This week, UC Davis is hosting a web conference (maybe the adjective web is no longer necessary, a redundancy that can be eliminated) everyday for incoming freshmen and their families. Each day is centered around a different theme – Monday was Campus Communities, Wed is Living and Dining, etc. etc. Anyways, I mentioned this to Vince over the weekend while I was bleaching his hair and he groaned and Jeremy (who was fixing his bike in the vicinity of the bleaching) said – ah, you have to go with your mom, it’ll make her happy. It’s true, I still want to go to college. I think I’d major in Spanish this time.
Anyways, here is the first session right here. This was about Campus Communities – from the Student Community Center where there are organizations for like: Student Recruitment and Retention Center, LGBTQIA, Center for African Diaspora, Native American Success Center, Chicanx and Latinx Student Success Center, etc. It’s great they offer these students these support services, I’m quite happy about that. There is something about unabashed student enthusiasm during a pandemic that is both jarring and comforting. There was talk about getting free condoms and dental dams. Vince was like – what’s a dental dam? And then another organization was like – we offer free condoms, STD testing, lube and produce. And then we all looked at each other and said – are they giving out lube and vegetables at the same time? I guess so. Of course, there were no Asians in the video and no Asian organizations (Davis is 42 % Asian) and I’m like, this is why I’m confused on whether or not I’m a person of color. I think I’m not a POC. Other Chinese people might be POCs, but I’m not one of them (am I? I dunno.) I’m impressed, less than 15 minutes into the student presentations, they were talking about dental dams and condoms. Do you think MIT led with that? Probably not. Maybe? Do you think they led with here are all the support systems and organizations in place so you will have help to graduate? Again, probably not. I’d be curious to watch MIT’s welcome week.
Max, the dog, is having a mental breakdown. All day Sunday, she was having a panic attack. Her legs were shaking, she was hunkered down in weird places, her tail was between her legs, she refused to eat lunch. Monday, she was much better, but she still was acting weird. Joined me and Edda during a shower?!? She’s never wanted to be in the shower stall before. She hung out there for a while. I clarified with my parents if they wanted to be on a ventilator. My mom (classic mom) said – we aren’t getting sick. I said, OK I know you aren’t getting sick, but that’s not the answer to my questions. They said – of course we want the ventilator. I said, OK. No problem. What about dialysis, chest tubes, feeding tubes, etc? They said no dialysis. I said fine, that’s a plan. I said that I do want a ventilator and the whole kit and kaboodle. My parents think that recovery from 10 days on a ventilator will bring them back to where they are now. I tried to tell them that that probably won’t happen, they would be alive, but diminished. But I think they didn’t believe me. Heck, if I was 10 days on a ventilator and recovered, I’m pretty sure I’d be severely diminished. But who am I to say in what form of diminishment one wants or would tolerate. I would have said that having Rett Syndrome would be intolerable, but I think Edda would disagree, she is mostly happy with her life. I have many patients with incredible struggles that have many pleasures and satisfaction. I dunno.
Vince cleaned his keyboard with Clorox wipes yesterday. I nearly killed him.