My daughter has told me that I need to get off of Facebook. Peoples' posts are making me a crazy woman!!! Rather than "go off" on someone on FB, I'll just post my thoughts here!! It's my blog so I can do and say what I want to- Right?
Dr. T and I had a trip planned to go to Texas all next week to visit family. My sister and her husband have gone to Astro's Spring Training every year for over 20 years. I was going so that my parents wouldn't be alone for 2 weeks. We were going to also stop by the Dallas area and visit Dr. T's family.
My sister and her husband knew at the beginning of this week, Monday, March 9 that they needed to make a decision on their trip. She and I talked... what are the knowns... but it was the unknown that was the most troubling. Luckily, she once again listened to that Still Small Voice (which I 100% believe is the Holy Spirit in our lives). They canceled their trip. It just wasn't worth it to them to get to Florida and not know how things would be.
She called me the day that MLB canceled everything. They would have been in the air the moment the decision was announced. She was so thankful they made the call to cancel.
We were to leave today (Friday, March 13) for Texas. We were driving so the chance of being around someone with the virus was even less. However, one day this week, a woman approached me and a couple of friends. After she had been around us a while, she said, "Well, I'm under self-quarantine because I was in Seatle a while ago." Really?- you're under self-quarantine until you need to run an errand? I don't think that is how it works.
It was then that I made the decision to not go see my family. I would leave it up to Dr. T as to whether or not we went to see his. I couldn't risk other people having the same attitude as my self-quarantine encounter. And, my Still Small Voice was saying, "Don't go."
Dr. T and I were on the same page when he got home from work. The situation was changing every few hours. It wasn't worth it for us to go to Texas. We canceled our plans.
Since that decision, our Govoner in New Mexico has gone from requesting people to not travel outside of the state of NM, to also requesting that if people do travel, they self-quarantine for 2 weeks when they return to the state. Again, I know that many people will not adhere to her requests, but Dr. T and I have made a commitment to do what is asked of us.
There are too many people like the man flying from NY to West Palm Beach who hadn't gotten his test results back until he was on his flight. What was he thinking? You can read about it HERE.
This is a serious matter, Folks!!!
Here is my Rant:
1- I'm tired of people not understanding what Novel means- "new and not resembling something formerly known or used" from Mirriam Webster. So, please stop saying that the Corona Virus has been around for a long time. This is a NEW one. There are and have been many uncertainties surrounding it.
2- I'm tired of hearing that the response to this virus is "Ridiculous" and you are "over it." Get a grip!!! Dr. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has repeated over and over that this virus is 10 times more deadly than the seasonal flu. Where did you get your specialization in Infectious Diseases? Is it because it is the elderly who are the most adversely affected that you don't want to disrupt your life for a few weeks? I know that if it were affecting children more, there wouldn't be moms planning pizza parties now that schools have been closed. One resource-HERE
3- STOP comparing this to past epidemics like H1N1. It is not the same. I lived with a child in high school in Texas during H1N1. Some schools did close to stop the spread. SOURCE. According to this source, "In the fall of 2009, 108 campuses with an estimated total enrollment of over 29,000 students reported closures." These Texas closures were even mentioned as a positive example in stopping the spread during a press conference in New Mexico this morning. Also, for some reason, testing for H1N1 was readily available. I don't know why I just know that was the case because I had a family member get tested at a clinic in the small town we lived in. We had the results within a few minutes that she was positive. Novel Covid-19 has been a "silent spread" in our country for weeks. We just got the test available in New Mexico this week. We have no idea how many people have it because the guidelines for testing have been so strict. SOURCE
4- How is the media hyping this when they are reporting what the CDC and other agencies are sending out to the American public? We have 24/7 access to news and information. That isn't NBC, CBS, ABC or Fox et al fault. It is the nature of our society today.
5- I'm really sorry that your life has been disrupted. I truly am. Can you please for a few weeks stop thinking about yourself and think about the total good of our country? We do not have the medical facilities to handle this outbreak if we do not "flatten the curve." SOURCE
I so wish I could find the article that I read late one night this week that talked about this. I know this may seem a bit dramatic, but one of the lines of the article said something to this effect...
Your grandfather was asked to go to war.
You are being asked to stay home.
I love this country!!! I want to do what I can to keep families from losing loved ones. I want to do what I can to keep people from getting sick. I WILL do what I can...
I Will Stay Home
This Novel Covid 19 situation is so fluid. It seems that hard decisions are having to be made by our political figures every few hours. Pray for them. Don't disparage them on social media. They are not making these decisions to make your life miserable. They are looking at the greater good of your town, state, and country!! Let's all give each other some GRACE.
On a much lighter note. As you know, I love following Design Mom who is now living in Normandy, France. She shared her grocery store experience yesterday. There was no shortage of toilet paper or other items, except, she noticed that vinegar was very low. After she got home, she realized, that most people in France prefer to use vinegar to clean their homes. So, let's not lose our wits (or any word you can think of that rhymes with wits). We are Americans. We will get through this. And, if we are patient, kind, caring, we might just come out on the other side better people in the process.
I am controlling what I can control. I'm praying. I'm staying at home. I'm doing anything else my elected officials ask of me. After I post this, I'm getting off of Facebook.
Will you join me?
