Report of 12 October 2020

 Good evening -

We just watched rain from our balcony and are inside now as the mosquitoes came to feast.

We are well and hope the same with you.  COVID cases are increasing at the Banyan.  Overall, the staff and patients have done a good job with social distancing and mask use.  There was truly no foolproof way to prevent the virus's entry.  So we have it on our premises now and the important thing is to recover from it plus watch for after-effects.  I was at Adaikalam last week and most personnel had face shields and masks on.  Several wards have been converted to isolation wards and PPE is fully evident.  

We have a patient who has refused to eat due to a psychiatric condition and now has a feeding tube in her nose, leading to her stomach.  She was not overweight to start with and the refusal to take oral feeds has led to her becoming gaunt.  The mental health professionals are in action to try to address the issue, and the physical health professionals are monitoring the tube, what goes in it, whether it will stay in, etc.

We spoke to both children and that was nice.  Naren was watching the vice-presidential debates and we did not keep him long.  Nat was glowing - happy and talkative.  She and roommate were going to Connecticut for the weekend to visit a friend from college; such jaunts have lifted Nat's spirits up before.  Naren had plans to meet with a friend who is also a teacher and looked forward to it.  

Scott and I ran some errands last week and ate at a vegetarian Asian restaurant.  The food was delicious and the service - by waiters from Nagaland - was superlative.  We lingered after the meal, talking and laughing; no one asked us to hasten and leave as we were the only customers in the restaurant.  

I talked to my Father yesterday and that was fun.  Today, while watching the rain, I spoke with both my aunts and that was also nice.  It would be good to live closer to all of them, but I must make the most of where we are.

Unw -

R