Corona Virus

Every couple of years, it seems like there is some national event in the news that's SO BIG that I touch on it here in my blog.  While this one seems to be the biggest, I'm mentally exhausted just thinking about it and have ZERO desire to put words on a page about it, but I know for posterity's sake it should be included in my blog book.  I'll have to make another post this week (if I have time) to write about what we've been up to for the past few weeks *and St. Patricks Day* but for now it's all about COVID-19.

Here's the thing; we've HAD the Corona Virus in our midst for years.  Look on the back of all your Lysol containers and they'll say they kill the 'Corona Virus.'  But THIS is a mutation of that virus. This is the "new" Corona Virus, or the "novel" Corona Virus. One we have never had before, so we have ZERO immunity to it. Everyone has zero immunity- everyone IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD! 

Back in December/January they started talking about it in China- this strange virus that everyone was contracting.  Lots of Corona beer memes were made, lots of polite chit-chat about it here in the United States...  But in Wuhan, China (where it originated because someone ate a RAW BAT!!!!), everyone was catching it so in mid-January China started telling people they couldn't leave their homes.  The streets of the busiest cities in the country were empty. Thousands died. They couldn't control it.  Everyone was quarantined and on lock-down until mid-February and JUST NOW they are starting to get back on track- day by day.  The rest of the world watched from afar- we banned travel to and from there- and even though we felt really sorry for them, we also felt safe.  Here. Across the world in the United States of America, healthy as could be....until we weren't. It suddenly wasn't contained within their borders.  It spread to Korea, the Middle East, Italy, and Europe.  Italy became so infected so quickly that they had to shut-down the ENTIRE COUNTRY as well.  Italian hospitals have to choose who to save and who to let die because they have no room in their hospitals.  No travel in or out.  Borders closed.  A country in solitary confinement.  But because we were an Ocean away, we were still safe... 

Until someone from somewhere across the world caught the virus.  That someone flew to the United States.  That someone sneezed, or coughed, or touched a public door knob somewhere.  And another person caught that virus from the 1st person and then another, and another until the domino effect happened swiftly; that virus from across the world that we thought would NEVER reach us, reached us.  Suddenly there was case after case here in the United States. It spread like wildfire.  A few cases turned into a few hundred and then into a few thousand.  Our great country went on lockdown.  Flights are cancelled. People have started dying.  The world wide count of deaths is 7,000+.  Schools are shut down for who knows how long.  Restaurants, parks, bars, gyms, museums, aquariums, libraries, offices....Everything is shutting down.  The Masters is canceled. March Madness quit. The NBA stopped their season! We are in quarantine in our homes and they keep saying "practice social-distancing." "WASH YOUR HANDS!" "Stay away from crowds of more than 10."  "NO play-dates."  "No birthday parties."  NOTHING.  We are stuck.  And we are panicked.  Stores have sold out of Toilet Paper across the country.  Lysol is non-existent.  Hand soap is scarce. There are NO baby wipes.  Formula is hard to find.  Forget about buying your kids ibuprofen/Tylenol.  It's not in stock.  Online is out of everything too. Produce?  Gone.  Movie theaters have locked their doors.  The bread aisles are empty.  We are told NOT to travel for leisure.  Emergencies only.  Only leave the house for walks outside, grocery shopping or doctor appointments.  Nothing else.  I am panicked because I have a family of 5 to support.  I have to buy them necessary things like Toilet Paper and Ibuprofen and fruits and veggies.  I have to be able to have their needs met (like every other parent in the world) and what if I can't?  I'm so worried! And you know what else I'm worried about?  That my dear grandparents might contract this.  It makes me sick to think about.  I'm not scared of contracting the virus myself (it's being compared to the flu and only dangerous for the elderly or people with respiratory/ immune problems {I've been told Sully will be fine}). I'm scared of the global pandemic- the state of emergencies, the empty store shelves, the soon-to-be packed hospitals, the sheer panic and hysteria and chaos.  That's what doesn't sit well with me.  I am panicking because every minute of every day is unknown right now and I'm REALLY bad with the unknown.  Like, really, really bad.  I had a real life panic attack last night.  I know the scriptures say not to be afraid.  But I am so afraid.  Shawn has been gone for 3 weeks now (besides on the weekends) and it just feels like a lot for me being home alone with the kids trying to keep it together.  He was in NYC 3 days before they declared a state of emergency and shut down everything.  I watched him like a hawk for Covid symptoms because I know that every day for 4 days he walked miles around the city after he would get off work.  But as of now, he still has none.  

We have been to the doctor twice since the outbreak in the U.S. happened.  Both doctors told us not to panic about the severity of it.  But today at Lucy's weight-check appointment (more on that in another blog soon to come!) the doctor said she doesn't expect schools to reopen on April 6th like they have planned.  She said the country hasn't even reached the peak of it yet.  It will be at least another week (probably 2) before we hit the peak and can start to come back down... slowly though. Some are wondering if school is done for the year.  As in, it's Summer break 2 months early.  No make-up work is necessary.  No online lessons.  Nothing.  The teachers are not allowed on campus so they can't prepare lessons.  And since some kids don't have access to online lessons, they can't make mandatory assignments for everyone.  So we just sit and wait. And sit and panic.  And sit and worry.....

And that's where we are right now.  The country is shut down for the most part, but they are not silent. Turn on the news, go to any social media outlet there is, listen to the radio, go online- every single headline is about the Corona Virus.  Everyone is sharing pictures of their empty store shelves and the empty streets.  We are getting bombarded with emails of all of the current closures, all school and recreational sports are temporarily (or permanently depending on how this plays out) over.  Prom and Graduation might be cancelled. Everything has been paused or shut down.... But not silenced.  And the loudness of the hysteria over this virus is what scares me :(

Please just pray.  That's all we can do.