Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Living Life on Life's Terms - Covid-19

I was a sick kid. I was hospitalized with pneumonia twice before I'd even turned 8. I got weekly gamma globulin shots because my immune system sucked.

The second hospitalization, I was diagnosed with asthma and sent to a specialist. I was never hospitalized for sickness again after that, but because my mom had watched me get sicker and sicker and felt more and more helpless, she took out all the stops to keep me well.

I remember in kindergarten the children would line up for a drink at the drinking fountain, and the teacher would get a disposable cup that my mom had provided for me and I got a drink from my cup.

I wasn't allowed to go outside and play when it was cold. I wasn't even allowed to go to class out in the mobile trailer. Instead, I stayed inside my classroom and teachers in neighboring classrooms would keep an eye on me.

I saw my 2nd grade teacher at my nieces wedding when I was in my late 30s and she told me how worried they'd been for me when I was a kid, and that so often my complexion wasn't a healthy pink, but grey.

My mom and my teachers were invested in my health, but in spite of that, I always felt different.

Fast forward to today with covid.
I am astonished that people refuse to wear a mask to protect themselves and others.
I am astonished that people can't sit their butts at home and find things to do there.
I am astonished that people look for conspiracy theories and disregard scientist and medical doctors.
I am astonished.

I think that I, as a child, behaved more adultlike than I see adults behaving.

I am astonished that during a pandemic people are behaving business as usual. People are dying of this disease, and even if they don't die, they are left with long-term health issues that are going to impact their lives for the foreseeable future.

I have never been as appreciative of my mom and the adults around me supporting me in my health as I am now. I am grateful that I learned that to live my best life I needed to lessen my risk.
I have no trouble finding things to do at home - 4 grandkid quilts are finished and I'm working on a 5th.
I have read books and listened to audio books while I sew.
I have watched a slew of tv shows and movies.
I have done yard work.
I have learned about zoom and see my friends at zoom meetings several times a month.
I am currently training to be an Education for Ministry mentor for online groups.
I talk to my family on the telephone and my adult kids and I play games as a family on zoom and other online platforms.
I keep in contact with friends on facebook, text, and phone, and have a twice monthly book group zoom meet up.

Each week, Steve and I do an online order with our local grocery store and pay a person to shop for and deliver the groceries.
Occasionally we place a telephone or online order with a local restaurant and then pick up the order and bring it home.

It is really not that difficult to invest in your/my health. It takes planning and looking at things in ways outside of the norm. It takes self-care and being adaptable. But it simply means living life on life's terms and finding the gratitude in it.

Hey, if a kid can appear different to others, an adult sure can too! Especially since we're all in this together.
♥ Melody

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