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secretly-a-cold-blooded-murderer · 3 years

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Five Thousand Miles

Warning: Angst, descriptions of covid patients’ suffering, hospitals

A/n: I researched a lot about what covid patients go through in a hospital and their treatments but still took a couple creative liberties so I apologise if the descriptions aren’t accurate. Do tell me how you liked it!

Summary: Y/n tests positive for covid-19 and has to be hospitalised. Her boyfriend, Harry is five thousand miles away from her.

“Harry, I’m scared,” Y/n confessed as she readied herself, struggling with wearing her mask and gloves while also balancing her phone to continue talking to her boyfriend on FaceTime.

“It’ll be alright, you are taking every precaution you can. Plus, you have to get out of the house sometime, you can’t survive on air alone. Trust me, baby, you can do this.”

Harry’s voice was keeping her grounded, she wanted to continue talking to him but knew it would be impossible to shop and talk to him at the same time, so she nodded at him, “You’re right. Okay, I’ll call you when I get back. Safely.”

Taking a deep breath, she went out the door to a world of germs, people, and newly acquired viruses.

Being in the middle of a pandemic alone wasn’t her favourite situation to be in. It felt better when she had company, people who would help her buy the essentials. As soon as situations eased up a bit, her quarantine partners left New York to be with their families. She was all alone now.

Looking at all the empty streets, Y/n was left with a weird sensation. The city that never slept had never been quieter. She was so used to being woken up by car horns and car alarms in the morning that during the first few weeks of lockdown, she found it hard to wake before noon. This quiet was almost poetic, like the stuff of post-apocalyptic films. Y/n wasn’t sure if the silence comforted her or terrified her.

There were more people in the store than she had expected, though all in their masks, she breathed in relief. She went straight to the personal hygiene section, remembering the most important item on her list, only to find that the store was all out of toilet papers, the one thing films didn’t guess would be a big problem. She rolled her eyes at the selfish people who had panic-bought more stuff than they would have needed.

She tried every store near her neighbourhood, and eventually was able to get the last set in the final shop she visited. Tired from driving all over the city in search of toilet papers, she went to the check-out line to finally buy her stuff.

Standing in her place, Y/n noticed the people in the store, few whose foreheads were furrowed, their eyes darting around making sure they were maintaining the mandated distance from others, panic evident on their mask-covered faces. Some others appeared plain bored. Already used to the new routine and just wanting to get it over with.

She was so lost her observations, she almost didn’t hear it, the woman behind her in the line coughed loudly, making people jump farther apart than the required six feet.

“It’s just allergies,” the woman announced in a nasal voice, rolling her eyes at people’s reaction.

As Y/n’s turn came at the check-out counter, she found herself frozen to the ground, she didn’t know why but the cough threw her off. It felt weird to react the way she did, but she could not make herself move. She was nervous. She wanted to laugh at herself for feeling this way because of a measly cough, but it wasn’t so simple and right now all she felt was fear.

“Oh for god’s sake,” the woman moved forward, pushing her aside and placed her items at the counter. Even the employee there seemed wary, but knew he had to comply to keep his job.

It was only after the woman left, was Y/n finally able to move, she shook her head as if to shake the incident away from her mind and finally paid for her items.

She ran all the way home, even though she knew she shouldn’t have. She couldn’t help herself, she just wanted to move away from the public and into the safety of her home as soon as she could.

As she entered her house, Y/n felt her chest tighten, as though someone was sitting on it, she couldn’t breathe properly. It felt like she was breathing through a squished straw.

In between her wheezing, she searched around for her inhaler in her side bag. She felt her breath coming back a few seconds after she breathed in the medicine. She fell to her knees in exhaustion and took in a few more breaths to calm down.

She then picked herself up and embarked on an extensive set of tasks- Taking off her gloves and mask, removing her shoes at the entrance of her house, washing her hands. But, this somehow didn’t seem enough to her, so she went ahead and took another shower, just to be extra sure.

While in the shower, she cursed her asthma. It wasn’t usually a big hurdle in her life, but now, everything was a hundred times worse. This was the first time she had feared for her life. Her anxiety was at an all-time high and all she had to keep her sane was her daily FaceTime calls with Harry.

Opening her laptop to do her work, she checked the numbers again- seventy thousand new cases. She sighed and closed her laptop, not having the motivation to do any work. She scrolled through her social media to distract herself only to be shoved more news about the coronavirus, she let out a groan of frustration and switched off her phone, deciding to take a nap instead.

Only she couldn’t sleep. She thought back to all the plans she made with Harry, promising him to be there next to him while he toured the globe. She laughed at the situation and how no one in a million years could have guessed the current world state.

She didn’t know when she fell asleep, but she must have as she woke up with a jolt in her bed after a strange dream. She shook her head and looked out her window to see the sky dark. She switched on her phone, it was 8 pm. She cursed to see three missed calls from Harry and one from her friend, Sarah.

Preparing herself, she called Harry.

“Where were you, I called like three times?” His voice was deeper than usual, she guessed he had just woken up because of her call. She calculated it to be 4 am in London, where Harry was. She felt bad for waking him up like that.

“I know, I switched off my phone and fell asleep. Sorry,” she grimaced.

Harry hummed in acknowledgement, “how you doing?”

She could hear rustling on the other side and imagined a sleepy Harry sitting up in his bed, his hair messy from his sleep, “Just missing ya’.”

“I know, I hate that I had to leave you like that, wish you could come with me,” there was a hint of a whine in Harry’s voice which made Y/n smile.

“Wish I had a visa for England, I really wanted to come too,” and she meant that. At least that way, she wouldn’t have to be alone.

“I’ll video call you tomorrow, it’s late here, or rather early,” what he was saying next was obscured by his yawn. She sighed, she missed him too much.

“Yeah sure, see you tomorrow, bye.”

“Bye.”

When the call disconnected, she messaged Sarah to ask what the call was about, who didn’t respond. She shrugged her shoulders and went down to the kitchen to start preparing for dinner.

It started with a headache. She didn’t ponder much on it and instead only took medicine to curb the pain enough to continue working.

It was when she felt a certain roughness in her throat, did she pay attention. Her cough worsened within days, she was having a hard time breathing normally. It felt like a less severe but constant asthma attack. She took her temperature, which showed her to be having a fever at 101°F.

It took her some time to even process what was happening to her, she initially wondered if it could be the flu or something non-covid, but she knew she couldn’t take the chances. Harry was the first person she informed.

“What are you saying?!” Harry was frantic, his forehead creased as he ran his fingers through his hair, messing them up.

“I have a fever, a cough, and I’m having difficulty breathing,” counting the symptoms on her fingers, she informed him again.

“It could be the flu, Y/n you didn’t even go outside. How could it be anything else?”

“H, I did go out to buy supplies, didn’t I? Maybe I got infected there somehow. We shouldn’t be kidding ourselves. I have to at least get tested.” You didn’t want to show him just how scared you were, but it was hard to keep your voice from cracking.

“I am scared, H,” you let the tears out. Your shoulders shook while you tried to wipe your tears as they were leaking from your eyes.

Harry closed his eyes, not being able to see you sobbing, “I know baby, but I know you’ll be strong. I will take the next flight to LA. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He promised, his mouth set in a hard line as a strong look of determination crossed his face.

She shook her head with as much strength she could muster, “No Harry, you shouldn’t keep travelling, plus, you can’t stay with me and I don’t want you staying at some hotel. It’s not safe.”

“Bu—”

“—I won’t hear another word about it. I have Sarah, and you have your work to take care of. I will be fine.”

She knew Harry wanted to say more, object to her claims, she would not be fine. But he knew it would be of no use, once she had made up her mind, it would be impossible to change it. So, he settled for a low nod.

“Keep me updated, I’ll also talk to Sarah. She better be there for it all. You should now call your doctor, see what’s the next step.”

Y/n nodded, smiling that Harry understood. She didn’t want to trouble him. She also wanted to pretend for a few more seconds that this was not a big deal.

She called Dr Gupta, her heart was beating at an all-time high and her energy was at an all-time low. She barely had enough breath to tell her doctor about her situation who booked an appointment for her to go to the nearest covid testing facility.

She took a deep breath, wore her protective gear and drove to the testing lab which was a ten-minute drive from her place. She was already out of breath by the time she reached the place.

When she was done with her test, she felt worse than she had before. Sarah called to check in on her, but Y/n didn’t have the energy to talk so Sarah video-called her, seeing Y/n’s face would have to be enough for her at that point.

Sarah’s eyes softened, seeing her best friend heaving, eyes shut and groaning due to her chest pain. But she knew, more than anything, her best friend was scared.

“I hope with everything that I am that the test comes back negative,” her voice was tinged with worry and genuine hope.

Y/n could only nod.

The call came two days later, Y/n sat up in her bed, she had been dreading this moment these past days, with Harry and Sarah to distract her.

The test came back positive.

She fell back into her bed, cushioned by her pillow and started shaking uncontrollably as she sobbed.

She felt insanely dehydrated by the time she stopped crying, she didn’t even get to call either of her friends. She stood up with a groan, and following one slow step after the other, she went to the bathroom to wash her now tear-stained face.

The call she made to Harry wasn’t an easy one. She knew he would take the news worse than she had, and her reaction was not a light one.

“I prayed. I promise I prayed Y/n,” his words were almost indecipherable in between his cries. His every tear followed the other with a ferocity never before noticed by Y/n.

Her own tears followed suite, she was so sure she had finished up all her tears, but she was proven wrong. Soon, the only conversation happening between the two was through their sobs.

She wanted to curse all the gods, she didn’t want to go through the pains of having this disease and she didn’t want to do it alone. Even though she had Harry and Sarah standing right beside her, knowing they would not be able to meet her in person, she had never felt more alone.

“I don’t feel good, H,” she confessed. Breathing was becoming difficult day by day, she would rather have an asthma attack twice a day than having this constant pressure on her chest and throat. She knew she had to tell him, “I have to get admitted to the hospital first thing in the morning tomorrow, they say my covid could be worsened because of my asthma,” she let out in between a series of coughs stopping her after every word.

Harry nodded, his heartbeat rising. He cursed himself for leaving his girlfriend alone in the country. If he hadn’t left, she would not be going through this, “I’ll tell Sarah, you go rest,” he promised, seeing it get increasingly difficult for her to even sit up in her bed.

If Y/n was scared before, then the hospital made it thousand times worse. It was a scary sight, the covid ward was in an isolated area of the hospital, the doctors and nurses were in full PPE kits, the patients were lined up next to each other separated by curtains. She passed a room with ICU written on the glass door. With what she could see, she noticed several other patients, some with masks covering their nose, probably providing oxygen. Others seemed in worse conditions, they were intubated via ventilators.

Seeing them facing the same crisis together, although away from their families, but forming a new family of sorts in solidarity to their conditions gave her little comfort. Those who wore the nasal masks and thus still had the ability to talk were speaking to each other, even reading something from their phones to those who were on ventilators. Covid had seemed like a situation she would have to go through alone, her initial views though were changing.

She was admitted to the regular covid ward, with the rest of the non-critical patients and would be observed overnight. She was assisted with oxygen through a nasal mask, just like the people around her, she had noticed.

“Hey, I’m Cecilia, call me Cece,” a thirty-something woman introduced herself from beside you. The curtain was partially open, allowing Y/n to see only her face.

“Y/n, nice to meet you,” she called back, smiling as much her energy would allow.

“Never guessed this is how I would be spending my lockdown,” she laughed lightly, pointing to her mask. She then followed it up with a cough, groaning with the strain.

Y/n felt bad for her, only to be subjected to the same.

These were going to be some long days. Though she did feel better knowing she would not be facing this alone. She looked around the room, at probably twenty patients around her, in the same situation as her, if not in worse conditions. She then thought back to the people in the ICU and what they must be subjected to.

Her phone brought her attention to itself, it was Harry FaceTiming her; putting on a smile, she picked up the call.

“Hey handsome,” she suggestively raised her eyebrows, not wanting to worry him any further.

Harry did not even notice her words, he was too busy gawking at her nasal mask, “what is that?” worry coating his voice.

“Oh just my new accessory, you like it?” although Y/n wanted to look nonchalant, the pain in her voice could not be hidden, she sighed, “They are giving me oxygen through this.”

Harry’s eyebrows were knitted together in worry, Y/n wanted to make him feel better. She could not rest knowing her love was out there worrying about her, “Look I made a friend,” she turned the camera to Cece laying next to her six feet apart, “Cece, say hi to my boyfriend, Harry.”

She had forgotten her boyfriend was a big deal but was reminded of it by Cece’s gasp, “Harry freaking Styles ohmigod ohmigod,” Cece squealed, making Y/n forget for a second that she was not a teenager.

“Hullo love,” Harry greeted her in his ‘fan voice’, a smile graced her lips. “Hope you beat covid and get better soon.” Cece’s smile made Y/n realise how long these people had gone without having a reason to smile and how desperately they needed it.

Cece’s squeal garnered the attention of the people around them. Noticing the pop icon on the phone screen, conversations started flowing between everybody. Introductions were made, friendships were formed and smiles were passed around, along with Y/n’s phone. So, she asked a nearby nurse if they could access a bigger screen so everyone could see and talk to her boyfriend.

When the staff hooked up a screen, Harry gave all the patients an impromptu concert. Y/n had not smiled in days the way this concert had made her. She expected fear, anxiety, deaths and instead got friends, laughter, and music.

When Harry was done performing for his audience, he gave her a brief look. “I love you,” she whispered to him, smiling when he returned the words.

The next day, she was woken up by the noises around her, she panicked for a moment, not recognising the place she was in; but calmed when she regained her senses and noticed the blue curtains of the hospital, several machines and the people they were attached to.

She made a short conversation with Cece but had to stop because she was getting out of breath. With every passing moment, her chest pain too was increasing. She did keep listening to people chat around her. Some were on calls with their family, others were busy reading books and listening to music. She kept getting shouts of gratitude from the people in the ward for Harry the previous night.

For the next two days, that kept her going. She learned about her fellow patients, Jonathan was 59 years old, his son was an engineer and he couldn’t have been more proud; Jaya was a 42-year-old woman with bronchitis and wanted to visit Paris at least once in her life. Marc was a 50-year-old diabetic who was in a band in the 80s, they were planning a reunion show. She met countless people, each with their own stories.

At about 10 am on a Thursday, her situation worsened. The doctors had come for a routine checkup, only to see that her oxygen levels were dropping steadily and she needed immediate assistance.

She was shifted to the ICU ward. She had to be intubated and thus was given a board and marker to write anything if she wanted.

“—Yes sir, she was shifted to the ICU this morning—”

“—We can’t say much right now, but we’ll inform you if anything changes—”

“—Okay, take care, Sir.”

Y/n heard bits and pieces of the conversation her doctor was having with Harry, although since she was on medication, she couldn’t register much of it. The nurses brought her phone to her, a silhouette moving on the screen.

“Hey baby, how are you feeling?”

Y/n pondered how to describe the immense pain burning through her respiratory passage and the lack of oxygen eating away her lungs and not give him nightmares. So, she offered him a tired thumbs up.

Harry watched his girlfriend cough, her face contorting in pain and could not control his tears, he didn’t want to think about the worst-case scenario but could not stop his mind from going there. He knew how low the chances were of people on ventilators coming back. But he had to remain positive, someone had to. She needed him to be strong for her. So, he wiped away his tears, put on his best brave face and talked to her.

He called her every three hours. Giving updates to her about his day, talking to her about whatever he could. He talked enough to compensate for the silence on her part. She smiled through every sentence, even though he could not see it, even though it wasn’t visible on her face, even though she didn’t have the power to, she smiled.

And she listened. So she didn’t have to focus on Josephine dying next to her or Augusta who was a hair length’s distance away from dying the previous day. Even though doctors told her that her situation was worsening, she listened because that became the only thing keeping her from giving up.

As her pains didn’t go away, and her condition worsened further, she was given sedatives and was thus mostly asleep. Which she was thankful for, for she couldn’t take it anymore, she just wanted to rest.

Dr Garcia came by routinely to check on her, talking to her about the outside world, gave her the gossips being passed around the hospital. Even though she was barely awake to listen to any of it, she was thankful for the kind doctor providing a calm lull while doing her job.

“Mr Styles, I’m afraid her condition isn’t getting any better. She should have shown atleast some improvements,” Dr Garcia informed Harry in a heavy voice.

On the other side of the line, Harry didn’t know what to do, it felt like someone was pulling away the floor under him. “What happens now?” He asked, praying for some hopeful news.

“We really can’t say much, each case is different, but it would be better uhm,” the doctor was thinking through her words, wanting to be as considerate as possible, “is there any family of hers that would want to talk to her?”

Harry almost let out a sob as he realised what the doctor was implying ‘is there anyone who would want to give her a final goodbye?’

“No, Y/n’s family passed away in an accident when she was 16, it’s just me and Sarah,” he explained, his voice on the verge of cracking, it was becoming harder to get words out of his mouth. He didn’t want to talk anymore, he just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry.

“Oh, I understand,” Dr Garcia nodded, feeling sorry for the young girl who had stolen the hearts of everyone in the ward. She was a sweet girl, who had dreams and still held love for life even after everything she had seen. “This is not the end, Harry, she can still recover, God, I pray she does, this is not the end.” She really believed the words she was saying and wanted Harry to feel the same.

He nodded, tears clouding his eyes. He too really wanted to believe that.

A beat of silence fell upon the conversation, both in deep thought, “Harry, she wrote something on her board when she was awake yesterday,” Harry’s ears pricked up, “she wrote and I quote ‘I will not give up’ with a smiley face at the end. She is a fighter, you remember that,” Dr Garcia gave her parting ways and went back to her work.

Y/n’s words were imprinted in Harry’s mind. After the call, he made himself more presentable, wiping his tears and drove up to the church near Y/n’s house. He had come back to LA after Y/n was admitted to the ICU. He couldn’t be five thousand miles away from her in that condition.

The church was almost empty, which was surprising to Harry, given the situation, but he wasn’t complaining. He walked up the aisle, his hand grazing each wooden bench as he reached the altar and kneeled. He didn’t what to pray or how to pray, but he tried anyway. He closed his eyes and called out to God; he prayed with every part in his body, with every bone, every muscle, every fibre of being for his love to get better. For her to keep fighting. And for him to gain enough strength to deal with it all.

All this time, he had been feeling so helpless, not being able to do anything to make her better. But he made peace with the fact that the only thing he could do right now was to have faith. To have faith in God to guide him and her, in Y/n to be the stubborn strong-willed woman that she was and continue fighting, he had faith in his faith and that it would not disappoint.

He stayed there, talking to God until the closing hours. He then went back to Y/n’s place and sat on the sofa, waiting by his mobile, ready for any phone call he might receive.

He was awoken the next day by his phone ringing on the coffee table next to him. He looked at the time, it was noon, he picked up.

“Congratulations Harry, she’s getting better,” the relief was evident in Dr Garcia’s voice.

Harry felt himself getting physically lighter.

“I mean there is still a long way to go, but her oxygen levels are rising, her lungs are recovering, she’ll be soon able to breathe on her own. Harry, she did it, she won,” Harry didn’t listen to the rest of what the doctor was saying, he was too busy falling in love with the love of his life. It felt like he himself had come back from the dead. He knew his faith could never disappoint.

“Thank you doctor, I’ll be waiting for the call when you tell me she’s tested negative,” he laughed, his lungs breathing in air after what felt like a lifetime.

Dr Garcia chuckled along with him and agreed, telling him Y/n would call him when she woke up.

“You know I love you right? My fighter,” Harry tightened his grip on her hand and kissed her knuckles.

Y/n’s head fell back as laughter bubbled out of her, “You just told me that like two minutes ago.”

“I know, but a few weeks ago I thought I would never get to say it to you ever again. So, I will keep reminding you every minute that I love you and that you are the strongest person I know,” he snaked his arms around her, placing his head on top of hers, “I really missed holding you.”

She breathed in Harry’s scent, slowly regaining her sense of smell, she had missed this too. She cupped his cheek with her right hand and gave him a light peck.

Harry grabbed the back of her head, keeping her lips on his, deepening the kiss. When they separated, he rested his forehead against hers, not wanting her to move even an inch away from him.

Noticing her deep breaths, he whispered in her ears, “This is the only reason I want you to be out of breath. This and well... the other one,” he smirked.

“Oh hush you,” Y/n blushed, she sucked in a breath through her teeth, “Shit man, I love you.”

#Harry Styles #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles fic #harry styles one shot #harry styles imagine #harry styles imagines #covid19 #harry styles x reader #harry styles x y/n #harry styles angst #angst

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lupinepublishers · 2 years

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lupine publishers|Creating a Virtual Clinical Experience for the ICU During the COVID Pandemic: A Case Study

Creating a Virtual Clinical Experience for the ICU During the COVID Pandemic: A Case Study

Introduction Spring of 2020 was here. Another exciting journey was about to embark. Undergraduate baccalaureate students would begin their ICU rotation, the final care management course before moving on to their preceptorship and graduation. We were ready, clinical placements secured, assignments and rotations confirmed. No one could have imagined what was about to come next: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. Restrictions were enforced, campuses transitioned to online-only learning. Both students and faculty experienced being quarantined and hospitals halted all on-site clinical experiences. Both leadership and faculty held firmly to the belief that our students should graduate on time while achieving program outcomes at their finest. It seemed impossible but no one stopped to question it, we simply kept moving toward our goal. The goal was to teach courses online and provide quality clinical experiences in a virtual environment with available resources and creativity. To meet this goal, each course group formed its workgroups to create a smooth migration from in- person classes and clinical to 100% online learning. The transition to online classroom learning came easily with the utilization of technology, which allowed us to continue the same active learning environments that we experienced daily. Breakout rooms online allowed for small learning groups and larger group discussions Goal met. The real challenge was for each course work group to create clinical experiences for the online environment that equated to the same quality and excellence as those at the bedside without causing a delay in student learning or financial hardship on the institution. While faculty had a variety of technologies and resources available to them; the desire to create diversity with a variety of learning methods was evident if we wanted to keep learners engaged. The purpose of this case study is to provide nurse educators with an inside glimpse into the creation of a virtual clinical experience by one faculty member. The expectation is that this empowers faculty to move beyond the pandemic crisis to utilize their own creativity and create alternatives to on-site clinical experiences using a virtual environment without losing quality and without the need to purchase additional software. Literature Review For decades, meaningful nursing clinical experiences have become more difficult to attain. The answer to this dilemma was the development of simulation, which has evolved over the last 20 years. Today, many schools replace clinical time with simulation; as much as 25% to 50%. Findings from a systematic review of the literature revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between clinical placement or simulation when up to 50% of clinical time is replaced [1]. The literature is robust on this subject; however, many discussions explore what constitutes a true simulation and how do we measure its effectiveness? Many in academia have their own way of defining simulation and what they interpret as actual simulation [1]. This creates a concern when considering utilizing up to 50% of simulation to replace clinical. However, there are regulatory standards written that guide nursing educators on what simulation constitutes and how to develop quality experiences for students when following a set of standards [2-5]. Using these guidelines, many publishing companies have created their own lines of simulation scenarios and products for schools of nursing to purchase. Likewise, many schools of nursing have trained their faculty on the development and delivery of quality simulation experiences. Simulation includes a variety of technologies including task trainers, standardized patients, medium and high-fidelity mannequins, computer-based instruction including virtual and augmented reality [6]. Unfortunately, not all schools of nursing can allocate the funds to purchase all these products. Therefore, priorities are made on what best meets the curriculum objectives. Faculty are asked to provide additional assistance using the

newest technologies and creativity while following regulatory guidelines and best practices for simulation.

Framework to Teamwork As COVID raged and students were about to start their clinical ICU experiences, each member of the critical care course workgroup assembled to identify the clinical objectives that were to establish competency for this clinical. Because of the time demands, each member took certain objectives and worked to create a variety of online clinical experiences. The team was aware that there was a state nursing board waiver to exceed 50% of simulation (2:1 ratio) online due to the pandemic; however, it was decided by our team to adhere to a 1:1 simulation ratio. Later, upon evaluating some of the learning experiences, it was apparent that with enhanced evaluation processes and research, that a 2:1 ratio may have been appropriate. To provide a framework for the development of virtual simulations, the team adhered to the standards set forth as best practices [3,5]. These standards guided each faculty member in their creation of an online clinical experience. The team was able to utilize our online learning management system to organize and deliver each of the experiences. Creating a Virtual Clinical Experience This author was assigned to meet objectives for performing health assessments, evaluating evidence-based care management interventions, collaborating with members of the interprofessional health care team, demonstrating clinical judgment, and synthesizing knowledge. To determine what clinical experience to create, the question first posed was how does an ICU rotation begin and what will the students be missing by not being on-site? The answer came quickly; orientation to the ICU, learning the units, the routine, the nurses, and the equipment. After orientation, the student experiences working on an ICU unit with two patients to provide care for, along with their preceptor RN and their clinical instructor as a guide. A typical day in the ICU allows a nursing student to observe and take part in a variety of activities that require critical thinking, clinical judgment, and continuing to learn the nursing process in action. Within this paper are the details that describe how both experiences were emulated using a virtual clinical experience online. This was accomplished using available technologies, a little creativity, and some wonderful volunteers. Creating the Layout The first step to creating the modules for an ICU orientation and a 12-hour shift in the ICU was to outline what must be included (Table 1). Perhaps the most important aspect of the outline was to ensure multiple ways to evaluate learners just as they would be assessed by their clinical instructor when on-site at clinical rotations. For that purpose, stopping points were built into the outline at periods where knowledge could be assessed, application could be evaluated, and instructors would emulate Socratic dialogue. Another important aspect was to keep students engaged and interested in what they were learning. To promote realism into the virtual clinical experiences a variety of media were utilized including You Tube instructional videos, pictures with explanations, videos of live people, pictures with audio dialogue, and a picture of a computer, with computer automated articulation, that acted as a virtual clinical instructor. Each item was vested by a work team of faculty before using it to ensure accuracy, best practice, and alignment with the curriculum.

Orientation to the ICU This module was entitled “Welcome to Complex Adult Care in the ICU (A Virtual/Simulated Tour Experience)”. Students were welcomed to a virtual tour of the world of Critical Care Nursing. Within the Introduction is a brief explanation that critical care nurses have a very specific skillset and the types of units they work. Additionally, information about critical care certification opportunities is shared. Finally, the purpose of the module is listed with three objectives that are mapped to the clinical objectives and program objectives. Each page of the module, within the learning management system, was embedded with pictures to make the dialogue more engaging. Once introduced to the unit, students were able to meet two ICU nurses by watching a video with the ICU nurse sharing dialogue about their responsibilities and their experiences. This was a perfect stopping point for students to write and submit a reflection on the roles of the ICU nurse as they perceive it from this exercise. Any artifacts submitted by students were reviewed with timely feedback from their live clinical instructor. Being in the ICU can be very distressful to students due to all the equipment, the sounds, and the hurried atmosphere. Therefore, a page within the module was created called “What is all this stuff?”. On this page, students were able to observe an RN giving an entire tour of an ICU room including all the equipment that would be utilized within the ICU such as monitors and ventilators. In addition, a You Tube video explaining what to expect in the ICU was available for student viewing. The next page demonstrated various IV pumps that are utilized and provided step-by-step instructions on how to utilize multiple pump infusers when multiple drips are necessary. Once the infusion pumps were reviewed, students went to the next page where ICU drips were reviewed using brief written explanations along with blackboard drawing videos for paralytics, sedation, vasopressors, inotropes, vasodilators, antiarrhythmics, and analgesics. Moving forward from this page students were introduced to a new page where titrating drips in the ICU presented real-life scenarios requiring drug math calculations and pump settings by the students. Each page included brief dialogue followed by videos to enhance the students learning, along with stopping points to ask students questions or have them solve problems. All student responses were reviewed by their live clinical instructor with robust feedback. Central monitors are an essential part of the ICU and monitoring the patient’s hemodynamic status. Therefore, the module continued a page on central monitors showing a video of how to use the patient monitor. In addition, arterial lines, pulmonary catheters, and central lines were introduced through brief dialogues, pictures, and video instructions to help students make the connection in hemodynamic monitoring. Early in the module, mechanical ventilators were introduced briefly as the students engaged in a tour of the ICU patient room. Next, the students received a broader view of the mechanical ventilator by watching a patient be intubated through rapid sequence intubation (RSI). Once the patient was safely intubated and placed on the ventilator, students watched a video on how the mechanical ventilator operates and how to make the settings or change the settings. Likewise, alarms were discussed and how the nurse assists the respiratory therapist in this role. Various pictures and descriptions were provided for yankauer suctioning, open in-line suctioning, and closed in-line suctioning. This page was completed with a video about Ventilator- Associated Pneumonia (VAP) to integrate evidence-based practice. Through this orientation module, the student has experienced a variety of learning methods to understand the ICU and the responsibilities of the RN. The students move on to participate in an activity with a 60-year-old male from the medical-surgical unit who has decompensated and is going to arrive in the ICU in five minutes. The student is

required to prepare for RSI and hemodynamic support to prepare for their patient. The student is presented with a series of questions related to RSI, hemodynamic parameters, IV drips, pathophysiology of the patient, a picture of a mechanical ventilator screen with settings that are to be reviewed and discussed. The live clinical instructor reviews the student’s responses and provides both synchronous and asynchronous feedback. In the next module, students will be participating in ICU communication, both verbal and written. Therefore, an additional page on ICU report using SBAR allows students to review some examples of ICU report sheets and choose one. Once chosen, they can watch and take report from an ICU nurse on pre-recorded video. To determine competency, students repeat this activity; however, they turn in their report sheet to their live clinical instructor for feedback. At this point, students have learned all about the ICU unit, the equipment, and most of the RN’s role. However, because the ICU patient is complex and requires an in-depth assessment, students watch two videos where ICU nurses are assessing patients, both responsive and non-responsive. To complete their orientation, the students are introduced to various team members such as the respiratory therapist, the ICU intensivist, the pharmacist, and the dietician. Each of these includes a video of the individual explaining their role. To conclude the module, students are asked to reflect on their orientation to the ICU and key takeaway points that each learner has experienced. Within this module are 10 virtual simulation pages provided via picture/audio or video. In addition, four application pages allow students to demonstrate their understanding and receive feedback from their clinical instructor. The day ends with a synchronous post-conference to allow students to ask questions and clarify any muddy points. A 12-Hour Day in the ICU Unlike the orientation to the ICU, the 12-hour day in the ICU contains more real-life, in-the-moment interaction between students and the virtual environment. Most of the hospital staff have their pictures posted with audio files next to them so that students can listen to their voices and follow along with the unfolding day. The overview for this day follows a typical day in the ICU including meeting your preceptor, clinical instructor assessment during rounds, critical thinking in the ICU, organizing your day and getting started, getting a new admission, care management for Mr. Mitchell, medication pass time, a smooth intubation, an unexpected complication, a slight change in RN assignments, monitoring

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#lupine publishers group #Lupine Online Journal of Nursing & Health care #a smooth intubation

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sparkinglyhope · 2 years

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Why is Brandy Melville so popular?

During quarantine, Brandy Melville, an Italian apparel manufacturer famed for its one-size policy, has attained new heights of popularity. This time, it's not on the company's website, but on Depop, a prominent secondhand marketplace. It's understandable to wonder, "What's the big deal?" Supreme's roots in skateboarding and counterculture, as well as several creative collaborations with famous labels like Louis Vuitton and The North Face, might be argued to have carried it. But for a brand like Brandy Melville, whose owners have no online presence, don't advertise, and are notorious for having restricted size options, the hype is all about fitting in, both metaphorically and physically. Brandy isn't trendy since it produces unique limited-edition items that are worthy of the word "rare." Because of gatekeeping, it's a contentious trend. Brandy Melville slacks are available in sizes ranging from 23 to 27 inches in waist, while the majority of its tops are available in sizes ranging from extra-small to small. Because of embroidered butterflies and sweaters that scream "Georgetown" or "Los Angeles," people aren't getting into Brandy Melville. They're buying into the thinness ideal of adolescent female beauty standards. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many brick-and-mortar establishments have temporarily closed, resulting in a surge in the use of apps like Depop, as well as the popularity of Brandy Melville clothing. Depop's Brandy Melville culture is a bit of a rabbit hole. Sellers from all around the world offer purchasers access to other styles and colors than what is available in their own countries, as well as sellers who label their Brandy items as "unique" and charge extravagant amounts. One highly sought-after sweater, simply known as the brown Rough Rider and originally costing around $40, was sold for $350. The fierce competition for these pieces of fast-fashion clothes generates a catty environment reminiscent of hypebeasts queuing for hours at Supreme shops throughout the world in the hopes of getting their hands on a box logo. There's a lot of competition for these "rare" things, which are defined as being out of stock on the store's website at the moment or no longer made. And this rivalry nearly always results in a higher price tag, with some sellers effectively auctioning off products by having potential purchasers speak out in the comments with their biggest offers.

#Brandy Melville #popular #brand #fashion

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the-end-of-art · 4 years

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So why are we getting bullied into opening?

“I’m sorry, but it’s a fantasy” by Jeff Gregorich, Arizona school superintendent at The Washington Post

This is my choice, but I’m starting to wish that it wasn’t. I don’t feel qualified. I’ve been a superintendent for 20 years, so I guess I should be used to making decisions, but I keep getting lost in my head. I’ll be in my office looking at a blank computer screen, and then all of the sudden I realize a whole hour’s gone by. I’m worried. I’m worried about everything. Each possibility I come up with is a bad one.

The governor has told us we have to open our schools to students on August 17th, or else we miss out on five percent of our funding. I run a high-needs district in middle-of-nowhere Arizona. We’re 90 percent Hispanic and more than 90 percent free-and-reduced lunch. These kids need every dollar we can get. But covid is spreading all over this area and hitting my staff, and now it feels like there’s a gun to my head. I already lost one teacher to this virus. Do I risk opening back up even if it’s going to cost us more lives? Or do we run school remotely and end up depriving these kids?

This is your classic one-horse town. Picture John Wayne riding through cactuses and all that. I’m superintendent, high school principal and sometimes the basketball referee during recess. This is a skeleton staff, and we pay an average salary of about 40,000 a year. I’ve got nothing to cut. We’re buying new programs for virtual learning and trying to get hotspots and iPads for all our kids. Five percent of our budget is hundreds of thousands of dollars. Where’s that going to come from? I might lose teaching positions or basic curriculum unless we somehow get up and running.

I’ve been in the building every day, sanitizing doors and measuring out space in classrooms. We still haven’t received our order of Plexiglas barriers, so we’re cutting up shower curtains and trying to make do with that. It’s one obstacle after the next. Just last week I found out we had another staff member who tested positive, so I went through the guidance from OSHA and the CDC and tried to figure out the protocols. I’m not an expert at any of this, but I did my best with the contact tracing. I called 10 people on staff and told them they’d had a possible exposure. I arranged separate cars and got us all to the testing site. Some of my staff members were crying. They’ve seen what can happen, and they’re coming to me with questions I can’t always answer. “Does my whole family need to get tested?” “How long do I have to quarantine?” “What if this virus hits me like it did Mrs. Byrd?”

We got back two of those tests already — both positive. We’re still waiting on eight more. That makes 11 percent of my staff that’s gotten covid, and we haven’t had a single student in our buildings since March. Part of our facility is closed down for decontamination, but we don’t have anyone left to decontaminate it unless I want to put on my hazmat suit and go in there. We’ve seen the impacts of this virus on our maintenance department, on transportation, on food service, on faculty. It’s like this district is shutting down case by case. I don’t understand how anyone could expect us to reopen the building this month in a way that feels safe. It’s like they’re telling us: “Okay. Summer’s over. It’s been long enough. Time to get back to normal.” But since when has this virus operated on our schedule?

I dream about going back to normal. I’d love to be open. These kids are hurting right now. I don’t need a politician to tell me that. We only have 300 students in this district, and they’re like family. My wife is a teacher here, and we had four kids go through these schools. I know whose parents are laid off from the copper mine and who doesn’t have enough to eat. We delivered breakfast and lunches this summer, and we gave out more meals each day than we have students. I get phone calls from families dealing with poverty issues, depression, loneliness, boredom. Some of these kids are out in the wilderness right now, and school is the best place for them. We all agree on that. But every time I start to play out what that looks like on August 17th, I get sick to my stomach. More than a quarter of our students live with grandparents. These kids could very easily catch this virus, spread it and bring it back home. It’s not safe. There’s no way it can be safe.

If you think anything else, I’m sorry, but it’s a fantasy. Kids will get sick, or worse. Family members will die. Teachers will die.

Jeff Gregorich, superintendent of schools at Hayden Winkelman Unified School District in Arizona, shows results of a district survey. (Photos by Caitlin O’Hara for The Washington Post)

Mrs. Byrd did everything right. She followed all the protocols. If there’s such a thing as a safe, controlled environment inside a classroom during a pandemic, that was it. We had three teachers sharing a room so they could teach a virtual summer school. They were so careful. This was back in June, when cases here were starting to spike. The kids were at home, but the teachers wanted to be together in the classroom so they could team up on the new technology. I thought that was a good idea. It’s a big room. They could watch and learn from each other. Mrs. Byrd was a master teacher. She’d been here since 1982, and she was always coming up with creative ideas. They delivered care packages to the elementary students so they could sprout beans for something hands-on at home, and then the teachers all took turns in front of the camera. All three of them wore masks. They checked their temperatures. They taught on their own devices and didn’t share anything, not even a pencil.

At first she thought it was a sinus infection. That’s what the doctor told her, but it kept getting worse. I got a call that she’d been rushed to the hospital. Her oxygen was low, and they put her on a ventilator pretty much right away. The other two teachers started feeling sick the same weekend, so they went to get tested. They both had it bad for the next month. Mrs. Byrd’s husband got it and was hospitalized. Her brother got it and passed away. Mrs. Byrd fought for a few weeks until she couldn’t anymore.

I’ve gone over it in my head a thousand times. What precautions did we miss? What more could I have done? I don’t have an answer. These were three responsible adults in an otherwise empty classroom, and they worked hard to protect each other. We still couldn’t control it. That’s what scares me.

We got the whole staff together for grief counseling. We did it virtually, over Zoom. There’s sadness, and it’s also so much fear. My wife is one of our teachers in the primary grade, and she has asthma. She was explaining to me how every kid who sees her automatically gives her a hug. They arrive in the morning — hug. Leave for recess — hug. Lunch — hug. Locker — hug. That’s all day. Even if we do everything perfectly, germs are going to spread inside a school. We share the same space. We share the same air.

A bunch of our teachers have told me they will put in for retirement if we open up this month. They’re saying: “Please don’t make us go back. This is crazy. We’re putting the whole community at risk.”

They’re right. I agree with them 100 percent. Teachers don’t feel safe. Most parents said in a survey that they’re “very concerned” about sending their kids back to school. So why are we getting bullied into opening? This district isn’t ready to open. I can’t have more people getting sick. Why are they threatening our funding? I keep waiting for someone higher up to take this decision out of my hands and come to their senses. I’m waiting for real leadership, but maybe it’s not going to happen.

It’s me. It’s the biggest decision of my career, and the one part I’m certain about is it’s going to hurt either way.

(https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/08/01/schools-reopening-coronavirus-arizona-superintendent/?arc404=true&campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20200803&instance_id=20930&nl=the-morning®i_id=72340436&segment_id=35086&te=1&user_id=e60ae3c4dd2d7adddb2ce123ccc9fad4)

#Jeff Gregorich #school #education #covid #covid-19 #coronavirus #teaching

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lokiondisneyplus · 4 years

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Over five popular seasons, the story lines of “Better Call Saul” have unfolded across nail salons, fried-chicken joints and other strip-mall staples of American life.

When new episodes begin premiering next year, though, the locations that give the “Breaking Bad” spinoff its texture could be reined in or done away with altogether. The culprit? The novel coronavirus, which is limiting where the New Mexico-set AMC show can film, potentially altering both its style and substance.

“Like a lot of other people, we’re going to have to be very creative in where and how we shoot,” said Mark Johnson, the veteran producer who oversees the Vince Gilligan hit, whose writers just began collaborating on the series’s sixth season. “A lot of places just won’t let you in.”

Across the entertainment industry, casts and crew are beginning to return to work after a five-month hiatus. In states with loosened restrictions, such as Georgia and New York, production is starting to crank up under tight controls that alter how sets operate. Instead of crew members freely mingling, they’re being divided into “pods" that limit how production departments such as wardrobe or lighting can associate. Covid-19 officers monitor the health of the cast and crew to determine who is allowed on set. “Zones” dictate where those cast and crew can go.

These changes might seem technical, but they hint at the far-reaching effects the virus will have on final screen products. Interviews with 12 executives, writers, agents and producers across the Hollywood spectrum suggest a dramatically transformed world of entertainment. Until a vaccine comes along, they say, covid-19 will change what Americans watch as dramatically as it has where they work, shop and learn. Forget the new normal — movies and TV are about to encounter the new austerity.

Crowd scenes are a no-go. Real-world locations will be limited. On-screen romance will be less common, sometimes restricted to actors who have off-screen relationships. And independent films — that tantalizing side dish in the U.S. entertainment meal — could be heavily scaled back.

“A lot of people believe this is just about getting back to work,” said Mark Gill, a producer and former head of Warner Independent Pictures, the studio unit responsible for independent hits such as “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Good Night, and Good Luck.” “They don’t realize the massive cultural impact we’re about to face.”

For most of its history, Hollywood created entertainment based on a simple premise: Shuttle in large numbers of people and move them around at will. That’s certainly true of crews. But it especially applies to extras, the low-paid day laborers who pack sets and off-camera holding areas in order to create dense crowd scenes — and, in turn, lend the work real-world atmosphere.

Such scenes have of course been part of some of the most memorable moments in Hollywood history. From “Ben-Hur” to “Braveheart,” on-screen entertainment has become indelible thanks to hundreds of people you’ve never heard of packing tiny spaces, then moving as one when the cameras roll.

Yet the virus has essentially made these hires impossible. Many don’t want to risk their health for a $100 paycheck and remote shot at background glory, and producers don’t want to take on the liability even if they did. “Braveheart" used about 1,600 extras, many from the Irish Army reserves. Experts say the movie couldn’t come close to being shot today.

“Those of us in the entertainment business are not used to being told ‘no’‚” said Lucas Foster, a longtime Hollywood producer who counts the 2005 romantic-action hit “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” and last year’s Oscar-decorated blockbuster “Ford v Ferrari” among his credits. “And when it comes to things like crowds, there’s going to be a lot of no.”

Foster understands the challenges personally — he’s one of the first producers to have made a movie in the age of covid-19.

In March, the Los Angeles resident was in Australia, several weeks into preproduction on a new version of “Children of the Corn” when the pandemic began to spread. Millions of dollars had already been committed to the movie, adapted from the same Stephen King story that yielded the 1984 cult hit. So rather than shut down, he decided to proceed — cautiously. Foster created a production bubble, consulted doctors regularly, procured large amounts of tests, and engaged in elaborate workarounds in realms like crowd scenes.

He said it worked, but with major accommodations.

“I had to figure out how to do a crowd with no more than a few people at the same time. And with very specific camera angles. And by taking actors who would normally be close together and making them not close together,” Foster said. “In the end, I’d get the scene I needed but it looked different than it would have before the pandemic.” (Computer-generated crowds, he and other producers say, only work for more distant shots; anything requiring close-ups needs the real thing.)

It helped, he noted, that many of his actors were children, who are believed less susceptible to the effects of the virus, and that much of the movie was shot in cornfields and other vast outdoor spaces, a luxury not all films have.

Producers say the added cost required to implement all the safeguards could also result in a lower-end finished product. Films and TV shows achieve their level of shine through an endless period of refinement, with actors and directors often attempt 10 or more takes of a scene. With everything now going longer — and thus costing more — they may not have the luxury.

One producer of multiple studio hits said he expects the number of takes to drop significantly as the virus balloons budgets. He also expected a diminution in night scenes, which tend to be more involved and expensive than day scenes. He said some productions will be able to make the switch, but not all will be as lucky.

Also unlucky, say Hollywood veterans: movies where characters seek to get lucky. Many insiders say romantic scenes will be a major challenge in movies. Two agents separately reported they had high-profile clients who told them they wouldn’t shoot love scenes during the pandemic.

“I think every agency right now is looking down their client list to see which actors have spouses who are also actors, because then we could try to get them cast, too,” said one of the agents, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized by their company to speak to the news media. “I’m joking. Sort of.”

The added wrinkle is even if the actors trust each other in real life, many of their characters would still have to take precautions on screen.

“How do you send two characters on a first dinner date when people aren’t really going on first dinner dates?” said a creator of romantic comedies who asked not to be identified because they did not want to be seen as criticizing colleagues who are attempting new projects. “You can send them on a socially distant walk, I guess.”

Writers say that leads to a broader dilemma: how much to incorporate the pandemic into their stories. On one hand, they say they don’t want to pretend the virus doesn’t exist. But acknowledging it poses its own challenges.

“Do you really want your stars wearing masks because that’s what characters would do? Do you want to have people engaging with each other in groups no larger than six? Do you want to write stories where everyone is at a safe distance?” said Mark Heyman, the co-writer of “Black Swan” and “The Skeleton Twins” and creator of the CBS All-Access historical drama “Strange Angel.” “Because a lot of those things won’t be very much fun to watch.”

Yet if creators aren’t willing to do that, he said, it could lead to those shows or movies getting shelved out of a fear that audiences will judge them inauthentic.

Heyman was working on a series set in a high school for Netflix when the lockdowns began. That project has now been put on pause. “It’s not easy to make a show about high school,” he said, “when there is no high school.”

To avoid reminding viewers of the pandemic, creators may take an approach that will lead to an unusual trend.

“I think over the next few years you’re going to see a lot more movies set in the past,” Foster said. “Even movies written for the present will be changed. They’ll make it the ’90s because then you don’t have to deal with these questions. And then you can just put in some cool ’90s music, so everybody wins.”

A few creators have gone the other way, leaning in to the pandemic.

Writers on Apple TV Plus’s “The Morning Show,” set at a news program, have torn up existing scripts to make the pandemic a part of the story line, according to a person familiar with the show who was not authorized to speak about it publicly. But with a lag time of months between shooting and airing, experts say that creators also risk looking out of date by the time episodes release to the public.

Sensing an opportunity, horror filmmakers have also tried to embrace current events.

“The horror genre is very suited to the pandemic and lockdowns — we’re always trying to create a feeling of being trapped anyway,” said the horror filmmaker Nathan Crooker.

When quarantines hit this spring, Crooker gathered nine noted horror filmmakers and had them shoot an anthology film — short fictional movies connected by the larger virus theme — and titled it “Isolation.” He required filmmakers to use only the materials and people they were in lockdown with, even prohibiting Zoom and other technologies.

“I think we’re going to get a very cool effect that mirrors what people are going through,” Crooker said of his work. “But I don’t know that every movie that gets made would want to look like that.”

One consequence of the virus could turn out to be the movies that don’t get made at all.

Some of the most beloved films of the past two decades, from “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” to “Whiplash,” “Little Miss Sunshine” to “Fruitvale Station,” were independently financed. But before rolling cameras, independent productions require insurance policies to protect them from workplace lawsuits, along with completion bonds, in which a guarantor assures they will step in with funds to finish the movie if production is halted.

Experts say no company will cover covid-19 with either policy, effectively preventing production.

“Covid is an absolute disaster for the independent-film industry,” said Sky Moore, a partner in the corporate entertainment department of the Los Angeles law firm Greenberg Glusker who has spent several decades putting together film financing deals. “The lifeblood of independent-film financing is loans, and loans need insurance. Now you have this massive hole in the middle of all of it.”

Moore believes the toll will be vast.

“I think 50 percent of the independent industry goes away,” he said.

(Movies financed by large studios do not buy these policies; Netflix or Disney would just absorb a shutdown or lawsuit as the cost of doing business.)

Even if they can work around the insurance issues, many independent films won’t get made because they simply won’t have the money. “It’s already hard to get funding for a lot of these movies,” said Shaun MacGillivray, a producer who makes large-scale independent documentaries. “And now you’re telling investors the budget is going to be 30 percent higher?”

The independent-film world is trying to push ahead, slowly. The Sundance Film Festival, the epicenter of the indie-film business, where companies like Hulu and Netflix sometimes pay more than $10 million for an independently financed movie, will hold a partially physical, partially virtual edition in January, albeit at just about half the length.

“We are reminded daily of the power of what is made newly visible to us, the importance of what we look at,” Tabitha Jackson, the director of the festival, said in a letter to staff this summer explaining why the festival needed to go on. “My hope for this edition of the Sundance Film Festival is that through a multiplicity of perspectives held by artists and audiences in their various communities we will also come to feel the power of where we look from.” Left unspoken: What happens in 2022, when the well runs dry because new movies can’t be insured and produced?

Whatever entertainment can get made, experts say, will have a more hermetic look. Even television shows, once shot heavily on sets, now often rely on the authenticity of locations; a police procedural feels like it does because detectives are popping into pizza places and apartment buildings.

“We don’t want everything to be a chamber piece,” said Johnson, the “Better Call Saul” executive producer. “But if many shows look different, I think that’s okay, because the world looks different.”

Then, considering the challenge further, he added, “And if that doesn’t work, then at least our show has a lot of deserts and open roads.”

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marvelmadam08 · 4 years

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Meanwhile, In Quarantine...

Part of 100 Days of Marvel

Prompt 7: Well which is it? I’m getting nervous. // Prompt 79: You just ignored rule one through five. // Prompt 39: We’re gonna die here. // Prompt 11: I remind myself murder, even attempted, is illegal.

A/N: I’m on day seven or nine (honestly I lost count) of my quarantine, and I am slowly loosing my mind. Then I thought ‘What would the Avengers do during this quarantine?

~~~~~

One Week Earlier

“Miss (Y/N), Mr. Stark is calling for a mandatory team meeting in the common area.” Friday announces to you, interrupting your workout

“Right now?” you huffed out

“Yes, he says it’s urgent.”

You were the last to show up, annoyed and sweaty. Nat seemed to be the only other one who looked as annoyed as you, with her hair wrapped in a towel. Bucky, Sam and Steve lounged on the couch, while Clint was sharpening his arrows. Wanda and Vision stood off to the side to themselves. Thor sat next to Peter, who was hunched over his homework and Bruce stood next to Tony by the muted television displaying the news.

“Everyone here?” Tony pointed to everyone “Good, well I’m not sure if you all heard about this whole ‘virus’ that’s going around.”

“The Coronavirus?” Steve asked

“That’s the one,” Bruce nods “there have been a few cases popping up throughout the city, as well as the country, and within the next few days the entire country is going to be on mandatory quarantine.”

“Quarantine?” Peter spoke up “Like we can’t leave the country?”

“No, as in you can’t leave your house. And that includes The Compound and Tower as well.”

The room erupted in numerous hisses of disagreement.

“Half of us don’t even need to be in quarantine.” Nat stated loudly

“Yeah, stupid super soldiers.” you muttered

“That’s uncalled for.” Bucky gave you a stink eye

“Doesn’t matter, we’re being order by the government and Fury to stay put.” Tony tells you all “Parker, I’m only gonna say this once, you to stay put. No school, no parties, no dates.”

“But here at The Compound would be more ideal, seeing as it’s away from the city.” Bruce adds softly

“So we’re stuck here?” Wanda asks “For how long?”

“Well they say the quarantine could last between two weeks to two months.”

“Well which is it? I’m getting nervous.” Sam unmuted the TV

‘....stores have already begun to run out of water, toilet paper, and even baby wipes...’

Day 1

You, Wanda and Laura (Clint’s wife) were organizing the last of the quarantine supplies. Clint couldn’t stomach the idea of not being with them during the whole pandemic, so he asked to bring them up until everything blew over.

“Okay so the kitchen is fully stocked, all the cleaning supplies are put away.” Wanda sighed “It’s kind of scary, how everyone is reacting out there.”

“Yeah, I had to wrestle some hand sanitizer from some grown woman wearing a face mask and rubber gloves.” Laura admits

“I wish I could’ve seen that, since you had Nate strapped to your chest.”

“Speaking of, I should go check on him.”

Just as Laura walked out, Steve, Bucky and Peter walked in with large pizzas in their hands.

“This is the last of take out for the next few weeks. Enjoy it while it lasts.” Steve tells us

Everyone swarmed for their chosen slices before gravitating towards the TV to get an update on the quarantine. You were instructed to stay inside, only to leave unless it was absolutely necessary, and then return back to respective homes. Keep your contact with other people down to a minimum, and overall to sanitize and wash often.

“This is what I do on a regular basis.” Bucky scoffed

“Same.” Wanda and Nat chimed in

“This is gonna be so cool, like one big party.” Peter clapped

A few of the other groaned at Peter’s optimism.

“The kid is right,” Tony agreed “most times we’re on missions for weeks at a time. How is this any different?”

“He does make a point.” Vision nods “And surely there’s enough room for everyone to find their own thing.”

Day 4

You glared at Bucky, who was tapping his pen against his teeth, while trying to figure out the crossword puzzle in front of him. You were trying to do silent yoga, silent being the key word.

“Barnes, can you stop that?” you said through your teeth

“Stop what?” he paused

“Tapping the pen on your teeth.”

“It helps me think. Why aren’t you in the gym?”

“Because I can’t take Steve and Nat talking smack when they spar each other. And Sam is playing his music too loud, and his room is next to mine.”

“And it’s the tapping that bothers you?”

“Forget it.” you closed you eyes again and worked on tuning Bucky out

Tony hurried in, scanning around the room “Has anyone seen Parker? I can’t find him and neither can his aunt. (Y/L/N)?”

“Shh, doing silent yoga.” You hushed “And no, I haven’t.”

“He left.” Clint spoke from above the rest of you. There was a small whirling noise, and metal scrapping against more metal, then Clint and his daughter poked their head out from the vent above us.

“What do you mean he left?”

“He said something about building a death star.” The younger Barton, Lila, answered

“Friday, override and track the kid’s phone for me.”

“Of course Mr. Stark.”

Tony turned his attention to the TV, tapping on his phone and started to call Peter over video. At this point you gave up on silent yoga and just laid out on the mat. Peter’s face popped up on the screen but he wasn’t looking at his phone

“Trust me, they don’t even know I’m gone.” he told someone off screen

“Hello Mister Parker.” Tony waves

“Mr. Stark!” He hurried to pick up his phone “Hey, hi... um that’s so funny I was just about to come down to the lab, from my room.... which is where I am.... right now.”

“Oh you’re in your room? Not at Ned’s place building legos?”

He paused “No? I just got so bored! And there were so many rules to just stay in.”

“There were six rules max, and you just ignored rule one through five!”

“Are you sure he’s not your kid?” you chuckled

Day 7

“Twenty-three bottles of pop on the wall.” Sam half sung, eyelids closed, while rocking Nate to sleep

Steve and Bucky were each cuddling a plush stuffed animal on the floor. Morgan ran back and forth between poking Steve with a wooden spoon and the spot where she had a pile of cookies waiting on a plate. And Lila and Cooper were on their phones, headphones in, and not paying attention to their surroundings.

“What the hell you guys?” Nat groaned

“Ooh Auntie Nat said a bad word.” Morgan giggled

“Hey Monster.”

“Auntie (Y/N)!” Morgan jumped over Bucky and ran over to climb up your side until she reached your shoulders. “Guess what, I got to have cookies and chicken nuggets, gummies and a bunch of soda.”

“Nat? (Y/N)?” Bucky lifted his head from the floor, a flattened gummy beard on the other side of his cheek “Please tell me the others are back too.”

“On the contrary, Clint and Tony wanted to know if you wouldn’t mind watching the kids a little while longer.” Nat went to relieve Sam from baby duty “Tony talked to the mayor and got her to extend the quarantine curfew for their double date night.”

The three men groaned, you swore you saw a tear in Steve’s eye.

“We’re gonna die here.” Sam curled into a ball

“Why did we agree to babysit?” Steve spoke into the stuffed penguin he held

“Nat, maybe we should help them out.” You held Morgan tightly while she flipped upside down from your shoulders “They’re only men.”

“When the Earth spins, how do we know when we’re upside down?” Morgan poked you in the back

“Tell you what, clean up your mess, we’ll go get in our pj’s and then I’ll tell you.” you carefully set her back down on the floor, she ran off, picking up her toys and stray snacks

“Coop, Lila, your homework better be done, because if I have to check myself-.” Nat started.

They jumped up from their seats and rushed out the room, Steve looked up at you and Nat in awe, Nate fast asleep in her arms.

“How did you-”

“We have a way with kids, don’t take it personally.”

“Done!” Morgan cheered before pulling at your arm “Can we get in our pj’s now?”

Nat chuckled “Let’s go princess, (Y/N) will meet us there. You can help me get Nate ready for bed.”

Morgan took Nat’s free hand and skipped along side her. You took the stuffed animals and blankets from the guys.

“How did four children manage to out-do two super soldiers and a former air force vet?” you asked

“They’re small, but stealthy.” Sam yawned “Morgan has been asking us that spinning Earth question for hours.”

“I tried to explain how the Earth rotates but she told me I was wrong.” Bucky added

“Oh, it’s a joke. How do you know when the Earth turned upside down?” you paused, waiting for one of them to guess the answer “Fall time.”

Day 12

“What is this called again?” Thor points to Peter’s phone screen

“Twitter.”

“Twitter? Like the sound a bird makes? Oh and there’s a symbol of a bird there.” he laughed “Humans are so creative. Tell me Son of Stark, what is Twitter’s purpose?”

“Uh.... basically you just post whatever’s on your mind.” Peter handed over his phone to Thor “Sometimes people will like it, and retweet it, or leave a comment.”

“Please tell me you didn’t make Thor a Twitter page.” You spared a glance from your book

“He asked me to show him. What’s the worse that could happen?”

One Hour Later

“Who gave Thor a Twitter page?” Steve marched into the kitchen

You immediately point to Peter.

“He wanted to know about social media. I didn’t think it’d do any harm.” Peter blurted out

“What did he do?” You asked

“He keeps posting.” Steve scrolled through the tablet in his hand “Things like ’What is black twitter?’, ‘poptarts and coffee’, ‘Just noticed how Director Fury sounds like the freeze man in this Disney movie’, ‘Over heard Natasha and Wanda judging who had the best ass. Barnes or Rogers. Clearly it’s me’ He’s trending.”

“Steve it’s harmless fun, he’s excited to be apart of Midgard culture.” you dismissed “Or are you upset because you weren’t voted for the best bum?”

“You should see his latest, and most liked, tweet.” Steve handed the tablet to you with a smirk

“‘Pretty sure (Y/N) and Barnes are dating. How else do you explain their sexual tension?’ I’m gonna kill you Parker.” You went to grab Peter but Steve pulled you away at the last second

“You don’t mean that.” Peter started to back out of the kitchen “Do you?”

“Who gave Thor a Twitter?” Bucky spoke from the other room

“I can give you a ten second head start.” Steve warns Peter

Day 15

“I can’t take this anymore, no missions, no take out, I can’t even go get a freaking smoothie.” You paced from one end of your room to the other “I thought this thing was only suppose to be two weeks.”

“Well Tony said two weeks or two months.” Bucky lounged on your bed, playing with the rubic’s cube “Looks like it’s gonna be two months.”

“How are you staying calm?”

“I remind myself murder, even attempted, is illegal. Plus I’ve been in isolation most of my adult life, so this doesn’t seem so bad.”

“Right.” you said softly “Sorry.”

“For what?”

“I’m complaining about being stuck in here, for my health when you’ve had it way worse.”

“Hey,” he caught your hand and pulled you closer “Don’t apologize, I know you didn’t mean any harm. And you tend to get cabin fever when we go on long surveillance missions. These next few days are gonna fly by, trust me.”

He trailed his hands up and down your arms, traveling to your waist and under your shirt.

“Uh-huh Barnes, not again.” you pulled away slightly “Vision and Wanda almost caught us last time.”

“Because you weren’t quiet.” he kissed up your torso

“No, because you dragged me into a linen closet for wearing shorts.”

Bucky gave you a small pout “I’m from the 1940′s doll, I fantasized about your calves when I first met you. And that we’re... is this considered dating or are we just messing around during the lock down?”

“I hope this means we’re dating.” you combed his hair back with your fingers “I’m not the kind of girl that you hump and dump.”

“Hump and what?”

You chuckled “Nevermind.” You straddled his waist, he gripped yours a little tighter “So Sergeant, you gonna take me on a date after this quarantine?”

“I’ll take you to Rome as long as you keep calling me ‘Sergeant’ doll.” he left soft kisses on your neck

“Mmm.”

“(Y/N).” Steve knocked on your door “Have you seen Bucky? I’m looking for him.”

“Nope, haven’t seen him.” Bucky pulled your shirt over your head, and tried to add to the bite marks he left the other day, but Steve wasn’t letting up.

“You know where he might be?”

You rolled your eyes and made Bucky stop “Have you checked the garage?”

“Why would he be in the garage?”

“Steve, pal, can it wait?” Bucky shouted “I kinda got my hands full in here.”

“Oh.” You could only imagine how red Steve’s face was at that moment.

“You are horrible James Barnes.” you giggled

“Sergeant.” he corrected you in a low growl

“Sergeant.” you brought your lips down to his, quickly fighting for dominance in the kiss. Bucky flipped you over, the bed squeaking under your shared weight

“Uh- should I go now?” Steve asked

#marvel #quarantine #Bucky Barnes #sam wilson #tony stark #100 days of productivity #coronavirus #spiderman #Sebastian Stan #bucky x reader #black twitter #Thor Odinson #clint barton #natasha romanoff #Black Widow #marvel studios

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x--daughters-of-darkness--x · 2 years

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LACUNA COIL To Celebrate 20th Anniversary Of 'Comalies' With Special One-Night-Only Concert

Italian heavy rockers LACUNA COIL will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their third studio album, "Comalies", by performing it in its entirety at a one-night-only concert on Saturday, October 15 at Fabrique in Milano.

Pre-sale tickets will be available via Metalitalia from tomorrow (Tuesday, May 10) at 10.00 CET. General on-sale will be Friday, May 13 at 10.00 CET.

LACUNA COIL's third album, "Comalies" was released on October 29, 2002 through Century Media Records. The LP, which featured the band's breakthrough single "Heaven's A Lie", has reportedly gone on to sell over 300,000 copies in the United States alone.

Regarding the "Comalies" title, LACUNA COIL lead singer Cristina Scabbia said: "[During the album's recording], we had a sort of creative explosion. We were working in a coma, sort of like in a different dimension. First of all we just wanted to use the word 'coma' but there was something missing so we played with the two words coma and lies."

The "Comalies" song "Swamped" is available as a downloadable track for the music video game series "Rock Band" and also appeared in the 2004 video game "Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines".

LACUNA COIL played its first show in front of an audience in more than two years on April 7 as the support act for APOCALYPTICA at the Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia.

Prior to the Atlanta concert, the last time LACUNA COIL played together was at the group's special September 2020 livestream event where the bandmembers performed their latest album, "Black Anima", in its entirety with no audience in attendance at the Alcatraz Club in Milan, Italy. That show was released as a live album, "Live From The Apocalypse", via Century Media.

LACUNA COIL hadn't played in front of a crowd since the completion of the band's South American tour in February 2020.

Three months ago, LACUNA COIL said that it had entered the studio to begin recording "a very special project." No further details have been made available.

Last June, Scabbia told Revolver that she and her bandmates didn't use the coronavirus downtime to work on new music. "We didn't want to force the fact that because we were home, we had to write music," she explained. "We always thought that to write music, you need to be inspired. And inspiration comes from the outside, comes from experiences that you have, things that you live. At least this is valid for us.

"Everything we do in a regular life, in a normal life enriches us and gives us input that we can put in our music," she said. "And also we like to write together. So, if Marco [Coti Zelati, bass] creates the basis of the music together with the other musicians in the band, then Andrea [Ferro, vocals] and I jump in with the lyrics and vocal lines. But we do that together. We need to enter in songwriting mode. So we didn't really like the fact that we had to write separately just because we have to put a record [together] because it's quarantine. Now we are starting to collect ideas 'cause we feel a little bit happier."

Scabbia continued: "We didn't want anything connected to the negativity of the pandemic… That's why I used my time to do something completely different. Because I know that what I did that it's completely different from what I usually do will make me start again to do what I did before with passion — with the same passion. I was just afraid that if I would have used all the downtime making music when I didn't really want to, it would have had a negative influence on me. And it would have been, like, 'I really don't want to do that.' And I also wanted to prove to myself that, yeah, music is main passion. I love what I do for a living, and I hope that I can do it until the day I die. But I also wanted to show myself that I can be capable of doing something else as well."

In February 2021, LACUNA COIL took part in an initiative dubbed "L'Ultimo Concerto?" (Last Concert) to highlight the increasingly uncertain future of music venues. Instead of delivering live performances as part of a scheduled free virtual stream, each of around 130 Italian artists was filmed taking the stage at a different venue and then standing there in silence as a way of commemorating the one-year mark since the first Italian venues closed.

#Cristina Scabbia #Lacuna Coil #Comalive #2022 news #Live 2022

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profeminist · 4 years

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“When lockdown and shelter-in-place protocols aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 went into effect earlier this spring, they put many Americans into circumstances they previously could only have imagined. While for many families the situation has meant isolation and monotony, for those who live with their abusers it has been a nightmare. Under coronavirus social-distancing protocols, the worst-case scenario for people who live with an abuser has more or less materialized. Social workers, lawyers, and advocates have had to rapidly adjust their services in order to get help to domestic- and child-abuse victims who are trapped inside with their abusers.

It’s hard to imagine a set of circumstances that would facilitate abuse so much as the ones we’ve been living under. For one thing, people are stressed. They’re getting sick, losing loved ones, or worrying about getting sick or losing loved ones. The income loss many have experienced only adds to the daily anxiety. Plus, school cancellations mean that many parents have lost their regular affordable child care. Financial strain has been linked to increases in the frequency and severity of domestic abuse, and a 1 percent increase in the unemployment rate leads to a 25 percent increase in child neglect and a 12 percent increase in physical abuse, one study found. Other research has suggested that the stress from catastrophic events like natural disasters can also increase the risk of domestic and family violence. All of this adds up to a potentially dangerous situation for those who live with their abusers—even before you consider the current lockdown protocols.”

Read the full piece here

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arabellajoy · 3 years

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" EFFECTS OF COVID-19 TO OUR COUNTRY, ITS ECONOMY, AND ITS PEOPLE"

An epidemic of an unknown disease was reported in a cluster of instances in December of 2019. The outbreak was ultimately discovered to be caused by a new coronavirus strain known as COVID-19, which had never been seen in humans before.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a social and economic catastrophe as well as a health problem, and its severe and far-reaching consequences are being felt all over the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a significant loss of human life all around the world, and it poses an unprecedented threat to public health, food systems, and the workplace. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the economy and society, putting millions of people at risk of descending into extreme poverty. Hundreds of millions of businesses are in jeopardy. Almost half of the worldwide workforce is on the verge of losing their jobs. The bulk of informal economy workers lack social protection and access to decent health care, and they have lost access to productive assets. The social and economic repercussions of the epidemic are numerous and varied, ranging from school closures to destroyed industries and millions of lost jobs.

We've learnt a lot from this pandemic, including the importance of valuing one's life, because many individuals, young and old, are dying due of COVID-19. During this pandemic, we also learn how to prioritize our relationships with family and friends. In the meantime, we're stuck with it, and I'm sure some families are on the verge of breaking down. Nevertheless, I believe we should pause for a moment to appreciate what we have been given: a chance to reconnect and understand each other. Time to improve our relationships, let go of past issues and forgive each other; create new memories; and be creative with how we spend our time together. And in this new normal way of living due to COVID-19, we've learned to stay on top of what's going on around us so we know what to do and what not to do.

The daily rise of COVID-19 cases and deaths has prompted a nationwide lockdown, quarantine, and some limitations. As a result, only a limited number of people can go out, and children between the ages of 1-17 years old and senior citizens are not allowed to go out. Also during this pandemic season,many rules and protocols must be followed to keep us safe from the disease caused by COVID-19. Wearing a face mask and face shield while leaving the house, adhering to a 1-meter social distance guideline to prevent the spread of any disease, always carrying alcohol or hand sanitizer to keep our hands clean, and much more are all part of these regulations and protocols. To protect our own and our family's safety, we must strictly adhere to all of these regulations and protocols. But if you notice that you have COVID-19 symptoms, seek medical help right away, because it is better to be sure and safe than to be sorry.

For all the people who are suffering right now, don't lose your hope because the time will come that we can all get through this pandemic. Let us strengthen our faith in God because He will never leave us behind.

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tabloidtoc · 4 years

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People, September 14

Cover: Chadwick Boseman of Black Panther -- a hero gone too soon

Page 1: Chatter -- Kate Winslet on returning to set after filming stopped due to COVID-19, Rob Lowe on choosing to appear in Dr. Vegas instead of Grey’s Anatomy, Toni Braxton lamenting her tame youth, Kate Hudson on the fate of her and Matthew McConaughey’s How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days characters, Cardi B on meeting Beyonce, Jason Derulo joking about dating during coronavirus

Page 2: 5 Things We’re Talking About This Week -- Blake Lively ogles husband Ryan Reynolds, Bring It On stars have sequel ideas, you can make anything magically delicious, Macaulay Culkin ages gracefully, Selena Gomez collaborates with Blackpink

Page 5: Contents

Page 10: StarTracks -- The VMAs -- Lady Gaga reigned supreme at the MTV Video Music Awards taking home 5 Moon Person trophies

Page 11: Keke Palmer in addition to hosting the virtual show she performed her single Snack, Miley Cyrus paid homage to her 2013 Wrecking Ball music video, The Weeknd sang his hit Blinding Lights

Page 12: Matt Damon at the beach in Malibu for surfing, Magic Johnson on a jet-ski in the French Riviera, Ellie Goulding rocked a flowing pink and red gown for her live concert, Jennifer Lawrence and husband Cooke Maroney linked arms and wore masks for a dinner date in NYC

Page 13: Stars’ Best Friends -- Gavin Rossdale and his beloved pup Chewy as the rocker posed for a photo in Malibu, Kate Bosworth and her dog Happy stepped out for a walk in Los Angeles, Lionel Richie and his dog Sylvester, Dolly Parton paid tribute to her god dog Billy, David Beckham and his dog Sage, PLEASE ADOPT, DON’T SHOP

Page 15: First Looks -- Julianne Moore and Janelle Monae portray Gloria Steinem and Dorothy Pitman Hughes in The Glorias, Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis in the first lesbian holiday rom-com The Happiest Season, Serena Williams at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament

Page 19: Scoop -- Brad Pitt’s hot new romance with Nicole Poturalski

Page 20: Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom welcome baby Daisy Dove

Page 22: Heart Monitor -- Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade happy anniversary, Trevor Noah and Minka Kelly dating, Sam Smith and Francois Rocci new couple, Liam Payne and Maya Henry engaged

Page 24: Sex Scandal: The pastor and his wife and the pool boy -- Jerry Falwell Jr. and his wife Becki and the pool boy Giancarlo Granda

Page 25: Jessica Simpson on life in quarantine, Yifei Liu -- meet the new Mulan

Page 26: Rachael Leigh Cook embraces love again, Emma Roberts’ pregnancy joy

Page 29: Passages, Why I Care -- Jon Hamm is raising funds for community theaters

Page 30: Stories to make you smile -- dog and pig playmates have adorable adventures, a dad brings kids’ drawings to life

Page 33: People Picks -- Away

Page 34: The Undoing

Page 35: Filthy Rich, Fargo, The Crown

Page 37: Q&A with Lamorne Morris, One to Watch -- The Boys’ Colby Minifie

Page 40: Books -- must-reads for fall

Page 42: Cover Story -- Chadwick Boseman -- farewell to a king -- the Black Panther star an instant iconic actor who bravely broke new ground dies after a private cancer struggle and leaving a nation grieving

Page 48: Justice for Jacob Blake -- the police shooting of yet another black man this time with 7 bullets to his back again ignites protests demanding change

Page 50: Paris Hilton’s nightmare is finally over -- the former reality star opens up about the abuse she says she suffered at a boarding school for troubled teens and how it’s haunted her ever since

Page 54: Colombian singer Maluma -- I’m going to keep dreaming -- the fast-rising Latin superstar loves music and his family and his country but not being called handsome

Page 61: 50 Companies That Care -- from donating money and supplies to supporting at-risk neighbors and frontline workers the businesses on the annual list are doing their part to help their employees and communities in the wake of an unprecedented global health crisis

Page 67: Sara Evans -- I struggle but I’m the happiest person -- in a new memoir the country star gets real about living with anxiety and PTSD and claustrophobia and the healing power of love

Page 71: Hollywood at Home -- Madison Keys’ style-savvy first home -- the tennis star and design lover outfitted her off-season retreat with budget-friendly finds and creative DIYs

Page 77: Selena Gomez -- I’ve finally found my rhythm -- the singer talks about her new beauty line and how she’s learning to love herself

Page 79: Beauty -- the best drugstore buys right now

Page 87: Second Look -- Janelle Monae and Gabourey Sidibe in Antebellum

Page 88: One Last Thing -- Michael Strahan

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keepingupwithfundies · 4 years

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CO 1112: A Quarantine Courtship

The Duggars film themselves as the coronavirus emerges. Abbie celebrates her birthday, some of the sister sew masks, Jinger sorts some of Felicity’s old clothes. During the family video call, Jinger & Jeremy surprise everyone with a pregnancy and a gender reveal. Justin surprises everyone with a courtship.

-T

This episode is recorded by the Duggars on their own due to the coronavirus.

John David explains that things are crazy in the world right now, and there is a lot of fear out there of the unknown. Jeremy says there has been camaraderie among neighbors and everyone is in this fight together.

It's Abbie's birthday, and John is planning on baking her a cake. Abbie is turning 28, and Gracie is three months old. Abbie says the first three months of motherhood have been good. John says he s making a cake since it is difficult to buy a gluten free dairy free cake. Abbie is gluten and sugar free for medical reasons, and John David says it was hard to track down all the ingredients for the cake with the grocery store having reduced supplies.

Meanwhile, some of the sisters are decorating their cars for a drive by birthday celebration for Abbie. Joy says the Duggars always make birthdays a big deal, but with the social distancing it has been harder. Jim Bob is driving a three wheel sports car which one of the boys recently traded for. Jessa says this has been a little taste of what Jinger deals with being at a distance all the time. As John bakes, the parade approaches their house and Jim Bob begins honking. Abbie hears some horns, and John tells Abbie to go see what they're doing. Abbie grabs Gracie and they head out to see all the family driving by. Abbie says it was so much fun to have her own birthday parade. Everyone drops off gifts for her as well, and Abbie is really surprised. Kendra says she thinks it was a fun surprise, and Joy says she thinks she was really surprised. Abbie said she appreciated everyone taking time out of their day to wish her a happy birthday. Meanwhile, John sings Happy Birthday to Abbie and she blows out the candles on her cake. The cake is impressive, and Abbie really enjoys it.

At the main house, Jana, Johannah, Jennifer, and Jordyn are having a mask making session. Jana says she got a pattern online to make their own mask after the government recommended wearing them. Jana says the whole family can sew, whether that's making a whole outfit or sewing a button. John says the changes are difficult, but they're trying to follow the guidelines. Jana says the younger kids are good but missing family members and they don't fully get the scope of what's going on.

In LA, Jinger is sorting through Felicity's old, too small clothes to send some to her cousins in Arkansas. Jinger says this is a good time to get projects done, although she has a couch on its side. She was taking the legs off to move it, and got 3 off but couldn't get one and didn't want to go to the hardware show. Jinger says seeing the old outfits takes her back to when Felicity was small, and Jinger has Felicity say "bye-bye, clothes" and Jinger is glad the clothes will go to family. Producers ask if Jinger thinks the clothes will make it back to her again, and Jinger says "I don't know" coyly.

At the Seewalds, Jessa calls Michelle and invites her to come over and visit through the window so they can see Ivy walking. She's been walking around recently, and the Seewalds are exciting. Ben says with 3 mobile kids, you have to be focused and alert and make sure the bathroom door is closed because Ivy loves to run in there and mess with stuff. The Duggars head over, and everyone waves through the window. Henry is sad he can't invite them inside. Jessa puts Ivy down, and she takes a few steps for them. everyone outside cheers. Spurgeon says she'll walk to him if he says "come to me". Ivy kisses Jordyn through the glass, and Jana says it is hard to be on the other side of the glass but nice to see it in person. Ben says it was a little unconventional, but they're glad they could be there for the moment.

Jana says the girls are going to deliver masks to their family members who don't live in the main house, and they're dropping them off at the doorstep of each house. They drop of masks for John and Abbie, and Joe and Kendra (who don't seem to be home) and then Joy and Austin- whose dog Brielle immediately goes for the bag. Joy saves the masks and thanks them. Josie says she thinks everyone liked the masks.

About 3 months into the pandemic, the Duggar family gathers for family video chat. The Vuolos have an announcement: they're expecting, and the family is really excited for them. Jinger is 13 weeks, and her due date is November 19 and Jinger says she is feeling good. Jeremy tells everyone to guess by giving them a task based on what they would have around the house to find a pink or blue item around the house, and Jinger and Jeremy will guess too, and everyone will find together. Everyone has five minutes and runs around to find something or color something for their guess. Jinger says this is the longest they've waited to announce anything, and they're excited. Everyone comes back with their guesses. it ends up an even 14 guesses girl, 14 guesses boy. Both the Vuolos think it is a girl too, and Jeremy pulls out a soccer ball full of pink or blue powder, and everyone will find out together. Everyone counts down, and Jeremy kicks the soccer ball. Jeremy kicks it, and it explodes pink. Everyone celebrates- and John (who guessed girl) teases Austin (who guessed boy). Everyone celebrates, and the Vuolos are thrilled. The girl grandchildren now have the lead, and this makes it 19 grandkids and counting. Jim Bob mentions Lauren's birthday was yesterday, and Ben has his 25th birthday today, but he's stepped away with the boys. And then Justin in Texas joins the video chat, and he has some news. He introduces Claire, and announces they are in an official relationship. Justin says Claire is 19, he is 17, and they met at a family conference and a few months after they made it official. She is outgoing and sweet, and the family is excited for the two of them, and they hope she will be able to visit in Texas soon. Justin says even though they can't go out, they can spend quality time together and be creative. Jessa says when you're in love, it doesn't matter. Jim Bob concludes the call. Jessa wraps up the past year: a lot of joys, some hard times. Joy and Austin are excited to meet their baby girl and watch Gideon grow and see their kids together. Jana says the future will be busy: more weddings, more babies. Jacksons says more relationships, and Justin says you never know where it will go.

#CO season 11 #recap #counting on

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tswiftrs · 4 years

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dear @taylorswift (and @taylornation), let us introduce you to TAYLOR SWIFT SERBIA 🇷🇸, one of your biggest fan clubs in europe! we made it with the intention that you perform in our country someday (but we also promote your music here and regularly update your serbian fans on everything you do). unfortunately, you never came to see us, so we were thinking - why not tell you and show you everything we’ve done these past 8 years, and who knows, maybe you like it and decide to visit us on your next tour. (disclaimer: this gonna be a long-ass post)

HERE. WE. GO.

TSS (as we like to call it) was founded in 2012, when a facebook page called taylor swift come to serbia was created. (fun fact: the two of us, who’ve been running it from the beginning, met on twitter literally a day before.) since then, we joined every social network you can think of:

these are some of our past profile pictures. as you can see, we’re a bit obsessed with photoshopping serbian flag colors onto your clothes 😂

since our goal has always been for you to come here, we made a dozen fan videos trying to get your attention. here they are:

serbia needs red tour - yeah, that ship has sailed, but we still wanted to show you this video so you can hear first-hand how much serbians love you. sorry for our english btw, we were all pretty young 😂

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this was also a thing at the time btw:

happy birthday taylor - we made this for your 23rd b-day but we still love it so much so here it is. (btw, we did a project for your 30th birthday as well, you can find it on our tumblr, you just have to stalk us a bit 😉)

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serbia needs taylor swift - you can find some cute tweets from serbian fans in this one!

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serbia loves taylor swift - in this one we tried to be extra creative. you’ll see what we mean.

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christmas tree farm (lyric video by serbian swifties) - this is our newest video, kind of a lyric video or a bio chain as the kids call it. it’s hard to explain, so just watch it!

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apparently we can only put 5 videos in the post so here are the links for the other ones:

all too well (lyric video by serbian swifties) - we asked our followers what their favorite song from red was (since it was your newest album at the time) and of course they picked atw. it’s still to this day a clear favorite among your serbian fans

taylor swift come to serbia - basically sums up everything we had done up until that point, just like we’re doing now

13 reasons why we want taylor swift in serbia - pretty self-explanatory

serbia needs wonderstruck - our very first video. i guess we really wanted to know how wonderstruck smells 😂 it never became available here though 😔

the video we were proudest of, however, was our shake it off lip sync video. we all dressed up in your merch, danced in our bedrooms, and sang our hearts out to what was then your current single. we sent that video to anyone we could think of, which unfortunately at the time included big ma*hine. they saw it, said it was “so cool”, and then deleted it for copyright. 6 years later we’re still not over it 😭 we promise it was the most beautiful thing ever and we’d give anything to watch it one more time… for reference, this is what it looked like:

you probably don’t remember but you once liked our post that had pictures of serbian swifties listening to lover. that is to this day our greatest accomplishment. you have no idea how many people you’ve made happy that day 💗💗💗

and we also must not forget that one time taylor nation liked our tweet:

further proof we’re awesome: your band loves us! we were noticed by kamilah, melanie, jeslyn, amos, and david (who was in serbia last year!!! ask him and we’re sure he’ll tell you the nicest things about us). we love all of them so much!

remember how we said we also try to promote you and your music here? well, we translated all lover and rep songs and the entire miss americana movie to serbian. (working on all the other albums and tour films as well!)

(all posters made by us. ignore the weird-ass names, that’s how they’re written in serbian)

this translates to: “at least i was never as bored as the person who wrote that huge article about taylor swift on the serbian wikipedia”. (and yes, that was us as well)

we’ve been so dedicated that the serbian edition of bravo magazine once declared us the most original fandom, and more recently we were nominated for best fan page by a serbian portal called famoza.

we also do fun stuff like giveaways and tss album appreciation week, during which we dedicated every day to one of your albums and just talked about how much we love them. we know you don’t understand anything that’s written on these pics but at least maybe you find them pretty 😂

during the coronavirus pandemic we’ve been very dedicated to sharing the “stay at home” message with our followers. we made this cute hand washing tutorial using “the man” lyrics, a tss guide to surviving quarantine (basically just watching every movie/tv show/performance you’ve ever done), and an ayhtdws cover with a twist: we changed the “stay” part to “stay home”.

so yeah, that’s about it. well, the most important stuff at least. really sorry for how long it was. if you ever read this, hopefully we didn’t bore you to death but instead made you wanna come and meet us. you have no idea how long we’ve been waiting for and how much we need to see you. we promise we’d be the loudest crowd you’ve ever heard. (no but seriously, we’re a very loud nation.) please, don’t make us wait any longer.

until then, all the love,

SERBIA ❤️💙🤍

#tss #masterpost #about #op

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