My Son Is Finally Home

[rustysgurl]

After an 11 hr flight from Sao Paulo to Houston, and another 2 hours home, he arrived this afternoon. The airplanes were essentially empty (about 20 on the international flight and only 4 on the domestic one). He is in his apartment, stocked with groceries, has his medicine and his nebulizer. His lungs are still pretty trashed, but considering how it could have gone, I am unbelievably grateful.

Being in Brazil was an eye-opening experience for him. He said it was basically a society of the haves and the have nots. The haves living behind concrete and cinder block walls with concertina wire to keep the have nots out. He stepped over and around the homeless and drug addicted, and watched people light fires in the gutters to cook what food they had. Of course, these things weren't seen in the touristy areas. And what he saw wasn't the worst, as he never entered the favelas (slums). In talking with the owner of the hotel at which he stayed in Sao Paulo, he described to her how different it was here in the US, with the homeless having more options with private and public sector programs. That doesn't exist in Brazil ... at least he didn't see it. The poor stay poor, with no social programs to help lift them out of the poverty they endure.

Domestic air traffic is essentially shut down in Brazil now, and the state governors are fighting with Bolsanaro over the care of their people. Resources are extremely limited, and discouragement and despair is rampant. He had to leave his fiancee there, as she couldn't enter the US with the Level 4 Travel Advisory in place. She is living with family currently, and trying to make it to other family outside the city where it is safer. To say he is worried is an understatement.

Still, I am glad he is home, and nearby if he needs help. Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts and encouragement.

[Laffy Kat]

1. You must be so relieved.

I think I missed some of the story. Was he sick while he was in South America? Was it COVID?

[rustysgurl]

2. Yes he was sick.

Him being an asthmatic I was scared to death. 103 fever, lungs filling up, hallucinations, dizziness, body aches. He said it felt like someone was pulling his joints apart. He went into neutrophilia (probably due to cytokine storm syndrome). They ran COVID-19 test, and officially he was "negative." However, the doctor there said "politics" was making them report negatives, and she told him he was positive. We may never really know for sure. The other doctor said he had an "allergic reaction." SMH

And yes, I am very relieved, although he is still having chest tightness and difficulty clearing congestion. But, he is only 20 minutes away now, rather than 5200 miles.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

5. ny doctor who would tell him he's negative if he's really positive

is clearly violating the Hippocratic Oath. And has zero integrity or moral center.

[sandensea]

12. Welcome to Bolsonaro's Brazil

The Tropical Trump - i.e. like Cheeto; but undeterred by most of the checks and balances we (still) have here.

[LovingA2andMI]

10. Wondering at this Point is the SAME THING happening in the USA....

However, the doctor there said "politics" was making them report negatives, and she told him he was positive.

Supposedly, my COVID-19 test was "negative". Don't believe that for one section.

Glad your son is home and hopefully he will get fully better soon

[Laffy Kat]

11. That sounds terrifying.

It sounds like he is on the road to recovery now and you can watch over him now.

[SheltieLover]

3. So glad he is home!

Hopefully, he will continue to heal -- physically and emotionally!

[cally]

4. Glad he is home!!

Hope his fiancé gets out soon and he recovers quickly.

My daughter lived in Brazil for awhile and stayed in the flavella. It’s horrible and definitely a society of the haves and have nots. The Indigenous peoples and afro-Brazilian have less rights and economic access.

[blm]

6. Oh my.

I hope you can get some rest now, too.

[Control-Z]

7. I'm sincerely happy for you, rustysgurl.

I worry about my adult children constantly and they are all sheltered in their own places. It must have been tough waiting for this day. I'm glad to know he's home!

[Karadeniz]

8. This is welcome news

[BigmanPigman]

9. I've traveled to Salvador for Carnival

then went to Rio and it was just like how you described and that was in 1990. The poor were VERY poor and were right next to the rich who pretended not to notice. I was thoroughly disgusted by it. The people were wonderful in Salvador, being poor didn't make them bitter or angry and they would give you the shirts off their backs.

[magicarpet]

13. ... and the mother breaths a sigh of relief....

Last edited Mon Apr 6, 2020, 05:13 AM - Edit history (1)

..duckling returns and is gently place back under the wing. Sheltered from the storms life happens to throw this way.

[Fla Dem]

14. It's wonderful to hear some good news. Glad your son is home.

There will be a big impact on the poor and homeless. Here and in other countries. Many will not even seek out medical assistance, but will suffer and die away from the public eye.

[appalachiablue]

15. Glad your son is home & recovering well. Many years ago I visited

Rio briefly, Buenos Aires, and Peru where we saw indigenous people at night cooking food on small grills on street corners in Lima, the old capitol city. It was different to observe as were the small, dirty shanty-shaks of local people along hillsides that we saw on our travels from Lima to Cuzco and then Machu Pichu. Very different societies where class and race have so much to so with everything, like other places.

[samsingh]

16. very happy to hear this. Stay well.