MantaLady

Stay safe Mera, saw the news this morning that the whole country is in lockdown and it must be very scary for you at the moments. Look after yourself and keep posting xx

ReadyAtLast

I also thought of you this morning Mera and hope you and your family are ok. It must be a very scary and strange situation for you all. I hope you keep posting.

Meraviglioso

Thanks Manta, was just coming here to post/vent. I am now legitimately afraid. Of course for the health of everyone, but the economy. The country is going to be in deep trouble.
Schools have already been closed for the past 10 days, now are closed until April 3rd.
My kids are with their grandparents in another town nearby, the plan was for them to stay for a week, but now I don't know what will happen.
Officially we are not allowed to cross towns. So I don't know if they can come back right now. My boyfriend, although he lives just 10 minutes away, is in a different town, we are not allowed to cross the line to see each other.
I am waiting to find out if I still have the meeting with the court ordered psychologist on Thursday, where I was hoping to gain more access to my kids, but I have a feeling that will be postponed until April.
My little village is going to be destroyed by this. The cafes, restaurants and bars, florist, hair salons, etc will not survive this.
I just feel so lost and confused and desperate to help but there is nothing we can do.

Dee74

You're in my thoughts too Mera.

I believe this will end and something like normal life will be resumed but
it must be a very scary and volatile time there...

Kudos to you for staying sober through it.

D

MantaLady

That’s a lot of worry for one woman Mera, vent here as much as you want and don’t get lost in all this stress and fear. We’re here for you. x

ReadyAtLast

That's awful for you, your family and community. You are doing brilliantly staying sober throughout it all. As Manta says, vent away as much as you like here, we are all here for you.

Meraviglioso

Yes, I am sober and I think now will be the time I finally quit smoking too as going out to buy cigarettes is not a necessity and we can only leave for true reasons of necessity.

Meraviglioso

This was posted by a friend in Milan. Good advice for everyone, everywhere:

I have been quiet for a few days, but my phone and inbox have been blowing up so I wanted to thank everyone who has been checking on us. We are fine physically (for now), but, mentally, quarantine conditions and the devastating news around us does take its toll. To anyone anywhere saying, “Hey, it’s just the flu” or “The flu causes more deaths per year,” STOP. The rate of transmission with coronavirus is much higher and none of us is vaccinated against it. Worse, it causes a type of pneumonia that can leave patients in intensive care for weeks. The idea that it only affects the elderly or those with immune disorders is also wrong. No healthcare system in the world can handle the onslaught this virus brings with it, and we should not put our doctors and nurses in a position where they have to decide who gets the last bed in intensive care, who gets the last respirator. The hospital down the road where my children were born has had to adopt a “selection protocol” whereby they decide who lives or dies, and this is something that hasn’t been enacted since World War II. As someone who has been mired in all of this since Feb. 24. I would just like to give some advice to anyone in the world in an area where coronavirus is starting to ramp up. First and foremost, you don’t necessarily need to hoard toilet paper but you should get stocked up on your prescriptions. Primary-care doctors are at great risk of being exposed to coronavirus, so if they are taken out of commission (and even once the madness reaches fever pitch), it makes it harder for you to get the things you need. Also, once this is widespread, medical offices, hospitals and pharmacies are not places you want to hang out. Finally, we are all soldiers in this fight. The less we are out and about, moving around, the more this virus dies out. We may have to be inconvenienced or have to change our habits for a while, but our actions have a direct impact on the lives of everyone around us, with effects that are felt far and wide.

Meraviglioso

Please pray for my son. He woke this morning with a high fever and trouble breathing. His father is going now to pick him and his brother up from the grandparents house. We have been advised by his paediatrician to not go to the hospital just yet but stay in isolation.

I don't know what is going to happen yet. This is a mess with all the legal custody stuff going on but now is a matter of health and safety. It might be, due to the father's weak immune system, that the children come stay with me at my house.

Still waiting for news.... I am sick with worry and stress.

Dee74

We're all with you Mera.

Young children are very resilient.
I hope that this will be a short lived thing and nothing serious.

D

Meraviglioso

Yes, fortunately it seems as though the virus is not affecting kids in a bad way. I feel certain he will be ok. But the exposure to his grandparents and his father is worrying. We just have to stay calm though.

Lixie

Oh Mera, how awful. You must me worried sick. Hope the little one gets better really fast.

entropy1964

Mera I really appreciate you sharing your personal story. Cannot deny this is a troubling event. And to have the situation with your kids....I cannot imagine. I hope your family endures and pulls together, at least emotionally, during this time.

I get to go to the hospital today for cancer treatment. We have no cases yet in our state. But its not a matter of 'if' I'll get the virus (or any of us really) its a matter of when. Maybe the high infection rate is due to the fact that we have no antibodies at all....and it definitely is not the flu. If it were most of us would have some level of protection. Maybe I'll stay home today. I haven't decided. Supposed to fly to California too in April. Hmmmm. Well I'll just think about the apt today for now.

Hang in there. Don't drink. Keep us posted.

Anna

Mera, I'm really sorry for the scary situation you are in. Thank you for keeping us posted. I keep thinking about you and wondering how you are doing.

cantsleep123

I'm really having trouble imagining how every hospital could be overloaded and refusing care in a country with 60 million people when "only" 10,000 have been diagnosed. Are people freaking out and going to the hospital unnecessarily? Are the numbers being released just plain wrong? Not doubting anything you say Mera just merely curious.

daisy1

If areas are being quarantined I imagine the hospitals can only deal with what they have for the people there, and if it's like our hospitals they are already full to bursting without any pandemic scares..

cantsleep123

This makes a lot of sense. In my area we are fortunate to have a very large system of hospitals (Jacksonville, FL) but not everywhere has this. I guess a temporary hospital like the Chinese built wouldn't be an option in smaller European countries.

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-...10-days-2020-2

Either way it's an awful situation.

Meraviglioso

https://www.google.it/amp/s/www.dail...-capacity.html

https://www.google.it/amp/s/www.bloo...breaking-point

https://www.google.it/amp/s/amp.theg...ath-toll-jumps

ReadyAtLast

Cantsleep -I know in the UK hospitals are under massive pressure already especially at this time if year. If 10000 more people suddenly needed treating it would be almost impossible. There are only so many medical staff beds and respiratory equipment. I imagine it is similar in Italy or anywhere

cantsleep123

Thank you. I wasn't saying you were incorrect I guess I was just naively imagining everywhere being like the city I live in. It was recently voted one of the best cities in the US for older people due to the large number of medical facilities vs. the population.