Coronacation anyone?

Oh good lord…. Wtf do you mean the kids will be home for the next 6 weeks….. Why is there NO toilet paper for 3 counties? Are we really moving toward a fantasy/sci-fi, post-apocalyptic world that we have all read about? Everyone is going batshit crazy, San Francisco is being told to shelter in place. People are in a twit…. The thing is they kind of should be in a twit, this is a really big deal but we also need to maintain a level of control over the hysteria and provide some normalcy for ourselves and our children. We are entering a challenging time and keeping a straight focused mind is so important. I feel like we have been due for a new superbug or pandemic for a long time; it will be interesting to see what human kind learns from this nasty little asshole virus. I am so thankful it has not touched us yet, but I do have an aunt who is going into her second week of self-quarantine after an exposure. Luckily, she has no symptoms and cabin fever is the only fever she has. She said, “If you’re outside of King County it’s hard to describe the situation. The hospitals are running out of protective gear and calling back retired respiratory therapists. They are trying to set up non-hospital sites for maternity, accident victims, etc., so the real hospitals can convert to all virus patient care. All routine appointments and non-essential medical procedures are cancelled.” She has also said that this has really exposed the flaws in our current healthcare system and that she is very impressed with the way the King County public health and the governor have handled everything. It is also lucky for her that she has access to grocery delivery service. She and my Uncle are retired so they are in that high risk age group and my uncle is also diabetic which increases his risk. The hard part for me is the two extremes of people are either hoarding toilet paper or they are dismissing the virus as an over-reaction….. Italy is an example of how bad it could be; we need to heed the warnings and all practice social distancing, hand hygiene and kindness.

We are all in this together and we need to make sure we are all sharing facts and not spread hysteria and conspiracy theories…. The reality is this virus is here, it doesn’t matter how it got here, where it came from or who’s fault it is- it is here and obviously highly contagious…. And deadly, almost half the deaths to date in the US came from the same nursing home. We know the most at-risk are the elderly but our littles are our little germ couriers, so we have to keep them home, it’s almost a given that King County will not return this school year. My kids are out for 6 weeks, one of them is a senior…. A kid who has always lived and breathed for baseball season and *poof* its gone. He is so sad. I also have an older child set to get married in 8 weeks… and go on a carribean cruise. Eight weeks…. What will it look like in 8 weeks? Personally, I feel like if we would all shut up, suck it up, and follow directions, we will be in much better condition than we will if we lose our shit and hoard toilet paper. What we really need right now is self awareness, kindness, personal space, and a personal time out. Learn to meditate, enjoy the family time, take a walk….. I kind of feel like this is the universe’s way to tell us it’s time to slow down and re-evaluate our lives. It is forcing us to move beyond politics and focus on humanity. I know I have taken steps to be able to assist with the sick population should the need arise so I am sure there are many who wonder how they can assist…..

First off, quit hoarding, quit being selfish. Buy what you need and let others do the same. Next, listen to the experts like the CDC, Dr Fauci. There are several podcasts that address the truths and myths about the virus, and I will include links at the end. Third, do not indulge in conspiracy theories right now, the who, how and why doesn’t matter, it just matters that we flatten the curve. Stay home if you can, definitely self quarantine if you have had exposure and wash your damn hands. Call your local health department or personal physicians office to be triaged, don’t flood the emergency rooms. Be aware and watch for the symptoms, from everything I have read spiking a raging fever is a biggie. Realize the people around you have no more control of the situation than you do and they are likely just as stressed and worried as you are. Be kind. Lastly, if you have personal protective equipment like masks and gloves, you may want to call your local hospital and ask if you can donate- sure keep a few but don’t hoard boxes of masks and gloves. They are running in short supply for our healthcare providers and they need them more than anyone else. Also, just don’t participate in the hysteria and wash your hands.