just found out that a childhood friend's mom has COVID, and had to be hospitalized. The closest local hospital with a COVID bed available was in Fargo, North Dakota. She was transferred from St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin to Fargo, ND. Two states and 250+ miles away.

The rural midwest is in incredibly deep shit.

large and medium-sized cities that are closer than Fargo, ND: Minneapolis/St. Paul, Duluth/Superior. Rochester, MN. LaCrosse, WI. St. Cloud, MN.

She's a really wonderful lady, and if any of you could spare some thoughts/prayers/vibes or however you try to convey well-wishes, please do.

This is what happens to "regular" people who get COVID. They don't get helicoptered to Walter Reed and have a staff of the very best docs in the world. They don't get treated like VIP's. They're one of many patients in the care of already-exhausted hospital staffs.

Finally scrolling through my Facebook feed and among the people from back home (northern WI), it's like 75% people who have COVID, who are asking for prayers for somebody who has it, or mourning somebody who died from it. Fuck.