nycman

Just finished Every Grain of Sand. I enjoyed it and I learned a lot about addiction, relapses, and recovery. Although I’ve never met David, it seems very true to his spirit. I LOVE In Cold Blood....thanks for reminding me. I need to re-read it. An Exhaltation of Larks by James Lipton.

Best answer so far. I was going to say after 2 months with zero transmissions in NYC, but I like your nerdy answer better.

PK thank you for your painfully beautiful posts. You are helping all of us cope with this unmitigated disaster. Today I dared to hope as our local numbers seemed to “bend” ever so slightly. Not enough to be a trend and it’s far from over, but maybe, just maybe, we’re not still in the horrifying free fall stage. As one of my trusted mentors said when this started, “don’t worry about how insane you sound today, in this coming catastrophe you will be seen as a prophet within 2 days“. Unfortunatelay, he has been right over and over during the last 4 weeks. Today it took 3-4 days for my doomsday prophecies to come true....still crazy.....but progress. Today one came off the vent and one went home. Small victories, and I try not to think about the many who are not so lucky. Yes, luck is a major factor. I sang through my N95 to the one who went home as he walked out the door. I’m sure he thought I was nuts. I didn’t care. I’ll take any win I can get at this point. What you do matters. The world is weighing heavy on your shoulders right now. Although I’ve never met you, I know you have the training, the strength, and the resilience to see this through. And when this is over, the first lap dance is on me, even if I have to come to NJ in full PPE and do it myself. Lets be honest, I’ve worn worse on the PATH train...grin

Go beat off. Afterwards, you will instantly realize how stupid your idea sounds. Trust me.

You realize this whole Covid hoax is really just a ploy by us tops to get more of you to sleep ass up, right? ”It helps you breath better.....I promise. Come on, just try it.” grin

Don't cry for me Argentina. There are plenty of shifts available in the Emergency Department and Intensive Care. Come on down!

I‘m pretty sure the gorillas are cool with it. Just don’t taunt them with bananas at the zoo....that’s just rude.

How much?

It does. The truth is, if they can‘t revive you at the scene, a trip in an ambulance to the hospital, is a pointless exercise. They know that. It’s more about getting the dead body out of the house and making the family feel like you did “everything you could.’’ It‘s pure theater. Now that white lie is putting other people’s lives at risk, so it must stop. Nothing like an unmitigated pandemic to unleash some epic truth telling.

Purple you are a hero. Please take care of yourself as well. Long days in N95 masks are hard on the body and the mind. Yesterday my twice daily temperature check was 99.2. The quite panic in my head was hard to control. You are not alone. 98.7 this morning. I had flashbacks to the near hourly checks for posterior cervical adenopathy that haunted most of my 20’s during the late 80’s. I can still feel the sore spot where I rubbed the living fuck out of that one prominent lymph node that I just knew was my death knell. Writing is therapeutic. If for no other reason than to talk to the void. I encourage you to keep sharing your story as much as you can. Most people don’t really understand the epic tragedy that is now sealed behind our locked hospital doors. Your writing is important. For you, and for us. There is no end in sight, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep fighting. In fact, we must fight, as best we can, with what we have. No one can ask or expect anymore of us than that. That doesn’t mean it won’t take its toll. No doubt the world will never be quiet the same again. We will lose friends, patients, and comrades. We are fighting a war with very little ammunition. If it’s not the lack of N95s, its the number of ventilators, or its the drugs to sedate them, then its the oxygen tank running low...... some days it seems like everything is running out. Nonetheless, I have met many hero’s this week. Colleagues have risen to the occasion to a degree I would have never guessed a week ago was even possible. And yes, I’ve closed my office door and just fucking cried more than a few times. Stay strong and know you are not alone.

I doubt I'll ever get on a cruise ship again. I never really liked them. And now that I've seen how easily a virus can wreak havoc in that atmosphere, I don't every want to be in that milieu

Purple my heart goes out to you. We are living in difficult times. This video lifted me up during a recent rough spot. I hope it will do the same for you, even if only for a minute.

Never make major life decisions during a catastrophe. Nothing lasts forever, and this too shall pass. When it’s over, reflect and remodel. Not before.

If you’ve got a spiderweb elbow tattoo.....you’re trouble with a capital “T”. I’m sure some on here are looking for just that, but it’s a major pass for me.

Testing isn’t going to help you....there’s no effective treatment. Call 911....only if you’re having an emergency. Having a ”fever of over 101“ isn’t an emergency.....it’s call “being sick”. Please don‘t expose 911 responders and emergency staff unnecessarily. Funny....the doctor who hates Emergency physicians.....didn’t say “come to my office” during a Pandemic....he said “call 911”. Emergency Medicine....anyone, anywhere, anytime. Game, set, match.

It’s called “topping from the bottom” grin

**** SPOILER ALERT ***** and I can't promise they're all correct..... 1. The Simpsons 2. Mario Brothers 3. Batman 4. ???? 5. Dexter's Laboratory 6. Wallace and Gromit 7. Family Guy 8. Tom and Jerry 9. Toy Story 10. Flintstones 11. Deadpool 12. Minions 13. South Park 14. Pinky and the Brain 15. Futurama 16. ?????? 17. Mickey and Minnie Mouse ?? 18. Bugs Bunny ? 19. Star Wars 20. Star Trek Peter Griffin, Marge Simpson, and Fred Flintstone were the key to breaking it for me. Curious which characters helped others break it. And I love/hate you now more than ever nerd boy @Kevin Slater

My first hire was through Premier. I was in town on business, very young, and incredibly nervous. I’ll never forget how sweet the guy who answered the phone was. I was an obvious newbie wreck. In the end he said, “just show up and we’ll take care of the rest. We’re professionals” How right he was. I used them for years whenever I was in Philly and never once had a bad hire. Thanks Premier!

We have lost a giant and a beautiful gentle soul.

Ugh. We’re doomed.

Philistine. grin

Which for a test with only about 70% sensitivity means...there are about 4,414 New Yorkers with a “false negative” test who are infected with COVID, but think they aren’t. The test is great if positive, you have it. Quarantine! If it’s negative, it sucks. You may still have it. Quarantine! It’s pretty useless despite all the hype. @Kevin Slater you nerd....feel free to correct my math....or better yet....graphs!

Just pick one..... ...that’s quite a rap sheet.

My local grocery store.....that saw pretty severe panic buying last week. Made a GIANT stacked pyramid of Bounty Towel Rolls at the entrance today. Kind of a “fuck you....stop being dipshits....we’ve got plenty” message. I loved it!

During these harsh economic times.... I’m trying to be generous to those who have been generous to me in the past.... No matter what currency they were using to help me.