Life During a Pandemic part 1

So it's been suggested that people journal their experiences during this time of global pandemic.  I've decided that it's something worth doing. Rather than start a new blog, I will be posting random posts here with the tag COVID19.  This type of situation is something I've pondered for decades as my paternal grandmother died in October 1918 at the age of 28.  My dad was one year old so he, of course, has no memory of this.  There are just vague stories and historic photos.  I know enough family history to know that dad and his two older sisters were farmed out to live in other families--dad going to one great aunt, one sister going to another and the other sister going to family friends as none of their grandparents were alive at that point  I've also pondered what it must've been like not having the ability to tract the disease spread and communicate with others during quarantine.  As hard as it can be to find something positive in such times, I'm grateful that we have these things.

So--I first started hearing about the situation in China during early February I believe.  I was busy preparing for our 18th century sewing weekend the last weekend of the month.  I may have heard earlier but I can't remember.  I suppose, like so many of us, I just figured that this would be contained to the area where it started.  We had lived through SARS, MERS, Zika, Ebola etc.  Now we see what happens when we don't have emergency plans.

We were becoming more aware of things the last weekend of Feb.  Several of our workshop participants cancelled due to having respiratory symptoms of some type and they wanted to exercise caution.  We ramped up cleanliness for our event:  hand sanitizer in several locations, wiping down all tables and chairs with anti bacterial wipes and assistants wearing gloves when handling food.  At this point, people were still pretty relaxed about all of this.   Quite frankly I was just too busy to give it much thought.  Our event ended the afternoon of March 1 and preparations continued for the Boston Massacre event the following weekend.

By the time I got to Boston Friday night March 6, people were starting to take things more seriously.  The day before (I believe) COVID19 cases had been confirmed among attendees at a conference at a Marriott hotel in Boston.  Here we were in a public venue interacting with the public.  We set up a tea party inside the Old South Meeting house where we had food out in the open.  We were very conscious of not letting the public near the food and serving it too each other without touching it.  Arrived home Sunday night March 8.  Things started taking a turn during the upcoming week.

We were being advised to cancel large gatherings.  Our son had planned a birthday party for our daughter-in-law on March 21 and he was talking about postponing since there would be a number of elderly folks there.  Events scheduled for the weekend of the 14th were being cancelled. An event at a local museum for April 4 was cancelled.  We are still waiting to hear about events in May.  

I went to Zumba on Wednesday March 11 which was a high point.

On Thursday March 12,  Maryland's governor, Larry Hogan, closed all state schools effective Monday March 16.  This gave staff 2 days to prepare for long term instruction at home.   

Friday March 13, the first case in Howard County Maryland was announced:  an 80 year old woman in a nursing home.  County Executive Calvin Ball took action and closed Columbia Mall, Savage Mill, movie theaters and restaurants that didn't have an outside entrance.  Also, the senior center called to tell me that they were suspending fitness classes.

Things were starting to get unsettling at this point.  I went to Trader Joe's to stock up on milk, soy and other staples as well as Target.  All paper goods were pretty much sold out but I got the other things I needed.  Earlier that week I started actually thinking about using disinfecting wipes on the shopping cart and my hands.  We pretty much stayed inside over the weekend.  

I was planning to go to the grocery store on Tuesday March 17 but my daughter called on Monday and suggested I go sooner rather than later.  Tuesday I went ahead and kept my dermatologist appointment.  It was eerie seeing no traffic on the roads and the empty parking lot.  I cancelled my facial appointment for Wed. March 18.  It pained me to do that.   I know how my esthetician relies on appointments for income.  It really caused me anguish to cancel that appointment.    

I spent the rest of Tuesday preparing a festive St. Pat's Day supper.  Wednesday March 18 and Thursday March 19 (today) are stay at home days.  I feel like I need to get more done but I think I psychologically need time to adapt to this new reality.  As retirees, we are home bodies anyway but it's different when that lifestyle is imposed on you by other circumstances and you face actual danger when going out. 

I feel fortunate to be retired at such a time but I still worry.  They say that the economy could rival that of the Great Depression when this is all done.  How will this affect me?  I have a pension and social security--things that people didn't have in the Great Depression.  What will happen?  Our 401Ks etc are losing money but we don't rely on those.  I worry about my kids.  Hopefully their jobs are secure.  I was heartened to hear my daughter talk about the sense of community in her Pittsburgh neighborhood where the people her age are reaching out to the elderly/infirm to help them with grocery and pharmacy runs.  

I've reflected on the inequities of our economic system which are about to become glaringly apparent.  The social safety net and for profit healthcare system which have needed systemic change are about to be tested and if one good thing comes out of this, hopefully will face the changes needed.

I'm disappointed in so many of my fellow citizens who are not taking things seriously.  Those that think this is a political hoax or feel that it's nothing to worry about because THEY or no one in their family is sick--continue to make containing this threat more difficult.  This situation is fluid.  It literally changes by the hour.   

I'm shocked to find out that our current administration refused to meet with the outgoing one on emergency preparedness as well as disbanding the global pandemic response team.   If this situation doesn't serve as a wake up call, then nothing will.  People think that closing things down is overkill.  If we contain this virus, it will look like overkill.  If we don't do what is needed, who knows how bad it will be?

I miss exercising -- my fitness classes  and my daily walks with my neighbor.  I will have to start taking solitary walks both for my health and my sanity.

I worry that my husband has been smoking more since he retired last January after stopping.  This puts him more at risk.

Now I'm trying to order groceries online at Wegmans for curbside pick up.  There are no times left for pick up today so I will try first thing tomorrow morning.  Fortunately we don't need things for a few days but I thought I'd get ahead of the situation.

So this is what has happened in my reality during this time so far.  Sorry for the stream of consciousness writing.  I'll try to keep up with posts every other day or so.

Be well my friends and take this seriously please.

As of 2:30 pm 3/19/2020:  (note--the number for the US was 9510 when I got up this morning)