2/22/2020
07:30 Breakfast is here! Today we had a sausage and egg biscuit. A bit of a hockey puck, but we can’t win everything! š Rachel and I noticed that one of our favorite restaurants are both on the way home, and out in San Antonio – we’ll definitely be stopping when we get out. She says that she wants tex-mex instead. I say that we both can get different things – we can hop from one place to another! Check out “Gourdoughs.” They make everything they have with donuts.
08:00 Temperature checks! Mine was 97.8f, Rachels was 98.3f.
10:00 We get to go outside! Pictures to come.
11:00 It was awesome to go outside. We walked the perimeters of the quarantine area and got to speak with a few of our fellow passengers. Everyone seems to be in good spirits. We noticed that there was a big trailer parked outside of the quarantine area – we are guessing that this means that we will be staying at this site, rather than moving to another as mentioned previously. It actually felt weird to see and smell grass – we haven’t been anywhere near grass for over two weeks.
Our view outside – a wide open area! This is a luxury.
Here’s our building – love the Lone Star State!
13:00 Lunch is here! We also interviewed with FOX via skype.
Steak strips with carrots, a brownie, and a salad.
13:28
Package! Soap, and a snack chest.
The snack chest was a lifesaver! We have so many snacks – we don’t even know what to do with ourselves now.
14:46 I just got a call from my dad in Hawaii. He called to let me know that my great grandmothers condition continues to decline, and that it’s not looking that great. We are released from quarantine in 10 days – we are hoping that everything works out until then.
15:30 Just got off the phone with the social worker here – we didn’t know that there was one! We talked about discharge planning. This was a really nice thing to think about, as it will have been 26 days of quarantine, and 47 days away from home by the time we make it home (though it may be more for me depending on how things with my great grandmother pan out). We talked about our method of getting home, whether or not we’ve gotten emails from Princess, and just in general how we’re doing. The social worker stated that he would be in touch daily to keep us updated.
17:00 Time for our conference call with the head of CDC operations on site! We discussed the topic of outside time again. While we are strongly discouraged from going outside, we are allowed to go whenever we would like so long as we wear our masks at all time and keep 6 feet of distance between anyone. The reason why it’s so important to abide as closely as possible with CDC suggestions is that if we become sick, it extends quarantine time for those in close contact with us. If many people were to become sick, it could potentially increase quarantine time for all of us – no one wants that! We received a gentle reminder to report any symptoms noticed.
Housekeeping will be coming less often, as we have been supplied with everything we’ve needed. This includes trash bags, linen bags, disinfectants, etc. If we need any of these services, we have the email to contact them.
She let us know that new things are being learned about the virus every day – the scientific side is not totally understood as of yet. Our call dropped at this time and we had to re-call.
As mentioned before, we were contacted by a social worker/case manager earlier. Not everyone has been contacted, but they are going through the list to meet discharge planning needs for our release date.
At this point a Q&A session was opened, but no questions were being asked. They reminded us how to put ourselves in the queue to ask a question, after which questions came rolling in.
Q: We heard rumors that the quarantine will be 24 days in an article coming out of China. Is this true? Are y’all aware of that?”
A: In our meeting with the headquarters of CDC that was not a topic – we are unaware.
Q: I still haven’t received my luggage. When will it arrive? It’s in California.
A: It should arrive around 2PM tomorrow. They are overnighting the delivery. Many people are missing their luggage – around 10.
Q: My phone isn’t working, and I haven’t received any texts from the CDC or dispatch.. or really, anyone.
A: After this call, we’ll reach out to you and fix the issue. Being as you’re also missing your luggage, we’ll get you any items you are missing that you need while waiting for your luggage.
Q: A former epidemiologist had the following: Were we exposed on the cruise, or the plane? We were on the plane for 12-14 hours. If we tested on the last day of the cruise and tested negative, wouldn’t the plane be the source of the exposure?
A: The incubation period is 14 days, but most people will show signs and symptoms earlier. We have no way to track whether or not it was on the plane or the boat.
I’m guessing that there were many exposed on the plane.
Q: Is the PCR test specific for COVID-19, or is it for any coronavirus?
A: Yes.
Q: If we’re asymptomatic, how do we know at the end of the 14 day quarantine if we’re not positive? We don’t want to spread it to family and friends.
A: We are working on this – we want you to feel comfortable when you’re home. We don’t have a final answer a this time, but it’s a topic in very active discussion.
Q: When will results be in from our voluntary tests?
A: They will arrive on a rolling basis – a few are actually in now. We are going around telling people what their results were, and giving them a printed result shortly after.
Q: Were the 3 positive cases reported by the CDC symptomatic?
A: For privacy reasons, we can’t disclose who was taken, or when they were taken just in case you saw who it was. As far as the health and safety of the passengers, none are seriously ill. Those who are positive, or potentially positive have symptoms ranging to none at all to mild.
Q: How did the quarantine release of those from the group in Wuhan go? (Lackland housed those from Wuhan as well).
A: Not many of us on this team were part of that team, but it went well – there was a mask throwing celebration [similar to that of a college graduation].
Q: Are you guys following those who have been released from quarantine?
A: We’ll find out.
Q: How many negative results have we gotten from our group?
A: We’re not really worried about negative results – they aren’t our prime concern. If someone is negative, they may not remain negative. As the incubation period progresses, people may become positive. We are not sure yet if we’ll offer testing to individuals at the end of the quarantine period.
Q: I’m curious.. if someone becomes positive, gets symptoms, and goes to the hospital – how long does it take till we get rid of it? Will it always come back positive like the chicken pox titer?
A: We confirm by serial testing everyone before they are released that they are negative. It’s variable – since it’s a new virus, we don’t have much data.
17:22
TEXAS BBQ, Y’ALL!
Sausage, beef, beans, BBQ sauce, some onions and pickles, a roll, banana pudding, and potato salad!
20:59
Taps played as usual. We’ve noticed that it is played every day at this time.
21:32
Princess has reached out to Rachel and I to become “insider ambassadors” to keep them informed.
22:38
I just received a call from my mom. I was hoping to get out of quarantine in time to see my great grandmother one last time, but she has passed. I will also miss the funeral. Keep my family in your thoughts.
If you enjoyed reading, please subscribe below!
Instagram: thetorrestravels
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2020 Tyler Torres
Aloha from Hawaii. Iāve been following your posts since the beginning and Iām so glad that you both are healthy and back in the US. I hope your parents enjoy their trip to my State. Itās currently around 80+ degrees, very sunny with blue skies and white puffy clouds.
Hello! Thank you for following my story – hope you continue to enjoy! We’re glad too. Only ten more days before we can go home. They’ve loved it so far – they constantly send pictures. I’ve been to Oahu once, it was beautiful! Vietnam was very similar. The picture on my cover page was taken in Vietnam – Vietnam reminded me a lot of Hawaii.
Happy to see you got some recess today! Makes a world of difference. Helps to get your circadian rhythm back on track. I am so sorry to read this about your Great Grandmother. I hope things work out for all of you. Sending all the positive thoughts I can find your way!
It was nice! It’s always good to get a little stretch outside, especially today! It’s nice and sunny. It’s okay. Thank you, much appreciated!
I’m so sorry that your great grandmother is still not doing well. However, as you probably know, since you are in the health profession, people often will themselves to hang on until something important happens, like a holiday, a birthday, or…the end of a loved one’s quarantine.
Fingers crossed that she’s going to do whatever is necessary to see you again. And good job, btw, on even getting to know your great grandmother. Most people don’t get that chance, at least not at an age where the great-grandchild can remember. You and she have been truly blessed, no matter how this plays out.
(Using my reddit username, btw. It’s a Faust reference via the immortal silent film star Louise Brooks, who was a brainy type who took no bs from anyone and read Proust on the set while waiting for her scenes.)
It’s okay. Hopefully so – I will keep updating!
I used to stay over at my great grandmothers all the time as a kid in Louisiana – she’s 97!
You know, I’ve kind of wondered about that username.. Ha!
Iām totally in awe over both of your positivity! Iām sure it makes things so much more bearable instead of being miserable and grumpy. People saying Iām annoyingly optimistic, thatās just who I am. Iām glad to see Iām not the only one. Iām wishing nothing but the absolute best for you all! ā„ļø
Thank you for your support, we really appreciate you!
So sorry to hear that your great grandmother is not healing the way you would like. Hopefully she will start to get better soon. Will be praying for her. My great grandmother lived until she was 97. Up until her last year she live in a trailer in a trailer park by herself in a little town north of Baton Rouge.
Unfortunately, she passed last night. 97 is a very long life to life – she was born in 1923.
So sorry to here that your great grandmother has passed away. Will be praying for you and your family. It is hard to lose family at any age. Even harder on you I am sure since you canāt be with your family at this time.
I followed over from Reddit (iwasarealteenmom). So glad you got some Texas bque and you are both doing well. I am very sorry that you have this going on with your great grandmother. My grandmother lived long enough for my kids to become adults and we all had an amazing relationship with her, so I get it. She was from San Antonio and insisted on being called āmotherā, āgrandmotherā, etc. is this a Texan thing? š
Hats off to both of you, for holding up through this situation and helping others. I have been reading since early on, but when you wrote it will have been 47 days…well, it really hit home.
Thanks for following! Rachel was way more into the BBQ than I was, but it was nice to have a taste of home. I’m not so sure if it’s a Texan thing – I’m from Louisiana, so I have a lot of weird traditions that Texans wouldn’t exactly understand!
Thanks for your support, we appreciate it! We’re ready to be home.
Iām so sorry for the loss of your grandmother, and that you werenāt able to see her again or attend the funeral. You and your family are in my prayers during this difficult time.
I also followed over from reddit. I was excited to see that your wife knits, and exchanged a few messages back and forth on the subject. Using that username here.
I know you canāt get Whataburger delivered (how is that even legal in Texas?) but H-E-B does have Whataburger ketchup, spicy ketchup, and honey butter. If you can get H-E-B delivered, maybe you can at least get some Whataburger condiments to tide you over until youāre free.