Just for the Taste of It: Diet Lockdown
From the beginning of this pandemic my biggest fear has been that my parents, both in their late 70s, would get Coronavirus. They live in the U.S, and while they are both in good health, the idea of them getting this virus terrified me, particularly given the distance. I know of quite a few people who have lost a parent (some both) to Covid-19. My parents travel regularly because they both still have homes in Europe. They are used to getting on a plane every couple of months. When the pandemic hit in early March, I could barely convince my father from coming to Europe, but the decision was ultimately made for him when flights were cancelled, and we went into lockdown. However, during the summer the threat of the virus seemed to dissipate, and they went back to their usual gallivanting.
Last Sunday I spoke to my parents who had just returned from a two-week trip to Austria. My father informed me my mother was ill with some kind of stomach bug that had plagued her since their last few days in Austria. She had suddenly felt ill in a restaurant and refused her favorite dessert, the Apfelstrudel. This episode was followed by nausea and vomiting, no fever. She seemed to feel better, so they proceeded to take the plane back to the USA, but on arrival my mother continued to feel very weak. Hearing my father’s description, the alarm bells went off right away. I informed him these were Covid-19 symptoms, which surprised him. But I distinctly remember reading about nausea and vomiting in an article in the New York Times that described the fate of two young Chinese women. I advised my father to take my mother to the doctor immediately, and by Monday she was hospitalised and tested positive for Coronavirus. By Thursday my father also tested positive and is in quarantine, though asymptomatic.
The first few days my mother was in the hospital I was consumed with worry and fear. But the good news is that my mother’s condition is stable and she isn’t presenting any of the graver symptoms like pneumonia. She never even had a temperature. She is just feels completely depleted. They are giving her the “Trump” cocktail of drugs (remdesevir* and steroids) and keeping her in the hospital mostly to monitor her reaction to the drug therapy. Hopefully she can go home today. But what this incident proves once again is that there is so much we are still discovering about this virus. Vomiting and nausea are a symptom – very underreported- and apparently common in children and the elderly. (See here and here). A temperature isn’t a given, at all. But what I think is most mysterious of all, is that one person can get quite ill and the other can be completely fine.
It’s been a hell of a week. I’ve been pretty stressed about my mother’s health, the election in the U.S and the Covid situation here in Italy and particularly Milan. Yesterday’s bulletin was dire with nearly 38,000 new cases and 446 deaths. Flashback to April. For days now we have been on the edge of our seats waiting for the Italian government to unveil its latest decree. Stricter measures were inevitable. Contrary to the decisive leadership it demonstrated in March, the Italian government was dragging its feet this time. There has been a lot of fighting between the federal government and the regions. Speculation was rife in the media. They will bring forward the curfew! Close the shops! Close shopping centres on the weekend! Halve the people travelling on public transport! The L word came back into circulation, especially as countries around us fell like dominoes. Macron announced a new lockdown last week, Merkel proclaimed a “lockdown light” for Germany and, even crazy haired Boris Johnson in the U.K finally decided to go there (though from what I hear and read, it’s not very strict at all.)
On an aside: does anyone else think the term “Lockdown Light” is plain ridiculous? A lockdown is not a can of soda (though I do fondly remember that Diet Coke advert from years yore that I am alluding to in the title of this post). Then again, maybe it is a rather appropriate term. After all, food items with the word “light” or “diet” on the packaging are usually a scam. You eat them thinking they are good for you, that you won’t gain an ounce, in fact, you think you might even lose weight, but low and behold you get fatter than ever, because, in your enthusiasm you stuffed your face. So, yes, “light” might be the right term. Get ready to gain a few more pounds.
Finally, on Wednesday Prime Minister Conte spoke. The country has been divided into three zones, red, orange and yellow, and in accordance with this classification, different restrictions apply. Lombardy is a red zone, and here we have gone into lockdown as of yesterday, though, we too seem to be adapting a much lighter version than before. Children will continue to go to school until the 6th grade, all other classes will be on remote learning. Most “non-essential” shops and services are closed, but hairdressers can stay open. Hallelujah, if I have to stay at home at least I am guaranteed good hair.
*On the subject of remdesevir, read here.