Social Distancing

My mom is in LA, all alone.  Her housekeeper/companion Chayo has been sick for several weeks now, and the worst thing she could do is come back to help my mom before she is 100%.  In the mean time, my mom has been alone and self isolating for over 2 weeks.  She is not living in fear, but is smart enough to know that listening to the professionals is her best chance of staying healthy.

When we first started to self isolate, I suggested that she come here and stay with us.  She was right.  That would have been a bad idea.  We don't even have a separate bedroom for her, she would have had to bring her dog Captain, and it would have been very difficult.  She is safest in her own home, where she is comfortable, but lonely. 

Our family tries to keep in close contact with her.  I call twice a day as do other family members, and the grand kids and great grand kids Facetime often.  She has Netflix, and reads the NY Times from cover to cover every day.  As she says, she stretches out activities that used to take a few minutes to much longer.  She says, and I agree, that you get into a slower routine and actually get used to it. 

When you live to 96+ as she has, you have seen a lot.  Depression, many wars, several recessions, and great economic booms.  She says she has never seen anything like this.  Is she fearful of getting the virus?  No, she is not.  She knows she is doing all the right things, and that's all she can do.  I feel the same. 

I wish we had a little more information on how Covid 19 is transmitted, how long it stays active on surfaces, etc., but we don't, and we won't know for a while.  In the meantime, we need to self isolate as much as possible.  The worst thing would be to allow businesses to open too soon, allow people to congregate in large numbers before the virus is under control.  We know that the virus can come back and we have to make very sure we are out of the woods before opening up communities again.  If not, it could be additional months before we end this pandemic. 

I admire those on the front line, the nurses, doctors and all their support staff, who are risking their lives everyday, many with inadequate PPE.  (personal protective equipment).  I also admire all those that are staying home, self distancing and helping to stomp out this virus.  Those that aren't doing what professionals say is imperative are making things worse.  Not only are they endangering their own lives, but they may be endangering the lives of their family, friends and strangers.  We're all in this together and we all need to follow the guideline.