By Eric W. Schoen
Mother’s Day is upon us. It’s hard to believe that 2 months ago, I was in my water aerobics class at New York Sports Club. Riding the recumbent bicycle 5 miles a day AT the gym. Doing various stretches to help my back and knees. Feeling pretty good.
Now when I wake up in the morning, i have to figure out what day it is. Biking has been replaced with long 40 minute walks around Tibbetts Brook Park. Stretching my back using the banisters leading up to the beautiful, empty soccer fields at the park. Using various objects (posts, brick edging) basically anything I can find to assist in stretching.
Am I getting the same results? I miss the gym and so does my back. But hey, I’m alive and kicking unlike many friends and neighbors and family members with lives ravaged by the Coronavirus. And sadly, a glance of the obituary column brings to mind people who I knew or know or I am acquainted with there family members who have died. Facebook postings bring to mind so many who have left us, usually the parent of a friend from grade school, high school or college.
I’m troubled in New York by the deaths in nursing homes of patients ordered by the New York State Health Department (which is responsible to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo) to return to these nursing homes after a positive Coronavirus diagnosis even if they have no symptoms. Every day the number of deaths at Nursing homes from the Coronavirus changes. On Tuesday it went up another 1700.
Is there some reason why we can’t get accurate numbers of those who are dying from the Coronavirus? I can see a one day lag because yes, the facilities are busy. Which leads me to the first thing I am thankful for.
It was announced that Westchester County will be testing all nursing home patients for Covid 19. Smart move County Executive George Latimer. If patients test positive they should be isolated or moved to a facility where they are not among the general population. Like the hospital setup at Westchester County Center. We are not using this facility so let’s keep our older population healthy and isolated from
those who are ill or have the virus in nursing homes.
Earlier this week it was announced that the daily number of deaths in the county Coronavirus related had dropped down to 20. Since the outbreak started over 1000 people have died in 2 months. Any death is not good, but the drop in deaths shows we are doing what we are supposed be doing: social distancing, washing our hands, staying home and eating healthy foods and taking our vitamins.
Active Coronavirus cases in Westchester have dropped from 10,000 on April 18 to 5741 this week. 100,000 people in Westchester have been tested, 10% of the county population giving our researchers critical information so that they can learn about this virus and hopefully come up with a cure. All good news.
Mount Hope Cemetery which initially closed its gates to visitors has opened them. At first it was just on Sundays but now it is 7 days a week, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Memorial Day included. Many people run, walk or job around the cemeteries because of the peace and quiet. But please, leave your dogs at home. Thank you!
Last weekend was beautiful and our county parks and golf course were wide open for all to enjoy. Let’s not forget social distancing rules and the particular regulations for the facility you are using. Don’t be a pig. Clean up after you and your family have enjoyed the park!
This is Teacher Recognition Week. I am sure we can all name teachers who had a profound influence in our lives. Bob Dodson and Joe Farmer, two Principals who gave me the encouragement to engage in civic activities and didn’t try to stop me when I led a student walkout and march to City Hall over cuts to the Board of Education budget. My oh My things never change. The yearly Yonkers budget tango threatening layoffs in our schools has just begun this year, compounded with large Coronavirus monetary expenditures.
English Teacher Bill DiBartolo who instilled in me the confidence to write and encouraged students to express themselves. Ms. Sueko my kindergarten teacher at School 13 who helped to take away my initial fear of school. Ms. Helen Quinn who in her first year of teaching was saddled with a student who was redistricted at the time from School 13 to School 27 because of population shifts and wanted no part of it. Spanish Teacher Rose Levine who taught me me how to speak and understand the few words I know in Spanish. I could go on and on.
Schools closed because of the pandemic and teachers and students learning how to do online learning in less than a week with many students not having the resources they need at home and obtaining them and learning how to use them. Parents have new appreciation for teachers.. Nobody will ever say teaching is an easy job, 9-3 each day with so many vacations and time off.
Absentee ballots to vote by mail sent automatically to your home by the Board of Elections. You won’t have to worry about getting sick from your poll worker and they don’t have to worry about getting ill from you.why it took so long for this to happen I will never know.
Finally, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano after much pressure changed the hours street meter parking is in effect. It is now 10 am to 6 pm. Not as good as total elimination but a step in the right direction after pressure from Assemblyman Nader Sayegh, readers of this paper and other community members.
Many promising vaccines being worked on eradicate the Coronavirus. Subways in New York City closing for the first time in history from 1 am-5 pm so the 385 cleaners can do a deep cleaning and get the homeless off the trains and the services they need. You can finally get the toilet tissue and paper towels and sanitizers you need to keep everything clean.
This week is also Nurses Professional Week. Where can we begin to thank those on the front line now and in the past for all they do to keep us healthy. A shout out to Msry Anne O’Toole who took such good care of my mother at St. John Riverside Hospital, my friend Nina LaMagna who works extremely hard during this crisis and all the nurses at St. John’s Riverside Hospital and United Hebrew Rehabilitation who literally and figuratively got me back on my feet after two complete knee replacements and gastric surgery.
Finally, we experienced something we have all been waiting for, particularly those of us involved in the law whether it be lawyers, paralegals or one of the many other legal professions. The ability to hear oral arguments before the Supreme Court. Within the next two weeks i hope you will tune in to Court TV to see how the top court in the land works. Fascinating!
To all the mothers out there a Happy Mother’s Day! Yes, there are many things we should be thankful for!
Reach Eric Schoen at thistooisyonkers@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @ericyonkers. Listen to Eric Schoen and Dan Murphy on the Westchester Rising Radio Show Thursday’s from 10-11 a.m. On WVOX 1460 AM, go to WVOX.com and click the arrow to listen to the live stream or download the WVOX app from the App Store free of charge.
