KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
Carl Goldman continues to ruminate on his time recovering from coronavirus as Jeri Seratti-Goldman nears the end of her quarantine after multiple negative tests for COVID-19.
Back In The States With The Coronavirus – Day 24 (Friday)
The Vice-President, Mike Pence called me. I missed his call. I was on the phone with my son.
My wife, Jeri called me a few minutes later. She was thrilled. Pence called her and they had a terrific five-minute conversation. It is very cool the Vice-President would take a small chunk of his day to reach out.
Jeri and I are both quarantined at the Nebraska Medicine Center in Omaha. I have the coronavirus, COVID-19. My wife does not.
Jeri received a double treat today. She tested negative, two days in a row. She will be a free woman on Monday. That completes her second 14-day mandatory quarantine.
While we were still quarantined onboard the Diamond Princess several weeks ago, we both vowed if one of us was able to leave without the other, we would go.
Our pledge makes even more sense now, since we are quarantined separately. Facetime works just as well in Santa Clarita, California as it does in Omaha, Nebraska. Our dog sitter, Shane will be relieved. Jeri will get to catch up at work after having been gone from KHTS since January 17.
I suspect our staff will be happy to see that it’s Jeri who is returning first and not me. I give them 72-hours upon my return for our staff to wish I was still in Omaha.
Owning and running a small Mom & Pop radio station and an online news site, can be challenging. Being away for 44 days now has tested our limits. Our staff has been stellar, filling in the gaps. We have never been away for more than two weeks since purchasing the station in 1990.
A reader commented our return to Santa Clarita might look like a scene from ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail.’ A monk ringing a bell and spewing incense could lead Jeri’s processional chanting, “Make way for the plague. Make way for the plague.”
We have been conducting many interviews to try to alleviate some of the panic we are sensing from the media.
Granted the coronavirus, COVID-19 is vicious. I went days feeling fine, contaminating everything I touched before my instantly rising fever gave me a clue, I was contagious. With six Diamond Princess passengers now dead, the virus is sobering. But my symptoms, along with our friends, Mark and Jerri Jorgensen are mild. Much less than a common cold.
Jerri Jorgensen and I experienced the rapidly rising high fever for a few hours. Mark did not. I still have a cough. Jerri and Mark never had one. I have been ranking my illness a “two” on a one-to-ten scale. If I wasn’t contagious, I would have been at work the next day.
I continue to recommend having a good thermometer to use as a comfort, making sure there is no fever spike, and not freaking out with each cough or sniffle.
Another reader enjoyed my Weird Al Yankovic request to convert the Knack’s hit, “My Sharona” to “My Corona.” She shared she owned a 1979 Toyota Corona. She and her friends sang, “My Corona,” as they were driving. I thought I had come up with an original idea. I was wrong.
It’s a good thing my friend, Joe Caso, owner of Frontier Toyota in Santa Clarita no longer has the Toyota Corona to sell. His sales manager, Bob Corson is one hell of a salesman. I suspect even Bob would be challenged this month if he had to unload a fleet of Coronas.
Bart Joseph recommended another song, “Like A Virgin,” swabbed for the very first time. Funny.
My wife and I can use the Beatles’ “You Won’t See Me,” as our new theme song for our separate quarantine. The list of musical options is practically endless. I might program a whole day of coronavirus related songs upon my return to our radio station.
It’s clear from the stock market dip, the media hype and our Presidential press conferences, we are all concerned. I hope this crisis will eventually go away like the gas shortage during the Carter administration. We need to become less dependent on China for our pharmaceuticals. I read a report this morning that 95% of the Ibuprofen we use in the states is manufactured in China. Let the Chinese continue to manufacture our toys, let’s wean them off our pharmaceuticals.
We all need to stay calm. We will get through this. We’ll discover a cure. Like the gas shortage, the novel corona virus, COVID-19 will become a distant memory a few years from now.
Jeri has been asked by the CDC (Center for Disease Control) to take a later flight back to Santa Clarita on Monday. She will be part of a press conference as one of the first to be released from our Omaha quarantine.
For a shy girl from Northridge, who was forever marked by the Brothers and Priests at Chaminade for mispronouncing the word ‘aluminum’ in front of her class in junior high, she’s come a long way.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed she’s not going to be asked at the press conference to recite any of the periodic table of elements
As I wrap up my 12th day of quarantine in Omaha I am thankful the Knack’s hit has escaped my brain. Unfortunately, Madonna has now taken its place.
Back In The States With The Coronavirus – Day 25 (Saturday)
Each morning I stare at a crane out my window. Not the bird, the piece of equipment. Every so often it moves but mostly it sits motionless. I am not certain its purpose.
We have a hater trolling our social media and website describing how he hopes I die a horrible death while Jeri watches. His verbiage for my demise is more graphic than I could ever dream up.
It’s sad since 99.99 percent of our social media responses are supportive. I believe the hate may have stemmed from confusion from one of my wife’s interviews. She was describing we hadn’t received our coronavirus test results when we left the Diamond Princess for the states, “so we made up a story we didn’t have it.”
We did not “make up a story.” I didn’t receive our Japanese test results until a week later, long after I tested positive in Omaha. Jeri meant we didn’t know I had it when we left the ship. Her choice of words just came out wrong.
Mark Jorgenson and my wife Jeri never received results from their tests on the ship.
We won’t let the hater’s words hurt. We have enough challenges. I realize he’s sicker than I am.
I took another blood test this morning for my clinical study. My nurse shared the good news I won’t need a swab stuck up my rectum until next week. I’m beginning to appreciate the simple things in life.
Readers continue to ask questions. Who is paying for our stay? I’m not sure. I gave the hospital my Medicare card and supplemental insurance while I was in the biocontainment unit. Jeri didn’t have to submit any insurance during her stay in her lower-level quarantine area.
Another reader asked why I was moved to the lower level quarantine area if I still tested positive for the virus? I no longer need the high level of care I was receiving in the bio-containment area.
Moving me meant freeing up medical personnel. All 15 passengers who traveled from the Diamond Princess are in the same low-level care area. 13 of us have the virus. My wife and one other do not.
A third question was, did I get a flu shot this year? No, I did receive the pneumonia vaccine last summer.
Jeri has received offers from hospitable Omaha readers who share my wife’s passion for vacuuming.
Laura lives less than a mile from our quarantined building in Omaha. She’d love to have Jeri swing by her home for a quick dose of vacuum therapy before flying back to California. It must be a woman thing.
Once I recover, I will be immune from the virus for a long time. CDC officials do not know if my immunity will last forever.
Today the first death in the States was announced. A woman in Washington State with a preexisting condition died. The spread of the virus is decreasing in China, but those numbers may not be accurate since the Chinese government has not exactly been forthcoming with information about their outbreak. They also could have run out of tests, so they are just making up numbers.
The one statistic that sticks out is only 2 percent of those who get the virus die. It’s a much lower percentage than the flu. However, if the virus continues to spread, and let’s say half our planet is infected, 2 percent would represent a staggering amount of deaths.
Marc Aronson, whose PR firm represents medical professionals emailed me a link to an interview with a bioacoustics expert, Sharry Edwards. In the interview, Ms. Edwards suggests by playing a certain combination of musical chords and frequencies, flu germs can be destroyed. She is testing a new combination she believes can cure the coronavirus, COVID-19 by listening to her eight-minute track a minimum of three times a day.
I’m game for just about anything, if it doesn’t involve any pain or watching more than one Hallmark Christmas movie per night. I turned on the music.
Imagine if the Beatle’s recorded their song, “Helter Skelter,” while they were tripping on drugs. This tune is even more irritating. I tried walking a portion of my daily 10,000+ steps to the beat. After tripping and hitting the wall, a dozen times, I gave up. But as the bioacoustics expert explains, what do I have to lose? There’s no downside, at least not yet.
Here is a link to tune. It doesn’t have a title, but I have come up with a few I’d prefer to keep to myself.
Late in the afternoon my doctor informed me I tested positive once again for the novel corona virus, COVID-19. Not a single nostril was negative.
I asked if he could see any improvement from my previous test. He informed me they don’t yet have the tools to do so. They believe the virus has different levels of potency throughout the day, kind of an ebb and flow of germs. So, comparing tests are challenging unless they can determine the same ebb and flow with each test.
For accuracy, it would probably require a swab being shoved deep up my nose every three minutes. I opted to listen to Sharry Edwards music for a fourth time today, instead.
Earlier in the day, I was interviewed on one of the news networks. Their anchor asked if there’s anything I miss while in quarantine. I said it’s a shame I’m in Omaha and I can’t experience a good Omaha steak.
The Simon family, owners of Omaha steaks heard my interview. Tonight’s dinner contained the best steak I’ve eaten. The Simons sent a card welcoming us to Omaha. “Even if you are quarantined, we believe you should be able to enjoy a classic steakhouse experience, so we are bringing it to you.” Steaks were delivered to all 15 of us in quarantine along with our medical staff. A very classy touch from Omaha Steaks.
Before falling asleep, I have managed to replace Madonna’s song, “Like A Virgin,” from polluting my brain. Now Sharry Edwards’ bizarre combination of chords and frequencies swirl through my mind. Coronavirus germs beware.
Read All Of Carl’s Journals Here: Carl Goldman Coronavirus Journals
Part 3: Santa Clarita Residents Share First-Hand Experience Of Coronavirus Quarantine On Diamond Princess
Part 4: Trapped In The Coronavirus Quarantine Aboard The Diamond Princess: Part Four
Part 7: Santa Clarita Resident Diagnosed With Coronavirus Sets Record Straight: Part 7
Part 8: Santa Clarita Resident Battles Coronavirus After Diamond Princess Cruise: Part 8
Part 9: Santa Clarita Resident Continues To Recover From Coronavirus Diagnosis: Part 9
Part 10: Living With Coronavirus: Santa Clarita Resident Continues To Share Story — Part 10
Part 12: Coronavirus Quarantine Continues As Santa Clarita Resident Recovers From COVID-19: Part 12
Part 13: Coronavirus Patient From Santa Clarita Continues To Clear Misconceptions About COVID-19: Part 13
Part 14: Third Member Of The ‘Four Amigos’ Tests Positive For Coronavirus: Part 14
Part 15: Santa Clarita COVID-19 Patient Continues Recovery In Nebraska After Contracting Coronavirus: Part 15
Part 16: Carl Continues To Test Positive For Coronavirus, Jeri Still Negative: Part 16
Part 18: Jeri Cleared From Quarantine, Carl Continues Coronavirus Recovery: Part 18
Part 19: Jeri Back Home, Carl Continues Coronavirus COVID-19 Recovery In Nebraska: Part 19
Part 20: Coronavirus COVID-19 Patient Carl Goldman Continues Path To Recovery: Part 20
Read All Of Carl’s Journals Here: Carl Goldman Coronavirus Journals
There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
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Hi, Carl! I’m very glad to hear of your continued recovery. I’ve read every one of your pieces, and your sense of humor is fantastic.
There’s one inaccuracy in your post today that’s important to correct. You wrote: “The one statistic that sticks out is only 2 percent of those who get the virus die. It’s a much lower percentage than the flu.”
The flu has a death rate of 1 in 1000, which is 0.01%. If COVID-19 is indeed a 2% death rate, that means it is 200 times as deadly as the flu. Two percent is roughly death rate of the 1918 flu, which killed over 50 million people. That’s why this is such a big deal.
I’m very glad you’re part of the other 98%, and I hope you’re safely home soon. Best wishes!
Sorry, I inserted an extra zero there! It would be 20 times more deadly than the flu, which is still quite a bit.
Jenny, thanks for correcting this detail! I was thinking the exact same thing when I read Carl’s statement and was hoping that people would do more research on their own so as not to be misinformed.
Taylor Swift comes to miss several times while I have been reading about your quarantine. And your vile hater. “You need to Calm Down! (This is for your hater BTW). The lyrics go…
“You are somebody that I don’t know
But you’re takin’ shots at me like it’s Patrón
And I’m just like, damn, it’s 7 AM
Say it in the street, that’s a knock-out
But you say it in a Tweet, that’s a cop-out
And I’m just like, “Hey, are you okay?”
And I ain’t tryna mess with your self-expression
But I’ve learned a lesson that stressin’ and obsessin’ ’bout somebody else is no fun
And snakes and stones never broke my bones
So oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
You need to calm down, you’re being too loud
And I’m just like oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh (oh)
You need to just stop
Like can you just not step on my gown?
You need to calm down”
Certainly this could be added to your corona playlist!
Best Wishes!
I can’t express how much I have enjoyed your reports. Your sense of humor and positive thoughts have alleviated so much of the things we hear daily. We all need information to understand all this chaos. People seem to be totally freaking out. I’m a retired RN, and my son and DIL are both RN’S working in hospitals. Hopefully soon the doctors will have more answers. Keep writing as you make progress on getting a negative report. What an experience you have endured.
Carl don’t worry I have been playing Whack a troll with your haters on social media . Let out some pent up frustration. Thanks for that 🙂 Just kidding love you guys ! We will look after Jeri until you return
Dear Sir,
You wrote above, “only 2 percent of those who get the virus die. It’s a much lower percentage than the flu.” Actually, this coronavirus has a much higher fatality rate than seasonal flu. The number of deaths from seasonal flu is much higher (so far), though — perhaps that is what you meant.
I’m glad you finally got an Omaha steak.
Carl, well…you’ll be home eventually. While the economy is taking a hit in many areas (hand sanitizer is nowhere to be had), #OMAHASTEAKS should make you a social influencer and offer the CARL15 discount off all domestic orders. See you soon!
So sorry about the recent positive test Carl. I read KHTS news daily to keep me in touch with my HOME town, the place in which I grew up to be a productive citizen, worked, paid taxes, still do since my house is in the Summit. I love HOME, but I live in WA state now. News report today stated that the Corona Virus could be traveling through our state for the past 6 weeks. It is scary, and the flu of 1918 & other diseases bring a balance back to the earth. Somehow that’s hard for me to see at this point, because we need a balance in leadership and thinking this virus is a hoax caused by the Democrats. I believe that’s another distraction which could cost lives of Americans if they don’t get in on the ball. Of course, the stock market is falling. We shouldn’t be so dependent on other countries. Why can’t we all work together to pull ourselves out of this dependence, and those things we need. The stores are already experiencing empty shelves.
Here’s to Jeri’s release & HOME, to your healing totally as well as Mark & Jeri, & the rest. Omaha Steaks are great steaks, and it was a class act of the Simons.
Carl, I do not know you but feel grateful to you for letting us inside your experience. It has taken the fear away when I read your symptoms and the symptoms of those around you. I am proud to be an American when I hear of the wonderful care you have been given, the VP calling you and your wife, and the Omaha Steaks donation! I, for one am glad they brought you all home. Be well. (I live in Pennsylvania, love your Eagles hat!.)
Best wishes to you! I’m wondering how you feel about some people being able to self quarantine? Yet there you are.
With hundreds of possible new cases suspected in WA, I understand that there simply isn’t room to quarantine everyone. Have the powers that be indicated an end game? Surely they can’t keep you there for 2 or 3 months! Is there any sort of way you can arrange for private transportation to CA and self quarantine?
I continue to root for you!!
I was wondering that also. Have they said why you guys have to stay there when they’re letting people in WA who test positive recover at home? I’m sure the costs are the least of your worries right now, but I hope this is something the government covers since you’re being mandated to stay there. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us. I’m so sorry to hear some people are being terrible to you guys, but respect you so much for taking the high road. Hope you are better soon!
Hi Jerry!
Thank you for sharing your expriene with us (the scared outsiders) could you please tell us if the inf that you would be immune is correct? Plenty of chinese coronavirus patients are being reinfected and oficials even told that the second time infected would probably be deadly.
Praying youget your negative test very soon!
God bless you
Hi Carl, I so enjoy reading your post! You have a sense of humor than reminds me of Pastor Rusty. 🙂
I usually don’t like to read but each of your posts I do because you are a great writer and makes us laugh even in the midst of your situation.
May God continue to give you that strength and never lose your sense of humor. You, your wife and all rest in that quarantine are being surrounded by prayers.
Carl you sure are a trooper! I think I’d be going insane by now being cooped up in a room for so long. You truly have what it takes to live on the east coast and survive a blizzard- that’s called cabin fever. Stay strong and funny. We’re rooting for you?
Hi Carl! I’m a friend from Santa Clarita. Quick question….are you being allowed to vote? It seems it would be easy enough to do with an absentee ballot.
Hang in there and rest assured that we’ll all take good care of Jeri until you return, which I hope is very soon!!
Good morning Carol,
Glad to read of your continuing positive recovery. I’m sure there will be a ticker-tape parade for you and Jeri in downtown Newhall when you arrive back home.
I do have a question. In a previous post, there was a mention of the medical staff telling you taking Tylenol was counter indicated. What is the specific reason?
I’ll definitely see you driving your white KHTS fire truck in the Santa Clarita 4th of July Parade!
best Regards,
Your daily updates are novel worthy. No wonder you are a radio station owner. So glad you both will be home soon.
I’m connected with the Chaminade mention. My brothers went there because the public schools couldn’t handle them.?
Such a small world how our lives intertwine. I work at Henry Mayo. We’ve all been rooting for you and your stories help more than you know to keep us all updated. Thank you and god bless.
Hi Carl,
As others have said, the mortality rate for flu is about 0.1%, so covid-19 is currently estimated (with 1.5-2% mortality) at being 15-20x deadlier than seasonal flu.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/29/health/coronavirus-flu.html
It’s great to hear that Jeri will be coming home soon. Hoping your virus clears soon and that you won’t be too long after her. Rest and take comfort in knowing there are tens of thousands of us waiting for your safe return home.
CONGRATS to Jeri on her upcoming release! THANK YOU for sharing your experience, and for being in a clinical trial!
I also wanted to mention case fatality rate for flu is 0.1%. Dr. Anthony Fauci co authored an article that came out 2/28, “COVID-19 – Navigating the Uncharted”
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2002387
He explains about the rate calculation more, and that numbers will change as scientists are constantly looking at reports of disease from localities to try and figure out its effects. and how many people are really infected. Many people may be had the mild symptoms and never have realized it. There are so many questions, like what made you get infected and Jeri not get infected? Does frequent vacuuming affect your risk? We want to know!
Carl, I hope you get back home soon! Glad you got the Omaha steak dinner!
So glad you are keeping your spirits up! Get well soon!
Carl, your wry observations continue to provide many of us with a spin of insightful sanity in an otherwise skewed world. I’m not sure I could’ve pulled off a conversation with Mike Pence, but a prime cut of Omaha beef would’ve been heavenly. Continue to keep your chin up & many of us look forward reading your next collection of insights, which we hope will soon be as you’re heading home to Santa Clarita…
Jenny Atkins, thank you too, for pointing this out…I was also thinking the same thing, as I had heard a number of reports that the mortality rate for flu was 0.1 % much lower than and the Coronavirus was 2 to 3 %. A big difference. However, now I see you said, “0.01”, but I thought it was 0.1 %. ? Also, Carl, glad to hear you are doing so well, and the Jeri is still virus free. I’ve been following your story since Day 1. ~ KC
As A Springsteen song says, @simeday we’ll look back on all of this, and it will seem funny.” Hang in there, good health is on the way.
Two good tidbits today that I’d been wondering about: 1) that you build an immunity to avoid repeat occurrences., and 2) the potency of the disease ebbs and flows across the day. The later seems to explain why people are getting a second fever spike days after the high initial fever had broken.
Try playing Helter Skelter backwards…sure it will kill something.
PS: I’m a pharma supply chain expert and have lots of opinions on China manufacturing…but now is not the time for any political conversations. Let’s all get healthy.
Carl, If I may ask, have you ever been a smoker?
I ask because several initial studies in China indicated the virus may be much worse for those who smoke – smoking rates in China are very, very high.
The Chinese are no longer talking about this – Tobacco is still a state run monopoly in China and tobacco sales and taxes account for 8 – 10% of total government revenue, so a major dip in tobacco sales could be financially catastrophic for them, especially given all the other economic pressures.
But I keep seeing evidence the virus appears mild in most patients and I’m encouraging more research on the idea that this is less contagious and less severe for non-smokers (or persons with other respiratory complications) and far more contagious and severe for persons who smoke.
Regardless, I hope your recovery progresses and thank you for sharing your experience with the world. it is most helpful.
Carl it is 3am in Indiana and I stumbled on you blog! Awesome! Your blog, not your quarantine. I started reading at day 24, only because wherever I stumbled on your blog from that is where it directed me. I plan to read from the beginning, maybe not at 3am. From your lower level Quarantine room you have brightened my insomnia. I hope you test negative and are released soon, for your sake., but for ours I hope you keep writing. I have at least a 1000 questions, but I would sound like a crazy toddler if I started asking them all! So I’ll read from the beginning and hope I find out all the answers to my weird questions rolling around in my head. Here is too hoping the crane does something exciting today, ?
Thank you for sharing your story Carl! When I get worried I know I can come back and read your posts and feel better and get a good laugh! Your positivity is much needed during this time. Look forward to hearing more from you during your journey. 🙂