covid diary: day 57

This week, for the first time in its history, the Supreme Court started hearing remote oral arguments and streaming the audio of those arguments live. Monday morning, 87-year-old four-time cancer survivor and professional badass Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg participated in oral arguments, then took herself to the hospital for nonsurgical (likely ultrasound) treatment for a gallbladder infection. And this morning, from her hospital bed, she's participating in oral arguments again and asking tough questions about the case at hand (which happens to be an attempt to challenge the mandate to cover birth control as part of health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, but could be anything). She is sharp and prepared, and even with a lot of background noise from the machines and activity at the hospital, she is grilling the lawyer who is making the case that insurance companies shouldn't have to cover birth control for women.

So I guess I should shut up about feeling hopeless and helpless, because it's not like I'm working from the hospital (though I did do that when Henry was born and was in the hospital for an extra week).

Then again, RBG enjoys job security that neither of us do.

Today's news: infections continue to rise outside of New York, especially in jails, meat-packing plants, and nursing homes. Mike read tonight that 2,500 people died from COVID-19 today. Also in today's news: the polar vortex. In MAY. Gonna get some snow in New England Friday and Saturday!

This world has gone completely mad.

Henry's leg is healing, and we've gotten through three days in a row of elearning. One more this week, then two more weeks to go. The orthodontist reopened, so Liam and Max have appointments next week. I would put those off, but Max is right at the end of this round of braces, and he wants them off so badly. I don't blame him at all. I, too, would like to be done with the orthodontist. (Liam's appointment is just a follow-up because it's been a year since he got his braces off.)

And on we march.

Nationwide cases: 1,228,609. Deaths: 73,431.