COVID and Me
It's August 13, 2020, and the world will never be the same. COVID-19 has succeeded in upending lives in unprecedented ways. I'll share how it has changed my life in this blog post.
In mid-March, I was pumped for spring-training games in baseball and an eventual return to Wrigley Field. The Cubs were going to hit the ground hard with their new manager, former player David Ross, at the helm. Then, COVID-19 hit harder. Opening Day came to a screeching halt, along with many other college and professional sports. Not only that, most states went into lockdown mode, with stay-at-home restrictions put in place. Phrases like "social-distancing" and "flattening the curve" were suddenly being spoken by experts. Trickle-down quotes infected the best of us. So did the virus.
Suddenly, I was on furlough from my place of employment. I had not been off work that long since maternity leave many years ago. It was hard to adjust to the new routine of waking up and not really having an itinerary, other than household chores. I worried about whether I would have a job to return to. I am an essential healthcare employee and have taken pride over the years in helping patients. The risk of infection to myself and my husband really scared me and it still does. I returned to my part-time position at the beginning of May. Masks are required, of course. For how long? No one knows.
It's hard to focus on anything other than the ever-increasing death and infection numbers. It's terrifying, actually. Will someone in my family contract it? I had to be tested because of a confirmed exposure incident. The test result was negative, but next time it might not be. My heart breaks for the families who have lost their loved ones. Our daughters and hard-working son-in-laws risk their health every time they go to work. The sacrifices that healthcare and essential workers make on a daily basis are unbelievably humbling.
What good things have happened this year? Well, in spite of all the heartache that so many people have experienced, there are some important improvements to our lives that have come about, albeit the sacrifice has been high. Increased sanitation in public places has been needed for a long time, particularly high traffic locations, like amusement parks and theaters. AMC has invested millions of dollars to reduce the risk of infection for movie lovers. Some Walmarts are going to show movies in parking lots. American ingenuity and adaptation are very inspiring. Numerous pharmaceutical companies are working night and day to produce effective vaccines and cellphone companies are developing virus tracing technology without compromising personal security. Families are enjoying nature more. MLB is precariously holding on to a revised 60-game season. I don't think anyone minds the elimination of players spitting tobacco. The Cubs are doing well so far! These are just a few of the positives.
For me, the most comforting factor has been maintaining close ties with family and friends, even if it can't always be face to face. It also helps to talk to patients and commiserate over all the things that, frankly, have become a huge pain in the butt. We all share a common bond. We're in this together. And together, we will emerge. Stronger and healthier.
My husband Rick and I are finally going to become first-time grandparents! We received the happy news via Facetime instead of in-person from our youngest daughter, because the lockdown was in full force at the time. Although we might face visitation bans at the hospital when she delivers this fall, we are thankful, thus far, that her pregnancy has gone well and that she will be in excellent hands when the time comes.
One of the things that helped me through my furlough and subsequent days was writing poetry. I recently self-published a Kindle ebook and paperback of those poems. The link to them is below. Some are dark but most are optimistic. Purchases and reviews would be very much appreciated. Subscribe to my blog for an upcoming promotional giveaway!
I'd love to hear what others have done to cope with these trying times. Until my next post, keep the faith and find/do something that makes you happy.
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