Sorry to be an angry downer today, but this is the birthday of one of my dearest friend's mother, and she is gone because she was a victim of Covid-19. My friend is hurting today, even more than usual, because she never properly got to say goodbye, like so many others.
I posted this on Facebook, and I'm copying it here, because I want to make sure that even if I am preaching to the choir, people know and remember.
I hope that all of you will have a good weekend, and that on Monday we will all be able to laugh at the goofy answers I have for the questions you have all been lovely enough to post. Take care. xoxo
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You know those posts you have been seeing occasionally that say, "Do you actually know anyone who has died from Covid?" Well first of all, they infuriate me, because it implies one of two things: 1) it's not really that bad, so how many people could really be dying from this "bad flu," or 2) let's keep track and declare a winner when someone knows more people than anyone else who are no longer here!
Well I'm here to tell you that I know four people who have died from it. Guess what? It kills. And if it doesn't kill you, it leaves you with chronic, serious issues, even if you are a young person.
Every single one of the 200,000+ people who have died from Covid-19 died from Covid-19 - not from an underlying condition if they had one. You can live for years with an "underlying condition." Every single one of those people had at least one person who couldn't see, touch, hug, or properly mourn their loss. Every single one of those people had to die without their family and friends. Yes, in the end we all die alone, but if we are lucky, our last conscious moments are those where we realize we are surrounded by love.
We have been robbed of so much more than just the chance to go to a restaurant, or have a kids' birthday party, go to the mall for new shoes, or go to a football game. We have been robbed of our chance to show love and choose what we want to do and where we want to go on any given day. Many have been robbed of what little mental stability they had left; others of what income kept them from being homeless.
We can and should try to keep going, to let those who are important know that they are, to speak up and tell others that it's more important for all of us to be safe than it is for them to have "constitutional rights." It's going to be an even longer haul, and everyone needs to adapt and do the best we can, even at its crappiest.
And everyone should remember that in the U.S., there is one person who could have actually DONE SOMETHING to deal with this, and to make all of us safer, and he chose not to. And spineless followers who could have forced action decided they didn't care.
Remember those lost. Offer support and love to their loved ones. Take care of those you can. Take care of yourself. Stop whining and take a walk around the block if that is how you gain perspective.
And VOTE. If you don't vote, or you vote for some random person because you find neither choice to be perfectly and exactly what you want, well then, you deserve what you get. But the rest of us do not.
Love you, Mrs. J. And Happy Birthday even if you aren't getting to enjoy it here in person. I'll do my best to love them all here for you. ❤
8 comments:
I'm with you 100%. Those posts make so mad. Especially when they come from a person I thought had a pretty level head. Like... you don't know anyone so it must be fake? WTF.
And it's not just people WITH COVID affected by it.
Dave's grandma fell and broke her pelvis and has been in the hospital for the past three weeks. She's only allowed ONE visitor, two visits a week, no more than two hours long). And when they say one, they mean one - same person, every visit. Can't switch it out. She's not allowed flowers, or cards or any food from outside. It's hard enough for us, her family, who can't go see her. But how hard does it have to be for that poor woman, in there all alone with strangers, except for four hours every week?
Don't get me wrong, her nurses/doctors have been fabulous. And I understand the precautions. They make sense... but they wouldn't be necessary if people weren't out there gallivanting around like COVID is just a trifling cold (or worse, all made up)
Thank you!!!!
After my younger sister and her husband got it I became the spokesperson of "YOU DON'T WANT IT". I preach it everywhere and to everyone. I just lectured a lady at our dump who got too close. What they went through was hell on earth. They are what's known as Covid" Long Haulers". They still aren't fully covered and it's been 3 months. Her nerves are shot. Besides the respiratory nightmare, it got into her brain. She says it feels like you have dementia. She lives in a fog. It traveled to his spine and he couldn't walk for weeks. He still shakes like he has palsy at times. It travels all over your body and attacks wherever it wants, whenever it wants for months afterwards. I had H1N1-a bad case and it was NOTHING like this monster of a virus. Anything they have to treat with blood thinners to stop the clots it forms all over you is NOT the FLU. We will be a country of the disabled if this continues. We will need more hearts and other organs than we will ever be able to produce.
That's my rant for today.
Stay safe!
Thank you for this. You said this much more eloquently than I ever could.
Today I will be thinking of Mrs. J and her dear family. And all the others who are experiencing the exact same thing.
It's already a weepy day here, and your righteous anger is making me cray even more.
Thank you for this. At the beginning of the pandemic people did say “I don't know anyone with it, and I don't know anyone who has lost their job” not in denial, but because it seemed so surreal - it was “out there” but not in their world.
Our largest city of 1.5million is still at level 2 where they are required to wear masks on public transport and to social distance. But they are allowed to leave the city to holiday! The rest of the country is at level 1 which means do whatever you want. Duh..... it seems to come down to business people pleading for the dollars to flow their way.
Our borders are closed to all but returning kiwi's - however, if you want your superyacht repaired it's okay to come in and not quarantine the crew like everyone else. Or if you are part of a film crew working here then the rules are different. Makes it hard for everyday folk, but as in life the dollar is what seems to bend the rules.
However, in comparison to the rest of the world we are doing quite well - there is something to be said for living at the bottom of the world.
I am unceasingly weary from the Deniers and Ignoramuses who rely upon not only 45*'s magical thinking, but their own. It's perverse and murderous.
It's heart-wrenching to read these stories and know that others don't care.
It's horrifying to see flags and signs of support for that narcissistic fascist and know that those people exist and are proud of his behaviour and policies.
VOTE LIKE YOUR LIFE AND THE LIFE OF OUR DEMOCRACY DEPENDS UPON IT.
BECAUSE IT DOES.
I popped over from Nance's place. Your post is heartbreaking and I agree 100%. It's amazing how people like you and Nance can post such well written intelligent posts without spewing hate. I actually don't think I could do it myself. I'm so filled with so much anger with what is going on in our country! It's such a relief when I read things from people like you who are thinking just like I am. I will be voting all blue even if it takes putting my life in danger to do it!
I am grateful that you posted this. As a nurse I was worried even before COVID about a measles outbreak with the kids not get their inoculations. Pffft. Now that seems like a long ago worry. COVID is so serious. Our streets in this tourist town are still littered with people not wearing masks. I do dread the coming cold weather. I fear indoor crowds of disbelievers putting another strain on our hospital personnel and making life even harder for the handicapped.
I'm writing postcards for the Democrats, and my signs for Joe Biden are up! And they shall stay. Wisconsin is important, but EVERYONEs vote is. We need to flip the Senate. But you know this.
Stay well. Stay away. This will change how we do things, but we will learn from what the medical and Science communities are discovering about this pandemic.
Hugs.
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