Monthly Archives: Mar 2020

This morning it was my sixth trip back to the city of Hamilton. Another typical day for the persons I am supporting on their request for the groceries and picking up the power bills plus my routine checking on them if they are okay.

I arrived at Pak n Save – Clarence Street, near the Court House early, and it was not so bad in the queue line. It was a beautiful sunny morning as we are approaching the Autumn season.

Autumn season is a time for anyone who will be having the flu, hayfever symptoms, or cold toward to Winter season. Fear Not!

Outside the supermarket, I was observing everyone to come and go even waiting in the queue. A smaller number of persons don’t wear mask and gloves where I don’t wear a mask and have a pair of gloves in handy for one person who is a Deaf Muslim lady. A more significant number of people do wear a mask and gloves. It is their choice of what to wear or not to wear. I reached the front entrance door, and of course, the staff wore a mask and a pair of gloves. I said I am deaf myself and unable to lip read if you can sign or point out even to gestures like go. The staff realised and accepted my disability and made the gesture as to go in. The same thing happened at the small dairy shop in Silverdale, Hamilton and the woman wore a mask when I asked for a bag of flour. She refused to do gesture as no and I walked out. I don’t think she is fully aware of our disability as D/deaf.

Anyone who wears a mask and no understanding of any sign language/gesture, this result leads to many problems for many D/deaf people without their interpreter in the same room.

A friend of mine who is a nurse, living overseas and she works in refugee camps over many years. Her workplace has supplied many different types of masks available for these refugee camps, where there are many refugees with disabilities including D/deaf. One of the good masks is a transparent face mask on the left side -The Communicator mask with a clear view, model FM86000. The other types of masks which many doctors and nurses wear is N95 mask on the right side.

The N95 mask is: –

• a respirator is a respiratory protective device designed to achieve a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration of airborne particles.
• The ‘N95’ designation means that when subjected to careful testing, the respirator blocks at least 95% of very small (0.3 microns) test particles. If properly fitted, the filtration capabilities of N95 respirators exceed those of face masks. However, even a properly fitted N95 respirator does not completely eliminate the risk of illness or death.
• N95 respirators are not designed for children or people with facial hair. Because a proper fit cannot be achieved on children and people with facial hair, the N95 respirator may not provide full protection.

The woman on the left photo is Anne McIntosh and she is a Deaf professor for the established of the transparent mask and encouraging all Medical centres and dental clinics across the United State plus taught in communication classes/workshops. The company is SafeNClear. Here are two links – YouTube  Anne McIntosh and further reading – SafeNClear

Have a look at the Youtube here and you will find an interpreter wearing one of the transparent masks. She made the transparent mask and encourage other people to do the same but precaution if using the right method.  Sign Language Interpreter

It would help many D/deaf people to understand what they are talking if there is no interpreter or video Interpreter conferencing available in New Zealand or anywhere in the world. Money is not the problem if the transparent masks are too expensive where the number of D/deaf people living in New Zealand is lesser than other people without disabilities.  Simply stock these transparent masks in one large box and store in the stockroom. Use it when you have a D/deaf patient in the GP room or in the dental room.

What is a bubble in every household during the lockdown across New Zealand?

See in the photo resemble each bubble of every household in the community.

On the right side, this is our bubble out in the rural area where our neighbours are not so close within each other. We have got a large property where we can let our dogs out for their runs during the days and nights.

The neighbours have their own bubble of a family with children and dogs or no dogs or a couple down the road from us. If one of these family in their own bubble and decide to do running or cycling out on a beautiful day. They will have to keep 2 metres away from us and our dogs no matter if we are outside or inside. This help to reduce the movement or social movements without catching the virus.

Now, if someone like me who works under the essential services such as Social Services, Hospitals, Disability Organisation. One of us will break the bubble and go to work and come back. One of us has our responsibility and precaution is to wash our hands, leave shoes outside in the sun or by the door in the fresh air, keep distancing from your children and partner into a bedroom. In the bedroom, change the clothes as much you can and put the clothes in the washing machine. Have a warm shower and put clean clothes on.  Keep yourself distancing from your children and partner on the first day of coming home from work. If one of us become infected, we will report to the manager so they can send someone else to do the job for you. Do self-isolating within 14 days in your own makeshift bedroom and keep distancing from others. Let your partner do the cooking etc. If your partner or children become ill, then stay home with them.

Yes, it is scary when coming down to a person is working under the essential services.

Did you know about the Spanish Flu back between 1918-1920?

The Spanish Flu was formerly known as 1918 Pandemic and the outbreak started in January 1918, just after the First World War to December 1920. The first reported of this influenza was in Spain,, and it was a respiratory virus. It is similar to coronavirus,, which has three combines of respiratory, fever and cough today. But the strain of coronavirus is unlikely different from the Spanish Flu but still have a similar strain. The Spanish Flu strain was H1N1 where else Coronavirus strain is Covid-19. With the Coronavirus, it is possible to have mutated by any animal and migrated to a human. The infected human became mutated and migrated to many other people. But we do not have an answer for this type of Coronavirus.

The hypotheses about the Spanish Flu came from a British team, led by virologist John Syndey Oxford in the work of research in 1999. His team believed influenza came from the military camp in Étaples, Northern France in 1917 where the medical doctors reported one set of the new virus of high mortality and this medical team claimed it was a flu. The military camp and a hospital was overcrowding which was an ideal site for spreading of a respiratory virus.  There were more than 100,000 soldiers, even nurses passed through this camp and hospital where the soldiers were treated for chemical attacks and other symptoms from the battles. This camp and hospital were closed to the piggery and poultry as food supplies bought in from the nearby villages.  This strain harboured in birds, then mutated before migrated to pigs. Yes, it was the same pattern to Swine Flu and Avian Flu several years ago, but in different strains of the virus. Unfortunately, it killed up to 50,000,000 people around the world. In the United States, quick learning to stop spreading the Spanish Flu was the flattened of the curve – social distancing. Here is a link to the flattened of the curve Flattened the curve

How did the Spanish Flu come to New Zealand?

Most people believed the steamship SS Niagara sailed into Waitemata Harbour. On this ship, there were many soldiers, a Prime Minister – William Massey along with his team came home from France via London, England. The number of New Zealanders was nearly 10,000, and the worst hit was Māori people while they suffered heavily than the rest of New Zealanders, young people between 15 years old and 44 years old.

An excellent website for reading can be found here – Influenza in New Zealand

This is why our country along with the other country opt to lock down to prevent social distraction within the community.

Another day is rolling in, and I woke up early ‘feeling empty’ because there are fewer noises outside. Our dogs slept through without barking in the middle of the nights.

Having a cup of coffee for it is my favourite drink in the early hours of the morning. Checking emails, text messages and facebooks if there is an urgent job such as food shopping, bill,s or picking medicines for the persons I am supporting.  Many supermarkets open later and closing up before 9p,m so I head out to the first closest supermarket in Claudelands, Hamilton City. It is close to a few of the people I need to check on them.

How quiet on the highway road from our home in the rural area to the city!

It is a bit strange out there because, in the early hours of the morning, it was hardy two or three people walking down the road and four cars passing by. Stopping at the traffic lights near the supermarket, I noticed two fellas for I know them who are low incomes and one of them has a mental illness. His support person’s face is full of gang’s tattoo – Mongrel Mob as he is okay to me. They saw me in the car and waved with a smiling face and gave thumb signs – good while I passed them.

Before arriving in the car park, I noticed a few people waiting in the line within 2 metres apart from the entrance double sliding doors while security officers wore masks and counted per persons. The limit of per persons is 50 people are allowed to enter inside the building. I found a car park to park my trusty car and walked over to the waiting line. The waiting time was not as long as I entered the building and started doing food groceries. Many of the staff wore masks and gloves everywhere, including there were plenty of hand sanitisers at the front entrance and every checkout counters.

Foods and drinks products on the shelves are more or less empty than last time. Before the lockdown, there were madness where many people started to panic and did the grocery. Now it is calm, BUT some product of foods or drinks are not on the shelves for the persons I am supporting, including us. Rats! There was no flour for us to do baking because my partner wants to do the baking for two of us during the lockdown and if I am working through. I know there is one place which will be handy on my last stop before heading home.

Done the first lot of groceries and head over to Couplands where they are selling loaves of bread, buns, cakes, muffins and so on. Rain falling down nicely while I drive on. Arriving at the car park as it was not so full and entering the Couplands building was no hassle. Bought several loaves of bread, and while I was waiting at the checkout, I noticed something amusing to laugh a bit. The young checkout lady was watching every person who entering the entrance, and first-person came, failed to wash their hands. She growled at this person, “minster, you need to wash your hand. Please, and there is a warning sign up on the window.” Follow the same pattern, there were four more people came through the door. I spoke to the checkout lady for I did not bring the bag, and I will return the basket and wiped down before leaving here. I did this as the double doors closed while the security officer noticed and took the basket to the checkout lady.

Head out to the last shop for I know where to buy a large bag of flour.

Finally dropping off each person’s groceries on the way home before the last stop at a Deaf elderly with speech-impaired and CP’s home. A quick chat into a long chat over the need to visit the path lab and his hospital appointment etc with his boarder. He already had his breakfast so no-no for his blood test today. I told the boarder that they will need to go to the Path lab on Monday next week.

Finally hit the road onward home back to the rural area where our dogs and my partner were pleased to see me home safely.  A short break for lunch, I followed up emails, messages until the messages via Facebook interrupted. Another Deaf man wants some help with literacy in regarding his job as a paper delivery. Quick read three letters from his boss, explained to the Deaf man for he was outside the petrol station because his home and no other income to pay the wifi/broadband network. This is one of the barriers for him as a Deaf man with low literacy NEEDS access through wifi/broadband at home but his income was no match for the cost. Hopefully, I can come up with an idea but I can not do this due to the work contract.

A kind email from a brother of the Deaf elderly speech-impaired and CP, came through with a grateful thank you for my job under essential service.

This is my daily work today so far.

Two nights ago, before I went to bed after chatting, one of the Deaf chap through Video Messenger. I was thinking of doing regularly personal blog perhaps not every day throughout the four weeks lockdown due to Corvid 19 – Coronavirus Pandemic in New Zealand. Why?

I am a deaf specialised worker for two organisations to many people with disabilities/Deaf and Hard of Hearing around Waikato. I have other roles as well, which are advisory person/advocator and literacy tutor. The New Zealand Government – Prime Minister, announced that all workers under essential services such as social service, supermarkets, doctors/nurses, etc. work through the lockdown. My role fits in the categories- social services and disability organisation.

Why not? I will start doing it and reflect on my daily/weekly works when there is text message for their request on food shopping, or need of bills even health issues. The technology we are in today, have everyone’s lives easier to communicate with other people through Skype, Messengers, or social media. Without these kinds of social media, many Deaf and Hard of Hearing people will be lost in communication with their families or friends even their own support workers.

Today a trip down to the city of Hamilton, along the State Highway 26 had been very weird because there were no cars or vans except for delivery trucks such as milk tankers and couriers. I arrived in the city and it looked empty like a ghost city except a few people walking along the footpath or riding on their cycles.

I visited an elderly Deaf chap to see if he understands what happened with the situation of lockdown and his requests for bits of help. He barely understands a few details from the television via NZSL (New Zealand Sign Language) interpreter. He is over 84 years old and his sign language is different from our current NZSL. I explained every detail which easier for him to understand. One thing he annoying was the buses which he is not allowed to catch the bus to the supermarket or to do banking.

I headed over to the other side of the Waikato River for two more requests. I was waiting in car parks and noticed a few people wearing masks which is not necessary, BUT it is okay for their safety. The medical Centre where I was waiting, was well equipped for outside patients and visitors of their patients.

Hardly see a few police cars out toward our home in the rural.

Head up – just received another job to do tomorrow… This time it is a food shopping request from one elderly Deaf with speech-impaired and CP.

Madness, panicking, and fear of catching Codvi 19 pandemic!

It is incredible to see all these people in Australia, the USA even in here New Zealand buying toilet rolls, essential items/products without thinking about people who have disabilities and elderly people.

Yes, I am aware of the serious virus lurking around.

I used to be a deaf health carer to many patients including people/children with disabilities over 12 years in the past. Currently, I am a deaf specialised worker/advocator/advisory person under two organisations. These two organisations are under essential services lists.

From tonight, there is a serious lockdown in New Zealand. The Prime Minister made it clear and loud. Leaving many doctors, support workers, nurses, bankers, police and other service people to do their jobs for everyone in their community across New Zealand. Also, the Prime Minister said Don’t Panic when going to the supermarket to everyone several times and people ignored or failed to listen.

I am working from home and continue to do video conferencing, texting and emails. It is wonderful to have technology such as iPad, mobile, internet even desktop today. If any of the people with disabilities/Deaf/Hard of Hearing request their needs such as food shopping or banking the bills and I will do it as long I am okay without any signs of illness. If I am showing a sign of illness, I let them know and arrange another person from my workplaces. Most of these elderly persons I support does not have any technology and they do not want to have one in the future.

Simple advice – Take care of yourself, and the family. Wash your hands if you are showing signs of illness when doing food preparing, within your family 1.8 metres/2 metres and self-isolation. Arrange a family member, neighbour, support worker, church groups, do online food shopping if you have a computer. Getting fresh air if the weather is a beautiful day like a sunny day, have a walk around the garden even do exercise. Eat plenty of vitamins C and D,  fruits and vegetables that help your immune strength in your bodies such as citrus, ginger, garlic, red caspiums, broccoli, spinach, Yoghurt, almonds and turmeric.

Tough times for many people around the world!

It is happening now, and it is called ‘Coronavirus’ or ‘Corvid-19’.

Over a thousand years, there were many viruses and outbreak diseases, and many people died in the past. The worst serious case was the Black Death between 1346 to 1353.

There were 75-200 million people, and this figure was from the website MPH online, or 25-30 million people as this figure were from the website Ancient History Encyclopedia died across Europe, Africa and Asia. These figures were not clear or accurate due to lack of resources over many years. Yes, it is a bit confusing to know what is the actual number of death case.

What is the symptom of Black Death? There were three different types which are Bubonic, pneumonic (or pulmonary) and septicaemic plagues.

When and where was the first quarantine take place? The quarantine took place in Venice in the 15th Century for 40 days period while another place which is in Ragusa (Dubrovnik) in 1377 for 30 days period. The first creation of lazaret was in Venice, and the rest of Italy coast were many maritime travellers came to the ports in 1348. What lazaret is? It is a quarantine station like today. Italy solved the problem, and the rest of Europe include England followed this method.

There are several pictures resembles what people’s lives look like in the community.

Tournai people burying the dead during the Black Deaths. Unknown Artist.

Balck Death. Pinterest. Art.wallpaper.com

Remember, in the medieval, the doctors, scientists have no idea about microscopic organisms as bacteria, let alone the rats or other type of rodents – gerbils and rat fleas did the rest.  The cause of this result by rats, gerbils or other rodents including fleas, was living in the ships and it became a perfect place for the breeding ground while fleas live on rodents’ bodies.  Once the vessel arrived at the ports, rodents seeking out more grains, maize and other kinds of foods they find anywhere in urban town/city. The result was the insidious bacterium flourished everywhere onto human and other animals such as cats, dogs, cows or sheep.

What can we learn to prevent plague and virus from history? It is really difficult to avoid the spreading of the virus, BUT it is better to stay safe such as wash your hands, cough/sneeze in the inside elbow area, keep calm, don’t panic, stay home if you are ill or not strong enough to recover, isolating yourself from your family and friends. Do ask for help if you can not do food shopping and have someone deliver your grocery to the door as we have got fantastic technology where we can do online food shopping today. Even ask the pharmacist to drop off the prescription if you can not pick your repeat medicine up.

However, there have been hugely ‘panic epidemic’ when everyone was doing shopping at the supermarkets, food chain supermarkets and small shops. Every product such as toilet rolls, hand sanisiters, baby wipes, wet wipes, cleaning product – Dettol was empty on the shelves. Many elderly people could not buy these products for themselves because the people of today generation do not seem to think about elderly people or people with health issues/disabilities. It is selfish or foolish to panic quickly instead of thinking about other people for their needs.

Our New Zealand Government is calling for calm and think before anyone do shopping, and the Prime Minister gave us a simple message – Don’t panic and stay calm. There were a lot of messages, video with NZSL (New Zealand Sign Language) for many Deaf people, plain simple English language for People First (person who have a learning disability).  The Ministry of Health set up many posters and information in many other languages such as Mandarin, Samoan or Arabic in New Zealand. On television, Deaf people are pleased to see a live NZSL interpreter during the news/breaking news so they can follow what happening and the next plan they can prepare.

Here is the website you can view or look up below.

NZ Government/Ministry of Health – Covid19

Waking up Thursday 5th March in the morning,

looking out through our kitchen window – what is the fuck out there in the first field?

Am I dreaming or imagine that there are a couple of piglets out in the first field or not?

I blinked my eyes several times, even turn around to check the dogs in the dining room in the same broad area where there is a kitchen where I am standing.

Definitely, there are a couple of piglets running around the field.

How on earth did the piglets get into our large field in the early hour of the morning?

Surely not, the piglets help themselves to get in because of the wire fences  – the width of the size between each wire is less than the piglet stomachs.

Perhaps someone who left for work early between 530am and 7am, noticed runaway piglets and dropped off into our fields.

Shall I let our dogs out for a run or not? Surely not!

Put my dressing gown on, tuck in my gumboots along with mobile, which has a camera, to have closer inspect on these piglets. Record the activity for the report to my neighbours who owns the farm next door and for us to remember by.

Head over to our first neighbour, who is a farmhand chap with a young family of two children under 5 years old (note: the youngest is under or nearly 2 years old). That goodness, he is home from milking cows.

Asking him, did you have any missing little animals or not? He was perplexed over my question. My response was piglets, and he answered “Yep” and “Why.” I said loose runaway piglets are in the field. I said that I saw your Farm Manager drive back to their house.

Horror, annoying, and relief to know where their son’s piglets are. He said their piglets are always keeping escaping around their property.

I told him where the piglets are, and I will be letting our dogs out for a run before I go to work even the council rubbish collect truck will be soon.

Right on, let the matter done.

I walked back, finishing my coffee and checking on the runaway piglets for they are having fun running around the field.

The farmhand chap walked over by tricking them a bucket of a meal and grabbing each piglet a time.

Finally, I let our dogs out for their runs before I go off to work late. Our dogs picked up scents of piglets near the wire mesh along with three bamboo stakes, for I put up to keep our young pup out from leading into the large field.

What a moment of the morning drama!!

It bought my memory of a loose cow eating the grass in front of my window from my first home in Silverdale. I never forget that one.