The following was written by the registered dietician at our small town Montana hospital/clinic/nursing home and she gave me permission to share. As you all know, I’m a mask advocate. I am a nurse. Masks work. The points made by Kelsey are spot on.
I have so many things to say…
I tested positive for COVID October 28. First of all, I’m fine. Brandon, the kids and I all had cold-like symptoms. Thankfully I was able to return to work this Monday; meanwhile Brandon and the kids have been quarantined at home, working and attending school virtually.
Our little community has been hit hard. Half of my employees (including myself) have contracted COVID. We have 40+ active cases in our county and our poor county health nurse is exhausted from making phone call after phone call, conducting test after test. Most people are recovering and have mild symptoms; some are severe.
I have been on the fence about the damn masks. I work in a hospital and we’ve been wearing the damn masks since March, all day, everyday. We are soooo over it as healthcare workers.
Here are some observations I’ve made:
*Our providers/doctors religiously wear their masks wherever they go and they’ve cared for many, many COVID positive patients; they have not contracted this virus.
*We have had 10-15 employees that have tested positive who all work closely with our nursing home residents, the most vulnerable population; none of our residents have contracted COVID. I pray it stays this way.
*In order to work, all staff members must get a weekly COVID test to help keep our facility safe. Some of the positive cases had no symptoms at all.
*I seriously doubted that a paper-like face covering could really protect all of us. But what I’m witnessing with my own eyes tells me the masks are working in an environment where there is no option of whether you wear a mask or not.
Our little hospital is so overwhelmed. We don’t have backups incase someone is sick. It’s been really scary. I am in awe each day of the amazing people I work with who are powering through to provide care for our community and patients. We had record high volumes in our ER and record breaking months for the number of CT scans over the summer and things aren’t slowing down; and we’re in the midst of a pandemic. These are the things people on the outside don’t always see or hear. In the community our facility feels so scrutinized all the time…and it’s so hard to stay positive. We’ve also been very blessed to receive incredibly positive feedback from the patients and people we have served; and I think that’s what keeps us going.
Please pray for our local hospital and healthcare workers all over the country. Please be patient and kind to each other regardless of your beliefs about COVID and the damn masks. To my co-workers, it is an honor to work with you; keep the faith that better days will come.
Thursday was another go get supplies day. First stop was the post office where not one person including the staff was wearing masks! But I did get a box of squishy mail–yarn, and a box of books from my dear friend Kelly–
Onward to Sierra Vista where we made a stop at Home Depot and one at Fry’s grocery store. We had lunch and then waited, and waited. The Cowboy discovered a company located on the outskirts of Sierra Vista which builds stairs–TopTread Stairways. Clyde Martin also sells lumber as in the kind of lumber the Cowboy needs for building the kitchen cabinets–hickory. Clyde wouldn’t be back in the shop until late in the afternoon so as I said, we waited.
Last season we purchased a bit of hickory lumber from him and while in the shop he showed us the slide–as in children’s slide–he was building from Brazilian rosewood. Amazing!! Thursday I asked him about the slide and he sent me these photos–it’s an amazing piece of work created by Clyde to go into a tower in a home in Sacramento, CA. He built the slide and stairs in the Sierra Vista shop and took it to Sacramento for installation. Clyde is an artist, without a doubt!
Friday I tackled a big chore that had been staring at me every time I went out the back door–the motorhome and trailer needed to be washed! Whew! The Cowboy is working on getting the mini split heating and air conditioning system ready for the heating and air conditioning guy who is coming next Friday to do the final hookup.
Saturday we took a much needed break and took a drive over the Chiricahua Mountains to Portal. It’s sad to see this area so incredibly dry. For the first time since we’ve been coming to this area there was no water in the creeks on the west side of the mountains and only puddles in the creeks on the east side. The fall colors are muted probably due to lack of water. But no matter, it was a beautiful drive, we enjoyed a picnic lunch and came home.
Our family in Germany had professional photographs taken recently and the photos have WOW factor!
Here is one of my favorites of Lora–
And that’s enough words for one blog!
Restoration Cowboy Style 
Love the slide, but REALLY love the picture of Lora! Gosh she is cute!!!
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You should see the rest of the photos–that lady is one good photographer!
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I love the wood of the slide. So beautiful and yes a work of art. I cannot imagine the price tag…and worth every penny.
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It was an expensive slide–Clyde is one talented woodworker!
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Joe and I are mask wearers as well…we are in the vulnerable age group…don’t wanted the virus and sure would not want to spread it if I had it unknowingly. We were at Wal-Mart this past Fri. and were very happy to witness a man being denied entry because he wasn’t wearing his mask 👏👍
The slide is incredible and Lora is adorable! Gay
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I just don’t understand the non mask wearing thing. Are you guys coming to Tucson this winter?
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We are definitely in the mask wearing corner. And in the minority but that’s ok. That stairway and slide are incredible. What a talent he has. Stay safe.
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But, how long do we mask wearers have to isolate to protect ourselves against the non mask wearers??
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We wear masks. They just aren’t that big of a deal. I wish everyone was on board so we could get the virus under control. Sigh. On a happier note, I want one of those slides!! LOL.
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Doesn’t that slide look fun!! There is a video Clyde sent me and he is zipping down that slide once it was installed–he said the owners let him have the first run!
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Love the Chiricahua’s! What a wonderful place to relax. Cleverly done photo of Lora. I don’t have words for the slide/stairs combo. It is such a magnificent piece of woodwork. That wood is absolutely beautiful. I’d love to see it in person. Some child is having a blast. We are serious mask wearers. It really is disturbing to see people that don’t cover their nose. Crazy! The nose is connected to the mouth/throat.
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I plan to be in the Portal area the week after Thanksgiving to do some photography. Any recommendations for a campground? 36 foot motor homemade can boondock. Thanks in advance.
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Friends of ours stay at Rusty’s in Rodeo, NM which is only less than 5 miles from Portal. It’s a no frills kind of RV park.
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That’s where I stayed and highly recommend it. Really like the area, especially for photography. Currently making my way to Palm Creek in Casa Grande.
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That should read motorhome AND can boondock.
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