Welcome

photo credit: Rodger Mallison

Mistletoe Heights, one of Fort Worth’s oldest neighborhoods, is perched on bluffs overlooking the Clear Fork of the Trinity River. Developed in the second decade of the 20th century, Mistletoe Heights was designated as a historic district by the city of Fort Worth in 2002. Made up of more than 500 households on 640 acres, the neighborhood is within a lion’s roar of the Fort Worth Zoo and a few minutes’ drive of downtown’s skyscrapers, Texas Christian University, world-class museums, the Botanic Garden, state-of-the art hospitals, upscale shopping, good schools and fine restaurants. Welcome to Mistletoe Heights, a neighborhood of cozy bungalows, front porches (often with a cat), leafy streets and friendly people, all in the heart of the city “where the West begins.”


COVID-19

What if I get sick? - here

from Wikipedia 4/5/2020. For the most recent, please visit here

The virus SARS-CoV-2 has been found to cause the disease Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The disease was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, the capital of China's Hubei province, and has since spread globally, resulting in the ongoing 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic. Common symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Other symptoms may include muscle pain, diarrhea, sore throat, loss of smell, and abdominal pain. While the majority of cases result in mild symptoms, some progress to viral pneumonia and multi-organ failure. As of 5 April 2020, more than 1.25 million cases of have been reported in more than two hundred countries and territories, resulting in more than 68,100 deaths. More than 258,000 people have recovered.

The virus is mainly spread during close contact, and by small droplets produced when people cough, sneeze, or talk. These small droplets may be produced during breathing but the virus is not generally airborne. People may also catch COVID-19 by touching a contaminated surface and then their face. The virus can survive on surfaces up to 72 hours. It is most contagious during the first three days after symptom onset, although spread may be possible before symptoms appear and in later stages of the disease. Time from exposure to onset of symptoms is generally between two and fourteen days, with an average of five days. The standard method of diagnosis is by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) from a nasopharyngeal swab. The infection can also be diagnosed from a combination of symptoms, risk factors and a chest CT scan showing features of pneumonia.

Recommended measures to prevent infection include frequent hand washing, social distancing (maintaining physical distance from others, especially from those with symptoms), covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or inner elbow, and keeping unwashed hands away from the face. The use of masks is recommended for those who suspect they have the virus and their caregivers. Recommendations for mask use by the general public vary, with some authorities recommending against their use, some recommending their use, and others requiring their use. Currently, there is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for COVID-19. Management involves treatment of symptoms, supportive care, isolation, and experimental measures.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 30 January 2020, and a pandemic on 11 March 2020. Local transmission of the disease has been recorded in many countries across all six WHO regions.

Remember, if you are not very ill, please stay home and call your primary care provider (PCP) for guidance. Most PCPs can now see people virtually via the phone and you will not be required to actually go to the office. We do not want to overwhelm the health care system at this critical point in time.

COVID-19 Clinical Characteristics

  • Cough – 69%
  • Fever – 44%
  • Fatigue – 38%
  • Sputum – 34%
  • Shortness of breath – 19%
  • Muscle aches – 15%
  • Sore throat – 14%
  • Headache – 14%
  • Chills – 12%
  • Nasal congestion – 5%
  • Nausea or vomiting – 5%
  • Diarrhea – 4%
  • Any comorbidity – 24%

Eventually, one or more of us will get sicker and we will need to seek medical attention. Below is a list of reasons to immediately call your PCP and ask for help. It may even be reasonable to proceed to your nearest Emergency Department.

COVID-19 Red Flags – Seek Medical Attention Immediately

  • Severe shortness of breath at rest
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Pain or pressure in the chest
  • Cold, clammy or pale and mottled skin
  • New confusion
  • Becoming difficult to arouse
  • Blue lips or face
  • Little or no urine output
  • Neck stiffness
  • Non-blanching rash

These are links you might find useful as you try to learn more about COVID-19

Useful Links

If you have more useful links, please send them my way. Thanks, Scott Ewing (you should already have my email address)

Things You May Want To Buy:

  • Kleenex (I like the lotion kind)
  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol) in 325 or 500 mg tablets
  • Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) in 200 mg tablets or Naproxen (Aleve) in 220 mg tablets. These meds are NSAIDs
  • Guaifenesin (Mucinex or Robitussin) to loosen secretions. These meds are expectorants
  • Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) or Phenylephrine (Sudafed PE) decongestant. Sudafed is ok if you are otherwise relatively healthy, Sudafed PE may be a better choice if you have heart disease. These meds are decongestants
  • Allegra, Zyrtec, Claritin as needed. These meds are antihistamines
  • For symptom management, use the meds above
  • For a fever over 101, alternate Tylenol and ibuprofen so you’re taking a dose of one or the other every 3 hours.
  • Use both decongestants and expectorants (most cough and cold meds have both)
  • Drink a ton, hydrate hydrate hydrate
  • Rest lots
  • If you have a history of asthma and you have a prescription inhaler, use your inhaler if needed
  • If you take any prescription meds, please keep track of your refills and continue taking your home meds as prescribed by your doctor
  • Save money, buy the store brands. The goal is to obtain the right generic ingredients and the ingredients have no memory where they came from. So get the store brand and save money!

Meds You Don’t Need To Stock Up On:

  • Anything that claims to treat or cure COVID-19. The only treatment available to date is supportive care while your body battles the virus
  • Zinc will not prevent or treat COVID-19
  • Vit C will not prevent or treat COVID-19
  • Hydrogen Peroxide will not prevent or treat COVID-19
  • Gargling will not prevent or treat COVID-19 (but it might make your throat feel better)
  • Essential oils will not prevent or treat COVID-19
  • Antibiotics will not prevent or treat COVID-19 (might be needed if you develop a secondary bacterial infection)
  • Antivirals will not prevent or treat COVID-19
  • Green tea will not prevent or treat COVID-19 (but it might taste good)
  • Natural medicines will not prevent or treat COVID-19
  • There is no vaccine
  • Flu vaccine will not help with COVID-19 (but it might keep you from getting the flu)

Mistletoe Heights

Useful Phone Numbes

  • NPO Corey Carpenter: 817-999-8057 (cell)
  • FWPD non-emergency number: 817-392-4222
  • FW Water Department: 817-392-4477
  • Oncor Outage Report: 888.313.4747
  • Jimmy John's: 817-348-0555
  • Jason's Deli: 817-920-1880
  • Torchy's Tacos: 817-289-8226
  • Firehouse Subs: 817-870-3841

Mistletoe Heights Association Membership

Membership in the Mistletoe Heights Association is voluntary. But if you join, you will help support wonderful neighborhood activities such as the yearly Easter Egg hunt, July 4th parade and party, Christmas decorations, and even this web site to name a few. Please click HERE to join

Mistletoe Heights History

Want to find out about Mistletoe Heights history? You should probalby start HERE. If you have additional historical information to share or would be interested in helping in any way, please contact our historian Luke Ellis at lellis@belaw.com.

Mistletoe Express Newsletter

Current and back issues of our monthly newsletter can be found HERE. Neightborhood news, additional stories of neightborhood history, advertisements for local products, contact information, and much more can be gleaned from the pages of the Mistletoe Express.

Mistletoe Heights Yard of the Month

Current and past recipients of Yard of the Month can be found HERE. Read about the hard work and lessons learned from your neighbor's gardening experiences

Stay in Touch

There are many ways to stay in touch with your neighbors:

  • You could join our email distribution list. Instructions can be found HERE. Once you join, you can then email the entire membership at this address residents@mistletoeheights.org
  • Or maybe you are a Facebook fan. Connect with us at Residents Chat Room or Facebook Fans
  • We also have a page a Nextdoor.com, "The private social network for neighbors in Mistletoe Heights". Click Nextdoor Fans to get started.

Mistletoe Heights Photo Gallery

Pictures, pictures and more picture can be found at this link Gallery. There are photos of all the houses in the neighborhood. Some historical photos can also be found. Did you miss the last holiday celebration? Look no further. Don't forget to scroll down, there are lot's of pictures.