Shut in

I’m sitting here thinking what I can do to help out during these times.  I thought about posting on some media site that I would help with food for kids, or deliver meals to shut ins; although maybe Meals on Wheels is still doing that, anyway, then it hit me.  I’ll just blog.  Lol.  I mean I don’t know what kids eat.  Ya know? I only half jest. I could make pancakes and chocolate chip cookies! So maybe I’ll blog AND cook for kids.  I bet my neighbor would cook cookies too.  She is the best baker ever.

So, interesting times don’t you think?  I’m not gonna lie.  It took me awhile to grasp the severity.  In my defense, and many others like me, it’s not like we’ve ever been through anything like this in our life time.  Ya know?  We always get sick.  We’re expected to go to work when we’re sick.  Suzanne gives you dirty looks if you stay home sick.  I mean it’s an expectation in America that you just keep going to work.  So what do we care if we’re sick?  It’s just another day right?  And millions die from the flu every year right?  Okay maybe not millions, but alot? How about that statistic that I never knew until now.  We just fluff it off. We know soandso went into the hospital with a kidney stone and got pneumonia and died and we just write it off as part of getting sick.  What about all the MRSA deaths?  We should get more statistics on that shouldn’t we?  Well, I’m just saying, in our culture we just push through and think being sick is a “sissy” disease.  So I didn’t actually grasp the seriousness of the situation until someone I work with/for, who sits in an office beside me was sent home, quarantined for 14 days expected to have the thing. That’s when it hit me.  I thought well there goes visits to Diane (currently hospitalized with a broken ankle…like severely broken) and visits to mom.  And really I should probably not visit anyone knowing that he might have it and then I might have it?  It really hit me, the trickle-down effect.  Rachel’s mom has leukemia..what if I hugged Rachel?  Janice has a compromised immune system.  My neighbor had me over for dinner with 70-80 year old’s – see how bad it is?  And that doesn’t count all the people I ride the bus and subway with – all those people in the Steel Building, on the elevator, in the bathrooms.  It just made my mind spin with what could happen.  It doesn’t matter that maybe I won’t feel anything, or have symptoms, but what about Rachel’s mom?  Janice?  Those new neighbors?  My mom, Diane?  I mean it goes on and on with who we touch.  An interesting exercise in how connected we all really are.  So putting that into perspective I am happy to stay home.  I do not want to be that girl.

I’ve continued to read up on it and truly believe that if enough people have their come-to-Jesus moment and take this seriously and stay home and sing on our balconies then we will get over this. My mom said “well 1% deaths doesn’t sound bad – does it?”  Well let’s see based on 2019 statistics we have 328,239,523 in the US. 1% of that is 3,282,395.  That’s a lot of people dying JUST from the corona virus. Total number of recorded deaths in a year are about 2,813,503.  So add another 3 million on top of that.. Well it’s a lot.  And a lot all at once.  And there’s the whole stress on the healthcare industry and those that work in it.  I mean just such a snowball.

I don’t know if my numbers are text book accurate but I do think they paint a picture of the seriousness that I eventually came to terms with.  So what will I do with myself?

Luckily the last so many years (not this year but about 4 prior) I’ve been pretty much a loner.  I work and then walk on the beach…alone.  So now I work and I’ll walk on the Mount. And for big entertainment it was a night out at Walmart or sometimes Sushi.  One thing for sure, there is nothing I need to go to Walmart for.  I can have my food delivered.  I got out of the habit of going for Sushi mainly because I don’t know where to go.  I’m marinating some Ahi Tuna at this very moment though.

A few years ago (turns out quite a few) I worked from home so I’m used to that as well.  So this is just bringing up so very nice memories of those times.  Every day (the last two days) I have promised to go walking/running at lunch just to get some fresh air and see my favorite view of the city.  I haven’t done it yet, but I will!  Tomorrow is the day.

I went online today to try and find a proper computer desk as the angle of my kitchen table is giving me carpal tunnel already, but this is not a complaint, just an observation.  I found a computer desk on CraigsList.  I wonder if they’ll leave it on the curb for me to swing by and pick it up.  I can Venmo them. Right?  I mean there are workable solutions.

Jimmy has already apologized for not visiting, saying he’s staying away from me and his dad (for our benefit – yea right).  Zachary and Rachel stopped by on Saturday night, and then I sent them an apology the next day for hugging them.  It’s weird times.

The very best I see is the humanity that is coming out in most of us. Not counting the panic over toilet paper (and what’s that about?) it seems like so many people are thinking of ways to help out.  I saw a story about a restaurant giving away free food to the poor and the owner said he’ll keep doing it until we get back to normal or he goes bankrupt.  Ya know?  I mean Humanity is the best.  We really are good at our souls. We may be skeptics, but who can blame us with how often we’re lied to, we don’t know what to believe anymore, so we need to believe in ourselves.  Just like me, I was skeptical until the guy at work with a fever sneezed on me.  And I thought, oh man, I get it. (turns out he was not tested, they said he didn’t qualify – just regular sick I guess)

I don’t talk much about the company I work for.  It’s big.  It’s healthcare.  Imagine how crazy my work place is. And I don’t know the half of it since my department is construction.

Well, that’s it.  Notes from me on day 2 of our social distancing.  I’ve gone from my beautiful 60^th floor views to sitting in this dungeon of a kitchen that I have.  I’m working on moving my spot to upstairs so I can be by a window at least and look outside.  It won’t take me long at all to adapt.  That’s my super power.  Resilience. Adapting. Moving on.

What’s your super power?

xoxoxo

**Disclaimer – all health conditions mentioned above our hypothetical..except Diane really did break her ankle.