An Update [View all]

[OhioChick]

Last edited Sun Mar 22, 2020, 06:31 AM - Edit history (2)

From my previous thread:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213118078


I'm up all night on eBay (all night, every night) basically hitting refresh and when someone puts up a bulk amount of N-95's, I buy them. People are price gouging terribly.

Ebay has a take down policy now for sellers listing N-95's in bulk and price gouging, so they're taking listings down so I have to act fast.

I just paid another $1K for about 80 or so N-95's. I just can't keep up at this rate financially so I'm going to have to stop soon.

I'm just exhausted and terrified but that doesn't matter at this point.

The shortages are on everything now, not only N-95's, lock and key. (Patients and some staff were stealing them)

They're not wearing hazmat suits but flimsy gowns. No goggles, masks or much of anything. Think Grey's Anatomy vs. (the movie) Outbreak.

I applaud ALL of our healthcare workers in the world, hearing of all of the stories, risk of contagion, etc., I don't know how they're doing it.

The government needs to get vents as soon as possible, otherwise when this surge hits cities (and it will hard) there will not be enough vents for everyone sick and decisions will have to be made. I'm sure you know what those are.

If anyone wants to help and has a surplus of any of the above items (or whatever else you may think of), please drop them off at your local hospital.

If people want to help but don't have access to the above, send pizzas, donuts or whatever you can think of to your local hospitals. Staff don't have time to prepare food, so a quick slice of pizza or donut would be a nice gesture for them as they're working around the clock and hungry.

By "send", I meant to order some pizzas, donuts or whatever, if it's affordable. Your local hospital staff would appreciate it greatly.
Homemade food is generally not accepted by hospitals and thrown out for various reasons. Plus, you don't want to risk exposure by trying to do a wonderful deed and entering a hospital at this time.

As for a view from inside the ICU, it's like that out of a horror story. Our medical professionals are going to have PTSD by the time this is over, in my opinion. It's not only the elderly with health issues but healthy people with many young. (40's and 50's)

I will say this, it's bad in the hospitals and if it isn't in your area now, it will be at some point. We haven't even surged here yet and we're out (or nearly) out of everything. A surge is being predicted here within the next week. Cases are rising overnight.

My son's girlfriend is an ICU nurse (different hospital than he) and has had no mask or anything covering her mouth/eyes, etc. for a few weeks, she knows she's going to get this and is scared from what she's seen. Some hospitals have not been allowing staff to bring in their own items but staff are ignoring this and improvising as best as they can. His girlfriend is now doing this, as well.

I've been told of what ICU's are like and what this virus does to the body.....it's just unimaginable, a true horror story that remains in my brain even though I've not seen it firsthand.

I'm in a red zone and hospitals are expecting a surge in less than a week. People are still outside in groups and we do need some type of lock down or curfew at the very least. Everyone seems to have that "that can't happen to me attitude."

From what my kids have told me, they said the biggest message they wish local/state and federal governments should say would be to "Stay home, unless absolutely necessary." Those who don't are just making their lives harder and putting them and their families at home at risk.

They also said pictures of the ICU should be shown on the media, not for sensationalism but to get people to STAY HOME.

Will update the situation as soon as I can gather my thoughts and think straight.

Also said:

WE NEED MORE TESTS!

(I'm not posting this for sympathy, only to alert people to the seriousness of this unfolding situation)