thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--After 10 Days In A Coma, I Had To Relearn Everything. Here's What My Life Is Like Now.

All of my medical records list different heights since no one knew the precise distance — that detail feels important to me .
The person I had been climbing with said we were near the top of a redwood on the University of California , Santa Cruz ’ s campus when I turned to her and said , “ I have to get down .
Now.
” Then , without waiting for a response , I scrambled downward until I was out of sight .
A moment later , she heard two smacks followed by a thud .
Often , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( or lower ) in classes at UC Santa Cruz simply because I ’ d forget to turn in an assignment or get hammered and decide not to write an essay .
One teacher ’ s assistant , after grading a paper I had managed to get in on time , handed it back to me , marked with an A , and gave me a line similar to the one Dr. Octavius gave Peter Parker in “ Spider-Man 2 ” : “ You ’ re brilliant when you turn things in .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ A medical social worker , at this point , staged an intervention about my drinking .
She asked my mom to show me a picture of me in my coma , hooked up to machines .
When I saw the photo and started laughing , the social worker told my mom , “ This is just her injury.
” She turned to me and said , “ You almost died , and your drinking contributed to it — don ’ t you care ?
” When I didn ’ t stop laughing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She ’ s always been like this.
” On top of that , I had to relearn everything .
My speech therapist taught me how to swallow and gave me memory techniques to improve my recollection of details .
My occupational therapist showed me how to navigate a kitchen , accompanied me into the shower to explain how to safely bathe myself in a precarious environment ( aka the shower ) and went over strategies to remember if I had completed a task or not .
( “ Have I shampooed ?
How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in my hair ?
” “ How long have I been stirring these eggs ?
” ) My physical therapist helped me work on my core strength for balance and worked with me on how to swing my arms correctly so I looked like a human being instead of a robot .
But relearning was difficult when my short-term memory was as impaired as it was .
It didn ’ t end up coming back at all until a couple of weeks after I woke up from my coma .
Apparently , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and physical therapy for a while before I had any memories of doing any sort of therapy .
It would take a few more days for me to remember the names of all of my therapists or to navigate the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Unit ( in my wheelchair ) .
I also contracted Clostridium difficile ( commonly referred to as C. diff ) toward the end of my stay .
It ’ s very contagious and common in hospital settings , and patients often take a rigorous course of antibiotics to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good gut bacteria that fends off the bacterium that causes C. diff .
Considering the number of antibiotics I was prescribed while I had a bolt inserted in my head to relieve pressure caused by fluids in my brain , it was only a matter of time before I contracted C. diff .
Although I was treated , and the C. diff eradicated , my gut health plunged , and my digestion tanked .
I lost more weight in addition to the weight I had lost during my coma .
After a month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Santa Clara Valley Medical Center under orders to use an arm crutch for all ambulation ( walking ) .
But my rehabilitation was far from over .
Once I returned to my parents ’ home in San Diego , I would attend a brain injury day-treatment program five days a week from 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m .
This program took up where the other left off : I continued to practice writing by hand and doing eye exercises , build core muscles and correct my abnormal gait and complete logic puzzles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive function , courtesy of the frontal lobe .
During the summer of 2016 , a year out from my accident , I was told this was the most I would recover .
The tacit addition was that it was all downhill from there .
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , 52 % of people who suffer a severe traumatic brain injury will further decline or die within five years of their injuries .
Medical professionals were pleased I was doing well — I started working as a production @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independently on the train and was applying to grad school to get better health insurance — but everyone waited for a decline .
The real problem through all of this was that I looked fine .
You can ’ t tell a person has a brain injury just by looking at them , and you certainly can ’ t discern the difficulty with which they ’ re holding themselves together in front of you .
Even my own mother , who had been there throughout my coma , thought it was a good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boat to go whale watching a few weeks after I was released from Santa Clara Valley Medical Center .
Some days are worse than others .
Sometimes I have phantom pains in my extremities , and I still can ’ t write by hand for prolonged periods , i.e.
, more than a few sentences .
Often , people are annoyed when I ask them to write something for me or if I can ’ t take the stairs .
I ’ ve had baristas roll their eyes at me when I request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carry a cup of liquid without sloshing it ( “ They ’ re on the condiment bar , ” the baristas insist ) .
People ask for my seat on the subway , and I feel too tired and embarrassed to say I need it ― to explain my damage ― so I cling to a pole and arrive at my destination shaking from the exertion .
I ’ m still an alcoholic .
I ’ ll always be an alcoholic , but my coma served as a detox period .
My disability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obtaining alcohol in the beginning , enabling me to put the “ white knuckle ” approach to use .
Of course , since then , I have relapsed , but I get cut off after a drink because my ataxia gives me a permanent wobble .
Luckily , explaining I have brain damage just invites raised eyebrows and no beer .
I know if I start drinking again , it ’ ll kill me .
Instead of imbibing , I go to therapy and write stories — more productive pursuits .

The author in a coma at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center after her fall from a tree in August 2015. Courtesy of Brooke Knisley
In 2015, I fell 20 to 25 feet out of a tree.
All of my medical records list different heights since no one knew the precise distance — that detail feels important to me. The person I had been climbing with said we were near the top of a redwood on the University of California, Santa Cruz’s campus when I turned to her and said, “I have to get down. Now.” Then, without waiting for a response, I scrambled downward until I was out of sight. A moment later, she heard two smacks followed by a thud.
Before I fell out of the redwood, I was drinking alcohol every day. In fact, I had been drinking pretty consistently since the age of 14. To say I simply had a “drinking problem” would be a gross understatement.
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Often, I’d get C’s (or lower) in classes at UC Santa Cruz simply because I’d forget to turn in an assignment or get hammered and decide not to write an essay. One teacher’s assistant, after grading a paper I had managed to get in on time, handed it back to me, marked with an A, and gave me a line similar to the one Dr. Octavius gave Peter Parker in “Spider-Man 2”: “You’re brilliant when you turn things in. Imagine if you were more diligent.”
In my head, I translated this to: “Imagine if you weren’t depressed, ... if you weren’t a drunk, ... if you were just a better person.”
Instead of being a better person, I’d get drunk and climb trees. Usually, I avoided redwoods when I was three sheets to the wind, but I had a tolerance — a couple of beers wouldn’t stop me from climbing. The friend I was with on that fateful day said I had only had two beers. I can’t confirm or deny this because I have no memory of my fall or the entire day that preceded it.
“My family wasn’t given a specific prognosis because chances were that I wouldn’t wake up.”
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For 10 days following my fall, I was in a coma, my vitals monitored at every moment at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California. My family wasn’t given a specific prognosis because chances were that I wouldn’t wake up.
Comas aren’t what Hollywood would have you think they’re like. The media glosses over two main things when it comes to comas: the (un)consciousness of a coma — you’re dead to the world — and the immediacy of your uselessness upon waking. Every inactive day causes your muscles to atrophy. Your vocal cords may be paralyzed because of intubation (one of mine was), and you can’t swallow without aspirating (accidentally letting food or liquid enter your lungs, risking pneumonia).
On top of these standard coma difficulties, I had a severe traumatic brain injury that affected nearly every aspect of my body. For example, I must’ve landed on my backside because the heft of the damage was located in the occipital lobe — that’s the lobe at the back of your head that controls vision. Because of this, I had diplopia (double vision), which required eye muscle surgery to be corrected (but that surgery wouldn’t happen for another nine months).
Because my injury was closed-head (my skull wasn’t penetrated), my brain bounced around inside of my skull, ricocheting against the hard surfaces and sending reverberations to many different regions. This is referred to as a diffuse axonal injury.
For me, my deficits revealed what other parts of my brain received damage. My balance problems (ataxia), lack of fine motor skills and poor grip strength indicated my cerebellum had been hurt. At first, my body also had issues regulating its temperature, signaling some damage to the brain stem. My fits of laughter and inability to remember anything longer than a few moments meant frontal lobe damage.
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A chart the author made to explain which parts of her brain were injured by her fall, as well as how those injuries affected her brain. Courtesy of Brooke Knisley
A medical social worker, at this point, staged an intervention about my drinking. She asked my mom to show me a picture of me in my coma, hooked up to machines. When I saw the photo and started laughing, the social worker told my mom, “This is just her injury.” She turned to me and said, “You almost died, and your drinking contributed to it — don’t you care?” When I didn’t stop laughing, my mom told the therapist, “She’s always been like this.”
It’s hard for professionals to determine which parts of you are pathological and which parts are damage sometimes. It’s also hard for family members not to be dismissive when they’re upset with you.
On top of that, I had to relearn everything. My speech therapist taught me how to swallow and gave me memory techniques to improve my recollection of details. My occupational therapist showed me how to navigate a kitchen, accompanied me into the shower to explain how to safely bathe myself in a precarious environment (aka the shower) and went over strategies to remember if I had completed a task or not. (“Have I shampooed? How many times? Did I put conditioner in my hair?” “How long have I been stirring these eggs?”) My physical therapist helped me work on my core strength for balance and worked with me on how to swing my arms correctly so I looked like a human being instead of a robot.
But relearning was difficult when my short-term memory was as impaired as it was. It didn’t end up coming back at all until a couple of weeks after I woke up from my coma. Apparently, I had already been doing speech, occupational and physical therapy for a while before I had any memories of doing any sort of therapy. It would take a few more days for me to remember the names of all of my therapists or to navigate the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Unit (in my wheelchair).
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“My occupational therapist showed me how to navigate a kitchen, accompanied me into the shower to explain how to safely bathe myself in a precarious environment (aka the shower) and went over strategies to remember if I had completed a task or not. (“Have I shampooed? How many times? Did I put conditioner in my hair?” “How long have I been stirring these eggs?”)”
I also contracted Clostridium difficile (commonly referred to as C. diff) toward the end of my stay. It’s very contagious and common in hospital settings, and patients often take a rigorous course of antibiotics to treat it. The antibiotics kill the good gut bacteria that fends off the bacterium that causes C. diff. Considering the number of antibiotics I was prescribed while I had a bolt inserted in my head to relieve pressure caused by fluids in my brain, it was only a matter of time before I contracted C. diff. Although I was treated, and the C. diff eradicated, my gut health plunged, and my digestion tanked. I lost more weight in addition to the weight I had lost during my coma.
During this entire time, I was benignly resigned and vaguely amused. My doctors recorded my blasé comments (“Oh, I get to cook eggs? I like eggs.”), but my nearly illegible handwriting from that time tells a slightly different story. On a piece of notebook paper dated Sept. 5, 2015, I wrote, “I don’t know how I feel about the future. What is life if you can’t remember it?”
After a month and a half, I was released from Santa Clara Valley Medical Center under orders to use an arm crutch for all ambulation (walking). But my rehabilitation was far from over. Once I returned to my parents’ home in San Diego, I would attend a brain injury day-treatment program five days a week from 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. This program took up where the other left off: I continued to practice writing by hand and doing eye exercises, build core muscles and correct my abnormal gait and complete logic puzzles and plan my life to improve the executive function, courtesy of the frontal lobe.
After two and a half months, I was only required to attend three days a week. I could walk without a crutch or a gait belt (which I wore so therapists could grab it if I started to fall). After four months, I was discharged and finished the last units for my bachelor’s degree at UC San Diego while I awaited my eye muscle surgery (this meant I had to close one eye to read anything, both in and out of class).
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A photo of the author a week after having eye surgery in May 2016. Courtesy of Brooke Knisley
During the summer of 2016, a year out from my accident, I was told this was the most I would recover. The tacit addition was that it was all downhill from there. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 52% of people who suffer a severe traumatic brain injury will further decline or die within five years of their injuries. Medical professionals were pleased I was doing well — I started working as a production assistant at an academic publisher, commuted independently on the train and was applying to grad school to get better health insurance — but everyone waited for a decline.
The real problem through all of this was that I looked fine. You can’t tell a person has a brain injury just by looking at them, and you certainly can’t discern the difficulty with which they’re holding themselves together in front of you. Even my own mother, who had been there throughout my coma, thought it was a good idea to take me out on a boat to go whale watching a few weeks after I was released from Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.
Nearly five years out from my fall, problems persist. Although I am lucky to function at such a high level considering the severity of my injury, I am permanently disabled but don’t look it. My body doesn’t listen to my brain very well, and my cognition falls short when it comes to mental math and my working memory (whiteboards line my room with scrawled reminders and notices held by magnets).
My long-term memory is intact: I remember my childhood and my family, but it’s the processing speed that causes issues. Sometimes it takes me a moment to recognize a place or a person or to place a person in their context. Sometimes I lose my words, can’t recover them (aphasia) and simply have to find a workaround or give up.
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“People ask for my seat on the subway, and I feel too tired and embarrassed to say I need it — to explain my damage — so I cling to a pole and arrive at my destination shaking from the exertion.”
Some days are worse than others. Sometimes I have phantom pains in my extremities, and I still can’t write by hand for prolonged periods, i.e., more than a few sentences. Often, people are annoyed when I ask them to write something for me or if I can’t take the stairs. I’ve had baristas roll their eyes at me when I request a lid because I can’t carry a cup of liquid without sloshing it (“They’re on the condiment bar,” the baristas insist). People ask for my seat on the subway, and I feel too tired and embarrassed to say I need it ― to explain my damage ― so I cling to a pole and arrive at my destination shaking from the exertion.
I’m still an alcoholic. I’ll always be an alcoholic, but my coma served as a detox period. My disability prevented me from going to bars or obtaining alcohol in the beginning, enabling me to put the “white knuckle” approach to use. Of course, since then, I have relapsed, but I get cut off after a drink because my ataxia gives me a permanent wobble. Luckily, explaining I have brain damage just invites raised eyebrows and no beer. I know if I start drinking again, it’ll kill me. Instead of imbibing, I go to therapy and write stories — more productive pursuits.
The author in 2020. Courtesy of Brooke Knisley
And in the big scheme of things, my current deficits are just quibbles: My depression is medicated, and I’m sober. I teach at a college that respects my viewpoint and limitations — my students understand and are patient, as is the majority of my colleagues. I’m happier now than I ever was before falling out of the tree.
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I’m not sentimental — I don’t think everything happens for a “higher reason.” But I do believe in physics — in gravity — and I do understand the weight of my actions. I’m sorry for the grief my accident caused, but I’m not sorry it happened.
Brooke Knisley is an instructor in Emerson College’s Writing Studies Program. Her work has appeared in The Independent, Playboy, Entropy magazine, McSweeney’s, DAME Magazine, VICE Health, The Boston Globe Magazine and others. She is working on a memoir about trauma and its damage.
Do you have a compelling personal story you’d like to see published on HuffPost? Find out what we’re looking for here and send us a pitch!


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--Massive Coronavirus Vaccine Study Gets Underway In U.S.

The world ’ s biggest COVID-19 vaccine study got underway Monday with the first of 30,000 planned volunteers helping to test shots created by the U.S. government ― one of several candidates in the final stretch of the global vaccine race .
The needed proof : Volunteers won ’ t know if they ’ re getting the real shot or a dummy version .
After two doses , scientists will closely track which group experiences more infections as they go about their daily routines , especially in areas where the virus still is spreading unchecked .
But the U.S. requires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be used in the country and has set a high bar : Every month through fall , the government-funded COVID-19 Prevention Network will roll out a new study of a leading candidate ― each one with 30,000 newly recruited volunteers .
The massive studies aren ’ t just to test if the shots work — they ’ re needed to check each potential vaccine ’ s safety .
And following the same study rules will let scientists eventually compare all the shots .
Next up in August , the final study of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans to test a candidate from Johnson & Johnson in September and Novavax in October ― if all goes according to schedule .
Pfizer Inc. plans its own 30,000-person study this summer .
That ’ s a stunning number of people needed to roll up their sleeves for science .
But in recent weeks , more than 150,000 Americans filled out an online registry signaling interest , said Dr. Larry Corey , a virologist with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute in Seattle , who helps oversee the study sites .
“ These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to be multiethnic , they need to reflect the diversity of the United States population , ” Corey told a vaccine meeting last week .
He stressed that it ’ s especially important to ensure enough Black and Hispanic participants as those populations are hard-hit by COVID-19 .
It normally takes years to create a new vaccine from scratch , but scientists are setting speed records this time around , spurred by knowledge that vaccination is the world ’ s best hope against the pandemic .
The coronavirus wasn ’ t even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and vaccine makers sprang into action Jan. 10 when China shared the virus ’ genetic sequence .
“ We all feel so helpless right now .
There ’ s very little that we can do to combat this virus .
And being able to participate in this trial has given me a sense of , that I ’ m doing something , ” Jennifer Haller of Seattle told the AP .
“ Be prepared for a lot of questions from your friends and family about how it ’ s going , and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first-stage study that included Haller and 44 others showed the shots revved up volunteers ’ immune systems in ways scientists expect will be protective , with some minor side effects such as a brief fever , chills and pain at the injection site .
Early testing of other leading candidates have had similarly encouraging results .
If everything goes right with the final studies , it still will take months for the first data to trickle in from the Moderna test , followed by the Oxford one .
Governments around the world are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those leading candidates so if and when regulators approve one or more vaccines , immunizations can begin immediately .
But the first available doses will be rationed , presumably reserved for people at highest risk from the virus .
“ We ’ re optimistic , cautiously optimistic ” that the vaccine will work and that “ toward the end of the year ” there will be data to prove it , Dr. Stephen Hoge , president of Massachusetts-based Moderna , told a House subcommittee last week .
Until then , Haller , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mask in public and takes the same distancing precautions advised for everyone ― while hoping that one of the shots in the pipeline pans out .
“ I don ’ t know what the chances are that this is the exact right vaccine .
But thank goodness that there are so many others out there battling this right now , ” she said .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The world’s biggest COVID-19 vaccine study got underway Monday with the first of 30,000 planned volunteers helping to test shots created by the U.S. government ― one of several candidates in the final stretch of the global vaccine race.
There’s still no guarantee that the experimental vaccine, developed by the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc., will really protect.
Advertisement
The needed proof: Volunteers won’t know if they’re getting the real shot or a dummy version. After two doses, scientists will closely track which group experiences more infections as they go about their daily routines, especially in areas where the virus still is spreading unchecked.
“Unfortunately for the United States of America, we have plenty of infections right now” to get that answer, NIH’s Dr. Anthony Fauci recently told The Associated Press.
Several other vaccines made by China and by Britain’s Oxford University earlier this month began smaller final-stage tests in Brazil and other hard-hit countries.
But the U.S. requires its own tests of any vaccine that might be used in the country and has set a high bar: Every month through fall, the government-funded COVID-19 Prevention Network will roll out a new study of a leading candidate ― each one with 30,000 newly recruited volunteers.
Advertisement
The massive studies aren’t just to test if the shots work — they’re needed to check each potential vaccine’s safety. And following the same study rules will let scientists eventually compare all the shots.
Next up in August, the final study of the Oxford shot begins, followed by plans to test a candidate from Johnson & Johnson in September and Novavax in October ― if all goes according to schedule. Pfizer Inc. plans its own 30,000-person study this summer.
That’s a stunning number of people needed to roll up their sleeves for science. But in recent weeks, more than 150,000 Americans filled out an online registry signaling interest, said Dr. Larry Corey, a virologist with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute in Seattle, who helps oversee the study sites.
“These trials need to be multigenerational, they need to be multiethnic, they need to reflect the diversity of the United States population,” Corey told a vaccine meeting last week. He stressed that it’s especially important to ensure enough Black and Hispanic participants as those populations are hard-hit by COVID-19.
It normally takes years to create a new vaccine from scratch, but scientists are setting speed records this time around, spurred by knowledge that vaccination is the world’s best hope against the pandemic. The coronavirus wasn’t even known to exist before late December, and vaccine makers sprang into action Jan. 10 when China shared the virus’ genetic sequence.
Advertisement
Just 65 days later in March, the NIH-made vaccine was tested in people. The first recipient is encouraging others to volunteer now.
“We all feel so helpless right now. There’s very little that we can do to combat this virus. And being able to participate in this trial has given me a sense of, that I’m doing something,” Jennifer Haller of Seattle told the AP. “Be prepared for a lot of questions from your friends and family about how it’s going, and a lot of thank-you’s.”
That first-stage study that included Haller and 44 others showed the shots revved up volunteers’ immune systems in ways scientists expect will be protective, with some minor side effects such as a brief fever, chills and pain at the injection site. Early testing of other leading candidates have had similarly encouraging results.
If everything goes right with the final studies, it still will take months for the first data to trickle in from the Moderna test, followed by the Oxford one.
Governments around the world are trying to stockpile millions of doses of those leading candidates so if and when regulators approve one or more vaccines, immunizations can begin immediately. But the first available doses will be rationed, presumably reserved for people at highest risk from the virus.
Advertisement
“We’re optimistic, cautiously optimistic” that the vaccine will work and that “toward the end of the year” there will be data to prove it, Dr. Stephen Hoge, president of Massachusetts-based Moderna, told a House subcommittee last week.
Until then, Haller, the volunteer vaccinated back in March, wears a mask in public and takes the same distancing precautions advised for everyone ― while hoping that one of the shots in the pipeline pans out.
“I don’t know what the chances are that this is the exact right vaccine. But thank goodness that there are so many others out there battling this right now,” she said.
___
AP photographer Ted Warren in Seattle contributed to this report.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--'Put A F**king Mask On': Comic's Blunt Coronavirus Plea Makes It Really Simple

A British comedian ’ s plea to wear masks became a social media sensation over the weekend , offering blunt commentary on why face coverings are needed to protect against the novel coronavirus .
“ Yes , they ’ re uncomfortable .
Yes , they steam your glasses up .
Yes , they chafe your ears and give you spots on your chin , ” said Jonathan Pie , alter ego of comic Tom Walker .
“ I ’ ll tell you what ’ s worse , though : a fucking ventilator tube down your fucking gullet.
” I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just love to piss off dickheads : PUT A FUCKING MASK ON 😷 Full video here : https : //t.co/t5m2ALrSJe pic.twitter.com/y3uA2AkkJo — Jonathan Pie ( @ JonathanPieNews ) July 25 , 2020 The video took off after it was shared by former NBA player Rex Chapman and was widely praised for pulling no punches on the unexpectedly divisive issue : A MORE colorful way to say `` keep yourself and those around you SAFE `` https : //t.co/SxgaatsBCc — Henry Winkler ( @ hwinkler4real ) July 26 , 2020 Never seen it better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gibson ( @ GreatDismal ) July 26 , 2020 We need to hire this guy to go to all 50 states https : //t.co/gA4OQOOO6p — Steve Daniels ( @ stevedaniels27 ) July 26 , 2020 Important conversations are happening now .
Add your voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A British comedian’s plea to wear masks became a social media sensation over the weekend, offering blunt commentary on why face coverings are needed to protect against the novel coronavirus.
“Yes, they’re uncomfortable. Yes, they steam your glasses up. Yes, they chafe your ears and give you spots on your chin,” said Jonathan Pie, alter ego of comic Tom Walker. “I’ll tell you what’s worse, though: a fucking ventilator tube down your fucking gullet.”
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I’ll say this again today because I just love to piss off dickheads: PUT A FUCKING MASK ON 😷
Full video here: https://t.co/t5m2ALrSJe pic.twitter.com/y3uA2AkkJo — Jonathan Pie (@JonathanPieNews) July 25, 2020
The video took off after it was shared by former NBA player Rex Chapman and was widely praised for pulling no punches on the unexpectedly divisive issue:
A MORE colorful way to say "keep yourself and those around you SAFE " https://t.co/SxgaatsBCc — Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) July 26, 2020
Not all heroes wear capes https://t.co/0geOaRfAeT — Jasaña Alleyne (@Jasana_Alleyne) July 26, 2020
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Never seen it better put. https://t.co/eMahmYxaQb — William Gibson (@GreatDismal) July 26, 2020
putting it in perspective... https://t.co/IfvTHp1BzM — Shia Kapos (@ShiaKapos) July 26, 2020
We need to hire this guy to go to all 50 states https://t.co/gA4OQOOO6p — Steve Daniels (@stevedaniels27) July 26, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-26--Trump Says He'll Skip Yankees Pitch Because Of His 'Strong Focus On The China Virus'

President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he won ’ t throw out the first pitch at a New York Yankees game with the Boston Red Sox after all because he ’ ll be too busy addressing what he called the “ China virus ” — meaning COVID-19 .
It was only a few days ago — Thursday — that Trump said he would throw out the ceremonial pitch at Yankee Stadium in New York City on Aug. 15 .
The turnabout came a day after Yankees players Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Hicks took a knee during the national anthem before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement .
The men said they plan to do so all season .
Trump called athletes who took a knee in the past as a protest against racism and police brutality “ sons of bitches.
” Trump revealed his change of heart , citing his demanding schedule , in a tweet after a weekend of golfing at his New Jersey course .
“ Because of my strong focus on the China virus , including scheduled meetings on Vaccines , our economy and much else , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be in New York to throw out the opening pitch for the @ Yankees on August 15 , ” he tweeted .
“ We will make it later in the season , ” he added .
Because of my strong focus on the China Virus , including scheduled meetings on Vaccines , our economy and much else , I won ’ t be able to be in New York to throw out the opening pitch for the @ Yankees on August 15th .
We will make it later in the season !
— @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July 26 , 2020 Trump has been harshly criticized for his racist COVID-19 misnomer “ China virus ” as a bid to demonize the Chinese for a disease that he has failed to contain in the U.S .
He has also referred to COVID-19 as the “ kung flu , ” a phrase his own White House counselor , Kellyanne Conway ,  has called “ highly offensive.
” Trump ’ s approval rating fell to a record low 32 % for how he ’ s handling COVID-19 , according to a poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Affairs Research released Sunday Infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci threw out the first ceremonial pitch on the opening day of Major League Baseball ’ s abbreviated season last Thursday at Nationals Park .
The throw was so atrocious that observers joked that he was trying to flatten the curve of spiking coronavirus cases .
Trump recently blasted Fauci , the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , as an “ alarmist ” over his warnings as COVID-19 cases in the nation skyrocket .
Fauci later responded , “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alarmist.
” As of Sunday , there were more than 4.2 million cases of COVID-19 confirmed in the U.S. , with a death toll of nearly 147,000 .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he won’t throw out the first pitch at a New York Yankees game with the Boston Red Sox after all because he’ll be too busy addressing what he called the “China virus” — meaning COVID-19.
It was only a few days ago — Thursday — that Trump said he would throw out the ceremonial pitch at Yankee Stadium in New York City on Aug. 15.
Advertisement
The turnabout came a day after Yankees players Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Hicks took a knee during the national anthem before a game at Washington’s Nationals Park in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
The men said they plan to do so all season. Trump called athletes who took a knee in the past as a protest against racism and police brutality “sons of bitches.”
Trump revealed his change of heart, citing his demanding schedule, in a tweet after a weekend of golfing at his New Jersey course.
“Because of my strong focus on the China virus, including scheduled meetings on Vaccines, our economy and much else, I won’t be able to be in New York to throw out the opening pitch for the @Yankees on August 15,” he tweeted. “We will make it later in the season,” he added.
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Because of my strong focus on the China Virus, including scheduled meetings on Vaccines, our economy and much else, I won’t be able to be in New York to throw out the opening pitch for the @Yankees on August 15th. We will make it later in the season! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2020
Trump has been harshly criticized for his racist COVID-19 misnomer “China virus” as a bid to demonize the Chinese for a disease that he has failed to contain in the U.S. He has also referred to COVID-19 as the “kung flu,” a phrase his own White House counselor, Kellyanne Conway, has called “highly offensive.”
President Trump talks about the many names of Coronavirus, including “Kung Flu”. pic.twitter.com/m0aQLfpNuT — Benny (@bennyjohnson) June 21, 2020
Trump’s approval rating fell to a record low 32% for how he’s handling COVID-19, according to a poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research released Sunday
Infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci threw out the first ceremonial pitch on the opening day of Major League Baseball’s abbreviated season last Thursday at Nationals Park. The throw was so atrocious that observers joked that he was trying to flatten the curve of spiking coronavirus cases.
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Trump recently blasted Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as an “alarmist” over his warnings as COVID-19 cases in the nation skyrocket. Fauci later responded, “I consider myself more a realist than an alarmist.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-26--Minnesota Couple Wears Nazi Face Masks To Walmart After State Mask Mandate

Walmart temporarily banned a couple after the pair wore swastika face masks into a Minnesota store in what they claimed was a political statement in the wake of a statewide mask mandate .
Disturbing video taken Saturday inside the Walmart in Marshall one day after the state ’ s coronavirus mask rule went into effect showed the man and woman checking out at a register as the woman made obscene hand gestures while wearing the red and black Nazi symbol .
“ You can not be an American and wear that mask .
You can not , ” someone behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ literally had a war about this.
” The unidentified woman is heard telling other shoppers , “ I ’ m not a Nazi , ” when confronted about her attire .
She instead claimed that she was only wearing the symbol of hate as a political statement .
“ If you vote for [ Joe ] Biden , you ’ re going to be in Nazi Germany .
That ’ s what it ’ s going to be like , ” she said , referring to the former vice president ’ s White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to happen here in America.
” Another photo posted to Facebook appeared to show the woman at one point extending her left arm out as if to give a Nazi salute .
Officers with the Marshall Police Department responded to a disturbance call at the store around noon .
They issued a notice of trespass to the couple , who were identified only as a man , 59 , and a woman , 64 .
They left without further incident , local station KARE-11 reported .
Shopper Raphaela Mueller , who posted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook , said she was born and raised in Germany .
She said seeing the symbol , which is illegal in her home country because of the atrocities associated with it , left her physically unwell .
“ It ’ s been shown that , biologically , trauma passes down through the generations in your DNA , ” she told the Minneapolis Star Tribune .
“ My immediate physical reaction was nausea and wanting to cry , so I can ’ t imagine what that must feel like for other people who lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Walmart spokesperson called the shoppers ’ behavior unacceptable in a statement to HuffPost Sunday and added that the couple will not be allowed to return to Walmart stores for at least one year .
“ We strive to provide a safe and comfortable shopping environment for all our customers and will not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment in any aspect of our business , ” the statement said .
Walmart has required shoppers to wear masks inside its Minnesota stores since July 20 in an effort to decrease the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that some individuals have taken this pandemic as an opportunity to create a distressing situation for customers and associates in our store , ” the spokesperson said , referring to the mask rule .

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Walmart temporarily banned a couple after the pair wore swastika face masks into a Minnesota store in what they claimed was a political statement in the wake of a statewide mask mandate.
Disturbing video taken Saturday inside the Walmart in Marshall one day after the state’s coronavirus mask rule went into effect showed the man and woman checking out at a register as the woman made obscene hand gestures while wearing the red and black Nazi symbol.
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“You cannot be an American and wear that mask. You cannot,” someone behind the camera told her. “We literally had a war about this.”
This couple wore Nazi flags around their faces inside a Walmart in Marshall, MN to protest the statewide mask mandate that took effect today. I confirmed with a store manager. Video was posted to FB by Raphaela Mueller pic.twitter.com/t3v96PKh25 — Max Nesterak (@maxnesterak) July 25, 2020
The unidentified woman is heard telling other shoppers, “I’m not a Nazi,” when confronted about her attire. She instead claimed that she was only wearing the symbol of hate as a political statement.
“If you vote for [Joe] Biden, you’re going to be in Nazi Germany. That’s what it’s going to be like,” she said, referring to the former vice president’s White House run. “Socialism is going to happen here in America.”
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Another photo posted to Facebook appeared to show the woman at one point extending her left arm out as if to give a Nazi salute.
Officers with the Marshall Police Department responded to a disturbance call at the store around noon. They issued a notice of trespass to the couple, who were identified only as a man, 59, and a woman, 64. They left without further incident, local station KARE-11 reported.
Shopper Raphaela Mueller, who posted the couple’s photo and video to Facebook, said she was born and raised in Germany. She said seeing the symbol, which is illegal in her home country because of the atrocities associated with it, left her physically unwell.
“It’s been shown that, biologically, trauma passes down through the generations in your DNA,” she told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “My immediate physical reaction was nausea and wanting to cry, so I can’t imagine what that must feel like for other people who lost family members in the Holocaust.”
A Walmart spokesperson called the shoppers’ behavior unacceptable in a statement to HuffPost Sunday and added that the couple will not be allowed to return to Walmart stores for at least one year.
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“We strive to provide a safe and comfortable shopping environment for all our customers and will not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment in any aspect of our business,” the statement said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-26--North Korea Locks Down Border City Over Suspected Coronavirus Case

SEOUL , South Korea ( AP ) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un placed the city of Kaesong near the border with South Korea under total lockdown after a person was found there with suspected COVID-19 symptoms , saying “ the vicious virus ” may have entered the country , state media reported Sunday .
If the person is officially declared a coronavirus patient , he or she would be North Korea ’ s first confirmed case .
The North has steadfastly said it has had no cases of the virus , a claim questioned by outside experts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The North ’ s official Korean Central News Agency said the suspected virus patient is a runaway who fled to South Korea three years ago before illegally crossing the border into the North early last week .
KCNA said respiratory secretion and blood tests showed the person “ is suspected to have been infected ” with the coronavirus .
It said the person was placed under quarantine .
People who had been in contact with the suspected patient and those who had been to Kaesong in the last five days were also quarantined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ matter of national existence , ” North Korea earlier this year shut down nearly all cross-border traffic , banned foreign tourists and mobilized health workers to quarantine anyone with symptoms .
But the Kaesong lockdown is the first such known measure taken in a North Korean city to stem the pandemic .
Foreign experts say a coronavirus outbreak in North Korea could cause dire consequences because of its fragile public health care infrastructure and chronic lack of medical supplies .
They are also skeptical about North Korea ’ s claim of having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a long , porous border with China , its biggest trading partner , where the world ’ s first known virus cases were reported in December .
Kaesong , a city with an estimated population of 200,000 , is located just north of the heavily fortified land border with South Korea .
It once hosted the Koreas ’ jointly run industrial complex , which has been shut since 2016 amid nuclear tensions .
Last month , North Korea blew up an inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong to protest a campaign by South Korean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the border .
During an emergency Politburo meeting Saturday , Kim also declared a state of emergency in the Kaesong area and “ clarified the determination of the Party Central Committee to shift from the state emergency anti-epidemic system to the maximum emergency system and issue a top-class alert , ” KCNA said .
It quoted Kim as saying there was “ a critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country.
” Kim said he took “ the preemptive measure of totally blocking Kaesong City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other ” on Friday afternoon after receiving the report on it , according to KCNA .
Analyst Cheong Seong-Chang at the private Sejong Institute in South Korea said a thorough lockdown in Kaesong would make it difficult for a potential virus outbreak to spread beyond the city .
But he said virus fears would engulf North Korean leaders .
“ The anxiety and fears about COVID-19 spreading in the North Korean leadership would be much bigger than outsiders can roughly speculate because the country lacks test kits and has virtually no facilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
More than 33,000 North Koreans have fled to South Korea over the past 20 years to avoid poverty and political suppression , mostly via China .
But it is highly unusual for North Korean refugees to return to their impoverished , authoritarian homeland by crossing the mine-strewn inter-Korean border .
South Korea ’ s military said later Sunday that its investigation into who crossed the border into North Korea was being narrowed down to a single , unidentified person .
A military statement said authorities were examining footage recorded by front-line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further details .
Some observers said authorities likely tried to determine who has been missing since last week among North Korean refugees in South Korea , especially among those originally from Kaesong .
“ Blaming an alleged return defector for bringing COVID-19 into the country is likely intended to shift blame for spread of the virus away from China and Pyongyang and on to Seoul , ” said Leif-Eric Easley , a professor at Ewha University in Seoul .
Cheong , however , said it was unlikely that the North ’ s claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false because it couldn ’ t punish its own military unit with a fabricated announcement .
He said North Korea was unlikely to resume dialogue and exchanges with South Korea until it is confident about containing a possible virus outbreak .

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un placed the city of Kaesong near the border with South Korea under total lockdown after a person was found there with suspected COVID-19 symptoms, saying “the vicious virus” may have entered the country, state media reported Sunday.
If the person is officially declared a coronavirus patient, he or she would be North Korea’s first confirmed case. The North has steadfastly said it has had no cases of the virus, a claim questioned by outside experts.
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The lockdown was declared Friday afternoon. The North’s official Korean Central News Agency said the suspected virus patient is a runaway who fled to South Korea three years ago before illegally crossing the border into the North early last week.
KCNA said respiratory secretion and blood tests showed the person “is suspected to have been infected” with the coronavirus. It said the person was placed under quarantine. People who had been in contact with the suspected patient and those who had been to Kaesong in the last five days were also quarantined.
Describing its anti-virus efforts as a “matter of national existence,” North Korea earlier this year shut down nearly all cross-border traffic, banned foreign tourists and mobilized health workers to quarantine anyone with symptoms. But the Kaesong lockdown is the first such known measure taken in a North Korean city to stem the pandemic.
Foreign experts say a coronavirus outbreak in North Korea could cause dire consequences because of its fragile public health care infrastructure and chronic lack of medical supplies. They are also skeptical about North Korea’s claim of having had no infections because the country shares a long, porous border with China, its biggest trading partner, where the world’s first known virus cases were reported in December.
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Kaesong, a city with an estimated population of 200,000, is located just north of the heavily fortified land border with South Korea. It once hosted the Koreas’ jointly run industrial complex, which has been shut since 2016 amid nuclear tensions. Last month, North Korea blew up an inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong to protest a campaign by South Korean activists who have been sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border.
During an emergency Politburo meeting Saturday, Kim also declared a state of emergency in the Kaesong area and “clarified the determination of the Party Central Committee to shift from the state emergency anti-epidemic system to the maximum emergency system and issue a top-class alert,” KCNA said.
It quoted Kim as saying there was “a critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country.” Kim said he took “the preemptive measure of totally blocking Kaesong City and isolating each district and region from the other” on Friday afternoon after receiving the report on it, according to KCNA.
Analyst Cheong Seong-Chang at the private Sejong Institute in South Korea said a thorough lockdown in Kaesong would make it difficult for a potential virus outbreak to spread beyond the city. But he said virus fears would engulf North Korean leaders.
“The anxiety and fears about COVID-19 spreading in the North Korean leadership would be much bigger than outsiders can roughly speculate because the country lacks test kits and has virtually no facilities to treat virus patients,” Cheong said.
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The Politburo meeting also discussed the “loose guard performance” at the border area where the suspected patient crossed over to North Korea, KCNA said.
It said that Kim and other leaders were briefed on the results of an intensive investigation of a military unit responsible for the border crossing and discussed administering “a severe punishment.”
More than 33,000 North Koreans have fled to South Korea over the past 20 years to avoid poverty and political suppression, mostly via China. But it is highly unusual for North Korean refugees to return to their impoverished, authoritarian homeland by crossing the mine-strewn inter-Korean border.
South Korea’s military said later Sunday that its investigation into who crossed the border into North Korea was being narrowed down to a single, unidentified person. A military statement said authorities were examining footage recorded by front-line surveillance equipment, but it gave no further details. Some observers said authorities likely tried to determine who has been missing since last week among North Korean refugees in South Korea, especially among those originally from Kaesong.
“Blaming an alleged return defector for bringing COVID-19 into the country is likely intended to shift blame for spread of the virus away from China and Pyongyang and on to Seoul,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.
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“This may also be a tactic for ratcheting up diplomatic pressure on (South Korea) and trying to further dissuade North Koreans from defecting to the South,” he said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-26--Kudlow Says Trump Administration Will 'Lengthen' Eviction Moratorium

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow on Sunday said the Trump administration plans to “ lengthen ” the four-month federal eviction moratorium that is set to expire Friday .
Kudlow abruptly announced the decision during the final moments of his interview with CNN ’ s “ State Of The Union.
” The National Economic Council director had been discussing the terms of the next economic stimulus package .
“ People need that money as soon as possible , ” host Jake Tapper said .
“ People are worried about being evicted in days , literally days.
” “ And by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eviction , ” Kudlow said .
“ We will lengthen it .
Alright , thanks , Jake .
Appreciate it.
” Larry Kudlow just tosses it out there that the Trump administration is going to `` lengthen '' the eviction moratorium that 's set to expire in a few days .
pic.twitter.com/UYij37BMLF — Justin Baragona ( @ justinbaragona ) July 26 , 2020 The moratorium was included as part of the Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security Act — also known as the CARES Act — passed in March .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live in buildings that have mortgages guaranteed by the federal government .
The eviction ban — and the additional weekly $ 600 in unemployment benefits — will expire on July 31 under current agreements .
Republicans are expected to unveil their long-awaited stimulus plan on Monday .
Congressional Democrats have proposed legislation that would extend the eviction moratorium through March 2021 , but the Republican-led Senate hasn ’ t moved on any of the bills .
“ Right now , millions of Americans are in danger of losing their homes , ” Brown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need in the middle of a public health crisis is families being turned out on the streets.
” Kudlow said the Republicans ’ stimulus plan would also include another round of $ 1,200 stimulus checks and would cap unemployment benefits at 70 % of a person ’ s prior income .
UPDATE : July 27 — Kudlow said Monday that his comments about extending the eviction moratorium were in reference to federally financed homes .
“ They will continue forbearance , ” Kudlow said during an interview with Fox Business Channel ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be no evictions in that sense.
” “ On the other side , on the rental side , we ’ re still looking at that , ” he continued .
“ We ’ re still working through that .
”

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White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow on Sunday said the Trump administration plans to “lengthen” the four-month federal eviction moratorium that is set to expire Friday.
Kudlow abruptly announced the decision during the final moments of his interview with CNN’s “State Of The Union.” The National Economic Council director had been discussing the terms of the next economic stimulus package.
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“People need that money as soon as possible,” host Jake Tapper said. “People are worried about being evicted in days, literally days.”
“And by the way, we will lengthen the eviction,” Kudlow said. “We will lengthen it. Alright, thanks, Jake. Appreciate it.”
Tapper, clarifying that Kudlow was referring to the eviction moratorium, called the announcement “good news.”
Larry Kudlow just tosses it out there that the Trump administration is going to "lengthen" the eviction moratorium that's set to expire in a few days. pic.twitter.com/UYij37BMLF — Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) July 26, 2020
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The moratorium was included as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act — also known as the CARES Act — passed in March. It protects an estimated 12 million renters who live in buildings that have mortgages guaranteed by the federal government. The eviction ban — and the additional weekly $600 in unemployment benefits — will expire on July 31 under current agreements.
Republicans are expected to unveil their long-awaited stimulus plan on Monday. Congressional Democrats have proposed legislation that would extend the eviction moratorium through March 2021, but the Republican-led Senate hasn’t moved on any of the bills.
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) tore into Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Thursday for allowing the rental relief bills to “collect dust,” reported Politico.
“Right now, millions of Americans are in danger of losing their homes,” Brown said. “The last thing we need in the middle of a public health crisis is families being turned out on the streets.”
Kudlow said the Republicans’ stimulus plan would also include another round of $1,200 stimulus checks and would cap unemployment benefits at 70% of a person’s prior income.
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Neither the White House nor McConnell’s office immediately responded to HuffPost’s requests for comment.
UPDATE: July 27 — Kudlow said Monday that his comments about extending the eviction moratorium were in reference to federally financed homes.
“They will continue forbearance,” Kudlow said during an interview with Fox Business Channel’s Stuart Varney. “So there will be no evictions in that sense.”
“On the other side, on the rental side, we’re still looking at that,” he continued. “We’re still working through that.”
The next #stimulus plan will allegedly include $1200 checks and 70% wage protection. National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow says they may also postpone #evictions if #loans were borrowed from the federal government. #Economy #Coronavirus #VarneyCo pic.twitter.com/2YfaIztG59 — Varney & Co. (@Varneyco) July 27, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-26--I Have Cerebral Palsy And The ADA Is Crucial To My Life. But There's Still Work To Do.

I was born in January 1990 ― 15 weeks premature , my future unknown ― and I would eventually be diagnosed with cerebral palsy and use a wheelchair .
On March 12 , 1990 , I was still in a neonatal intensive care unit .
Miles away in Washington , more than 60 disability activists crawled on their hands and knees up the steps of the Capitol to demand the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act .
By the time the ADA Act passed on July 26 , 1990 , I had only been home from the hospital for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President George H.W .
Bush claimed that the law would “ ensure that people with disabilities are given the basic guarantees… independence , freedom of choice , [ and ] control of their lives.
” I had an amazing college experience where I lived in a fully equipped and accessible dorm room on campus .
I ’ m proud to have been an NCAA Division III swimmer .
The first student from my college to study abroad in a wheelchair , I was protected by the ADA when my flat in London tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unit .
I can not drive , so I love using accessible buses and light rail trains .
I ’ m currently employed full time and recently completed a Master ’ s degree .
I turned 30 this year and for much of the year leading up to my birthday , questions ran on a loop in my brain : Have I advanced far enough in my career ?
What are my thoughts on marriage ?
Do I want kids ?
Am I going to run out of time ?
I know I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask these questions ; in fact , women are conditioned to focus on them .
Still , I felt embarrassed as I verbalized these issues and concerns to a therapist .
I also knew that those questions carry more weight for me because I am disabled .
I have had to advance my career while living in a society that could legally pay me less than minimum wage if it is thought a non-disabled person could do the job better .
I ’ ve left mock interviews with the recommendation to pursue speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligent , my voice sounds , “ a little sleepy.
” Although I ’ ve never once had to lift 20 pounds on a job , that requirement remains on far too many job descriptions .
As women , we are forced to fit into impossible confines .
As a disabled woman , those boxes are even more suffocating .
How can I hope to find a partner when I ’ ve both been told I ’ m too pretty to be in a wheelchair but I ’ m somehow never woman enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experienced what some in the disability community refer to as a delayed adolescence .
While my friends got driver ’ s licenses , went on first dates and had first kisses , I underwent surgeries , begged my doctors to believe my pain when my medical implant broke inside me , and fought my high school for proper accommodations all before the age of 18 .
And if I am still growing up , how can I even begin to think about kids ?
Public accommodation does not seem to apply to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start of my only pelvic exam to date , no one knew how to proceed when I told them that my feet couldn ’ t go in the stirrups .
With no accessible equipment alternative , four nurses held my body to the exam table .
Even with the help of a prescribed sedative , I wept the whole time .
My doctor , who specializes in women ’ s health , admitted that she hates to give me substandard care , but it ’ s clear neither one of us wants me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was delighted when Tammy Duckworth of Illinois — a disabled woman — became the first sitting U.S. senator to give birth .
I ’ ve cried happy tears over finding firsthand accounts of physically disabled mothers on social media , because the representation is so few and far between .
For me , parenthood feels almost completely out of reach .
Even if the process became more accessible medically or even if I were to adopt , what is the cost in a society that does not view disabled people as willing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on that January morning of my birthday , I woke up and exhaled a sigh of relief .
Thirty .
And while I still have more questions than answers , I ’ m still happy , I ’ m still here .
I still have time .
Life with a disability is challenging , but through connecting with my community and learning the history of the disability rights movement — something my advanced placement U.S. History textbook and prestigious liberal arts education left out — I ’ ve built a life that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protects us in many ways , but it is still not enough .
As a white cisgender disabled woman , I ’ ve had immense privileges and I know that my quality of life is harder to achieve for disabled people of color and those who identify as LGBTQ .
The act does not erase stigma or attitudinal barriers .
And , since so many buildings were grandfathered in under the ADA , baseline accessibility is never a guarantee .
Churches and religious organizations are still exempt from adhering .
I believe that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are still holding their breath .
We are still waiting for that sigh of relief .

The author Courtesy of Claire Forrest
I was born in January 1990 ― 15 weeks premature, my future unknown ― and I would eventually be diagnosed with cerebral palsy and use a wheelchair. On March 12, 1990, I was still in a neonatal intensive care unit. Miles away in Washington, more than 60 disability activists crawled on their hands and knees up the steps of the Capitol to demand the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
By the time the ADA Act passed on July 26, 1990, I had only been home from the hospital for two months. On that day, President George H.W. Bush claimed that the law would “ensure that people with disabilities are given the basic guarantees… independence, freedom of choice, [and] control of their lives.”
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Reading over those words now, it’s difficult to fully believe in them, because I do not believe those promises have been upheld.
I’m immensely grateful to have grown up under the protection of the ADA. Through it, I was able to attend mainstream schools alongside my non-disabled classmates. In high school, I was a member of the swim team and earned varsity letters alongside my non-disabled teammates.
I had an amazing college experience where I lived in a fully equipped and accessible dorm room on campus. I’m proud to have been an NCAA Division III swimmer. The first student from my college to study abroad in a wheelchair, I was protected by the ADA when my flat in London tried to charge me extra for an accessible unit. I cannot drive, so I love using accessible buses and light rail trains. I’m currently employed full time and recently completed a Master’s degree.
While these things haven’t come without challenges, it is because of the ADA that I’ve been able to push for accommodations and become an independent, contributing member of society.
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I turned 30 this year and for much of the year leading up to my birthday, questions ran on a loop in my brain: Have I advanced far enough in my career? What are my thoughts on marriage? Do I want kids? Am I going to run out of time?
I know I wasn’t the only one to ask these questions; in fact, women are conditioned to focus on them. Still, I felt embarrassed as I verbalized these issues and concerns to a therapist. I also knew that those questions carry more weight for me because I am disabled.
I have had to advance my career while living in a society that could legally pay me less than minimum wage if it is thought a non-disabled person could do the job better. I’ve left mock interviews with the recommendation to pursue speech therapy because while everything I say sounds intelligent, my voice sounds, “a little sleepy.” Although I’ve never once had to lift 20 pounds on a job, that requirement remains on far too many job descriptions.
As women, we are forced to fit into impossible confines. As a disabled woman, those boxes are even more suffocating. How can I hope to find a partner when I’ve both been told I’m too pretty to be in a wheelchair but I’m somehow never woman enough to overcome infantilization? I’ve experienced what some in the disability community refer to as a delayed adolescence. While my friends got driver’s licenses, went on first dates and had first kisses, I underwent surgeries, begged my doctors to believe my pain when my medical implant broke inside me, and fought my high school for proper accommodations all before the age of 18.
“As women, we are forced to fit into impossible confines. As a disabled woman, those boxes are even more suffocating.”
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And if I am still growing up, how can I even begin to think about kids? Public accommodation does not seem to apply to the doctor’s office. At the start of my only pelvic exam to date, no one knew how to proceed when I told them that my feet couldn’t go in the stirrups. With no accessible equipment alternative, four nurses held my body to the exam table. Even with the help of a prescribed sedative, I wept the whole time. My doctor, who specializes in women’s health, admitted that she hates to give me substandard care, but it’s clear neither one of us wants me to go through that again.
I was delighted when Tammy Duckworth of Illinois — a disabled woman — became the first sitting U.S. senator to give birth. I’ve cried happy tears over finding firsthand accounts of physically disabled mothers on social media, because the representation is so few and far between. For me, parenthood feels almost completely out of reach. Even if the process became more accessible medically or even if I were to adopt, what is the cost in a society that does not view disabled people as willing and able parents?
Six months ago, on that January morning of my birthday, I woke up and exhaled a sigh of relief. Thirty. And while I still have more questions than answers, I’m still happy, I’m still here. I still have time. Life with a disability is challenging, but through connecting with my community and learning the history of the disability rights movement — something my advanced placement U.S. History textbook and prestigious liberal arts education left out — I’ve built a life that is also filled with joy.
“I believe that on our 30th anniversary, disabled people are still holding their breath. We are still waiting for that sigh of relief.”
The ADA celebrates 30 years amid a global pandemic that has both threatened our livelihoods and forced non-disabled people to experience a glimpse of a life where things are suddenly inaccessible to them, their temporary ableness more apparent than ever.
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The ADA protects us in many ways, but it is still not enough. As a white cisgender disabled woman, I’ve had immense privileges and I know that my quality of life is harder to achieve for disabled people of color and those who identify as LGBTQ. The act does not erase stigma or attitudinal barriers. And, since so many buildings were grandfathered in under the ADA, baseline accessibility is never a guarantee. Churches and religious organizations are still exempt from adhering. I believe that on this 30th anniversary, disabled people are still holding their breath. We are still waiting for that sigh of relief.
So, what questions are we asking as the ADA turns 30? I have some ideas:
Will we train medical professionals to work with people of all body types and abilities? Better yet, will we allow more disabled doctors, therapists and medical professionals into the field?
Will we view disabled people as fully capable employees, romantic partners, parents and friends?
Will we let disabled people express what we need, loud and clear, and will you listen?
Will we realize that a law is just a law, and if things are to truly change, then attitudes must change?
I still don’t know what I want for my career, or whether I want to be married or have kids. But I do know that I want what every person wants: independence, freedom of choice and control of my life.
I hope in my lifetime, I get to see it. It’s been 30 years. I still have time. America still has time. So let’s ask those tough questions and dig deep down inside. It is time.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-25--Florida's COVID-19 Cases Surge Past New York's As U.S. Deaths Hit 1,000 For 4th Day

Nationwide , cases increased by 74,848 , the second-highest daily count on record .
Total COVID-19 deaths in the country topped 1,000 for the fourth consecutive day .
California has the highest total number of cases in the country — but its population is more than twice Florida ’ s .
President Donald Trump on Thursday canceled the major portion of the Republican National Convention planned for Jacksonville , Florida .
Trump said he determined it ’ s “ not the right time ” to hold the mass gathering as COVID-19 is surging in the state .
His announcement came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he likely wouldn ’ t provide security for the event because he lacked the manpower , adequate funding or any realistic GOP plan to keep the community safe amid the pandemic .
Trump had earlier pushed for the convention to be held in Jacksonville after officials in North Carolina , the RNC ’ s original host , refused to relax social-distancing restrictions for the event .
California ’ s confirmed cases hit 445,400 Saturday ; the state ’ s death toll so far is 8,340 .
New York tallied an additional 750 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of the day Friday ( with a death toll of 33,600 ) .
At the same time , Florida added 12,199 cases , for total of 414,511 ( 5,894 deaths ) .
Over a two-day period , Floridians have been dying from COVID-19 at a rate of about one person every 10 minutes .
Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis ( R ) said last week that the state had “ stabilized ” its number of cases and pointed to a decline in the percent of coronavirus tests that came back positive .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a better direction , ” DeSantis said .
More than 146,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 , and more than 4.1 million have been infected .
By Saturday , seven-day averages for cases hit new highs in California , Mississippi and Indiana — and tied records in Montana and North Dakota , according to tracking by The Washington Post .
South Carolina tallied its worst daily death toll .
Despite the surging number of cases , Trump and DeSantis pushed for children to head back to school in the fall .
The Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday to block schools from reopening for in-person instruction .
The rush to open will fail to provide a safe and secure environment as required in the state constitution , the suit argues .

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Florida hit a grim milestone Saturday, surging past New York’s total number of COVID-19 cases.
Nationwide, cases increased by 74,848, the second-highest daily count on record. Total COVID-19 deaths in the country topped 1,000 for the fourth consecutive day.
California has the highest total number of cases in the country — but its population is more than twice Florida’s.
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President Donald Trump on Thursday canceled the major portion of the Republican National Convention planned for Jacksonville, Florida. Trump said he determined it’s “not the right time” to hold the mass gathering as COVID-19 is surging in the state. His announcement came a day after the local sheriff said he likely wouldn’t provide security for the event because he lacked the manpower, adequate funding or any realistic GOP plan to keep the community safe amid the pandemic.
Trump had earlier pushed for the convention to be held in Jacksonville after officials in North Carolina, the RNC’s original host, refused to relax social-distancing restrictions for the event.
California’s confirmed cases hit 445,400 Saturday; the state’s death toll so far is 8,340. New York tallied an additional 750 cases for a total of 411,200 by the end of the day Friday (with a death toll of 33,600).
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said last week that the state had “stabilized” its number of cases and pointed to a decline in the percent of coronavirus tests that came back positive. “We’re definitely trending in a better direction,” DeSantis said.
More than 146,000 Americans have died of COVID-19, and more than 4.1 million have been infected. By Saturday, seven-day averages for cases hit new highs in California, Mississippi and Indiana — and tied records in Montana and North Dakota, according to tracking by The Washington Post. South Carolina tallied its worst daily death toll.
Despite the surging number of cases, Trump and DeSantis pushed for children to head back to school in the fall.
Florida’s education commissioner earlier this month ordered schools to reopen for full-time, in-person instruction in August.
The Florida Education Association teachers union filed a lawsuit Monday to block schools from reopening for in-person instruction. The rush to open will fail to provide a safe and secure environment as required in the state constitution, the suit argues.
SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN THE FALL!!! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 6, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-25--Why You Should Be Skeptical About Stories Of People Getting Coronavirus Twice

In late February , the government of Osaka , Japan , announced that a female tour bus guide in her 40s may have caught COVID-19 for a second time .
Around the same period , reports from China indicated that some patients were being readmitted to hospitals days or weeks after getting discharged with negative tests .
Stories about coronavirus patients testing positive for the illness after they thought they had recovered have cropped up around the world ― including in the U.S. , where a WNBA player in Arizona said she believed she was on her second infection .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ much we don ’ t know about how the virus functions and that we should , therefore , take care to follow safety protocols .
But scientists would like you to take reinfection stories with a healthy dose of skepticism .
Is it technically possible to get COVID-19 two separate times ?
Yes , Buffalo University infectious disease professor Thomas Russo told HuffPost this week .
But how likely that is ― and how exactly it happens ― is “ really something we don ’ t know yet , ” Russo said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus testing .
No COVID-19 test is absolutely perfect , and differences in their designs and materials can mean that some are more or less accurate than others .
For example , the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to labs earlier this month about a test called BD Max , alerting them that one study found an increased risk of error : 3 % of results using that test were false positives .
The type of test a patient receives is generally up to her health care provider .
Because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parts of the virus ’ s RNA , false positives can also arise when a dead fragment of the virus is detected in a patient ― meaning that the patient made a recovery but still has bits of the virus ’ s genetic material in his system that are not infectious .
Variables in testing mean that a number of possible scenarios could play out .
It ’ s complicated , too , because we know that symptoms of COVID-19 can vary widely .
Some people do not experience any at all while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they don ’ t have a severe case .
Scientists are still learning why .
Given all of that , a patient could falsely test positive then accurately test negative before she actually picks up the virus and falls ill , leading her to suspect she might have had it twice .
Others might accurately test positive , appear to get better over several weeks , then test positive again ― but the test merely picked up dead fragments .
That appeared to be the case for a health care worker in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after recovering from symptoms .
In Osaka , it remains unclear what precisely happened with the tour bus guide .
She tested positive in late January and tested negative several days afterward before returning three weeks later to a health care center with a sore throat and again tested positive for COVID-19 .
We don ’ t know exactly how antibodies protect us from this virus .
When a person is infected with a virus , she often begins producing antibodies as a defense mechanism that helps prevent reinfection .
Unfortunately , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how COVID-19 antibodies work and how much protection they may give us .
A recent study from King ’ s College London ― the largest of its kind so far ― suggested that the antibodies might not be as effective as hoped .
When scientists looked at the immune responses of more than 90 COVID-19 patients , they found a steep drop in antibodies three months after infection .
( The study has not yet been peer-reviewed . )
“ People are producing a reasonable antibody response to the virus , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of time , and , depending on how high your peak is , that determines how long the antibodies are staying around , ” the study ’ s lead author , Dr. Katie Doores , told The Guardian .
Doores ’ research helps support the idea that the new coronavirus may be able to reinfect people year after year , like the flu ― which could mean that any vaccines approved to fight the virus ’ s spread may have limited effectiveness .
“ Decreasing antibodies doesn ’ t necessarily mean that you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reinfection .
There ’ s a very important part of our defenses called cellular immunity , and some of these cells are memory cells for producing antibodies , ” Russo said .
“ There ’ s also other types of cells that could directly kill the virus , ” he said , such as T cells that eliminate infected cells .
He continued : “ I think that it ’ s somewhat encouraging that we ’ ve had millions of cases around the globe , and the fact that we haven ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the host response to natural infection must be protection at least for a few months .
”

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In late February, the government of Osaka, Japan, announced that a female tour bus guide in her 40s may have caught COVID-19 for a second time. Around the same period, reports from China indicated that some patients were being readmitted to hospitals days or weeks after getting discharged with negative tests.
Stories about coronavirus patients testing positive for the illness after they thought they had recovered have cropped up around the world ― including in the U.S., where a WNBA player in Arizona said she believed she was on her second infection.
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“It’s just so unknown; we have to be extra careful,” Phoenix Mercury guard Sophie Cunningham told reporters earlier this month.
Cunningham is correct that there is still much we don’t know about how the virus functions and that we should, therefore, take care to follow safety protocols. But scientists would like you to take reinfection stories with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Is it technically possible to get COVID-19 two separate times? Yes, Buffalo University infectious disease professor Thomas Russo told HuffPost this week. But how likely that is ― and how exactly it happens ― is “really something we don’t know yet,” Russo said.
One huge factor is the accuracy of coronavirus testing.
No COVID-19 test is absolutely perfect, and differences in their designs and materials can mean that some are more or less accurate than others. For example, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to labs earlier this month about a test called BD Max, alerting them that one study found an increased risk of error: 3% of results using that test were false positives. The type of test a patient receives is generally up to her health care provider.
Advertisement
Because the diagnostic tests are designed to look for parts of the virus’s RNA, false positives can also arise when a dead fragment of the virus is detected in a patient ― meaning that the patient made a recovery but still has bits of the virus’s genetic material in his system that are not infectious.
Variables in testing mean that a number of possible scenarios could play out. It’s complicated, too, because we know that symptoms of COVID-19 can vary widely. Some people do not experience any at all while others present them for weeks, even if they don’t have a severe case. Scientists are still learning why.
Given all of that, a patient could falsely test positive then accurately test negative before she actually picks up the virus and falls ill, leading her to suspect she might have had it twice.
In another case, a false negative test could lead a patient to believe he’d recovered when he was actually still battling the virus.
Others might accurately test positive, appear to get better over several weeks, then test positive again ― but the test merely picked up dead fragments. That appeared to be the case for a health care worker in Hawaii, who tested positive three weeks after recovering from symptoms.
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In Osaka, it remains unclear what precisely happened with the tour bus guide. She tested positive in late January and tested negative several days afterward before returning three weeks later to a health care center with a sore throat and again tested positive for COVID-19.
We don’t know exactly how antibodies protect us from this virus.
When a person is infected with a virus, she often begins producing antibodies as a defense mechanism that helps prevent reinfection. Unfortunately, we don’t know a lot about how COVID-19 antibodies work and how much protection they may give us.
A recent study from King’s College London ― the largest of its kind so far ― suggested that the antibodies might not be as effective as hoped. When scientists looked at the immune responses of more than 90 COVID-19 patients, they found a steep drop in antibodies three months after infection. (The study has not yet been peer-reviewed.)
“People are producing a reasonable antibody response to the virus, but it’s waning over a short period of time, and, depending on how high your peak is, that determines how long the antibodies are staying around,” the study’s lead author, Dr. Katie Doores, told The Guardian.
Doores’ research helps support the idea that the new coronavirus may be able to reinfect people year after year, like the flu ― which could mean that any vaccines approved to fight the virus’s spread may have limited effectiveness.
Advertisement
Antibodies aren’t the body’s only defense mechanism, though.
“Decreasing antibodies doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to be susceptible for reinfection. There’s a very important part of our defenses called cellular immunity, and some of these cells are memory cells for producing antibodies,” Russo said. “There’s also other types of cells that could directly kill the virus,” he said, such as T cells that eliminate infected cells.
“It’s something that people are keeping an eye on very carefully,” Russo said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-25--'World War Z' Author: COVID-19 Response Shows U.S. Has Lost The 'Gut Terror' Of Germs

The COVID-19 pandemic might be a few steps removed from the apocalypses depicted in popular fiction , but storytellers can play a vital role in helping people understand the very real threat of global epidemics , according to Max Brooks , author of the zombie plague novel “ World War Z , ” which was adapted as a 2013 film starring Brad Pitt .
Brooks — who also wrote “ The Zombie Survival Guide ” — spoke in a Comic-Con-at-Home panel on “ Zombies and Coronavirus : Planning for the Next Big Outbreak.
” He pointed out the general public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the biggest threat to the United States is “ the gap between the American people and those who protect them.
” “ One of the reasons [ COVID-19 ] has been such a devastating plague in the United States is it ’ s a generational problem , ” Brooks said .
“ If this had hit us 40 years ago , there would have been enough Americans still alive and in positions of authority who still remember the dark days of polio and whooping cough — the pre-vaccine days when viruses and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large portion of our population.
” Most members of today ’ s U.S. population “ grew up post-World War II and don ’ t have the muscle memory and gut terror of germs , ” leading to the current situation in which the coronavirus has blindsided America , Brooks said .
Brooks quoted a 1981 Eddie Murphy skit in arguing that all the scientific knowledge in the world isn ’ t “ worth a warm bucket of hamster vomit ” if it isn ’ t succinctly communicated to the average American .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a book such as 1994′s “ The Coming Plague : Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance , ” which Brooks held up as an illustration .
“ That ’ s where the artist comes in , ” Brooks said .
He cited the 1940s documentary series “ Why We Fight ” as an example of how Hollywood previously used cinema to educate the general public — in this case , about the war effort .
“ We need to think of creative ways of distilling the essence of what [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ general audiences ] understand why it ’ s worth it , ” he added .
Such an effort would not necessarily have to be pure propaganda , Brooks said .
As an example , he referenced the TV show “ Schoolhouse Rock !
” which expressed core concepts about politics , history and mathematics to a child audience through songs .
An overall appreciation for science needs to be stressed in today ’ s world , he added .
“ You can ’ t pay science teachers pennies and not teach kids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and what it means to look at data , ... and suddenly when they ’ re grown-ups , expect them to learn about airborne droplet theory , ” Brooks said .
Other participants on the Comic-Con panel included Dr. Jarod Hanson of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases — who called COVID-19 the “ ultimate group project gone bad ” — and biodefense expert Gregory Koblentz of George Mason University .
Koblentz said that America ’ s “ poor track record ” of monitoring pandemics eerily mirrored the trend seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the zombie epidemic catches everyone by surprise .
”

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The COVID-19 pandemic might be a few steps removed from the apocalypses depicted in popular fiction, but storytellers can play a vital role in helping people understand the very real threat of global epidemics, according to Max Brooks, author of the zombie plague novel “World War Z,” which was adapted as a 2013 film starring Brad Pitt.
Brooks — who also wrote “The Zombie Survival Guide” — spoke in a Comic-Con-at-Home panel on “Zombies and Coronavirus: Planning for the Next Big Outbreak.” He pointed out the general public’s disregard of science and argued that the biggest threat to the United States is “the gap between the American people and those who protect them.”
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“One of the reasons [COVID-19] has been such a devastating plague in the United States is it’s a generational problem,” Brooks said. “If this had hit us 40 years ago, there would have been enough Americans still alive and in positions of authority who still remember the dark days of polio and whooping cough — the pre-vaccine days when viruses and bacteria used to kill and cripple a large portion of our population.”
Most members of today’s U.S. population “grew up post-World War II and don’t have the muscle memory and gut terror of germs,” leading to the current situation in which the coronavirus has blindsided America, Brooks said.
Brooks quoted a 1981 Eddie Murphy skit in arguing that all the scientific knowledge in the world isn’t “worth a warm bucket of hamster vomit” if it isn’t succinctly communicated to the average American. That person is unlikely to have cracked open a book such as 1994′s “The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance,” which Brooks held up as an illustration.
“That’s where the artist comes in,” Brooks said. He cited the 1940s documentary series “Why We Fight” as an example of how Hollywood previously used cinema to educate the general public — in this case, about the war effort. “We need to think of creative ways of distilling the essence of what [the science community] understands and make [general audiences] understand why it’s worth it,” he added.
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Such an effort would not necessarily have to be pure propaganda, Brooks said. As an example, he referenced the TV show “Schoolhouse Rock!” which expressed core concepts about politics, history and mathematics to a child audience through songs. An overall appreciation for science needs to be stressed in today’s world, he added.
“You can’t pay science teachers pennies and not teach kids about basic science and the scientific method and what it means to look at data, ... and suddenly when they’re grown-ups, expect them to learn about airborne droplet theory,” Brooks said.
Other participants on the Comic-Con panel included Dr. Jarod Hanson of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases — who called COVID-19 the “ultimate group project gone bad” — and biodefense expert Gregory Koblentz of George Mason University. Koblentz said that America’s “poor track record” of monitoring pandemics eerily mirrored the trend seen in movies and books in which “the zombie epidemic catches everyone by surprise.”