Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Week ? C-19 Shelter at Home


Week ? of #ShelterAtHome for me (I've lost track…lol) and I must say that I am grateful.

Being a cost conscious SAHM/WAHM for most of my children's lives and a DIYer extraordinaire, the Shelter at Home orders have not changed my life too much. The isolation is nothing new and since my children are all grown now, homeschooling was not added to my daily routine like many others. So, my daily routine really hasn't changed too much.

I have noticed an increase in people complaining about the many inconveniences that these shelter at home orders have caused many people. Each time I run across a post or meme related to said inconveniences, I'm reminded of how grateful I am that these are not added issues in my personal life. So, what exactly am I grateful for?

I'm grateful for my natural hair that doesn't need to be bleached or colored, I'm grateful that I know how to cut not only my own hair but my husband's as well. I'm grateful that I have been doing my own nails for many years now, so I am quite capable of giving myself a beautiful manicure and pedicure at home. I'm grateful that I already have everything that I would need to pamper myself and have a nice, relaxing spa day in the safety of my own home.  Which can really help with my anxiety during these uncertain times (because we all haven't heard that phrase like a million times already…)

I'm grateful that I know how to cook and the fact that I have always cooked at home 98% of the time, that this whole having to cook every day is no big change for me and feels perfectly normal. I'm grateful that we have the ability to still have access to our essential needs like food! I'm grateful that we have the ability to order those essentials online and schedule them for pick-up and even have them delivered right to our door without ever having to step foot inside the store. I'm well aware that not everyone around the world has this luxury… I'm also grateful for our little garden we had just started right before all this started happening!

I'm grateful that I can always find something productive to do, to keep myself busy and occupied all by myself. I'm grateful for all the modern amenities that we have today, that didn't exist during most all the previous pandemics in our human history (there's been like 20). Today we have TVs, computers, and tablets with high-speed internet, smartphones that are like mini-computers that fit in the palm of our hands. The ability to talk and even video chat with our loved ones all around the world in real-time!!

I'm grateful that although majorly flawed and far from perfect that the US government has at least attempted to lessen the financial burden that this current pandemic is having on so many citizens and businesses that are deemed non-essential. More definitely needs to be done, but I'm not going to dive down that rabbit hole…

I'm grateful that my husband, although deemed essential, has the ability to protect himself and practice social distancing while still working. I'm also grateful that my husband is taking this so seriously and that he decontaminates himself when he gets home to try and lessen exposure to me, because I am high risk with a compromised immune system due to autoimmune diseases.

This is just a small list of all the things I am grateful for because there really are so many things for all of us to be grateful for! You just have to stop, take a few deep breaths, and shift your perspective of the situation. I know it can be hard to do for some... It can be quite difficult to see past all the doom and gloom of the current situation. As we start to go back to our "new normal" as states and cities start opening back up in phases, remember to be humble and kind as we are all trying to get used to this. Also, please listen to the experts on how we can all work together to lessen the spread of this virus. Finally please try and remember that this is temporary and we will come out on the other side of this and recover from our losses.

Love and Light!

Thursday, May 14, 2020

I lost my last living Grandparent…


My heart is broken


On April 6th, 2020 at around 9:30pm my last living grandparent passed away in a nursing home... He had just been tested for Covid-19 after a staff member at the facility had tested positive and my Grandfather started showing symptoms including a high fever. We had been impatiently waiting to hear the results of his test hoping that it was going to be negative. On April 9th is test results came back and unfortunately it was in-fact positive...

My 82-year-old grandfather died alone, without his family by his side locked in a nursing home because of this Covid-19 virus, yet another victim of this pandemic... An article in the Delaware Business Now listed him as an "82-year-old male long-term care resident from New Castle County." Like he was just another statistic... This really bothered me.., he is not just another statistic! He was a human being from our most vulnerable group and he was/is loved!

At the time my Grandfather passed, his roommate was also showing signs of the virus and unfortunately passed about a week later on April 12th… My grandfathers' partner of 40 years was also in the same facility and on April 24th she passed away, she also tested positive for COVID-19…

I'm grateful that I was able to visit with him during my last visit to Delaware in October. I'm saddened to know, that was my last visit as I was hoping to visit again on our next trip up that we were planning this coming Fall... I'm heartbroken for the rest of the family that have lost their father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, husband/partner, friend...etc.

 ðŸ’” PLEASE listen to the Doctors, Scientist and Specialist! You know the ones who ACTUALLY know what they're talking about! Please follow the rules and guidelines that have been put in place to flatten the curve and protect our most vulnerable!!