Pandemic
Even before the pandemic was declared, my year had started out with a stressful 'bang'! My boss for many years suddenly made the decision to retire and left in mid-January; my daughter in law's best friend and first cousin in Turkey passed suddenly around the same time and she made a quick trip home to say good-bye. We had been hearing about all that was going on in Wuhan, so we were concerned about her travel. Because of that, and because it was a rushed trip, she left my grandson at home so my son and I altered our work week to cover his care.
Then in February my son found out that a number of positions were being cut at his job and he had to travel to various locations to give staff the bad news. After a trip to Ohio he came home very sick and couldn't seem to shake it. No Covid testing was available in our area, so he did his best to avoid all of us at home. He kept a dry, hacking cough for weeks. Growing more and more concerned with the news stories I was hearing, I started to worry about crowds, carpooling, and riding metro rail.
Then on March 11, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic. Due to this announcement, on March 12 I was told to take my computer and anything else I might need home with me to prepare for telework. So that was my last day in the office. On the 13th I had scheduled leave because my husband had a medical appointment at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore. We arrived to find strict precautions were already in place. His doctor informed us he did not want to do the full planned procedure because my husband usually has to be hospitalized afterwards. The doctor told us in patient was the last place he needed to be right then.
On Monday, March 16, I started my first week of full time telework. Had I known then what I know now, I would have been more selective about what I brought home with me. I think there are still 10 pairs of shoes under my desk! By the following week, I realized we were in the midst of something that I never expected to experience in my lifetime. Something that had the potential to forever change the way many things are done. I also realized the emotional and mental toll this epidemic was placing on everyone. So I decided to journal my experiences and capture as much of the true impact of this event on a personal level as I could since I am of 'a certain age' and live with three immuno-compromised people.
Let me give you a little background. I live with my 64 year old husband, who is on disability due to a bad pancreas. Both of our children, their sig-others and our 3 grandsons live with us. Our daughter is disabled with a multitude of painful, disabling conditions, including suppressed immune response, and her boyfriend suffers from PTSD and anxiety plus bi-polar disorder - and his bi-polar meds lower his immune responses. I accompany both my husband and my daughter to 95% of their medical appointments. Which was difficult enough before COVID-19.
Our oldest grandson is in college online and the middle one is entering his senior year of high school, also online. They have both been home schooled for 95% of their education, so online learning is nothing new to them. They are my daughter's children from her marriage that ended in 2004. My son and his wife also have a son, who's only 4. His mother is Turkish, my son met his wife while living and working in Turkey for a number of years. Generally my d-i-l and grandson spend their summers in Turkey visiting his other grandparents, which obviously they could not do this year.
My brother's widow lives about 10 miles from us. She is in her 80's and on dialysis 3 days a week. My widowed sister lives about 20 miles from us. She has COPD. While my s-i-l has 2 daughters from a previous marriage to help her out, my sister has no one. This is the extent of family that I have in this area. So my goal is to make sure we all have the things we need to see us through this crisis.
My son and I are the only ones who work full time - thankfully at present, we are both teleworking. His wife is taking online classes working towards a degree as an economist. She retired from her job in Turkey after being there 15 years to come to the US. She plans to work full time when their son starts school. For now, between the 3 of us, we are focused on making sure our home has the supplies, food and repairs, etc. that is needed to take care of all of us.
What follows are my journals, which I have tried to create with a 3 way focus. I read a Bible verse and daily devotional and try to notate a take away from that. Then I try to find something joyful or to give thanks for each day, and then I allow myself to vent. Here's my story so far, please join me for this journey if you want.
