About John J Duffy

John J Duffy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Medal of Honor
John Joseph Duffy


To receive the Medal of Honor from the President,
Is a distinct honor very few receive.

I did my duty as a Special Forces officer and Advisor.
I was confident of my training, experience and abilities.

I went into combat and battled the enemy with skill.
I was never fearful; my job was to destroy the enemy.
Controlling the air armada above, I could do it.
In a two week battle, we lost men, but the enemy was stopped.


It didn't matter that I was the prime target of the enemy.
It didn't matter that I survived a direct hit on my  bunker.
It didn't  matter that I was wounded five times.

It didn't matter that I was blown up three times.

What mattered were the pilots braving enemy fire.
What mattered were the valorous Vietnamese paratroopers.
What mattered was getting up and patching my wounds.
What mattered was victory or else we would perish.


The citation was read and the medal was hung around my neck.
I am proud of doing my duty.  I did not fail anyone.
This medal honors all the heroes who fought in this battle,
And those who did not survive.  













 

Cytokine Storm

The COVID-19 virus is a killer.
It attacks all that it can infect.
Men die at twice the rate of females.
Males immune systems are weaker.

All ages are succeptible to this virus,
But the young have stronger immune systems
And are most likely to survive its attack.
With age, the compromised immune system can be fatal.

In the majority of cases, most people survive.
The immune system kills the virus as it should.
But once the virus infiltrates the lungs of the old,
Their weakened immune system is unable to kill the invader.

An immune system is designed for the survival of mankind.
It is not designed for ageing, it falters as we age.
A man of eighty has ONLY 20% of his immune system.
The elderly and impaired are succeptible to a cytokine storm.

The last line of defense is the cytokine storm.
It is triggered when the immune system falters.
It is an assault on pathogens in its path.
It overrides the immune response, attacking vital organs.

Death is a failure of your system by cytokine storm.
This occurs as the storm is more powerful than impaired organs.
It is a response as a last line defense system,
A youghtful healthy system can withstand a cytokine storm.

The cells of the storm damage and destroy us,
Impaired blood vessels, liver, kidney or the heart are targeted.
This destruction is compounding and internally fatal.
Older patients suffer this calamity even on ventilators.


Note:  This thesis fits the pieces of the puzzle together; asymptomatic youthful infected spreading the virus to the elderly, some with impaired health (lung, heart, obesity, diabetes, asthma, etc.), and/or parents or grandparents.  The sixty plus aged dying at a projected higher mortality rate and the ventilators failing to save upwards of 85% of the elderly.

Addendum:  Cytokines are a group of signaling molecules.  Some have the job of recruiting pathogen-fighting white blood cells to a site of infection.  If too many of these cells arrive at once, they can end up attacking the bodies own tissues. 
The multiple tubes inserted to ventilate a patient and substain life may stimulate activation of a cytokine storm. 


 

The Badge of Courage (Covid-19 Pandemic) Dr. Natasha Cowen You!  Yes!  You are a hero! As a young medical student, You were summoned to the battle To fight Covid-19, a killer pandemic. Victims of the virus, came to you. They could not breath, death threatened. You made triage calls to save some, Others, were too far gone to be saved. It was horror, as you never imagined.  It was fear, each and every day. It was working until you were exhausted.  It was crashing in a bed, wiped out. But each and every day, you did your job. An about-to-be-doctor, doctoring, Doing all possible, to save everyone. Welcome!  To the ward of medical angels! You did your duty!  You saved lives! Learning your profession on the front line! Finally!   It was over!   Back to school! You had earned, your "Badge of Courage".      NOTE:  More than 4,000 medical personnel have died thusfar in the battle against COVID-19, the ultimate sacrifice was rendered by these heroes.

 

COVID War

We've been attacked by a little virus.
It is inhaled and it infects us.
Parents gone without a "Goodbye".
Lives of good people ended too soon.

Doctors and nurses battle the virus
With anti-virals, oxygen and ventilators.
They fight in the front lines of the battle.
Many are infected themselves and die.

Finally, the vaccines arrived;
Johnson and Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer.
It is like a miracle to get the shot,
You're safe, family and neighbors protected.

A shot or two in the arm is enough
It saves you and the rest of us from Covid.
Enjoy life without the mask requirement.
Ballgames, concerts and travel will begin. 


   

 

"When they are locked, loaded and aiming, DON'T walk in front of the firing squad!"
Omicron 101: November 2021 John J. 
 

The Winter of Fear and Caution 

Yes, Covid IS a global Pandemic. 
Five million plus gone is a low estimate.
"Delta variant" is killing the unvaccinated
At an eleven to one ratio of the vaccinated.

From everywhere, variants and more variants.
"Omicron", the latest, is here now and it is "bad".
Its contagion ability is seventy (70) times greater.
Even with shots and booster, infection is possible.

The two shots and booster do offer protection.
If infected, it will be milder and manageable.
Those without vaccine protection are almost guaranteed
To be infected by the "Omicron" virus and at real risk.

Paranoia will become the new norm this winter
The medical system and hospitals will be overwhelmed.
Triage will become normal and necessary for Doctors.
At seventy-five plus, you reside on the wrong side of triage.

Enlightenment will produce fear, shots will be demanded.
Death is permanent, salvation is not guaranteed.
Life is sweet! Hunker down! Enjoy your winter!
A good book is always time well spent and smile. 




 

John Duffy in Hawaii