Texas Re-Opening Announced

[Nice Guy Eddie 13406]

2 minutes ago, ChiTownDoc said:

Yes.  Vast majority of hospitals are financially up shit creek.  Should improve but likely need more stimulus.  

I meant in term of ability to care for COVID and non-COVID patients. They're not turning away patients but they're raising alarms of the trend but Abbott indicates the situation is nowhere near that level.

 

[GreenspointTexas 9559]

Our anesthesia group covers 24 hospitals/surgical hospitals/surgical centers/offices and the last 8 weeks have been the busiest our group has seen (outside of last December - december is usually our busiest month of the year regardless) in a few years

 

If anything, people are having MORE elective surgeries than ever before (at least in our group). Im not sure why, but maybe because its the summer + vacation time off with no vacation + sitting around at home + shutdown for 5 weeks. 
 

we keep waiting for the cases to slow, but its been absolutely nuts every day

[Skipper 6100]

20 minutes ago, GreenspointTexas said:

If anything, people are having MORE elective surgeries than ever before (at least in our group). Im not sure why, but maybe because its the summer + vacation time off with no vacation + sitting around at home + shutdown for 5 weeks. 
 

Wouldn't that almost certainly be the case considering there was a 6-8 week ban on elective surgeries?  It's not like the demand was non-existent during those 2 months. I would have expected there to be a significant ramp up.

[RomaVicta 29769]

On 6/21/2020 at 6:18 PM, trauma babe said:

 

 

Not mad or upset with you, but this is my first full day off after six nights straight and I've been, uh, imbibing since I woke up.

Healthcare Heroes is the term our hospital administration refers to and publicizes us as to skirt our requests for better PPE, hazard pay, better communication, employee testing, et al. Why try to actually take care of your people? It's enough when you can virtue signal by having a sign up on a skywalk that says "Heroes Work Here" and give out a few shirts that say "Healthcare Hero" on them for nurse's week, rendering them unwearable in public. Heroes by definition can go without essential tools. It's part of what makes them heroic. Then the public sees this and wants to help (which is great!) So they send food to the hospital from local restaurants and help feed us, or lots of cards and candy (also great!). Admin sees all of this happening and then wonders what we have to complain about.

I'm not a hero, and I don't know any nurse, APRN, or doctor who would refer to themselves as such. A lot of the time lately it feels like we're martyrs. I keep showing up because (a) helping other people is the only thing that gives me meaning in life; (b) I like getting a paycheck; and © I care too much about the amazing people I work with to let them shoulder this burden alone. We have lost over fifteen nurses just on my home unit since May. That is devastating to an ICU, and we're not even the COVID ICU (though who knows how much longer that will last). The majority of them left because of administrative inflexibility on helping us protect our loved ones from ourselves and their refusal to rehire or retain anyone who wanted to go help in the initial hotspots. The nursing administration at one of my hospitals stopped the weekly Q&A sessions they would have for staff shortly after COVID started in earnest because they didn't like the questions we asked and they didn't like the attitude with which we asked them. Nor have any administrators volunteered to help out on some shifts. These people all have active nursing licenses in the State of Texas . It is a requirement of their jobs. There is so much they could do to help, even without taking direct care of patients. But they don't. When the PPE situation was at its worst (and it's still not great. Better, but not great), we asked them if they would go into COVID room wearing the gear they were telling us was safe and protective enough to wear. I'll give you one guess as to how many took us up on that challenge.

We are just another line item expense to them. Show me a nurse that goes into administration and I'll show you a fucking sellout.
 

 

So typical of what America has become due to so many reasons. Saying "thank you for your service" to veterans while underfunding healthcare for them and neglecting to attempt to create better programs to help in the transition from the battlefield to the Disneyland of returning home is another example.

The lip service would actually mean something if backed up with action. Instead of sustenance or real care, here, have an inspirational meme with a cornball turn of phrase.

I've been sporadically tipping convenience store clerks and drive thru attendants. Just a few dollars mostly. Occasionally a fiver or a single depending on what's in my wallet. I make less than the average UT graduate.

At first, I was afraid such a small gesture would insult the clerks. They all brightened up and said thanks. There's nothing life changing about the tip, but it is a material expression. It feels like a real appreciation.

Decades ago, there was a study quoted by management types which indicated that workers valued praise more than they valued raises. From this, management decided to dole out more praise and hold on to more money. For years while a blue collar worker, I would be told that I wanted praise more than money.

"Yea, but that doesn't mean I don't want the money." I was sometimes viewed as a mercenary. Yes, that's right. I'm essentially a mercenary not your goddamn son. I show up and work hard; you pay me for it.

A cornball poster like this:

Does not surpass or equal this:

The world needs Trauma Babes and soldiers and teachers. Thank them and pay them. It's possible to do both.

Edited June 23, 2020 by RomaVicta
Opened with an incomplete sentence. What's happening to me?!?!?!

[Wanker Bob 379]

3 hours ago, WBT said:

I wonder that too.  That's the reason the excess death conspiracy people need to tap the brakes a little bit.  Not all excess deaths right now are going to be from covid.  Probably most, but I don't think we have a way to know the percentage yet.

Yeah, but really if they're caused by not being able to get a surgery they'd otherwise get if not for covid then aren't they still caused by covid?

[LurkingHorn 1044]

 

[RomaVicta 29769]

On 6/21/2020 at 11:50 PM, Rougarou said:

I stopped wearing a mask for about 3 weeks but started again everytime I'm out of the house this weekend. Chalk me up as someone who thought the worst was over...

Holy shit, somebody changed their mind. I've got goose pimples. 

I'm so accustomed to people being entrenched. Compliments. Seriously. I hope others follow your lead.

Two weeks ago, we returned from driving to New England and back. Today is the 14th day and I'm very relieved that neither of us have symptoms. We took precautions with masks, and I wore gloves at gas stops because they are surely crossroads of Covid.

In the trip up, fair amount of masks. On the way back, you'd have thought the plague was over. Even workers in gas stations were only about half wearing masks. We dodged a bullet.

I'm a fat boomer. I don't want to catch this shit. I wish the same for you all. All!

[RomaVicta 29769]

On 6/22/2020 at 11:59 AM, Brisketexan said:

This.  Correlation doesn't equal causation.  Again, that's not to say that protests contributed zero cases - they surely did contribute some number of transmissions.  But areas with large protests have seen both upswings and downturns in case numbers.  Common thread of protests, different outcomes.  That's a strong indicator that something OTHER than the protests is the largest driver of transmission.

BLM, according to an NPR interview with some organizers, was circulating in the crowds with hand sanitizer and masks. Amazing organization and leadership.

The story was about how BLM is focused on creating grass roots leaders rather than promoting a few, iconic leaders such as MLK or Malcolm X. I think a lot of great American leaders will emerge from BLM.

[RomaVicta 29769]

23 hours ago, NameAlreadyInUse said:

Thanks.  I asked because you specifically talked about the protests as being places where people were packed together without masks, just like bars.  The overwhelming majority of protestors were wearing masks.  That was clear if you were seeing the video of these marches.  Maybe not as clear from the pictures you saw.  That doesn't mean that the protests are not going to be partially responsible for spread, but I suspect they'll be less than many feared because so many did have masks on.

And don't forget the tear gas. That's gotta be bad for the Covid droplets. The protesters had it good!

[Okie State 3788]

Holy shit, somebody changed their mind. I've got goose pimples. 
I'm so accustomed to people being entrenched. Compliments. Seriously. I hope others follow your lead.
Two weeks ago, we returned from driving to New England and back. Today is the 14th day and I'm very relieved that neither of us have symptoms. We took precautions with masks, and I wore gloves at gas stops because they are surely crossroads of Covid.
In the trip up, fair amount of masks. On the way back, you'd have thought the plague was over. Even workers in gas stations were only about half wearing masks. We dodged a bullet.
I'm a fat boomer. I don't want to catch this shit. I wish the same for you all. All!

I change my mind on things all the time as new facts are presented. People don't understand how or why I do that.

[Brisketexan 104537]

2 minutes ago, RomaVicta said:

BLM, according to an NPR interview with some organizers, was circulating in the crowds with hand sanitizer and masks. Amazing organization and leadership.

The story was about how BLM is focused on creating grass roots leaders rather than promoting a few, iconic leaders such as MLK or Malcolm X. I think a lot of great American leaders will emerge from BLM.

Oh, they were - I saw several of them.  There were multiple stations with people aggressively dishing out sanitizer, sunscreen, cold water bottles, and masks.  It was a concerted and well-organized effort.

[RomaVicta 29769]

18 hours ago, elfenix said:

That statement was lame shit. "I'm not going to order businesses to require masks and you're free to not give them your business if you don't like their mask policy" is like saying to the other kids that they don't have to play with Timmy when he pees in the pool.

The continual claim of "personal responsibility" is a denial that systemic problems exist. If systemic problems exist then they justify a systemic answer. But that might mean that government does have a purpose and that billionaires have to pay to clean up after themselves so fukit.

[StruggleBus 3922]

21 hours ago, ChiTownDoc said:

In my 10 years since residency I've never once raised my voice or bitched at a nurse.  That shit annoys me to no end and if I hear one of our doctors does that shit, I personally call them.  There's no place for that garbage.  And it's actually dangerous.  If nurses feel intimidated to communicate its a disaster waiting to happen...

Maybe you’ve never raised your voice. But you’ve surely had to raise your pimp hand.

[RomaVicta 29769]

12 hours ago, ChiTownDoc said:

Overall costs in healthcare are way fucking down.  Treating c19 is pennies on the dollar compared to all the expensive surgeries that have been cut off for a good long time now.  

Plus they can count on the GOP to find a way to bail them out if the GOP is still in power.

[ChiTownDoc 21097]

1 minute ago, RomaVicta said:

Plus they can count on the GOP to find a way to bail them out if the GOP is still in power.

Meh.  Even the democrats will bail them out.  Nobody is gonna let a bunch of hospitals go broke.   Especially when showing pretty much all of them literally had people dying on the front lines.  

[RomaVicta 29769]

1 minute ago, ChiTownDoc said:

Meh.  Even the democrats will bail them out.  Nobody is gonna let a bunch of hospitals go broke.   Especially when showing pretty much all of them literally had people dying on the front lines.  

I should have been clearer. I meant the insurance companies. And you're right about either party in that case, too. Insurance companies own the government no matter who is in power.

[ChiTownDoc 21097]

8 minutes ago, RomaVicta said:

I should have been clearer. I meant the insurance companies. And you're right about either party in that case, too. Insurance companies own the government no matter who is in power.

Yes only Bern was gonna stand up to insurance but even that was likely going to be futile with very few members of Congress ready to fight that fight.  

[RomaVicta 29769]

33 minutes ago, Okie State said:

41 minutes ago, RomaVicta said:

Holy shit, somebody changed their mind. I've got goose pimples. 
I'm so accustomed to people being entrenched. Compliments. Seriously. I hope others follow your lead.
Two weeks ago, we returned from driving to New England and back. Today is the 14th day and I'm very relieved that neither of us have symptoms. We took precautions with masks, and I wore gloves at gas stops because they are surely crossroads of Covid.
In the trip up, fair amount of masks. On the way back, you'd have thought the plague was over. Even workers in gas stations were only about half wearing masks. We dodged a bullet.
I'm a fat boomer. I don't want to catch this shit. I wish the same for you all. All!

Read more  

I change my mind on things all the time as new facts are presented. People don't understand how or why I do that.

It makes no sense. You're not for harming anyone. You're not calling anyone an idiot. I can't tell what team you're on. Do I hate you or back you up no matter what?

Where am I?

[ChiTownDoc 21097]

1 hour ago, GreenspointTexas said:

Our anesthesia group covers 24 hospitals/surgical hospitals/surgical centers/offices and the last 8 weeks have been the busiest our group has seen (outside of last December - december is usually our busiest month of the year regardless) in a few years

 

If anything, people are having MORE elective surgeries than ever before (at least in our group). Im not sure why, but maybe because its the summer + vacation time off with no vacation + sitting around at home + shutdown for 5 weeks. 
 

we keep waiting for the cases to slow, but its been absolutely nuts every day

Yeah but even then we are WAY behind on the year.  

[mdmost 42827]

Thanks a lot, fuckface. I guess Abbott isn't favored by Daddy Trumps.

 

[hayden_horn 11360]

Just now, mdmost said:

Thanks a lot, fuckface. I guess Abbott isn't favored by Daddy Trumps.

 

when you do testing to that extent, you're going to find more people, you're gonna find more cases, so i said to my people, slow the testing down, please

[GreenspointTexas 9559]

18 minutes ago, ChiTownDoc said:

Yeah but even then we are WAY behind on the year.  

Yup. Same here

[Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand 13545]

https://www.chron.com/coronavirus/article/Texas-Children-s-Hospital-now-admitting-adult-15359626.php

 

"Dr. Shubhada Hooli tweeted: "Just like that — in Houston, we the pediatricians at Texas Children's Hospital, will now start seeing adult patients. I'm up for the challenge, but please help us out. #WearAMask and stay home. I guess its time to retire my giraffe reflex hammer."

[Wanker Bob 379]

1 hour ago, hayden_horn said:

when you do testing to that extent, you're going to find more people, you're gonna find more cases, so i said to my people, slow the testing down, please

He keeps talking about that so you know that's exactly what they're doing. Of course having a low number of reported cases isn't going to matter when there's video and evidence everywhere of hospitals and communities being absolutely wrecked. 

These are the dumbest motherfuckers to ever lead anything. None of them should even be managing an Eskimohut

[Wanker Bob 379]

4 minutes ago, Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand said:

https://www.chron.com/coronavirus/article/Texas-Children-s-Hospital-now-admitting-adult-15359626.php

 

"Dr. Shubhada Hooli tweeted: "Just like that — in Houston, we the pediatricians at Texas Children's Hospital, will now start seeing adult patients. I'm up for the challenge, but please help us out. #WearAMask and stay home. I guess its time to retire my giraffe reflex hammer."

This is getting critical

[babysdaddy 2718]

https://www.chron.com/coronavirus/article/Texas-Children-s-Hospital-now-admitting-adult-15359626.php
 
"Dr. Shubhada Hooli tweeted: "Just like that — in Houston, we the pediatricians at Texas Children's Hospital, will now start seeing adult patients. I'm up for the challenge, but please help us out. #WearAMask and stay home. I guess its time to retire my giraffe reflex hammer."

That decision would indicate they are not concerned about kids needing the beds due to covid.

[Patrick Bateman 3903]

[Ghost of LL 15469]

The entire world is going to sit back, gasp, and say "oh my God, look at Texas."  And it's all going to be on Abbott's fault.  And helpfully, there are going to be clips of Dan Patrick inviting the olds to die so that kids could go to bars.

If you don't think that's going to have electoral ramifications, you're crazy.

[Hugo Stiglitz 23356]

YOU KNOW WHAT FUCKING SUCKS?!? LIVING RIGHT NEXT TO THE TEXAS BORDER!  

At least I’m on a Texas based political talk forum though. 

[Beantown Express 2.0 6552]

You live in Mexico?

[Hugo Stiglitz 23356]

Worse, Louisiana 

[TwiceHorn 31240]

17 hours ago, Wanker Bob said:

How does that work? Who's paying for all the treatment if not insurance?

Just like all the emergency care for uninsured.  Basically us.

People go into the hospital every damn day and rack up hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills, straight-billed.  And they never get paid.

Daily.  In every hospital in America.

Getting emergent care without insurance in America is no big deal.  Covid-19 is no different in that respect than a cardiac event, aneurysm, appendectomy, gunshot wound, MVA trauma, etc.

Getting chronic care can be a problem.

Edited June 23, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[NAVY 6738]

Travis County 257 today. 
 

https://www.traviscountytx.gov/news/2020/1945-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-information

[InkaUtexas 25486]

130 in Hays. Not all tests reported. 

[TwiceHorn 31240]

Dallas County 445, 7 new deaths.

Averaging 414/day for last seven days.

Compare 209/day for seven days preceding June 1.

Edited June 23, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[Francisco 2.0 32312]

49 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

The entire world is going to sit back, gasp, and say "oh my God, look at Texas."  And it's all going to be on Abbott's fault.  And helpfully, there are going to be clips of Dan Patrick inviting the olds to die so that kids could go to bars.

If you don't think that's going to have electoral ramifications, you're crazy.

Speaking of Dan.  Don't seem to recall him being on television or other media lately talking about Covid. 

 

[TornACL 7674]

1 minute ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

Speaking of Dan.  Don't seem to recall him being on television or other media lately talking about Covid. 

 

Like all cowards his ilk will now go into hiding. 

[NameAlreadyInUse 5105]

3 minutes ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

Speaking of Dan.  Don't seem to recall him being on television or other media lately talking about Covid. 

 

Of course not, he's staying home.  He only wanted YOU to die so the kids could get back to their bars.  He never had that intention for himself. Can't wait to vote against that POS again.

 

[JimmyJames 12271]

52 minutes ago, Hugo Stiglitz said:

Worse, Louisiana 

You should move to Mexico.

[Grade of D as in David 13253]

58 minutes ago, Hugo Stiglitz said:

Worse, Louisiana 

At least it's not Oklahoma

[gmr548 16481]

The entire world is going to sit back, gasp, and say "oh my God, look at Texas."  And it's all going to be on Abbott's fault.  And helpfully, there are going to be clips of Dan Patrick inviting the olds to die so that kids could go to bars.
If you don't think that's going to have electoral ramifications, you're crazy.

Do you mean 2020 or 22?

[Ghost of LL 15469]

1 minute ago, gmr548 said:

1 hour ago, Ghost of LL said:

The entire world is going to sit back, gasp, and say "oh my God, look at Texas."  And it's all going to be on Abbott's fault.  And helpfully, there are going to be clips of Dan Patrick inviting the olds to die so that kids could go to bars.
If you don't think that's going to have electoral ramifications, you're crazy.

Do you mean 2020 or 22?

Both, really.  But I was thinking specifically of the ramifications for Abbott in 2022.  I think his standing has been seriously undermined by his mishandling of this crisis.

[Longhorn_Fan68 33831]

One could say he no longer has a leg to stand on

[gmr548 16481]

Both, really.  But I was thinking specifically of the ramifications for Abbott in 2022.  I think his standing has been seriously undermined by his mishandling of this crisis.

I could see that. I could also see him cruising because short memories and entrenched opinions are a bitch. And at this point he'll likely have a Democratic federal government to bitch about for two years. Maybe he'd not run for a third term, though he's pretty much at his political ceiling.

2020, yeah. That would move TX from "kinda sorta maybe could theoretically happen but not worth chasing" to "go for the fucking killshot, Joe."

Hopefully your scenario just doesn't come to pass.

[Aqua Buddha 14501]

18 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

One could say he no longer has a leg to stand on

 

31 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

Both, really.  But I was thinking specifically of the ramifications for Abbott in 2022.  I think his standing has been seriously undermined by his mishandling of this crisis.

Well played on both counts......

[Hugo Stiglitz 23356]

Abbott better be in hot water after this shit.

[Sii 6]

Texas is fucked. Abbott and all the other trump supporters are too busy dreaming about sucking his cock to act responsibly or follow any guidelines. Even now, people will barely wear masks and don’t give a shit about distancing. Given the current rate of increase things are going to really be bad in a few weeks including the hospitals in several areas. Houston is already busting at the seams and they won’t be the only ones

[ultimaton 2966]

My mom called me last night to let me know my 98 year old granddad has been hospitalized with high fever and "stomach" issues. Haven't heard if he's tested positive for COVID, but he was out and about last week to get his fucking hair cut, so the timing would seem to fit. 

A good friend of my wife's started having pretty bad symptoms last week and got tested Thursday morning, and as of an hour ago still hasn't gotten the results, though since she's still very sick we can pretty much assume she caught it.

My wife and I have been on serious lockdown since March 1st, aside from her having an oncologist appointment, neither of us has literally even stepped foot in another building outside of our house until today. It is incredibly disheartening to see that mask compliance in WilCo appears to be nil, and people of all ages and demographics (so not just "boomers") going about their business as if COVID was simply a fucking bad dream.

[Post Oak 20182]

Mclennan County has had 118 in the last 3 days.

[Grade of D as in David 13253]

56 minutes ago, ultimaton said:

My mom called me last night to let me know my 98 year old granddad has been hospitalized with high fever and "stomach" issues. Haven't heard if he's tested positive for COVID, but he was out and about last week to get his fucking hair cut, so the timing would seem to fit. 

A good friend of my wife's started having pretty bad symptoms last week and got tested Thursday morning, and as of an hour ago still hasn't gotten the results, though since she's still very sick we can pretty much assume she caught it.

My wife and I have been on serious lockdown since March 1st, aside from her having an oncologist appointment, neither of us has literally even stepped foot in another building outside of our house until today. It is incredibly disheartening to see that mask compliance in WilCo appears to be nil, and people of all ages and demographics (so not just "boomers") going about their business as if COVID was simply a fucking bad dream.

Thoughts going out to your granddad. Hope it's a false alarm.