If you’ve been reading my blog, you will know I am living my dream life of travel.  COVID-19 is a hiccup in my dream.  Hiccup doesn’t come close to describing what is happening to my dream.

I find I have questions that cannot be answered.  We are not meant to be unsocial.  I was watching a special on TV tonight for Kenny Rodgers.  There was a tribute video of Kenny Rodgers and Lionel Richie singing “Lady”. While singing, Kenny and Lionel hugged.  Even knowing this video was taped way previous to COVID-19, I got this uneasy feeling watching them hug and everyone in the audience being so close to each other.  Will we ever feel comfortable hugging again or in a room with a group of people.  I know handshakes are being replaced with elbow bumps.

It’s getting more real every day as now I am starting to personally know people affected by this horrible hidden enemy.  A young friend is pregnant with her third child.  Her firefighter husband was diagnosed positive.  They are separated and they are doing worse mentally than physically.  Stay strong girlfriend and know we love you.

Two more friends are positive.  A dear friend and her husband.  This dear friend of mine wrote something on FaceBook so I am sure she won’t mind me sharing it with my readers.  Not only is she suffering from the passing of her mom, but she is also suffering from COVID-19.

She wrote: 

I have something very important to share. I am positive with COVID-19. We got together with 6 friends on Saturday night March 21 to have a small dinner to honor my mom. Everyone felt we’d all been careful, no exposure and we’d be fine. The end of the story four of us have officially tested positive for COVID-19 and the state health officials feel Frank and another spouse are most certainly positive—6 positives.  My reason for sharing this story is the exposure started with a simple lunch on March 16 where congressman Mike Kelly was showing some mild flu-like symptoms that have since described in the paper and he’s tested positive. Our friends never suspected the exposure. I was exposed to them on Tuesday and Wednesday and In the meantime, I’d been one of two families permitted into the locked-down nursing home because mom was one of two patients on end of life hospice. I feel horrible because I could have unknowingly exposed the nursing home and my mom and family and her visitors. Fast forward to Dinner March 21, mom’s service March 23 mine and Franks symptoms started March 25 and neighbor admitted to hospital the same day where they have tested him. His results took 9 days coming back positive on April 4. In the meantime, Frank and I have been extremely sick and I also was diagnosed with Bacterial Pneumonia on April 3. My neighbor was also very sick so we were both tested at MedExpress on April 4 and got the positive confirmation in 5 days on Wednesday, April. Her husband drove to Butler and had to lie to get tested, his results took three days and were positive as well.  We are all starting to recover but the bacterial pneumonia is really giving me a run for my money. I’m on an Albuterol nebulizer and oxygen and lots of antibiotics. It’s been a long three weeks.  My caution—unknowingly, I could have exposed the nursing home and it’s caring staff, my brothers and their families, the funeral home staff, the grocery store, Lowe’s, my dear friends at the farm, my very special park coworkers cause I was in the building and lord knows how many others. I was social distancing but good god!!! Please everyone be safe—behave as if you are positive at all times.  I’m sorry for the length of this post, but if it nails it home to a few friends and lives saved, I’ve been successful. This is scary shit and I’ve never felt like I was going to die like I did with this. My dear Dr. Mary has saved me and I’m forever indebted to my dear Frank.