Let’s be honest. Our generation will never forget March 2020. Or, the years after that, for that matter. So, I was looking back through the archives and felt compelled to share my raw, gutteral notes from the thick of it. Below is my pandemic notes from March 2020, right as the world was shutting down and we had no idea that we would be reeling from the after effects, still, three years later. Holy cow.
3/18/20, Covid-19’corona virus outbreak
No individuals more than 10 in one place, 6 feet apart, flatten the curve. Election primaries. Trump is horrifying. Quarantines. Peter and Emily (close family) lost their jobs. Work from home indefinitely. Isolations, toilet paper, stores running out of supplies, Amazon has no items, in home daycare with my cousin’s 2 kids.
On top of this- find out Pooks school has hand foot mouth. Keep her home all week, Bunny is sick- not risking his exposure.
By Wednesday 3/4 Bunny still heads to the doctors office followed by ER that night – croup. Respiratory treatment and steroid. Couldn’t believe how scary the peds ER was that night. Everyone was on ventilators. The nurse looked us dead in the eye and told us not to bring anything that we had with us that night into our home. Not even the diaper bag. She told us to declothe in the garage and go straight to the shower, put everything in the washer. Thursday stayed home. Friday we’re at the doctor again for a follow up. Somehow while there, we picked up stomach flu- by Sunday me and Bunny are puking – like projectile status, and have it coming out the other end too. By Tuesday hubs has it. Work cancels Annual Meeting, unprecedented. Disney closes its doors. Unprecedented. Bunny now gets stomach virus back – Wednesday back at doctor, Thursday he pukes all over me at 5am, I still feel like shit. Stay home. Friday 3/14, Italy shits down, Spain shuts down. China been shut down. Corona virus everywhere, trump declares state of emergency, schools shut down everywhere until April, all concerts and events cancelled. Little did I know at the time, but it would be my last time stepping foot in that office for a very long time.
On that final Friday, D Day, my Dad calls- says he has prostate cancer. Starting treatment immediately, 7/10 on scale “Gleason”. 2 is normal, 4 is bad. His levels were at 37.5. Frustrated that he hasn’t taken care of himself has known about this for a while but didn’t have health insurance. But still votes republican like an idiot. This is what’s wrong with America! Finally got insurance when heard how bad it was in December. I’m furious. Will need to start chemotherapy and radiation immediately; will begin shot treatments to try to kill all cells floating around his body. Took 12 samples 10 had cancer. By Monday all restaurants and bars are closed can only do take out.
Bunny is sick again- this time pouring runny nose, can’t stop coughing. Moving to teleconference and not allowing patients in office unless emergency or sending to Er. Prescribe meds for him over the phone, on antibiotic and steroids again. Starts to have croup cough again. Get call on Wednesday from my cousin- the oldest kid is puking. It’s somewhere in our house! No matter how much we clean it just keeps spreading. Famous people everywhere are getting it, Tom hanks, senators, basketball players. My bff is home, thinks sister has it, has all the symptoms. Mom is stuck in Saudi Arabia until probably June. World is literally going crazy. People disgust me- their selfishness and neglect for others.
Can we just hit the reset button on March? Hello on 2020? Started off year with my aunt’s partner dying unexpectedly. Work has been crazy- cousin no job, everyone stressed and panicked about money and time and jobs- everyone is depressed.
I’m trying to hold it together. Grateful that I have a job and so does hubs. Grateful that we are able to work from home and support our family. Grateful that I am a crazy grocery shopper and mikes always telling me I buy more than we need for a week but now we are not stressed or worried or needing to go out into the crowds exposing our families because we don’t need anything. Grateful that we are able to loan family money if they need it. Grateful to be together with my family and watch over my mom and the kids and my cousins kids and support each other. Just so lucky. So lucky to have access to medicine and internet and resources and choice.
Wondering what’s going to happen next. Adam Ezra, our favorite singer, live on Facebook concerts every night at 6pm, dance parties is the living room. News said today that people in Venice are able to see the bottom of the canals for the first time in “who knows how long”.
Wanting to document little things- aerobics instructor going on roof of building for quarantined people in Spain to do exercise from their balconies. People singing every night from balconies in Siena, Italy to be together. Donating to good causes. Supporting local businesses. Companies paying for their employees even when their buildings are closed. Grocery store and pharmacy workers working around the clock. Starbucks. Netflix started a social distancing party to watch shows with friends from home. Museums doing virtual tours. Operas playing their full shows for free. So smart!
Here we go I guess. Wish us luck.
If you like what you’re reading, make sure to subscribe to the blog!
Follow us on Instagram & Pinterest here for more content like this!
