ER Workers Worry: If They Die, Who Will Care for Their Son?

Dr. Adam Hill, an emergency room doctor, and Neena Budhraja, a physician’s assistant, both work in New York City public hospitals that are overwhelmed by the coronavirus. They sat down one night to address a growing concern: Determining who would be their 18-month son Nolan’s legal guardian if they became infected and died. These ER workers worry about who will care for their son if they die.

These aren’t just anxious parents. They work in two of the city’s busiest public hospitals

The couple spends their days and nights intubating terrified patients, navigating stretchers in crowded hallways and searching for clean equipment. The pandemic is putting unimagined strain on medical workers, exposing them to dangers and emotional stress unlike anything they have ever experienced. Among the deaths are those of their colleagues.

They talk to their colleagues to find out how others are keeping their families safe. Some send their children to live with relatives. Another doctor has moved to his basement, Facetimning with his children upstairs. One doctor is living at an airport hotel.

Adam and Neena don’t have those options

They take turns at their hospitals and return home to their young son. Neena has thought about quitting, yet feels a responsibility to her team. This is what she trained for. Yet both have lost colleagues to the virus, and their biggest fear has been infecting their families.

Neena and Adam were married in 2017, and they lived the kind of high-adrenaline life typical of those who work in emergency rooms. They trekked to Machu Picchu and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. ER doctors are accustomed to the predictable unpredictability of ER life. But the coronavirus transcends everyone’s imaginings.

Adam knew by early March that something was very wrong

Adam recognized that something was seriously wrong when men in their 30s and 40s, otherwise healthy, were showing up at the ER with fevers or were having trouble breathing. They would deteriorate rapidly, gasping for air within a few hours. He kept waiting, thinking that his team would get a handle on these cases and turn a corner.

The hospitals began retrofitting the facilities for the virus

They installed huge fans in the ER to suck out dirty air to try to keep the virus from spreading. The fans are loud, so alarms go off constantly from equipment monitoring the breathing of patients on ventilators. The entire team is hoarse from yelling over the noise of the fans and the alarms. It’s chaotic, exhausting.

Taking precautions to stay safe

Neena covers her scrubs with a gown that hides her wrists. She wears an N95 mask, a face shield, a cap and gloves. She uses the same face mask for two straight shifts, instead of changing it between patients as standard protocol calls for.

When her shift ends, she tapes her N95 mask to the inside of her locker and wipes down her face shield and stethoscope with alcohol. She changes out of her scrubs in a bathroom, leaves her sneakers and takes a packed subway or bus home. The trains are crowded now because of virus-imposed service cuts. Arriving home, Neena quickly turns away from Nolan, throws her airtight bag of dirty scrubs into the laundry room — where they will sit for at least 48 hours before she washes them — and takes a shower.

COVAD takes a personal toll on healthcare workers

Adam is not sleeping well. Late at night, he scrolls through a Facebook group of fellow ER doctors. One doctor wears gloves and a mask at home to protect his family. For Neena, a colleague’s death was a turning point–the overcrowded emergency room, the lack of isolation rooms, the hallways jammed with people on stretchers waiting days for a spot in intensive care to open up. She thought about quitting. One day, Adam found himself “crying uncontrollably, just finally letting out all the emotions from the past month.”

Choosing a guardian for Nolan in case something happened to them

As Adam and Neena worked on their Living Trust, a key part of this was deciding on a guardian for Nolan—if something happened to them they wanted to make sure that they were choosing the person who would care for their son—not the court. Because of the virus, everyone’s life has become a little more uncertain–Adam and Neena named three backup guardians.

Despite the stress, long hours, sleepless nights and concern for the health of their families, both Neena and Adam had always planned to spend their entire careers practicing emergency medicine. Dealing with the pandemic has strengthened this commitment.

Doctors worry that if social distancing stops, the rate of infections will spike again

Over the course of ten days, they have seen a steady decline in new virus patients at their respective hospitals. The fear that they will get sick has not gone away, and colleagues continue to test positive. Doctors are realists; they worry that if people stop social distancing too soon, a second wave of cases will inundate the hospital.

During this health crisis, many are feeling an urgency to create a Living Trust 

Our Trust package includes a Will, Power of Attorney, an Advance Healthcare Directive and Incapacity Planning. We guide you through the process and prepare the legal documents. At California Document Preparers, for most of our services, we charge one flat fee. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable. Schedule an appointment today at one of our three Bay Area offices in Dublin, Walnut Creek or Oakland. 

Note that our offices are open and we’ve instituted stringent sanitation procedures. We can also provide our services virtually.

We service the entire East Bay and North Bay areas

Berkeley, El Cerrito, Richmond, Pinole, Alameda, San Leandro, Castro Valley Newark, San Lorenzo, Concord, Alamo, Danville, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Livermore, Tracy and Fremont. Our clients also live in the Napa Valley, Benicia, Vallejo, Martinez, Fairfield.

This story is based on a story in the New York Times by Jesse Drucker.

COVID Heroes: Scientists Are the New Rockstars!

Europe’s new heroes aren’t actors, musicians or politicians. The new celebrities are epidemiologists and virologists. These are the people who are drawing huge virtual crowds around the world during their regularly scheduled briefings. There’s a good reason for their popularity. COVID Heroes: Scientists are the new rockstars!

In a time of political disinformation and delusional happy talk, people want the truth

We need to know what to expect, to be able to make plans. We’ve learned that we can rely on these scientists—not necessarily our politicians–to provide accurate information.

In Italy, Dr. Massimo Galli, an avuncular director of infectious diseases

In a hospital in Milan, Dr. Galli quickly became a familiar face on Italian current-affairs TV shows, delivering no-nonsense updates about the virus. He called social distancing “the mother of all battles”. He understands the way Italy’s multigenerational families and geographical density made Italy’s infection rate so steep. Between broadcasts, Dr. Galli creeps back to his laboratory to help his colleagues with research.

In Greece, Prof. Sotirios Tsiodras, addresses the nation every day at 6pm

Professor Tsiodras’ delivery is flat, and he relies heavily on his notes as he provides the latest data on the confirmed sick, hospitalized or deceased. He offers practical advice—such as using a solution of four teaspoons of bleach per liter of water for disinfecting surfaces, including our hands. This church-going father of seven has been frank, proactive, alert to dispelling misinformation. Greece has fewer than 100 deaths since the start of the outbreak.

Dr. Christian Drosten has emerged as the voice of scientific reason in Germany

Long respected for the depth of his knowledge and willingness to share it with peers, Dr. Drosten has never sought the limelight. Colleagues have described him as an unlikely hero. Germany has had a relatively low death rate. As chief virologist at the Charité University Research Hospital in Berlin, Dr. Drosten is a sought-after guest on talk shows and the star of a daily podcast. He makes it clear that he “is a scientist, not a politician”.

Here in the U.S., Dr. Anthony S. Fauci is a highly respected immunologist

Dr. Fauci is the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He has had a brilliant career, advised six presidents and received numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He has been instrumental in developing treatments that enable people with HIV to live long and active lives. Dr. Fauci has been outspoken on the need for social distancing and being cautious about not reopening our economy while COVID cases are still on the rise. His honesty and forthright delivery have made him a hero of the left while angering those on the right who see his efforts attempting to undermine Trump. He now has security guards.

In Spain, Dr. Fernando Simón has become an endearing scientific hero

The director of Spain’s health emergency center, Dr. Simon delivers COVID updates. He acts as a counselor for anxious citizens who have peppered him with questions online, including whether people should take off their shoes before entering their homes (not necessary). Dr. Simón tested positive for the virus in late March, prompting a nationwide outpouring of sympathy and well wishes.

Legitimate COVID information will be coming from Dr. Fauci, the CDC or the WHO

It’s important to remember that developing a vaccine for this disease is going to take much longer than we would like. Making sure that it’s safe will take time, manufacturing it will take more time. And remember that we’re all part of this big global community—everyone must be vaccinated.

During this health crisis, many are feeling an urgency to create a Living Trust 

Our Trust package includes a Will, Power of Attorney, an Advance Healthcare Directive and Incapacity Planning. We guide you through the process and prepare the legal documents. At California Document Preparers, for most of our services, we charge one flat fee. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable. Schedule an appointment today at one of our three Bay Area offices in Dublin, Walnut Creek or Oakland. 

Note that our offices are open and we’ve instituted stringent sanitation procedures. We can also provide our services virtually.

We service the entire East Bay and North Bay areas

Berkeley, El Cerrito, Richmond, Pinole, Alameda, San Leandro, Castro Valley Newark, San Lorenzo, Concord, Alamo, Danville, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Livermore, Tracy and Fremont. Our clients also live in the Napa Valley, Benicia, Vallejo, Martinez, Fairfield.

COVID-19: Is There Some Good to Come Out of This?

We’ve lived through some tough times. Many of us remember the way the Vietnam War, and Watergate tore our country apart. The 2008 recession eliminated many small businesses, and it took a few years for the rest of us to get back on our feet and begin to prosper. And now we find ourselves completely kneecapped by COVID-19. Within just weeks, our lives have radically changed, and we face another long month of sheltering in place. But we find ourselves asking if there is some good to come out of this.

A global phenomenon, we have no idea when this will end

COVID-19 is a virus, and scientists tell us that it’s mutating, which will make it more difficult to develop a treatment or vaccine. Yet we’re tired of being cooped up. We want haircuts and spa days. We’re annoyed that we have to cancel our vacation plans. How selfish we are. The burden of this will fall disproportionately and tragically on the old, the weak and the poor in ways that are too awful to contemplate.

But take heart; some good things may come from this pandemic

1. Innovation: That fundamentally American ethic

Business owners who want to remain successful have had to be nimble. I know one small business owner who closed one office, furloughed part of his team and began offering his services virtually. All within one week. He is now planning to expand what is now his new, leaner business model.

2. There can be no doubt that we are part of a global community

Oblivious to borders, there’s no passport control for this guy. The only way of stopping the virus’ spread would be to shut borders completely. No coming in or going out. Cooperation among nations is essential to combating the epidemic. Sharing knowledge and tools is critical because this airborne disease roams the globe.

3. Getting to know your family and your neighborhood

As we’re all locked up in our local quarantines, we might get better acquainted with our neighbors and our families. We might be more present to the people around us, the people we love. Families with extra time together may go back to enjoying just being together, doing simple things—card games and board games, playing catch, cooking, going for walks or bike rides.

4. It may make future epidemics less likely

If we’re smart, we can take the lessons from this pandemic and learn from them. Public health needs to become a specialty, and our public officials need to be paying attention to the first signs of trouble and begin preparing. We lost precious time and we’re paying the price in lost lives and a plummeting economy. Much has been learned about the containment and mitigation of infectious disease. Vaccines against future viral challenges are likely to be developed faster as a result.

5. The miracles of modern medicine have let us down

No popping a pill for this one. There is no cure. This is going to be harder than what we’re used to, and it’s going to be around for a while. COVID promises to change the way we travel, work and recreate. Recognizing our own vulnerability might slap us around and make us humbler.

6. Our environment may benefit

• India’s 1.3 billion people have created one the world’s worst smog problems. The Himalayan mountain range is now isvisible from a distance for the first time in years. People now can see the stars. All of this proves that better air quality can be achieved.
• China’s emissions have been reduced by 25%; coal use cut by 40% and good air quality days are up by 11%.
• Without traffic and air travel, greenhouse gas emissions have fallen dramatically. Pollution in New York has reduced by nearly 50% because of measures to contain the virus.

A global pandemic claiming people’s lives shouldn’t be seen as a way of bringing about environmental and social change, but we may be able to take some of these bitter lessons and apply them to other parts of our lives. At the very least, we can hope that our government officials are learning that we need our allies, our global relationships. We are, indeed, in this together.

During this health crisis, many are feeling an urgency to create a Living Trust 

Our Trust package includes a Will, Power of Attorney, an Advance Healthcare Directive and Incapacity Planning. We guide you through the process and prepare the legal documents. At California Document Preparers, we charge one flat fee for most of our services. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable. Schedule an appointment today at one of our three Bay Area offices in Dublin, Walnut Creek or Oakland.

Note that our offices are open and we’ve instituted stringent sanitation procedures. We can also provide our services virtually.

We service the entire East Bay and North Bay areas

Berkeley, El Cerrito, Richmond, Pinole, Alameda, San Leandro, Castro Valley Newark, San Lorenzo, Concord, Alamo, Danville, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Livermore, Tracy, Hayward and Fremont. Our clients also live in the Napa Valley, Benicia, Vallejo, Martinez, Fairfield.

Be Alert, Be Wary: COVID-19 Brings Out the Scammers

As millions of American families mourn and others suffer with the coronavirus and its aftereffects, fraudsters are rolling up their sleeves and polishing their skills to take advantage of the most vulnerable among us.

These people are wily—they follow the headlines and adapt their messaging

They model their scams to fit the latest developments. Testing? Not a problem. Here are fake testing sites, in-demand products and bogus cures. By April 23, the FTC had received more than 25,400 consumer complaints related to the outbreak, including nearly 14,000 fraud complaints. Tragically, victims have reported losing nearly $20M; the median loss was $556.

Be on the lookout for other scams

It’s important to understand the fundamentals: There is currently no vaccine for COVID-19. There are no drugs that have been proven safe to treat the disease. None exists. That includes hydroxychloroquine that Donald Trump has been pitching. The medical community does not endorse this drug as a COVID-19 treatment. It can have serious health consequences.

• Teas, essential oils, cannabinol, colloidol silver and intravenous vitamin-C therapies are treatments being touted online and on TV as defenses against the pandemic—none of these is a legitimate treatment for the virus.
• Other scammers claiming to be selling or offering in-demand supplies such as surgical masks, test kits and household cleaners, often in robocalls, texts or social media ads. The FTC has issued warnings to companies suspected of abetting coronavirus robocalls.
• IRS scams. With most Americans set to receive stimulus checks under the CARES Act, the IRS warns of a wave of schemes promising to escalate payments. Beware calls or emails from supposed government agencies using the term “stimulus” asking you to sign over a check or provide personal information like your Social Security number. These are bogus. The government will not be contacting you; rather, they will be mailing you a check or doing a direct deposit into your checking account.
• Be alert to calls from so-called banks and lenders offering help with credit card debt. Fraudsters are targeting small businesses with promises of quick capital or debt forgiveness.
• The stock market. The SEC is warning investors about scammers touting investments in companies with products that prevent, detect or cure COVID-19. They entice people with the promise that those stocks will soar in price. Remember—there is no product that can cure or prevent this disease. Rather, this is a moving target that mutates.

Phishing scams: Planting malware as a way to download passwords and other information

• The Justice Department hasshut down hundreds of phony websites. These sites will incorporate “coronavirus” or “covid19” in their domain names and promise vaccines and other aid, often claiming to represent the government or an aid organization.
• The trap is triggered when you contact those malicious domains. You start getting phishing emails from scammers in an attempt either to plant malware on your computer or to get your personal information. Google reported in mid-April that its Gmail platform was blocking a whopping 18 million such messages/day.
• These emails appear to be from real businesses or government agencies. Once you click on a link or download an attached file, you import a program that uses your internet connection to spread more malware, or digs into your personal files looking for passwords and other information for purposes of identity theft.

The bottom line: Be cautious when looking for COVID info

Remember that developing a vaccine for a disease is going to take much longer than we would like. Legitimate coronavirus information will come from the CDC or the WHO. Over the next few weeks especially, be extremely wary of fundraising calls, of anyone asking for your personal information or offering you a great deal. Be cautious about opening emails from sources you don’t recognize and clicking on suspicious links. If in doubt, delete.

During this health crisis, many are feeling an urgency to create a Living Trust 

Our Trust package includes a Will, Power of Attorney, an Advance Healthcare Directive and Incapacity Planning. We guide you through the process and prepare the legal documents. At California Document Preparers, for most of our services, we charge one flat fee. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable. Schedule an appointment today at one of our three Bay Area offices in Dublin, Walnut Creek or Oakland. 

Note that our offices are open and we’ve instituted stringent sanitation procedures. We can also provide our services virtually.

We service the entire East Bay and North Bay areas

Berkeley, El Cerrito, Richmond, Pinole, Alameda, San Leandro, Castro Valley Newark, San Lorenzo, Concord, Alamo, Danville, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Livermore, Tracy and Fremont. Our clients also live in the Napa Valley, Benicia, Vallejo, Martinez, Fairfield.