the deadline.  We answered every one of them!   I am not sure if we will get any very late letters, but we have the supplies and will answer them if needed.  They get a post card saying their letter arrived too late etc.  It appears we kept very much up to date.  With fewer volunteers because of COVID and fewer International letters, it worked out!

During the last few weeks, we've see the following:

• Lots of wonderful pictures.  One so good by a 10 year old the volunteer will frame it!
• One child sent in her tooth fairy money.  We forwarded it to the coordinator.
• I had a nice letter from the parent of a downs syndrome child.  That required a special message.
• We received many gifts, masks for Santa to wear, jewelery (the plastic kind), and many stickers. 
• Some letters are very hard to open as the parents give the children tape to seal them.  One parent gave her child duct tape!  Good thing we have sharp scissors.
• Another child asked for Santa to find her birth mother!
• The funniest one was a child that said "ask my dumb ass social mother to get my social media back".  We've all had teenagers and find these funny.
• The names of the children get stranger every year.  Dick, Jane and Mary aren't popular names any more.  

The funniest letter came yesterday.  I believe this a template that you can download on the Canada Post site.  Carol and I had a belly laugh over this one:

Here are more samples of what we received. 

Just in case Santa doesn't know where to find them, this child sent links!

Here are some of the stickers.  These ones are puffy and were all over the envelope too!

This list didn't start with "I want".  Most do and I think this child is awesome!

A thank you in advance notice with lots of nice art work.  Thank you was a pop-up.

Danella sent us some jokes.

We get lots of pictures of what they ask for.  One wonders how the letters get through the scanners to us with the weird addresses and stickers all over the envelopes!  

I have no idea who Pete is but I'm happy he's doing well.

These are just a few letters we received.  There are so many really creative children.  Some just scribble all over the page so you know they are young.  Others print very neatly and you can tell the parents have taught them manners.

In the beginning we told all the children because of COVID not to leave cookies, milk or carrots.  However, Premier Horgan said it was okay, so we stopped that.  Hopefully they don't want the news.  We told the children the North Pole was COVID free.  That was before the vaccine was approved.  Then Dr. Bonnie said Santa got the COVID vaccine.

Lots of children said they wanted the virus to be gone.  Others said they hated online school.  Others missed seeing their grandparents.  Many said they can't wait until the virus is over and things return to normal.  We were given a guide to answer COVID questions.  My favorite one:  

I know that COVID-19 has made it a tough year for a lot of people.  Try not to get too discouraged.  Things will eventually return to normal.  Hopefully the Christmas spirit can bring you some joy and hope throughout the year.  Please stay safe.  

If we get any letters that are sensitive or a child needs help, we send them to the HR department and they look after them.  I only had two letters that needed help.  

I'm ready to do this again next November.  

The changing way you watch television

Mainstream television continues to change.  In 1955, we had an antenna on our roof and got CBC and if you had a good enough antenna you could get KVOS Bellingham and the Seattle stations.  Cable TV was brought in and then satellite was available across Canada.  Now TV is streamed over the internet.  We figured that out when Shaw increased our internet from 50 Mbps tp 300 Mbps for no extra money.  Shaw never gives away anything for free.  It was a bonus for us as our download speed was awesome.  We bundle home phone, internet and have the largest tv plan available.  We don't go to movies and find some of the "pay" channels have excellent programming.

There are streaming sites like Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Britbox, Disney+ and many more.  Your cable will become obsolete probably as network television tries to compete with the streaming services.

BBC Canada is pulling out of Canada.  They are offering BBC Select, yet another streaming service to add to your monthly entertainment bill.  I will miss some of the programs on BBC Canada but I'm not subscribing to another streaming service.

Here is the press release:

BBC Studios is adding yet another streaming service to the already long lists of its platforms available in Canada. The new service, ‘BBC Select,’ will be available in Canada and the United States. This ad-free subscription streaming platform will mostly offer documentaries and specializes in programming tied to “culture, politics and ideas.” The announcement comes as Canadian broadcaster Corus Entertainment is closing its BBC Canada specialty channel at the end of December. BBC Select will reportedly come to Canada with programming that has never been available here before. This includes Selling Sex, Surviving America’s Most Hated Family and Grayson Perry: American Road Trip.  It’s odd BBC Studios decided to bring its Select streaming service to Canada and not merge its content with its platforms that are already available here like BBC Earth and Britbox. BBC says it will unveil Select’s launch date and pricing at a later date. The app will be available on Android and iOS.

When This Is All Over

 

2020 Humour!

 Some old ones, some new ones.  As 2020 comes to a close, these are right on!