03-10-2020, 12:44 AM
It sounds like even in Italy, as a medical crisis rages, there are those who are unaware. I am having trouble convincing my father to modify his behavior. I maintain that we should all just stay in starting today, because we can. They are both in their late 80s and I am presently free from those obligations that come with employment. My father however is governed by a restless nature modified by a degree of cognitive decline due to advanced age and an innate impulsiveness and self-centeredness (narcicism perhaps?) that I now recognize has always been with him. If I didn't know and love him as I do I would use terms like crazy, selfish, bully, and a$$hole to describe him. Anyway getting him to adapt his behavior and stay home instead of going out and driving miles to save 50 cents on a tank of gas is difficult even if I don't factor in the relief I have felt up until now when he is off on his adventures.
In short, when active transmission is verified in my neighborhood we will know that we should have been self-quarantining 2 weeks earlier, which won't have happened because dad is such a free spirit/loose cannon. When I challenged him a couple of days ago he about just staying home because it might help us stay alive he asked how people with our lifestyle could do that. In case I didn't make it clear, our lifestyle is such that we could all die and nobody would know for years as the power is payed automatically, etc. Mom spends half the day in bed and the other half in a chair in front of the TV given that she can hardly move after two strokes. Dad spends 1/3 of the day in bed, slightly less than 2/3 of the day on the couch in front of the TV, and the remainder going out on mostly non-essential errands. I do what ever I need to but at least try to wash hands regularly and wipe down the shopping cart handle as part of a coherent policy.
Normal people aren't taking this seriously enough or taking proper steps. My dad's not even normal.
In short, when active transmission is verified in my neighborhood we will know that we should have been self-quarantining 2 weeks earlier, which won't have happened because dad is such a free spirit/loose cannon. When I challenged him a couple of days ago he about just staying home because it might help us stay alive he asked how people with our lifestyle could do that. In case I didn't make it clear, our lifestyle is such that we could all die and nobody would know for years as the power is payed automatically, etc. Mom spends half the day in bed and the other half in a chair in front of the TV given that she can hardly move after two strokes. Dad spends 1/3 of the day in bed, slightly less than 2/3 of the day on the couch in front of the TV, and the remainder going out on mostly non-essential errands. I do what ever I need to but at least try to wash hands regularly and wipe down the shopping cart handle as part of a coherent policy.
Normal people aren't taking this seriously enough or taking proper steps. My dad's not even normal.