How Are You Coping With Social Distancing?

How’s this “Social Distancing” working out for you? I’m hearing different reactions from friends and family; for those who find social interaction difficult and fraught with anxiety the order to stay inside and away from others comes as a relief, for the extroverts who thrive on frequent contact with others it’s agonizing and anxiety-producing. 

The barrage of conflicting information on the COVID-19-all-the-time news channels doesn’t help. If you’re symptom-free can you go out if you stay away from everyone, or must you stay in? This changes by the hour. My own sense is that it is safer to stay in and protect yourself. 

Smokey's reaction to no cat fud!

We'd had very cold temperatures (-24 C, -11 F daytime highs) and heavy snow in the days leading up to the appearance of the first cases here. I had a doctor’s appointment and went to the pharmacy afterward. I am always careful to use hand sanitizer after visiting these places. But two days later I woke up with a very sore throat and a fever. I’d not yet done my grocery shopping for the week, which requires driving 26 miles and traipsing around a very large store. The pantry was empty, and we were down to a few cans of cat food and a few cups of dry food. 

That was 11 days ago and I’ve been ‘sick-like-dog’ in the meantime. Not C-19 thankfully, or so I’m assuming. I don’t have symptoms close enough to even call the hotline. Yes, I’ve coughed a bit, had some fever, it hurts to breathe. I didn’t sleep at all a couple of nights, just sat in my rocker with the heating pad, wrapped in a blanket and listened to a lot of music on YouTube. Drinking hot broth and taking handfuls of supplements, including those which help the immune system. 

I may have a mild case but if so I am protecting the rest of the population by staying in and away from everyone else. Leave the tests for people who have definite symptoms and really need medical care. Tony shows no signs of catching it so far, a good thing. We are both in the highest risk category, I’m over 70, he’ll be 80 on his next birthday and we both have serious medical conditions.  

I ordered my groceries online and bless him, Older Son drove a round trip of 150 km to deliver them to us. He brought them in and sat them on the kitchen floor wearing a mask and gloves, shoveled the walks and went on his sweet way. He’s a good boy.  

Thankfully as we’re happy with our own company as can be. We’re like a couple of old scholars sharing the same hut, each to his own side. When passing, we give each other a respectful bow, murmur Namaste and scurry past. (Where’s that laughing-until-you-cry emoji when you need it? We may be old but we’re not dead - yet.) However, I am too sick for that kind of fun right now dang it all. 

So, how are you coping with the social-distancing? You using the time to spring-clean, playing games with the kids, working on your juggling skills, going stir-crazy? Let me know. Being sick is so booorrring.