Coronavirus Blues, Part II

My last post was about how I felt at the time. This post goes a little farther, because we've come a little further. I think I have those two words right.

It appears I may have had the virus, but with very light symptoms. I won't know until if/when I can take an antibody test. If it turns out I have, then I can get out into the world again, and possibly volunteer somewhere that could use people who can't catch COVID-19, at least for a while.

I've been at home, with only a scant few forays out, for almost 3 weeks. During that time I've been working remotely. I haven't been writing, despite finally have lots of time to do it. The weather has been pretty rotten, until today, so I haven't gotten a lot of exercise. Although last Saturday I went for a long walk. Started with sun on my shoulders, ended up with snow on all of me.

We're all sick of worrying about getting sick, and having to work from home with limited contact with the outside world. Thank goodness for Netflicks and Amazon Prime - I get to watch TV all day long and nary a repeat, political ad, or media scare stories.

But I recently had the "opportunity" to realize there is much more to the virus than what I thought about. Yes, it's a killer. But it also has really bad side affects - not from the disease itself, but from the fact that it exists. My step-father, my mother's husband for nearly 45 years (one more than Rick and I have been married), passed away Sunday night. He was in his eighties, but he didn't get sick, not from COVID. That old coot managed to survive 3 rounds of cancer, multiple long-term sessions of shingles, and was finally brought down by COPD.

All of this is a story of a tough guy, but the real story I want to tell is my Mom's. She's in assisted living - they moved in fall of last year which was pretty traumatic for both of them. And now she's alone. In a place that can't allow visitors. No chance to go to a funeral. No friends to come visit. THIS is COVID. It's not just playing out in hospitals, or preventing lunch with friends or dinner with family, or having to work remotely - it's much deeper than that. So find joy where you can. See beauty that you might normally take for granted. Love your family. AND PICK UP THE DAMN PHONE. Call them - texts and e-mails just don't have the same personality. Please.