Unvaccinated nursing instructor in Missouri is hospitalized with Covid-19 and urging everyone to get the vaccine

[NRSKarenRN]

Christy Henry RN has learned a hard lesson:  one can catch COVID-19 ANYWHERE.  Leaving my camp position tonight, went to 3 pharmacies for med  + DME supplies so masked up, despite being fully vaccinated. 

CNN 7/23/2021

Unvaccinated Missouri nursing instructor with Covid: 'Never in a million years do you think it's going to happen to you'

Quote

... after Covid-19 vaccines became widely distributed in the Spring, Henry and her family chose to not get inoculated. Henry said they felt because of their rural location and lifestyle, their risk of exposure was low....

Her family did not have any Fourth of July gatherings and she is not sure how they got infected. But now, she and her husband, Lonnie, are in the hospital recovering from Covid-19.

While one of her six children also tested positive and avoided hospitalization, Lonnie is currently on a ventilator. Christy herself was intubated for at least two days.

Her doctor told her she is lucky to be alive, Christy told CNN from her hospital bed.

"Covid-19 is extremely, extremely serious," she said, urging everyone she knows to get vaccinated....

 

...

[macawake, MSN]

15 hours ago, londonflo said:

I saw someone with the tshirt shown below: My husband wanted to add "Uneducated" and I wanted to add "uninsured"... of course he did not have a mask on, although all the door signs said if unvaccinated, wear a mask.

I both agree and disagree. If by uneducated one means people with little formal education, there are many people who don’t have a lot of education who are still good people who care about the safety and wellbeing of others. If I’m honest, the only word I would add to that t-shirt, is unworthy. A person who wears a shirt like that one with pride, is in my opinion not worthy of any of the benefits or protections that being a part of a society brings. I think it’s anti-social.

That tee makes me think of the kind of people who flooded Youtube comment sections with posts like ”yum, yum, liberals tears” in December 2016. You wear that shirt to annoy others. No other reason. 

I don’t know if you guys are aware, but Americans wear much more clothing with words/messages on them, than adults in my part of the world do. Here you almost never see adults with a t-shirt like that. (Well, with that particular t-shirt it’s not almost never, it’s never). You might see a baby or a toddler with ”grandmas pride and joy” on their onesie or t-shirt, but even that is kind of rare. Adults very seldom wear any texts, and certainly not political ones. A person with a political message on their clothing would be considered vulgar and intrusive. We keep ourselves to ourselves, and no one gives a **** about your political persuasions and who you vote for.

[macawake, MSN]

On 7/25/2021 at 12:01 PM, Curious1997 said:

Don't know how familiar you are with the American education system but it results in extremely competent and effective professionals within their own spheres, but very limited in all round knowledge and applications. Part of my education was in England and there's a big difference in all round knowledge. Even the cultures are different. In England, people seemed to enjoy knowledge for knowledge sake, hence all the documentaries, here it's a tool for economic and social reasons. Social climbing! 

It's why Americans are so gullible. Very little reference points to rely on. Just look at our news for evidence, compared to your Swedish news. Actually ask an American where Sweden or Denmark is?

 

18 hours ago, jobellestarr said:

Completely agree. The no curiosity is a weird thing to me. I live on the Navajo reservation and idiot travel nurses come to help in a pandemic and aren’t vaccinated. WTH is this? Also, they had no idea (no curiosity) about where they were, history or get this! That natives were forcibly removed from their native lands hence reservations. I am astonished about the lack of general knowledge, cultures, etc. 

I have lived in the U.S. for several years and visited different parts of the country as a tourist as well. And I’ve also lived in about a dozen countries on four continents. I agree, there are huge cultural differences and some stereotypes hold true for large parts of various populations. I am fortunate in that I have met many friendly and intellectually curious Americans. There are certainly a bunch of them here on AN ? I did enjoy my years in the U.S. 

That said, I absolutely understand what you mean when you stereotype Americans as lacking intellectual curiosity. I think some of the reason is that you’re more of a continent than a country. But there’s much more to it than that.

The U.S. is geographically humongous and one of the most populous countries in the world. Another is that the U.S. has been a superpower at least since the end of WWII. I suspect that fact has had an effect on the national psyche. Plus hearing every President say that your country is the greatest country on earth. The rest of the world sends their regards, and call that mild hubris ? It is no doubt a good country compared to many other there, but constantly being fed that you’re the greatest, is in my opinion going a bit overboard.

From what I remember of the education system, you seem to have a heavy focus on U.S. history, geography etc. Show me a map of the entire world and I can easily identify/name at least 150 countries, their capitals and their population size +/- about 10-20%. Then I’d have to think some more and scratch my head for a while, before I identified the rest. I am sure that there are Americans who have a similar grasp of world geography, but I doubt that they are a majority.

The news from what I remember and still see today, is often more akin to an entertainment show than actual news. To me, it often feels superficial. The evening news here comes in short versions (10-25 minutes), basically bullet points with a couple of explanatory sentences with the most important details. But there is also a one-hour version every evening, with very in-depth reporting about various topics. About 30 minutes national and 30 minutes international. And a large segment of the population will watch this. And quality documentaries are always on. 

Some of the differences I’ve described are probably because We are a much smaller country. We have to interact with the rest of the world. But a big part is also that kids in school are actively encouraged to search for knowledge on their own and critically think about what they learn.
 

Jobellestarr, I think it’s sad that people aren’t more interested than what you describe. Anytime I travel anywhere, I always view that as an opportunity to learn something new. That’s for selfish reasons ? I just love knowing stuff. But as a travel nurse, one would think that they’d try to get to know and understand the population they are going to work with. If for no other reason, then for professional reasons. How can you do a good job unless you attempt to understand the people/patients you are trying to help? It’s just odd to me. 

[guest1163268]

I read somewhere that only about 30% of Americans have a passport and only about 15% have traveled internationally for interest other than tourism. The other destinations were like Mexico or the Caribbean for vacation etc. I can't say if this is true or not, but in my experience even the supposedly educational vacations were less than a few weeks and involved quick two day trips to various cities in Europe for example. Even my educated friends haven't traveled much because we do seem to have geographical features in abundance here. 

I really hate however flying five hours in any direction and running into a Wal-Mart or a Macdonalds etc. In London one hour and for under $500 you can be in numerous countries with so many different cultures, smells and experiences. 

I think the rest of the world with their international sports like football, cricket, rugby etc which everyone plays to some degree incl America, gets an advantage from a young age. Especially soccer. 

Our news really sucks rotten eggs though. I can't even think of an excuse for that, however we do have the NY Times and the Washington Post which IMO, is as good as the The Economist or the Times and The Guardian. 

You are also right I think, Macawake re the continent point. Still no excuse for curiosity though. How can anyone get the chance to be on a reservation and not be bowled over is beyond me. Amazing people and culture with history to rival anyone's! I think American Indians are amazing and should be on the same pedestal as any other culture, evidenced by the Anasazi. There is a reverence to their dwellings and geographical locations. It's mystical! 

It's really a pity that we sanitize our history and ignore the amazing people that occupied this continent first! 

[toomuchbaloney]

The majority of working class Americans cannot afford overseas travel.  They don't have paid vacation and their incomes don't have enough extra for that sort of leisure.  If they are unimaginative and incurious they won't feel bad about that.  

[guest1163268]

3 hours ago, toomuchbaloney said:

The majority of working class Americans cannot afford overseas travel.  They don't have paid vacation and their incomes don't have enough extra for that sort of leisure.  If they are unimaginative and incurious they won't feel bad about that.  

I don't see why we can't afford overseas vacations. We are one of the richest countries in the world. We have expensive cars and the biggest houses in the world. Boats and travel trailers, 2nd homes etc. I have not seen that even remotely in other cultures. 

It's the lack of curiosity because of our poor educational systems. It's impossible to not be floored by London or Paris, Prague, Budapest, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona etc. I think if we taught the right history we would be queueing up to visit these remarkable places. New Orleans has some of the vibes of these amazing places but to be in Florence and know the history that surrounds you, the amazing people that walked the same streets and was inspired. 

I would bet for the same money a Mexican or Jamaican vacation would cost, you could be in Mauritius or the Seychelles etc. Vietnam, Thailand is even cheaper! And you will experience things you couldn't even begin to imagine! But we have this problem of racism and believing that we are better than others when in fact because of those ideations, we lessen ourselves! The arrogance of a young country looking down on Mayans and Aztecs etc in our own backyard is astounding! We need to start respecting others, before we can appreciate the amazing things they bring to the table! 

We don't even respect each other, allowing these old impotent white men to dictate how women and minorities should be treated etc! Imagine we elect a weasel like Ted Cruz or appoint a criminal like Wilbur Ross etc and allow them to dictate to us? If they were exposed to the real people they would quickly change! 

You are right toomuchbaloney, term limits! 

[jobellestarr]

11 hours ago, macawake said:

 

I have lived in the U.S. for several years and visited different parts of the country as a tourist as well. And I’ve also lived in about a dozen countries on four continents. I agree, there are huge cultural differences and some stereotypes hold true for large parts of various populations. I am fortunate in that I have met many friendly and intellectually curious Americans. There are certainly a bunch of them here on AN ? I did enjoy my years in the U.S. 

That said, I absolutely understand what you mean when you stereotype Americans as lacking intellectual curiosity. I think some of the reason is that you’re more of a continent than a country. But there’s much more to it than that.

The U.S. is geographically humongous and one of the most populous countries in the world. Another is that the U.S. has been a superpower at least since the end of WWII. I suspect that fact has had an effect on the national psyche. Plus hearing every President say that your country is the greatest country on earth. The rest of the world sends their regards, and call that mild hubris ? It is no doubt a good country compared to many other there, but constantly being fed that you’re the greatest, is in my opinion going a bit overboard.

From what I remember of the education system, you seem to have a heavy focus on U.S. history, geography etc. Show me a map of the entire world and I can easily identify/name at least 150 countries, their capitals and their population size +/- about 10-20%. Then I’d have to think some more and scratch my head for a while, before I identified the rest. I am sure that there are Americans who have a similar grasp of world geography, but I doubt that they are a majority.

The news from what I remember and still see today, is often more akin to an entertainment show than actual news. To me, it often feels superficial. The evening news here comes in short versions (10-25 minutes), basically bullet points with a couple of explanatory sentences with the most important details. But there is also a one-hour version every evening, with very in-depth reporting about various topics. About 30 minutes national and 30 minutes international. And a large segment of the population will watch this. And quality documentaries are always on. 

Some of the differences I’ve described are probably because We are a much smaller country. We have to interact with the rest of the world. But a big part is also that kids in school are actively encouraged to search for knowledge on their own and critically think about what they learn.
 

Jobellestarr, I think it’s sad that people aren’t more interested than what you describe. Anytime I travel anywhere, I always view that as an opportunity to learn something new. That’s for selfish reasons ? I just love knowing stuff. But as a travel nurse, one would think that they’d try to get to know and understand the population they are going to work with. If for no other reason, then for professional reasons. How can you do a good job unless you attempt to understand the people/patients you are trying to help? It’s just odd to me. 

I agree. I don’t understand not wanting to learn about how others live, cultures, etc. it doesn’t matter how much money I have, where I live, etc. I’m still interested in the world around me. I think much of it speaks to our poor education system. How could you not know about the trail of tears or the long march? Was this not taught in history?  Anyway, if anyone wants a wonderful experience, please check out either travel nursing to an Indian Health Service Unit or come as staff. It will change your life. Many people raise their families on the reservation and it has more of a feel of peace corps. Wonderful people and appreciative patients. 

[HarleyvQuinn, MSN, RN, NP]

6 hours ago, Curious1997 said:

I don't see why we can't afford overseas vacations. We are one of the richest countries in the world. We have expensive cars and the biggest houses in the world. Boats and travel trailers, 2nd homes etc. I have not seen that even remotely in other cultures. 

It's the lack of curiosity because of our poor educational systems. It's impossible to not be floored by London or Paris, Prague, Budapest, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona etc. I think if we taught the right history we would be queueing up to visit these remarkable places. New Orleans has some of the vibes of these amazing places but to be in Florence and know the history that surrounds you, the amazing people that walked the same streets and was inspired. 

I would bet for the same money a Mexican or Jamaican vacation would cost, you could be in Mauritius or the Seychelles etc. Vietnam, Thailand is even cheaper! And you will experience things you couldn't even begin to imagine! But we have this problem of racism and believing that we are better than others when in fact because of those ideations, we lessen ourselves! The arrogance of a young country looking down on Mayans and Aztecs etc in our own backyard is astounding! We need to start respecting others, before we can appreciate the amazing things they bring to the table! 

We don't even respect each other, allowing these old impotent white men to dictate how women and minorities should be treated etc! Imagine we elect a weasel like Ted Cruz or appoint a criminal like Wilbur Ross etc and allow them to dictate to us? If they were exposed to the real people they would quickly change! 

You are right toomuchbaloney, term limits!  

 I'm not sure who everyone was that got all those overseas vacations, second homes, expensive cars, and boats were. My lower-middle-class working family had a small, reasonably priced family home in a lower cost of living area, only ever purchased used vehicles within their budget, and "vacation" was visiting family in another state for Spring break, a week in Summer, and during Thanksgiving. No hotel fees, no sort of Disney trip, etc. I knew very few people that could meet several of the conditions you've listed then, and even now. 

Being statistically the richest country in the world because a minority of people hold a significant majority of the wealth does not mean a population as a whole is rich. A good number of our population is still living paycheck to paycheck just to keep shelter, food, and basic resources. 

[guest1163268]

17 minutes ago, HarleyvQuinn said:

 I'm not sure who everyone was that got all those overseas vacations, second homes, expensive cars, and boats were. My lower-middle-class working family had a small, reasonably priced family home in a lower cost of living area, only ever purchased used vehicles within their budget, and "vacation" was visiting family in another state for Spring break, a week in Summer, and during Thanksgiving. No hotel fees, no sort of Disney trip, etc. I knew very few people that could meet several of the conditions you've listed then, and even now. 

Being statistically the richest country in the world because a minority of people hold a significant majority of the wealth does not mean a population as a whole is rich. A good number of our population is still living paycheck to paycheck just to keep shelter, food, and basic resources. 

And what do you think other people do in other countries? 

They make less money than we do unless it's a Scandinavian country or central European, but their cost of living equalizes the equation. The difference is that they are socialist countries with only slightly higher taxes, but with huge dividends as a trade off. They also don't keep up with the Joneses and save. All of my British, Danish and Swedish cousins have traveled the world mostly before they were 20. No help from my uncles. Eurorail and hostels. We've hit Thailand, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Seychelles, Malaysia and Vietnam in one gap year and no one had more than a thousand dollars to their name. I paid my way through college and still toured the Caribbean and Central America during. I have a thriving business along with nursing and still drive an amazing 95' toyota camry as my main runabout car. 

My brother and sisters and I, never got an allowance unless we read certain books allocated, with dinner table discussions. This is what instilled the curiosity and amazement for other cultures and people. My nephews and neices are being indoctrinated the same way! You don't have a choice. I have Scottish and Irish grandparents who will still slap you around the head if you don't know certain things. My Scandi grandparents are more laid back. 

If there's a will, there's a way! 

[HarleyvQuinn, MSN, RN, NP]

17 minutes ago, Curious1997 said:

And what do you think other people do in other countries? 

They make less money than we do unless it's a Scandinavian country or central European, but their cost of living equalizes the equation. The difference is that they are socialist countries with only slightly higher taxes, but with huge dividends as a trade off. They also don't keep up with the Joneses and save. All of my British, Danish and Swedish cousins have traveled the world mostly before they were 20. No help from my uncles. Eurorail and hostels. We've hit Thailand, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Seychelles, Malaysia and Vietnam in one gap year and no one had more than a thousand dollars to their name. I paid my way through college and still toured the Caribbean and Central America during. I have a thriving business along with nursing and still drive an amazing 95' toyota camry as my main runabout car. 

My brother and sisters and I, never got an allowance unless we read certain books allocated, with dinner table discussions. This is what instilled the curiosity and amazement for other cultures and people. My nephews and neices are being indoctrinated the same way! You don't have a choice. I have Scottish and Irish grandparents who will still slap you around the head if you don't know certain things. My Scandi grandparents are more laid back. 

If there's a will, there's a way! 

I'm glad you were able to make that happen. My experiences overseas came at the cost of wearing the country's uniform and serving during wartime. What I've seen of allied countries are beautiful and I wouldn't mind a chance to see them on a more leisureful trip. Unfortunately, I'm a caregiver to my elderly parents at the moment and they are not able to make such a trip, especially during a worldwide pandemic. My brother and SIL, as civil servants, do not make nearly enough to support themselves and their two very young children and take in-country vacations, let alone overseas. Never mind actually getting workplaces to approve time off. Our country is notorious for having the least amount of vacation time available to us. 

 My family now, and even growing up, budgeted wisely. Never lived beyond our means. Never tried to compete with anyone else. That's how my brother and I were able to go to college. I utilized my military benefits for my masters degree. Not being able to afford overseas travel doesn't mean one doesn't have the desire, nor does it mean someone isn't curious about other cultures. I've always been an avid reader. Building a strong savings account is why I end up passing on extra travel and luxury. I may not have outstanding debts, but even I can't predict sudden changes in health creating sudden medical expenditures. Or, the various other emergencies that life throws at you that create a sudden expense. These are the values I was taught: Budget. Save. Get what you need, make goals for what you want, but always plan for the future.  

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

For people who live in Europe, a lot of the world is easier to see due to proximity. 

I do agree, however, that many Americans have little curiosity about the world whether they can afford to travel or not. Many of them could not find Europe or Asia on a world map if it wasn't already labeled. I know people with college degrees who don't seem to know the difference between a continent and a country. Geography education doesn't seem to have been a big priority in the US. When I taught junior high before becoming a nurse, I'd always give a geography quiz to my students the first week just to see what I was dealing with. A lot of those students couldn't even find the USA on a world map-some would label the US in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, forget about any other foreign countries. It's embarassing.

[Robmoo, ADN, BSN, RN]

On 7/24/2021 at 7:49 AM, macawake said:

I asked a poster in another thread why she thinks that the vaccination rate among U.S. physicians is so much higher than among U.S. nurses. That poster postulated that it’s because nurses have done more research into the vaccines than physicians have, and also that nurses are better at resisting peer pressure than physicians. Of course I disagreed with that and I do believe that this story is proof positive that the explanation she suggested doesn’t hold water. 

It is absolutely dumbfounding to me that a Master’s educated nurse who teaches Community Health, wasn’t capable to apply her own training and knowledge on the decision process of whether to get vaccinated, or not.
If she had, she would have arrived at a different conclusion and she might not have been in that hospital bed now. Well, at least she is doing the right thing now as she encourages others to get vaccinated. It’s quite sad though, that she had to become seriously ill before coming to the realization that vaccines are beneficial to both personal and public health. 

I wish her and her husband a full recovery. 

Stupid is as stupid does and de-nile is not just a river in Egypt?

Funny that it isn't the more advance education and knowledge of the physicians that lead to higher vaccination rates?

 Denial is the only plausible reason that I can think of for a masters educated nurse who teaches community health to avoid vaccination.  The dean of her department needs to re-evaluate her fitness to teach community health.

[GrumpyRN, NP]

19 hours ago, Curious1997 said:

I have Scottish... grandparents who will still slap you around the head if you don't know certain things.

Not allowed to do that any more.

"The Children (Equal Protection from Assualt) Act 2019 bans physical punishment and discipline of children."

But yes you are correct, it was part of growing up and helped (if that is the right word) you to learn.