A Coronavirus Prayer
By Kerry Weber
By Kerry Weber
Jesus Christ, you traveled through towns and villages “curing every disease and illness.” At your command, the sick were made well. Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience your healing love.
Heal those who are sick with the virus. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care. Heal us from our fear, which prevents nations from working together and neighbors from helping one another.
Heal us from our pride, which can make us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders. Jesus Christ, healer of all, stay by our side in this time of uncertainty and sorrow.
Be with those who have died from the virus. May they be at rest with you in your eternal peace.
Be with the families of those who are sick or have died. As they worry and grieve, defend them from illness and despair. May they know your peace.
Be with the doctors, nurses, researchers and all medical professionals who seek to heal and help those affected and who put themselves at risk in the process. May they know your protection and peace. Be with the leaders of all nations. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Give them the wisdom to invest in long-term solutions that will help prepare for or prevent future outbreaks. May they know your peace, as they work together to achieve it on earth.
Whether we are home or abroad, surrounded by many people suffering from this illness or only a few, Jesus Christ, stay with us as we endure and mourn, persist and prepare.
In place of our anxiety, give us your peace. Jesus Christ, heal us. Amen.
Heal those who are sick with the virus. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care. Heal us from our fear, which prevents nations from working together and neighbors from helping one another.
Heal us from our pride, which can make us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders. Jesus Christ, healer of all, stay by our side in this time of uncertainty and sorrow.
Be with those who have died from the virus. May they be at rest with you in your eternal peace.
Be with the families of those who are sick or have died. As they worry and grieve, defend them from illness and despair. May they know your peace.
Be with the doctors, nurses, researchers and all medical professionals who seek to heal and help those affected and who put themselves at risk in the process. May they know your protection and peace. Be with the leaders of all nations. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Give them the wisdom to invest in long-term solutions that will help prepare for or prevent future outbreaks. May they know your peace, as they work together to achieve it on earth.
Whether we are home or abroad, surrounded by many people suffering from this illness or only a few, Jesus Christ, stay with us as we endure and mourn, persist and prepare.
In place of our anxiety, give us your peace. Jesus Christ, heal us. Amen.
Dr. Donna’s KEY POINTS RE COVID 19
1 – COVID 19 or Coronavirus is VERY REAL. IT is not being overdramatized or used to make news… though I do suggest that you limit the amount of time you spend in front of the news. Pick a good source and check in twice a day. This problem is going to be with us for some time, so we should spend our time wisely.
2- Though it is very serious, I do believe that many good things will ultimately come of this predicament. I will speak of this at a later time, but for now I recommend that you try to LOOK for the GOOD, as we adjust ourselves to the reality of a new way of living for the next 2-3 months.
3- While it is true that approximately 80% of people who contract a coronavirus infection will come through it without much difficulty, it is also true that the remaining 20% will not do well if we do not limit the number of cases that develop at any one time. WE MUST LIMIT THE SPREAD TO A SLOWER PACE IN ORDER TO HAVE THE MEDICAL STAFF, SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE TO TREAT THOSE INFECTED, (as well as those with other illnesses who will still need care.) In the US, we have not been prepared with sufficient testing capability and therefore there are many among us who are infected and not yet ill. This will become more apparent over the next 7-10 days. UNTIL THEN, you must limit your exposure by sheltering in place. PLEASE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY. Practice social distancing!
4- Over the next 2-10 days, testing will become more available, with testing starting today in our area, but initially, only for those who meet certain criteria. The rate of infection will appear falsely elevated at that time, since many will have been exposed over weeks without knowing it. The rate will increase in a real way as more people become infected, IF WE DON’T ISOLATE IN OUR HOMES. On the other hand, if we all take this seriously, then the rate should level off quickly – over the next 2-4 weeks. Some people will need to remain vigilant for the next year – or however long it takes for a vaccine to be produced, as this illness is very hard on those who are elderly or compromised by other illness or use of steroids, etc.
5- Please make your home a “SAFE PLACE” - a place where you can relax and move about without worry about infection. That means, one good cleaning of all hard surfaces and all handles (refrig, dishwasher, etc.), knobs, phone cases, pens, handles of purses, as well as keyboards, computer mice, water bottles, chair backs, etc., (see the CDC link below for cleaning & disinfecting.)
Place a bottle of disinfectant wipes at the entrance to your home and in your car. Wipe down your carry-ins (water bottles, watches, phones, etc.) when you come in and then go STRAIGHT to your sink and remove watches then lather up your hands with warm (not HOT) water and rinse and lather again and rinse. Don’t forget to clean rings. Rub gently as you rinse and then dry with a paper towel or clean towel. (I recommend the ‘Serenity Prayer’ before or after your Happy Birthday song as a timer) Shower if you have been in a group setting or hospital or lab. Leave your shoes at the door. Change towels and pillowcases more frequently, especially if you have been out and about. Use hand cream if your hands are cracking.
That’s it – If you and all family members do this and limit your guests, your house will remain clean and you can relax.
6- Regarding mail and magazines, etc. – I would suggest that you open mail and discard envelopes and then wash your hands. Wash before eating or using eyedrops or taking medication.
7- Fill a pillbox – or two, so that you don’t have to keep re-opening bottles. It will also give you plenty of notice if your meds are running low. Keep at least 2 weeks of extra meds, including over the counter meds such as Tylenol, Advil, Aspirin, Vitamins, etc. Be sure you have a working thermometer. – Check it NOW!
8- Try to stock up on a little extra of paper goods and wipes and soap and bleach, however, you can achieve similar results if you also conserve what you have… so use less starting NOW.
9- Be sure to have the following on hand if you develop a flu-like illness or COVID 19, so you don’t have to shop or order food for delivery:
10- If you find yourself caring for children or teens, who are not following good hygiene habits, then you must protect yourself. Set hard and fast limits or remove yourself from exposure. They too must come in and wash their hands and if they have been working or doing childcare (as many will be), then they should shower and change clothing when they enter your home. They should be taking temps daily and if fever or cough develop, they need to isolate! If you are using babysitters, be sure to question them regarding their activities and exposures.
11- Get outdoors when the weather permits. Go for a ride and walk or exercise (or both) in your homes each day! Please don’t sit all day or you will lose valuable muscle mass and strength. It is difficult to get this back, especially after the age of 60…. So do some wall pushups and core exercises and walking or dancing in place. ANYTHING! You can climb your stairs to music or sit and stand from a hard-backed chair. Find a video and follow along. You can also get a head start on your gardening and yard cleanup! Clean your porch so you can sit outside when the weather warms a bit more. STAY ACTIVE!
12- IF you are home, use this time wisely. How many times have we wished for life to slow down a bit…? Well, here it is!!! Maybe you can try to meditate each morning or do a bit of relaxation reading.
13- Try to do something fun every day. Pessimism and fear breed disease. Don’t dwell on the statistics and get swallowed up by sedentary TV. Play a board game or cards or learn a new skill. Once I catch up on charting, maybe I will learn how to cook!
14- Set a weekly goal for those tasks you have been putting off - Clean out those piles of paper or newspaper or old clothes. It’s a great time to declutter. It’s also a great time to finish your Will or other estate planning.
15- Connect with a few safe friends outdoors, (those who take this seriously and not those who are still going to bars or group events.) You can maintain a safe 6-foot distance while going for a hike or a walk on the Green. Just don’t hug or invade personal space. Put a mask or small scarf in your pocket for any time you find yourself in a crowd. I believe that some protection is better than none. Remove yourself if possible. Avoid air travel and crowded subways.
16- Do something for others in order to get the focus off yourself and your fears. Bring food or supplies to a shut-in or just call them or Facetime. Help them to find solutions without putting yourself in harm’s way. Deliver Meals on Wheels but don’t go inside.
2- Though it is very serious, I do believe that many good things will ultimately come of this predicament. I will speak of this at a later time, but for now I recommend that you try to LOOK for the GOOD, as we adjust ourselves to the reality of a new way of living for the next 2-3 months.
3- While it is true that approximately 80% of people who contract a coronavirus infection will come through it without much difficulty, it is also true that the remaining 20% will not do well if we do not limit the number of cases that develop at any one time. WE MUST LIMIT THE SPREAD TO A SLOWER PACE IN ORDER TO HAVE THE MEDICAL STAFF, SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE TO TREAT THOSE INFECTED, (as well as those with other illnesses who will still need care.) In the US, we have not been prepared with sufficient testing capability and therefore there are many among us who are infected and not yet ill. This will become more apparent over the next 7-10 days. UNTIL THEN, you must limit your exposure by sheltering in place. PLEASE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY. Practice social distancing!
4- Over the next 2-10 days, testing will become more available, with testing starting today in our area, but initially, only for those who meet certain criteria. The rate of infection will appear falsely elevated at that time, since many will have been exposed over weeks without knowing it. The rate will increase in a real way as more people become infected, IF WE DON’T ISOLATE IN OUR HOMES. On the other hand, if we all take this seriously, then the rate should level off quickly – over the next 2-4 weeks. Some people will need to remain vigilant for the next year – or however long it takes for a vaccine to be produced, as this illness is very hard on those who are elderly or compromised by other illness or use of steroids, etc.
5- Please make your home a “SAFE PLACE” - a place where you can relax and move about without worry about infection. That means, one good cleaning of all hard surfaces and all handles (refrig, dishwasher, etc.), knobs, phone cases, pens, handles of purses, as well as keyboards, computer mice, water bottles, chair backs, etc., (see the CDC link below for cleaning & disinfecting.)
Place a bottle of disinfectant wipes at the entrance to your home and in your car. Wipe down your carry-ins (water bottles, watches, phones, etc.) when you come in and then go STRAIGHT to your sink and remove watches then lather up your hands with warm (not HOT) water and rinse and lather again and rinse. Don’t forget to clean rings. Rub gently as you rinse and then dry with a paper towel or clean towel. (I recommend the ‘Serenity Prayer’ before or after your Happy Birthday song as a timer) Shower if you have been in a group setting or hospital or lab. Leave your shoes at the door. Change towels and pillowcases more frequently, especially if you have been out and about. Use hand cream if your hands are cracking.
That’s it – If you and all family members do this and limit your guests, your house will remain clean and you can relax.
6- Regarding mail and magazines, etc. – I would suggest that you open mail and discard envelopes and then wash your hands. Wash before eating or using eyedrops or taking medication.
7- Fill a pillbox – or two, so that you don’t have to keep re-opening bottles. It will also give you plenty of notice if your meds are running low. Keep at least 2 weeks of extra meds, including over the counter meds such as Tylenol, Advil, Aspirin, Vitamins, etc. Be sure you have a working thermometer. – Check it NOW!
8- Try to stock up on a little extra of paper goods and wipes and soap and bleach, however, you can achieve similar results if you also conserve what you have… so use less starting NOW.
9- Be sure to have the following on hand if you develop a flu-like illness or COVID 19, so you don’t have to shop or order food for delivery:
- Water, juice or soda, chicken broth, or other beverages
- Pasta noodles, saltines, bread in the freezer
- Protein sources – for refrig./ freezer: Peanut butter, eggs, yogurt, cheese, chicken, beef or fish.
10- If you find yourself caring for children or teens, who are not following good hygiene habits, then you must protect yourself. Set hard and fast limits or remove yourself from exposure. They too must come in and wash their hands and if they have been working or doing childcare (as many will be), then they should shower and change clothing when they enter your home. They should be taking temps daily and if fever or cough develop, they need to isolate! If you are using babysitters, be sure to question them regarding their activities and exposures.
11- Get outdoors when the weather permits. Go for a ride and walk or exercise (or both) in your homes each day! Please don’t sit all day or you will lose valuable muscle mass and strength. It is difficult to get this back, especially after the age of 60…. So do some wall pushups and core exercises and walking or dancing in place. ANYTHING! You can climb your stairs to music or sit and stand from a hard-backed chair. Find a video and follow along. You can also get a head start on your gardening and yard cleanup! Clean your porch so you can sit outside when the weather warms a bit more. STAY ACTIVE!
12- IF you are home, use this time wisely. How many times have we wished for life to slow down a bit…? Well, here it is!!! Maybe you can try to meditate each morning or do a bit of relaxation reading.
13- Try to do something fun every day. Pessimism and fear breed disease. Don’t dwell on the statistics and get swallowed up by sedentary TV. Play a board game or cards or learn a new skill. Once I catch up on charting, maybe I will learn how to cook!
14- Set a weekly goal for those tasks you have been putting off - Clean out those piles of paper or newspaper or old clothes. It’s a great time to declutter. It’s also a great time to finish your Will or other estate planning.
15- Connect with a few safe friends outdoors, (those who take this seriously and not those who are still going to bars or group events.) You can maintain a safe 6-foot distance while going for a hike or a walk on the Green. Just don’t hug or invade personal space. Put a mask or small scarf in your pocket for any time you find yourself in a crowd. I believe that some protection is better than none. Remove yourself if possible. Avoid air travel and crowded subways.
16- Do something for others in order to get the focus off yourself and your fears. Bring food or supplies to a shut-in or just call them or Facetime. Help them to find solutions without putting yourself in harm’s way. Deliver Meals on Wheels but don’t go inside.
|
PLEASE keep your medical information (medication lists, contact persons and problem list) handy and grab them it you go to the hospital. Medical information will be valuable if you are too ill to speak and family/friends may not be permitted to visit.
For further information, click or copy and paste in your browser, one of the CDC links below: www.cdc.gov › coronavirus › types www.ready.gov › www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov then look for “prepare/cleaning-disinfection” www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov then look for “if-you-are-sick” “caring-for-yourself-at -home” |
PLEASE NOTE REGARDING MEDICATIONS AND COVID 19 INFECTION:
save for future reference There are studies which indicate a problem with many common blood pressure medications ..IF YOU ARE DIAGNOSED WITH CORONA VIRUS. IF you test positive for COVID 19 – with or without symptoms, please notify me ASAP and I will review your medications with you and give you advice. More information is forthcoming so I will not elaborate now. PLEASE DO NOT STOP YOUR MEDICATIONS unless you are ill, and you speak to me. Also, as with any flu-like illness, if you are taking Metformin for Diabetes, please hold the medication IF YOU ARE TOO ILL TO EAT OR DRINK. Resume the medication once you have been able to eat normally. |
|
I hope that this has been helpful – TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY and TAKE CHARGE!
Eat healthy, hydrate and get some sleep….. I will try to do the same. Sincerely, Donna Criscenzo, MD |
Prepare yourself RIGHT NOW for COVID infection!
- The goal is to have what you need for a 2-week illness - in case your friends and relatives are too sick to care for you - and to reduce their exposure to you.
- That means setting up an isolation room, if you live with others OR being prepared if you live alone.
- Picture the flu - you won’t want to get out of bed or eat or drink - often you don’t even know someone else is around you when you are that sick. Others should encourage you to eat or drink - start early to drink 6-8 glasses of liquid per day - don’t get behind. Figure 4 oz EVERY hour during the day – more if feverish because we sweat off our body fluid. If we become dehydrated, our immune system cannot work efficiently.
- Establish a phone buddy to check in with you 2-3 times per day.
- Stay out of ER unless you are very short of breath, have a high fever (103 F) or you are unable to eat/drink causing dehydration and lightheadedness. You will risk exposing yourself to illness , while the hospital staff won’t do anything for you that you can’t do at home - unless you are in need of hydration or breathing support. Diabetics may need sugar control - especially if dehydrated.
- Go for a COVID 19 test if you have a fever of 100.4 F or more and cough - knowing you are positive will help you to protect others by isolating yourself. Isolate while waiting for your test result. Wash your hands!
- If you DO go to the hospital - Bring medical info with you - prepare it now – a medication list and medical history plus a list of contacts and physicians. Place this in your purse or in an obvious place to grab, along with phone charger, small notebook, pen and reading material.
- Hydrate early and well - if not making much urine or urine is dark yellow, then you are not drinking enough. If not hungry then drink liquids with calories - non citrus juices and even popsicles, broth - limit Gatorade and Pedialyte unless you are vomiting.
- Spring allergies are starting early and may be severe, given our mild winter. Be sure to start allergy and asthma meds soon so that you are not already compromised if you catch Covid-19.
- Prepare for 14 days of isolation and have a spare pillbox with your medication ready so that you won’t miss medication.
- Reduce the amount of help you will need by being ready for a severe flu-like illness:
- Have plenty of juices, ginger ale and other beverages you like to drink.
- Eggs, popsicles or Italian ice, hard candies, applesauce etc - freeze some meals
- Set up an isolation room now in your home - Stay in your bedroom / bathroom
- Use your own towels and utensils or disposables
- Keep a thermometer nearby - know your temp when you call your Doc
- If asthmatic - be sure you have your inhaler and refills
- Make sure you have the following medications:
- Tylenol (acetaminophen) and Ibuprofen or Aleve
- Mucinex and Delsym cough syrup
- Consider multivitamins, zinc and Elderberry
- Prepare a supply of tissues, gloves, mask or scarf for over nose and mouth
- Check on elderly relatives /neighbors etc by phone and often - be sure they are prepared with these things
- If diabetic - be sure you have test strips and test often if you are ill - If you are too sick to eat - do not take metformin those days and reduce insulin if sugars are low - check with your physician
IF you DO become ill:
AFTER you have been ill:
- Use a dishwasher or disposable utensils and plates
- If family or friends come by - let them drop off food near door
- Get out of bed every hour and move around a bit
- Open the window when temperatures permit
AFTER you have been ill:
- See CDC info re ending isolation:
- You may end isolation 7 days after symptoms began, provided you have had no fever for AT LEAST 72 hours and your cough is almost gone.
- Thoroughly clean your isolation room and bathroom - use mask and gloves and shower after cleaning is done. Clean iPads keyboards and remote controls.
- You will likely cough for a few weeks after you recover. Cover your cough. You should be fairly immune but this is not known yet.
- You will be weak from your illness and bed rest, so you may be more susceptible to bacterial infections/ pneumonia etc - so lay low, increase exercise gradually and eat well.