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Santa Clarita Resident Diagnosed With Coronavirus Sets Record Straight: Part 7

Santa Clarita Resident Diagnosed With Coronavirus Sets Record Straight: Part 7

A Santa Clarita resident diagnosed with coronavirus — Carl Goldman, owner of KHTS Radio — is setting the record straight after misinformation has been reported.

Back In The States With The Coronavirus – Day 13 (Monday)

I believe we are the most exciting thing to hit Omaha in many, many years. I am quarantined in the biocontainment unit at the University of Nebraska hospital. Jeri and I are separated. She’s quarantined, along with four other passengers, in a separate wing of the hospital. Additional passengers from the plane that flew from Tokyo to Texas will be flying in later today.

News reports are claiming I am in critical condition. That is NOT the case.

See Related: 67 New Cases Of Coronavirus Confirmed On Diamond Princess Cruise Ship, Santa Clarita Residents Prepare To Leave

The hospital is one of three CDC (Centers for Disease Control) hospitals in the country. The other two are in New York and Atlanta.

It’s been a long 24-plus hours. On Monday night (Yokohama time) we left the Diamond Princess. Approximately 320 Americans were finally coming home. We were all wearing masks.

We were loaded in many buses outside the ship. We were supposed to leave around 9 p.m. That didn’t happen. We spent five and a half hours mostly sitting in our seats. The Tokyo airport was only 40 minutes away. Our U.S. military was living up to its motto, “Hurry up and wait.” For a nation who put the first man on the moon, I was confused. But at least we were off the ship and heading home. There were no bathrooms on the bus, which made for more than a few unhappy passengers.

Finally, our buses pulled up to two 747 cargo planes. We climbed in. It was the first time I had been inside one. No frills. About 160 seats had been set up for us, along with two restrooms for 160 passengers about to take a 10-hour flight. But who’s complaining after our five-and-a-half hour ordeal on a bus with no bathrooms?

The two 747s were heading to different destinations. One plane was flying to Lackland Air Force base outside of San Antonio, Texas. Our plane would be landing at Travis Air Force base outside of Sacramento, California.

Medical personnel wearing hazmat gear were on-board. They were checking our temperatures throughout our flight. A section of seats was quarantined from the rest of us. Large sheets of plastic hung from the ceiling. The seats were deserted at first. That would not be the case during our 10-hour flight.

Santa Clarita Resident Diagnosed With Coronavirus Sets Record Straight: Part 7Mark Jorgensen, my wife and I were on the same flight. Jerri Jorgensen was healing at a Fukushima, Japan hospital. She had come down with the coronavirus, COVID-19, a few days ago. She is fine now. She will stay quarantined in Fukushima for 14 days.

A few hours into our flight, I came down with a high fever. Jeri and I already had a dry cough. We thought that was from the dry air in our cruise cabin. I walked up to the hazmat folks. They confirmed I had a high temperature. I was placed in the quarantined area of our already quarantined cargo plane. Eight other passengers were in my predicament. Most were asleep. I slipped into my seat, buckled my seatbelt and nodded off.

Eight hours later, I awoke to our plane touching ground at Travis Air Force base. CDC doctors and officials climbed on board. They were all wearing Hazmat gear. All the passengers on board were staying at Travis for a 14-day quarantine, except for three of us and our very lucky spouses. We were flying to Omaha, Nebraska.

Our friend and traveling companion, Mark Jorgensen, had to stay 14 days at Travis. His wife, Jerri, was at a hospital in Fukushima, Japan. My wife, Jeri, and I would be in separate hospital wings in Omaha. The four amigos were separated.

It took a few hours to process all the passengers. Six of the nine patients in our quarantined area on-board the plane also disembarked at Travis. I am not clear why they could leave, and I couldn’t. Perhaps it was because I had once asked for asylum when trying to enter the states from Canada with an out-of-date passport. But that’s a story for another time.

A few hours after landing at Travis, our 747 took off with the six of us on-board. Three of us remained in the quarantined area. Our spouses were separated from us.

When we landed in Omaha, we were met with a squadron of emergency vehicles. CDC representatives came aboard our aircraft. Jeri and the other two couples would be quarantined due to corona virus in separate rooms at the University of Nebraska hospital. I was being sent to the biocontainment unit, in a different wing of the hospital.

Santa Clarita Resident Diagnosed With Coronavirus Sets Record Straight: Part 7The national news showed me wheeled onto an ambulance. It was dramatic footage and caused many friends to contact me with their concerns. The media also claimed I was in critical condition. The truth was, every paramedic vehicle requires a stretcher. That’s how victims are transported. I asked to ride shotgun, but my request was denied.

I was traveling to the critical wing of the hospital, but I was not in critical condition. I was still strong enough to even make it through a 10-fork charity dinner at the Valencia Hyatt (see earlier report).

My ambulance was in the middle of a motorcade much longer than most presidential escorts. I believe every first-responder agency in Nebraska yearned to be part of the action. Federal marshals also joined in on the excitement.

My motorcade took twice as long as it should to get to the hospital. First, because there were so many vehicles with sirens and lights wailing. And second, because the lead vehicle took the slower route, much to the chagrin of my paramedics, who knew their way around Omaha, apparently much better than the drivers of the lead vehicle.

Santa Clarita Resident Diagnosed With Coronavirus Sets Record Straight: Part 7When we finally arrived at the hospital, I was placed in a wheelchair. A team in hazmat outfits pushed me through numerous underground passages in the bowels of the hospital. I was reliving the opening to the classic television show, “Get Smart.”

I settled into my room. It’s about the same square footage as our Diamond Princess cabin. I believe that was done on purpose to eliminate the possibility of me going through any withdrawals.

Two nurses in hazmat gear greeted me. They would remain in my room for most of the day. My doctor was also dressed in Hazmat gear. He spent a good chunk of time reviewing my case. Everyone in contact with me was dressed in full Hazmat gear. I will not need to struggle with what costume to wear for Halloween 2020.

I was in good hands in this Nebraska hospital. As a CDC quarantine location, they knew their stuff. The last time my hospital room was used was during the outbreak of the Ebola virus. That was over five years ago.

The hospital has held many drills since then, one most recently as a few weeks ago. Now they have the real thing.

A few hours later, my barrage of lab tests came back. All my vitals were excellent. However, I did test positive for the coronavirus.

See Related: Santa Clarita Resident Tests Positive For Coronavirus After Returning To United States

The news didn’t hit me very hard. I suspected I had the virus when my fever took off on the plane. That was over 24 hours ago. I was glad I was in a hospital in Omaha and not still stuck in Japan. Aside from the great care, I wouldn’t be needing a Google translator. I quickly learned how to translate “Nebraskan.”

I have been feeling fine since my fever broke this afternoon. I just feel a little lethargic, a feeling I suspect I might have anyway after a very high fever for many hours, crossing the international dateline in a cargo 747 and sitting for five and a half hours in the back of a bus with no toilets.

Luckily, my wife, Jeri, has tested negative for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Now we get to navigate through our journey for the next 14 days of separate isolation. Perhaps that is a good thing, having just spent 12 days quarantined together in our Diamond Princess cabin.

Read All Of Carl’s Journals Here: Carl Goldman Coronavirus Journals

Part 1: Santa Clarita Residents Share First-Hand Account Of Quarantine On Diamond Princess Cruise Ship Due To Coronavirus

Part 2: Santa Clarita Residents Share First-Hand Experience Of Coronavirus Quarantine On Diamond Princess: Part Two

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 5: Santa Clarita Residents Share Emotions As They Prepare To Leave Coronavirus Quarantine Cruise: Part Five

Part 6: Santa Clarita Residents To Return To United States After Coronavirus Quarantine On Diamond Princess: Part Six

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 11: A Birthday In Quarantine: Santa Clarita Resident Continues Chronicling Coronavirus Recovery – Part 11

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 17: Carl Still Tests Positive For Coronavirus, Jeri Prepares To Return Home: Part 17

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


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Santa Clarita Resident Diagnosed With Coronavirus Sets Record Straight: Part 7

39 comments

  1. Keeping good thoughts for you and your wife and your friends!!! Have been following your story all along and it is very helpful and insightful to have your view and experience from the front line. The last picture that your wife took where you are in the background, I thought you didn’t look as “well” as you had in the past photos and videos. Relieved to hear that your fever has broke and that you will be back to your regular life soon. Praying for your health and your safe return. Thank you again for sharing your experience and educating all of us on how this is really playing out. Good thoughts for all of you!!!!

  2. I have been reading your updates daily and am wishing you and all those on the Princess Ship (and others) a speedy recovery for those who tested positive and hope that those who have passed with flying colors to date of not contracting the virus, will continue to finish the quarantine period without any further ado. Your humor and positive writings have helped you to get through this ordeal. A positive outlook is essential to keep, especially as you finish out your “vacation” in Nebraska. As I implied earlier, I enjoy hearing YOUR account of your daily trials and read others with a grain of salt, as they are not first person. Stay Strong!

  3. Humor truly is the best medicine … for all of us! Take care and recover fast!

  4. Thank you so much for sharing your story. I’m so glad to hear you are doing well and will be well taken care of in Nebraska. Prayers for you, your wife, traveling friends, the nice ship captain, all the passengers and crew of your cruise and everyone else affected by this virus.

  5. Good health and good luck to you and Jeri. Your entertaining updates under such circumstances are awesome.

  6. Your daily diary has been fascinating. You and Jeri have been so positive with so many challenges. Glad you are feeling better, but sorry you both are not together. Hopefully the time will pass quickly and you both will be back in Santa Clarita soon. So many are praying for you !

  7. Thank you. I have been following from VA and cheering you and Jeri on. You have took a challenging situation and made it humorous and informative fir others. Hope you get well soon and that Jeri remains healthy.

  8. Thank you for sharing–it is so nice to hear the story first hand. It’s wonderful that you have maintained a sense of humor through your ordeal. Hopefully the next 14 days will be uneventful and then you and Jeri will have the most amazing story to tell for the rest of your lives! Stay healthy!

  9. I’m so glad to hear your sense of humor is still in tact!
    What an ordeal! May NK cells be ever in your favor.
    I hope Jeri doesn’t come down with the virus next week!
    Is it time for a special episode of The Simpsons or Family Guy based on your adventure?

    Take good care you two!

  10. Stay strong! My family and I are keeping you both in our thoughts and we hope that you keep your spirits high as you reach the end of this ordeal. Your accounts of the quarantine and now this latest development are informative and encouraging. Your sense of humor at a time when you are faced with such a frightening situation is a credit to your strength and is a testimony to your positive outlook. Thank you for setting the record straight and for reporting the facts and not building up the panic.

  11. praying for your safe, healthy return back to Santa clarita! Its been a crazy 2019/20 here with our school shooting and now a resident recovering from this virus! putting us on the map yet again. Rest and don’t listen to mean people. Glad you’re back in the US!
    safe travels home. get well!

    Michelle

  12. I’m so glad you are feeling good. I hope you two are happy and healthy and back to normal soon..:)

  13. What a great sense of humor you have after all you’ve been through. I’m pleased to know you are recovering from Covid-19, and that Jeri is still testing negative!!! Bravo! I look forward to hearing you’re both healthy and back in Santa Clarita to share your story with all of us!

  14. I hope you keep writing even after we’ve forgotten what that virus was.

  15. Praying for you all!
    Katie -NC

  16. “I was traveling to the critical wing of the hospital, but I was not in critical condition. I was still strong enough to even make it through a 10-fork charity dinner at the Valencia Hyatt (see earlier report).”.

    Many people are panicking about this statement. I certainly gave it a double take.
    I am ASSUMING it was made in jest.

    Maybe clarification is in order?

    Wishing you well. Take care.

  17. Steven and I were so happy to see you still have your sense of humor and that you are not feeling so sick. You and Jeri are the most amazing strong people I have ever met. You are such an inspiration to the rest of us in your perseverance. I don’t know if I would be able to be the same way in your situation. As you we will be excited when you get back to Santa Clarita and we will have to celebrate. Until then please keep getting better and thanks so much to the both of you for keeping us updated.

  18. First of all, Jeri and Carl have been going through an experience that very few other individuals would handle and still retain sanity. I saw Jeri’s interview the other day on the local news. If one knows her, you would understand the comment in its full context. I saw the full interview and know they did not think they had the virus before entering the bus or plane. If you read their posts, you know the protocol was to get tested and only notified if you were infected. Since they were not notified, they believed they were not infected. If anyone thinks otherwise, then they do not know Jeri. She is truly a person who has used actions over the last 3 decades to speak for herself.

  19. Praying for you Carl, and also for your friend Jerri. I’ve enjoyed reading your spirited diary and am so sorry this is happening to you. I love your positive attitude.

    God bless you all.

  20. Thank you for your on the spot reporting, Carl. Is it wrong that I find the worst part of this whole adventure, so far, is
    5 1/2 hours on a bus with no toilets. My nightmare??
    At least you now have a toilet. (Always look for the sunshine) ?
    Come home!

  21. Glad you are on the mend and keeping your humor intact. When you get back home brings souvenir masks for everyone and have then autograph you hazmat suits.

  22. I search for updates from you every day since I first stumbled across a link to your post around the Feb. 10. Unreal that 3 of the 4 of you ended up with it, and so glad that your cases all seem very mild! Thank you so much for sharing your story. You are a great writer and really have brought the experience to life! I hope you and your wife, and friends are all soon past this and back at home. What an adventure! A side note, I also love Peloton, and hope that you can get back to your bike soon 🙂 Maybe you can use the app on your phone during the rest of your quarantine. Take care and thanks again for the insight!

  23. Thanks for the up date Nina and I started praying the minute we got the news and looks like our prayers are being answered. Glad that you are in good hands in the hospital and we will continue praying for your journey on healing. God bless you my friends see you soon.

  24. I’ve been laughing and gasping along with you from the beginning. When Jeri came down with it in Episode 5, I worried right along with you. I realize this isn’t a binge of Netflix and is rather real life, but somehow I just know from your energetic spirit that you’ll kick this thing in the bum and send it back to a bat in Wuhan.
    Thanks for sharing so transparently- as a person who published a memoir a few years back (called Teetering on Disaster) I can relate well to the opinions of the masses to what is your authentic experience.

  25. Thank you for the update. I really enjoyed the color commentary. Have you ever thought of writing novels? I know you will all be home soon. What an unforeseen horrific adventure!

  26. You four are in my thoughts. Thanks so much for keeping us updated during this difficult time.

  27. WE NEED A LOT MORE PROPLE LIKE YOU on this earth…your sense of humor and positive attitude are a breath of fresh air. We pray for your quick recovery so that you can get back to a normal life and many more healthy years ahead. God bless.

  28. Kristie and Kerry Carmody

    Oh Jeri and Carl, what a “vacation”!
    We are glad that you’re still in good humor, but that’s just who you are…
    We’re looking forward to seeing you at some 10 fork charity dinner at the Hyatt when you’re back in SC, happy and HEALTHY!
    Much Love,
    Kristie and Kerry

  29. Hang in there Carl. You all are in our prayers. Thanks for the updates.

  30. You and Jeri are two of the strongest people I know. You still have your sense of humor. You’re both in my prayers. God speed to feeling better.

  31. You have done a great job with this breakdown!
    It shows how good your medics and responders are in the US. I’m from the uk and believe we have great medics also. But sounds like everything they did was perfect and also keeping your feeling at the forefront while they work.

    Keep the strength up, plenty of good food. Loads of orange juice to get that immune system kicking

    Good luck, I’ll be following your story and can’t wait to send you a big thumbs up when your released!

  32. Wow! What a voyage you’ve had. I have been thinking of you both since all this has been going on. I love that you have a wonderful sense of humor. Really, that’s key in getting through all the curveballs that life throws at you. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

  33. Wishing warm healing thoughts and prayers to you and your friends during this unplanned journey! Also, best wishes to all patients.

  34. I don’t think you are the most exciting thing to happen in Omaha in many, many years. I’d be careful about taking a condescending tone to those who are taking care of you. These highly educated and trained individuals have done this before. Comments like that show a level of ignorance and lack of education.

  35. As a fellow Nebraskan – I can tell you that you will be treated well and with respect here. It is called Nebraska Nice. We are proud of our facility in Omaha. You have some of the best of the best looking after you! Glad you are already feeling better.

  36. Hi , I’m Mary from Castaic. I’m glad you finally got off the ship. A few more day and you will be at home . I’ve kept up with the stories and hoped I would be as cool as you two. I noticed news last night about ugly people and their thoughts of you two. I for one think your courageous. kept a cool head and made the best out of this mess.
    Love to both, Mary❤️

  37. Glad to hear you’re feeling better and hope that Jeri stays well. And both of your friends Jeri and her husband are doing fine also. After that memory I don’t know if I’d want to go back to Japan again you guys didn’t get to enjoy it whatsoever your lovely vacation I’m sorry about that. Hopefully you get a warm welcome when you get back home until then thoughts and prayers for the both of you.

  38. Wearing her mask like it was jewelry. Look everyone. The lady in back, now stuck in Japan in a hospital.
    These folks treated the virus as a novelty. They are each very smart; but on their vacation cruise, it was nothings and giggles. Just note, she made no effort to seal the mask to her face. It is a hospital mask, designed to catch and hold back water droplets we all disburse. But they also knew instantly this was a dangerous virus, placing one and all at risk. Behold something that’s not stupidity, but more like audacity, self importance, as they are bright, recklessness.

    Even now, Carl acts as if this is a nothingburger. He wants to pretend he has zero responsibility to know anything. You may understand why humans do that. The virus is random in which strain appears, and it’s random in how much of a viral load someone gets. So, if he wins the lottery, it’s totally random. The 2 who are less than 15 years older than him died. While this man is fit, I venture to say that 50% of the older people on the plant oTravis were not in his condition. It just goes on. Great guy. Fun reporting. And with an attitude that is the next level beyond reckless.

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About Carl Goldman

Carl Goldman, along with his wife, Jeri repurchased KHTS AM-1220, Santa Clarita’s hometown station on October 24, 2003. They owned it from 1990-1998, and then sold it to Clear Channel Communication in 1998, buying it back from Clear Channel in 2003. Since then, they have rebuilt KHTS as a critical voice of the Valley. In 2015 the radio station moved to its new headquarters on Main Street in Old Town Newhall, in the original Newhall Hardware building. In 2018 an FM was added, 98.1, with its signal being simulcast with AM-1220. In January 2020, Carl and Jeri cruised on the Diamond Princess. Carl was one of the first Americans to come down with Covid-19. Months earlier he was impacted by Guillain Barre Syndrome as a result of a Shingles vaccine in September 2019. He is still in recovery from the vaccine.