Typhoid Mary’s Home – and what we forgot…

Typhoid Mary’s Home

Note: I have started adding to this post – look for my update dated 10/22/14 at the end. I WELCOME your feedback after your complete review.

The headline above is linked to a NY Times story that reflects our nation – and the common sense it demonstrated in an earlier day. It highlights a place that was then and is now in very close proximity to one of the busiest cities on the planet. This place allowed medical professionals to isolate and where possible treat those who would otherwise put those who were healthy at risk for their lives. It even housed (at times) “typhoid Mary”.  

Click the headline link above, study the images in this NY Times photo essay and know it was a solution that WORKED THEN – and CAN WORK now to protect the healthy in our nation. (If you review this, it will open in a new tab, then come back here and read on…)

Did you see the images? Recognize the landscape? Just off the Bronx (NY), this island sits today – perhaps ready to serve us and quarantine those with an infectious disease – and those at risk of contracting it as well. This island was used about 100 years ago to protect the healthy,  my question is if Americans of THAT DAY had it figured out and were willing to TRULY quarantine people… I have to ask “What is wrong with that approach today??”

I am increasingly convinced of a few basic Ebola related facts:

1) Ebola presents risks to our population NOT SEEN in our nation before – EVER. Am I overstating this? Hmmm… consider – Ebola has an estimated 70% DEATH RATE (by the medical experts) with NO KNOWN CURE and an ongoing debate (among the experts) of how Ebola can be transmitted.

Consider – if “we” had any REAL handle on this virus, why would LARGE NUMBERS of health care professional be coming down with AND DYING FROM EBOLA?? (see notes below for more specifics)

2) Our government has completely (to date) mishandled Ebola. (Is ANYONE surprised??) A refusal to implement a BAN on ALL FLIGHTS FROM West Africa (unless we are willing to SECURELY QUARANTINE all arrivals for 42 days (the latest research showing the REAL incubation period) is simply INSANE. (read on for an even more ominous issue)

As an ADDITIONAL INDICATOR of how BRILLIANT our “leaders” are –

Have you seen who our “fearless leader” has placed in charge as the new “Ebola czar” (as of October 17)? Bet he’s a medical expert and will handle this in a non-political manner, right? Someone qualified like Ben Carson, right? NOPE. He appointed a POLITICAL HACK – see report here. Unbelievable, right?

3)  No one has a real handle on just how “transmissible” or “infectious” Ebola is. It seems that of
58 medical experts preparing a report on Ebola, 5 died before the report was ever published. Not to mention, hundreds of medical workers in West Africa have contracted ebola – about half have died.

AND these people KNEW (at least some of) the risks – and took (at least SOME) precautions.
Reference this post: http://news.sciencemag.org/health/2014/08/ebolas-heavy-toll-study-authors

4) “Quarantine” in our advanced age of 2014 seems to have an entirely new definition… Consider the nurses who cared for “Ebola Patient Zero” – you know the “gentleman” who came to America on FALSE PRETENSE in hopes (clearly to me at least) of getting treated for Ebola. Half-a-million dollars in medical services (that WE paid for) later, he’s dead and dozens or hundreds of our fellow citizens have been NEEDLESSLY and DIRECTLY exposed.

Now to the Dallas nurses…

First, God bless them for the work they do. Second, as a medical professional knowing this virus
has a 50-70% KILL rate, and *at best* we are not certain of how it is transmitted – HOW could YOU (infected nurse #2) even THINK about getting on a plane from Dallas to Cleveland?? AND – once you were showing SYMPTOMS (running a low grade fever) – despite the completely INCOMPETENT approval of the CDC whom you apparently DID call – how could YOU get on a plane and EXPOSE 132 other passengers (and flight crew, and others in the airport) to your INCREASINGLY VIRULENT status??

NOW we hear that a “health care worker” who DIRECTLY HANDLED “patient zero’s” INFECTED BODILY FLUIDS decided to go on a CRUISE??? Are you KIDDING ME??? Note: At least the government of Belize has the sense to PREVENT the ship with this passenger onboard.

And again – these are TRAINED MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS who frankly should KNOW BETTER!

5) Now for (in my mind) the most ONEROUS issue we potentially face: As addressed by a U.S. General, what happens if (and WHEN) Ebola begins to infect Central America (and Mexico) – with our WIDE OPEN Southern Border how will we handle the influx of (illegal) immigrants – some of whom WILL have Ebola?? You may know – we ONLY HAVE 11 “Level 4 Containment Beds” in the ENTIRE NATION – and none in that hospital in Dallas… surprised that 2 nurses (so far) are sick from that ONE patient?

I could go on and on, but I’m sure you get the point. Of course, you can add YOUR “two cents” by using the reply box below.

Late developments (on Oct 17): As I write this, details are coming out about the new Ebola Czar – he served as “chief of staff” to the campaigns of Al Gore and Joe Biden… yep! I’m not kidding. There is also ANOTHER suspected Ebola patient in the Dallas Metro area. He showed “positive” for ebola on the initial test – further tests are yet to come for confirmation. Which makes me wonder HOW – JUST PRECISELY HOW – the CDC proclaimed a Nigerian man on a flight to JFK on Thursday (Oct 16) who vomited (in flight) and then DIED (in flight) did NOT die of Ebola after just a few minutes of OBSERVATION??? Oh, and ALL the passengers on that flight were sent on their merry way – no worries! Sheesh!!

RV’ers – travelers in Fifth Wheels, Motorhomes and more face unique challenges – and opportunities

First the risks: We travel across the nation and if we avail ourselves of services at truck stops, we may be at greater risk of exposure to Ebola. Our current knowledge base states that Ebola CAN live on surfaces for days after an infected person has been there. (That is why the Frontier Airlines plane had to be decontaminated and why in the 4 flights that occurred AFTER the nurse flew on it placed HUNDREDS more at risk.) And after all, truck stops attract visitors who cover lots of mileage across the nation. (Remember the infection MAY have already spread well beyond Dallas thanks to the nurse who traveled to Cleveland.)

Now the benefits: We are mobile – at any given moment, I can hookup my “5th wheel” and with a full tank, I have a range of about 200 miles (I’m considering a spare tank that would extend that range to 600+ miles.)

Independence IF you have FOOD AND WATER

IF the situation gets significantly worse – and frankly, given how our government has handled the situation I am prepared with the following:

Note: We could LEARN from nations like Nigeria and Senegal who have beaten back Ebola despite their geographic proximity to nations where it is out of control – oh yeah, also where OUR MILITARY has been deployed with a solid 4 HOUR TRAINING COURSE on Ebola (again – NOT making this up.

I travel with FOOD and the ability to create POTABLE WATER. I opted to purchase from Wise Foods because their food is good for 25 years AND is packaged in packets of 2-4 servings. Many “food storage” companies store their food in “bulk” – reducing the time to consume it to a few weeks after the container is opened; Wise insures that each packet contains a small quantity serving. If you want to take a look at Wise Foods, click the image below (full disclosure: I am an affiliate for Wise Foods and will receive a small commission if you make a purchase – the same is true of the water filter I highlight below)

We know we all need food and water. Wise Foods is MY answer for food; Sawyer filters is my answer for water. The requirement here is you need to be near a source of water. It does NOT need to be potable water – most rivers will do fine. I would avoid water that has raw sewage in it, but virtually ANY other source of water will work. Here are the details on the Sawyer filter I recommend…

 

Staying OFF the grid – OUT of grocery stores and restaurants…

I truly hope it does NOT come down to THIS! But… consider this: With food (it doesn’t take up much space) and water (by going with filters – I’m saving weight and space), you can truly go “off grid” for a period of time. Of course, SOLAR POWER will help (on my list -and at the rate at which we are heading towards a nationwide crisis, I may have to “fast track” my plans for solar. I figure, if it gets really “out of control”, I’ll be in a park with full hookups – and with food storage, I’ll be able to “self-sustain” for MONTHS if necessary. 

My goal is NOT to place FEAR in our hearts (mine too), and frankly there is SOME good news – the family of the man who died (from what we hear) is NOT sick, and those who ARE sick, suffered VERY close contact with the patients fluids. Hopefully, this will CONTINUE to be the case. For me, I’m VERY big on “an ounce of prevention” and some basic preparation. Remaining out of public places MAY become the ONLY way to remain ebola free – lets pray it NEVER comes to this.