Pandemic Journal Day - Day 199

Nearly 200 days into the economic shut-down created by the global pandemic that is known as Covid-19, the President of the United States has come down with the virus.

He was diagnosed on Thursday after a positive test and on Friday he was flown by helicopter to Walter Reed Hospital. As far as I know, he remains there, although I haven't checked the news in a few hours.

As my president - yes, he is my president - I am concerned and I hope that he recovers. I do not wish illness on anyone, regardless of my personal animosity towards him or her. I have asthma and trouble breathing sometimes. I know how awful it can feel to have oxygen levels drop. Mine have at times tumbled into the high 70s during an asthma attack, and it is scary and fatiguing.

It's not something I wish upon anybody.

This event has made me sad and confused. I am sad because I don't want to see anyone sick, and I am sorry that President Trump is now one of the more than 4,296,000 active Covid-19 cases in the United States. I do not wish him to have an early death because of this virus. 

I did not wish it upon the 209,721 people who have died from it, either.

I am confused because I have a Facebook news feed full of really strange conspiracy theories, from all quarters. People I know on either side of the political aisle do not believe he is ill. They think it is some kind of election hoax. If the people who support him do not believe him, how can they continue to support him? 

Some think he's put out coded messages in his videos and (very minimal) tweets. Apparently this is some kind of election ploy, they say. If they don't believe him, how do they expect those who oppose him to believe him? I find it bewildering.

If people (especially those who are Republicans) think the White House puts out fake news, whoever do these people trust with any news at all? No one?

So I am sad that we have apparently reached such a state of mistrust that even supporters mistrust their own candidate. Obviously, this kind of thing means the office of the president, which should be the most honored, trusted, and classiest office in existence, has reached a new low, one that even I did not predict. I thought surely his supporters would rally around him, and some have, of course. But so many are sure he isn't sick - it's a bit maddening.

Additionally, those who support the president are upset because many who do not are not openly praying for his recovery. I don't believe in the thoughts and prayers thing, so I won't be doing that, but I wish him well. However, it is hypocritical to expect the people who oppose the president to be woeful about his illness, especially since he has dismissed science and created much chaos by lack of leadership during this pandemic.

One only had to watch his actions to know that eventually he would become ill. Flouting the known science and advice from the people who have studied viruses all their lives did no one any good, especially not himself.

Personally, I think he is sick. I am concerned because I've not heard a single mention of how his wife is doing, as she also has the virus. She is 50 years old and as far as I know is being treated at the White House, so perhaps she is ok. But I would like an update on her condition, too.

I have not forgotten that Mr. Trump didn't hesitate to make fun of Hillary Clinton when she was campaigning with pneumonia. I suspect many people have not forgotten that.

I want this man out of office because he has corrupted it and he has demolished the role of the federal government to the point where it cannot respond as it needs to (see pandemic response, hurricane response, wildfire response, etc.). 

But that doesn't mean I want him to die.

In other news -

We continue to practice physical distancing. I saw my dentist and my doctor last week, and both were nerve-wracking but I managed and so far (knock wood), I am fine. My doctor is not seeing sick people, only people who are asymptomatic. If I get sick I will get a teledoc visit - or she said if she thought she had to see me, she would come out to my car! I thought that was amazing.

The dental visit was a bit frustrating because the hygienist needs a few days off. She complained about not being able to use certain tools to clean teeth the entire time she was working on me, and that grew wearisome after about the eighth time of hearing it. I couldn't do a thing about it.

I am going adventure shopping in a bit - a Kroger pickup. The cases locally keep slipping up. We now have 315 cases in my county. We have nearly 1% of the population now the virus. Twenty-four residents are in the hospital right now and 10 have died.

These are strange and scary times.