The Chaos Diaries - 5/2/20

Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment.  Just my usual quarterly shot thing, so no big deal, but since I went out into the world, it's worth a post.

To start off, Wednesday I got my usual pre-appt reminder call from the doctor's office.  In the pre-recorded message, they mentioned something about if you're wondering about the new rules in place, call.  So I called.  Their new rules are basically the same rules we're all following now - 6 ft of distance, if you feel ill stay home, etc.  The only change is that they would be taking my temperature before they'd let me inside the office.  Okay, fine, whatever.

So, off I went.  Before I go to my appointments, I usually hit the stores.  This time, most of my stops were either closed or unnecessary, but I did hit the Dollar General because I bought all these hotdogs and no buns.  I no sooner walked in the store than I ran into my next door neighbor.  He's a cool dude, but I hardly ever see him, so we chatted for a while.  We were about 6 ft apart, but people kept walking between us.  :shrug:  Anyway, he's well and so's his whole family.  Yay.  He also talked to me about his vegetable garden and said something about bringing us produce when it comes in.  Also, yay.

The DG was pretty chill.  Only saw one person with a mask on.  The store had the stuff I needed.  I got it and got out.  At the DG, they had a thing of hand sanitizer sitting in a lawn chair with a sign limiting people to one squirt only.  Okee dokee.  I didn't bother.  I had my HS in my pocket for easy squirting.  Which I did after I left the store and before I got into the car.

Off to the doctor's.

The door leading into the building had a sign on it, which I ignored.  The door to the office itself had the same sign, which told me to knock and someone would come to take my temperature.  I knocked.  And waited.  In the waiting area, I could see one other person.  She was masked up and waiting for her appt.  After a while, I heard her call out to Sue, the office manager.  Then I saw Sue poke her head up with the phone plastered to her ear and gesture for me to give her a minute.  No probs. 

Sue came out eventually and pointed this new thermometer thing at my forehead.  Apparently, no touch thermometers are a thing now.  I was 98.2F.  Yay for me.  (Lower temps run in the family, according to Mom.  Dad was always low.)  Sue also asked me some questions before she'd let me inside - how I felt, was I coughing, etc.  Anyway, I passed the gauntlet, so she let me inside.

Mine isn't a big doctor's office.  There are probably eight, maybe ten chairs in the waiting room.  There was that other gal and me.  And signs in every other chair that we weren't allowed to sit there.  Of course, the chair with the best view - the office looks out over the lake - had a sign in it.  So, I joked with the other gal about the fact that there were only two of us and the signs and junk.

And she offered to move.  As if that would somehow make the ludicrousness of the situation better.  Of course, she was tucked into the corner farthest from the door, and like I said, masked up.  I was all like no-no, that's okay.  Then, I said something about only being there for a shot.  She told me she was so scared of all this virus stuff she was there to get checked out.  Umm... Okay.  I didn't have the time or the energy to tell her that if she had the virus, she wouldn't have gotten past the door.  I just picked a seat far away from her and without a sign and opened my book. 

The rest of the appointment went without a hitch.  The nurse was masked up.  The office manager was masked up.  I chatted with the nurse like I always chat with the nurse, even if this was the new gal and my favorite nurse is part time now. :sadface:  Not because of this, but because her and her husband are in the process of opening a bed and breakfast - something they started way before this chaos crap.  I felt really bad for her when I thought about it, but apparently, they're still working on the remodel, so this isn't effecting their business yet.

Then I chatted with Sue, because she's a cool lady and I always chat with her after I get my shot.  She pushed her chair back so we were 6ft apart and she took her mask off.  From what I understand, those masks get really hot when you're talking a lot. 

Still, no mask for me.  Yay.  And they're re-opening the state on Monday.  I don't have anywhere to go, but it's nice to know they're trying to get back to business here.  I mentioned this to one of the gals at DG and she started going on about the re-opening causing a new surge in cases, etc.  Of course, she wasn't wearing a mask, so I'm not sure how much this is scaring her for real, but enough to be gloom and doom about the re-opening of MO.

I'm sad for all those people who have been so frightened by the powers that be, they're willing to do anything to not get this thing.  Again, I'm not scared of the virus.  I don't want it, of course, but I don't want the flu or the common cold or food poisoning either.  What I'm scared of is the economic downturn this country has taken and the rights that are being infringed upon on a daily basis.  That shit scares the crap out of me.

Anyway, we're all fine.  The neighbors are fine.  (Ran into another neighbor on the way home and she's good, too.)  Whether the country will be fine?  Time will tell.

How are things with you and yours?