I woke up this morning and realized today is a much better day than yesterday......
I couldn't get over how many of you reached out to me ..... how many of you offered email addresses... invited me into your every day life ... making me feel less isolated. I can't thank you enough for your suggestions on how to handle anxiety - especially through this corona virus.
There was something I didn't share with you yesterday........ I think it was the big trigger for my anxiety......... Sir Steve had a snuffly nose on Wednesday night and again yesterday. My stomach went into knots... logic didn't enter into the equation at all. But talking with Fondles helped me put things in perspective --
1) there are NO cases of Covid 19 in our town.
2) Sir Steve drives himself to work and in his office there are only 6 employees - none of whom have travelled outside the country in the last month
3) spring arrived early here and maybe / probably his snuffles were due to allergies
4) we have been taking precautions - self distancing /hand washing etc for almost 2 full weeks.
Then last night I noticed he wasn't snuffling - I asked - Sir Steve said 'yup the sniffles had gone'. YAY!!
And one other thing happened that I think has helped......
I realize there are a lot of folks who really don't understand the seriousness of this pandemic -- BUT -- their attitude doesn't change my life..... I am still in control of my health by self distancing - shopping first thing in the morning when the shops are offering 'senior's only shopping' -- and if it takes longer to get the virus under control - months and months I will be ok.. I am in control of MY life and am trying to accept I can't control anyone else. (even though it makes me really angry and I want to shake them -- do you know I actually read some guy's statement that the people dying from this were over 60 -- so? shrug - they're old anyway!!)
Anyway - thank you all for being there .. for commenting and making me feel so much less isolated.
Life is good when you can find some joy .. some hope.. and determination!
I've been hearing that around the place - that it's "only" old people - hate to point out first of all that the majority of people being hospitalized in the States (just read an article) are under 44 - this pandemic doesn't differentiate .... also sad that people would say that - because ultimately it is their parents and grandparents who are dying.
ReplyDeleteTruthfully, the people I find most careless where I am here in Brockville are seniors! I see them out and about and just came back from my ONE weekly run to Wal-Mart - there are FOUR huge RVs in the parking lot - no one in them - which means they are IN WALMART SHOPPING ... .probably snowbirds! So much for self-isolation. Wal-mart has marked out distances at the cash - and the cashiers are wearing gloves and "sanitize" once an hour they told (and saw several doing that)- BUT saw tons of stocking people with no gloves.
As you said, though, we can only control ourselves. I put fresh gloves on, brought my lysol wipes. Once I got back to the car, degloved, new lysol wipes for everything I touched. When I got back, used wipes (pure bleach slightly diluted with water - my own spray) and using FRESH gloves again, wiped down every single item I brought in - took them out of boxes/bags and put in a fresh blue bag which I brought directly out to the recycling. then of course full 5 minutes of handwashing!
I am truly NOT paranoid- just being sensible!
I am so glad you are feeling better, a little more in control. Hopefully, this distancing will help stem the tide faster. I keep wondering about wearing the dollar store stretchy gloves when I am out and washing them when I come home, I wonder if that would be a good idea?
ReplyDeleteHugs
Boo
Thanks for the shoutout.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're feeling better. Being or feeling isolated can do a real number on a person, and having to deal with previous / existing issues like anxiety makes it way worse.
As I've said, I'm always there if you want to vent or just share - and this invitation goes out to anyone else reading this.
It's important to take care of your mental health too, everyone, so please stay connected via text / email / messenger etc. We have tech now, unlike in the past.
Use it wisely.
As for the wiping down of products etc, its not as necessary if you practise good personal hygiene.
What I *DO* recommend is dumping everything on a designated counter / table when you get home from the grocers.
THen leave it there and go wash ur hands with soap and water and if possible, change out of your clothes - chuck them in the laundry basket and take a quick shower. No need to wash your hair if you wear it long, but a quick rinse with soap and water will help a lot.
Then get into some clean clothes and wipe down your groceries with an antibacterial wipe or just a wet cloth as water DOES break down (albeit slowly) the membrane that protects the virus. and without that protective membrane the virus cant survive outside a living host (aka the human body).
Eventually viruses will die. and as long as you're not touching your face you should be generally safe.
I'm not sure gloves will help because at the end of the day you're just transferring whatever is on them to another surface anyway. (As in the case of the stackers / cashiers in the store - unless they change gloves after handling EVERY single item, it's not going to make a difference so don't worry about the stackers not wearing gloves.)
Don't wash your hands for too long. 20-30 seconds is great. Excessive washing can cause the skin to dry out and create little fissures in the surface of your skin, which makes it in fact EASIER for germs / viruses to penetrate.
So wash with mild soap and water, but not more than 30 seconds.
And whenever possible slap on some moisturiser to keep your skin moist.
I hope this helps. To those of you who have not visited before, feel free to come over to my blog where I've got lots of links / updates etc on this COVID thing. (I'm not trying to get numbers, really, I promise. I'm just appalled at the amount of misinformation out there and I'm trying to help sort out the facts from the rubbish.)
Hi Morningstar,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you feeling better. I can certainly understand your anxiety given the symptoms Sir Steve was showing. So glad to hear he is better. Fondles is a fantastic friend, source of information and voice of reason for all of us at the moment. Not to mention a huge support.
I am so glad we have this place to share and support each other.
Hugs
Roz