BeeastFarmer

At some point in the last couple of weeks, the discussion about prescription medications for people who have lost insurance and/or income due to employment status. Insulin was specifically mentioned. If you need help, you can get much lower prices on Lantus insulin with or without insurance. Go to lantus.com and click on the sign me up now tab under $savings offers. I could not find any direct information for Humalog, but you might want to check with your endocrinologist about admelog. Both this and Humalog are lispro versions of insulin and admelog is more affordable. admelog.com If you are on metformin, I have heard you can get it at Costco or Sams free if you are a member. Finally, there are prescription savings cards available. Research and find what works best for you. You can talk to your endo/provider about using Regular and NPH Humulin insulin. Wal Mart sells these for around $25-$30 for a 300 cc vial. You would need some education and discipline is switching up your routine. *This post does not contain medical advice. Always check with your provider before making any changes to your treatment plan.

In my opinion, and my opinion only in this post (but shared by many of my peers)--The elective surgeries, which are the bread and butter of most hospitals, were cancelled for a two-fold reason. 1. To conserve PPE. 2. To conserve rooms to "surge" the hospital expected/expects for COVID patients. At my system, a plan was put into place quickly. Between two hospitals, we are licensed for about 900 beds. They added capacity for an additional 300 beds by making certain targeted floors as Covid hubs, where the rooms would be semi private. I have no idea how they changed the mechanics/infrastructure of the rooms or where the money to do so came from. They also converted an athletic facility into field hospital, for an additional 400 beds, again I have no idea where the equipment and money came from. So the system almost doubled capacity while census is at historic lows. If all 1600 beds are full, we would go to mandatory OT, which is concerning because that leads to mistakes and burn out, which would have repercussions far beyond this pandemic. I think our administration has done an outstanding job given the task presented. If not now, I project many drug shortages. Initially, the meds used for treating COVID patients. Long term, manufacturing facilities will suffer and the supply chain will be impacted. When the hurricane devastated Puerto Rico, IV fluid bags were in short supply for almost a year. The fear of going to the hospital, the lack of accidents (Spring is trauma season), lack of violence etc--I would say those are contributing factors. One thing I left out of my previous post: the students of this semester will impact the future of health care. Some good people will not advance this semester of medical school, nursing school and other allied health fields. If they do, they will not be on the normal trajectory because of a lack of clinical experience. Many schools are not allowing students to complete clinical rotations and switching to simulation online. It is better than nothing, but live interaction with patients cannot be replaced by virtual simulation.

The flu does kill people. It is most likely to kill those who have not been immunized, but the vaccine is not a guarantee that you will not have the flu. High risk (cancer, diabtetes etc) are at a VERY high risk as well as the elderly due to age and various co-morbidity. Like with COVID-19, these high risk groups should be extra cautious . Community-acquired pneumonia kills between 100k-150k people each year, again mainly in high risk populations. This virus has a projected number of deaths between 200k-300k. Should CAP be considered a mini pandemic year round? Suicide claims approximately 50k lives a year in the US. I do think there will be an increase in numbers of suicide. They still have access to telehealth, but face to face meetings with mental health professionals cannot be replicated virtually. It is my thought that a percentage of these people will be lost as a direct result. Added to that is the population that will suffer from mental health impairment related to the situation--"confinement", "time on my hands", "loss of income/can't pay bills"--not to mention deaths of family/friends (COVID-19 and other causes) and the way we are handling funerals now. So suicide is a very real and valid concern. Elective surgeries are held. These are things like knee replacement, hip replacement (not related to a break, those will be done), lumbar fusions, bariatric, cosmetic, etc. If you have cancer and need a surgery for it, it will be triaged, sure. But some things can't wait, and those will be done. If you have a history of say, lung cancer, and are suffering from a fluid accumulation and a thoracentesis, you can come to the hospital and get it done and stay for your recovery. Screening tests like colonoscopies are triaged as well. If you had one 5 years ago and they saw no polyups, but are supposed to have one every 5 years, you might get put on the back burner. But if you are symptomatic, you will be screened and scheduled. Chemotherapy is still going on as is radiation. If you go for your clinic chemo appointment and your labs off, you will be admitted. Trauma is still being handled. Appendicitis is still being handled. The deaths that will come from this situation is when people are symptomatic and not seek care. Except hotspots, hospitals are ghost towns right now. Hospitals are bleeding money left and right. Staff are being furloughed. Emergency Departments that see hundreds of cases a day are seeing 20 cases a day, if they are "lucky." It will take health systems a long time to recover financially. Because of the lasting financial damage, people will die. At least in my workplace and in the experience of my peer network across the country, people are not being turned away for needed care like cancer treatments. Those patients are actually serving as a small lifeline right now (how ironic). Deaths will occur in the future because of the decimation of our hospital revenues because staff will reduced and money is not available for facilities and equipment. I have no idea how many people will die because of these things, and it is just my conjecture. My point of this whole post is to say that as of right now, if a medical procedure is needed, it can be done (hotspots, maybe not?). But with the collateral damage from the actions taken to combat the virus, I do think deaths will occur. I guess I agree and disagree with @flightoffear1996. The thoughts are my opinions based on my experience and observations.

I've had coffee and some water today. Tying into the parks part of this thread, I can't get Blue Ice Cream currently, so a friend picked up a pint at a local store and dropped it off. Yummy! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Some learn to make mistakes. Some don't. Bam! Boom! Pop! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Much like political leaders and the press! Holy cats! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

He must have a very high IQ! Banker AND a presumed virologist too! Wowza! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Ewwww think of all the athletes feet, toenail fungus and toe jam on those stairs and concrete! ,[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

While I agree with your post, I think the opportunity cost has to come into play. If they don't open at all in 2020, even if they extend passes to 2021, a certain percentage of pass holders will complain. They loose the opportunity to get them back, of they don't recapture. So they up the incentives. Some of those people won't come back, and the ones that do will expect x,y,z discount into infinity. They either offer or loose them too. Using easy numbers, if the park stays closed and the fixed costs are $50, and the park was planning on a top line revenue of $130, they are not just out $50, they are out $130. If they could open, still having fixed costs of $50, and variable costs of $50 and could make $90, they might consider it strongly. Zero income on a balance sheet might look worse to an investor than $90, even with a loss of $10 actual dollars and a profit loss of $40. It could indicate the company has management with a vision and a company that is nimble. Or it might not. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

FTR, I was only using 20% as a round number. Like I said, I have no idea how they do their accounting/amortization. But I do know that corporations do account for it. Whether or not they account for goodwill on branding, I have no idea. RE: The Beast--If the ride were destroyed and rebuilt exactly as it is today, footers to trains, it would cost more than the original price, of course due to inflation. But if the park were to be redeveloped and the ride removed, it would not have any value except for scrap--but the cost of removal would likely outweigh any scrap value so it would be an expense vs an asset. All this ties into the discussion of the virus impacting the park. My point being that even if the park were to remain closed this year, there are many tangible and intangible costs that would figure into that equation. Any income gained by opening the park would go against those costs.

Add in the taxes and fees they pay to local and state entities. Plus depreciation on physical assets. I don't know how they do amortization, but the books that shows that Orion is worth $30 million this year may show it's worth $24 million next year ( assuming a 20% per year depreciation). Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

^ Yes, I remember that. As kids, we called it "oompah" music and thought it was stupid, but we secretly loved it and "danced" to it.

Sorry, I'm only on my first cup of coffee this morning. I swear I saw CGA's new theme, Bayside Shores (or whatever its been rebranded to) in your text. I guess that shows how much I am NOT a waterpark person. Sometimes I park at Soak City and walk over to the dry park because its a good way to get more steps in. I have noticed the times I have done this, how run down it looks. It looks tired, mismatched concrete and bland. I guess I see KISC as the Action Zone of water parks.

@bengalsguy23 And whatever CP has changed their waterpark to. For that to work, it seems like they have done pretty significant upgrades and overall thematic touches.

^From a philosophical viewpoint, I agree with your first paragraph. But, from a practical and financial standpoint, two of the more popular waterparks in this region, Splashin' Safari and Hurricane Bay, would not agree. Both of these water parks are highly regarded and well themed, even if cheesy. I am not a waterpark person, but I couldn't image HB themed to Bradford pears, Pin Oak trees and bush honeysuckle--or even regional things like horses, bourbon, UPS, gangs and dirty river water. Same thing for SS, but I am not sure what the area naturally looks like--more hardwood forests, or (manmade) corn?

^Isn't that what sons are for, @King Ding Dong?

I'd hate to be the guy in the ET elevator carrying all those stinky germy people up and down all day long. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

^Is that the Butter Jesus church? Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Yuck. I don't want to think about anyone taking a quick squirt at KI or anywhere else. [emoji2961] Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

His tombstone stands (at least as of Haunt) in the Banshee queue...look for...O'Terpy...he was a stickler for... spelling...and punctuation...and capitalized ride names...nice guy in person...we sparred on the KK thread...and he was wrong! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

File for unemployment immediately. It also sounds like you may have type 1 diabetes. If so, your also qualify for assistance with your medical expenses. There are options out there for insulin, Reli-On being a very affordable alternative until this situation runs its course. Check with your doctor. I can't give medical advice, but as someone who has lived with T1D for 40+ years, I can be a sounding board for you.

Thanks,@standbyme. The wall was either built by Irish homesteaders or slaves. I haven't been able to determine that. I have been told it dates to the 1840s to 1850s. The rest of the boundary fence, back around the rest of the farm hasn't fared as well. But it's still a testament to hard work and tenacity. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Each year I try and enhance my lawn and landscape. These daffodils were planted, along with many others,from early to mid January. That is 2 months past recommend planting time. They were clearanced and left for dead. But they proved that something great can come from a bad situation. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Good fun and educational too! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

I am still amazed at how much I learn daily from the SMEs here. It's astounding! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk