Taking Precautions

               The last three times I was with Roland when he had driven to the VA it seemed like a big ordeal.  Instead of going the usual way which leads directly to the hospital, the back roads were required in order to keep all traffic moving in one direction  - only one way in and one way out.  

Along the way we would see masked workers who would come up to the car, ask questions, take temperatures – I think they may have even offered testing but I’m not sure. 

 

https://kcby.com/news/local/roseburg-va-health-care-system-holds-veteran-influenza-clinics

You had to be healthy to get a pink slip (see here) which was the ticket into the hospital.  If you were not healthy, no pink slip for you!  I’m at a hospital . . . that’s where sick people come to be treated.  Isn’t it?

          Yesterday we learned we could have gone in the normal route as we saw no workers – health workers that is.  We did see construction workers and orange polycones and signs.  Lots of detouring and a roundabout drive more than what has been expected since COVID. 

          Normally I just stay in the car and work my puzzles while Roland goes for whatever visit he is there for.  Yesterday it was his eyes.  I should have had him roll down a window as it was hot in the car and I was getting a glare – but he had the keys and I did not.  About ten minutes and two puzzles later Roland called to tell me that I could come into the building.  He did not tell me that there was a screening set up inside.

          I put on a paper mask – and it turned out to be a good thing that I had selected paper as cloth masks are now discouraged.  I was asked first what had brought me there.  I said my husband had called me to come be with him.  I was asked to look at a list of symptoms and report if I had any of them.  I said no.  I was asked if I had been around someone who might be sick.  I said my husband.  I was given a green ticket.  I don’t know if colors really mean anything or not. 

          This area is normally empty as pictured, but all the chairs were full when I entered.  It was the only part of the hospital that I saw people.  

The VA hospital always appears as a ghost town to me – like it was abandoned by all life except maybe the janitor because it is clean. 

      

  I sat down in the waiting area where Roland had his appointment.  A veteran sat caddy cornered from me and pulled down his mask and half yelled that he can't always wear it because he has asthma and the mask makes it hard to breathe.  A worker walked through a door and turned on the TV and said he was sorry it was not already on.  The maskless vet asks if he could turn the TV to the Hallmark channel.  I smiled behind my mask.  First of all, I don't think that the Hallmark channel is available at the VA.  Secondly, it didn't seem like something he would ask for but really was refreshing from anything sports.

        His cell phone went off.  I was amused that he had set his ring tone to Golden Girls' theme "Thank You for Being a Friend"

           I posted these three pictures to my facebook page.  

We had seen these on Saturday when we had gone to Roseburg so that we could get a booster shot for Jenna.  The caption of my post was “History in the Making” as there was a convoy of National Guard who was called in to assist with the high volume of COVID cases currently in the state of Oregon.