Text Only

How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.

<strong>Everything is scary when you have COVID risk factors and are vulnerable.</strong> This week I decided not to go in-person to <strong>my annual physical,</strong> but to rather do that by video chat. It actually worked out well. But then <strong>the gas company knocked</strong> on my door unannounced and <strong>an unmasked technician wanted access to my house</strong> – my sanctuary – my safe place. I did not let him in. Then – my service light came on in <strong>my car</strong> – another sanctuary and safe place. I <strong>needed service</strong> and there was no alternative to that. So… I braced myself, used sheets to cover my front seats, and packed up my cleaning supplies. I stayed outside in the hot sun as my car was serviced, but even though I was in the far corner of a parking lot, <strong>it was hard to avoid unmasked people</strong> who had no regard for my safety. It was <strong>almost like they came near me for no reason and on purpose. It was enraging</strong> – but there was nothing I could do but to try to move farther away from them. When my car was done, I pulled out the cleaning supplies and cleaned off all the interior surfaces, aired out the car, and removed the sheets before driving home with the windows open. I feel like I did everything I could possibly have done – but it was unnerving and very stressful. It was a greater level of risk than I am used to so that was hard. I was exhausted when I got home – but changed my clothes and showered before I did anything else. Now that our disease numbers are good for the time being, I feel that I should take care of things to avoid problems when things get bad again. But in order to do that I have to leave my comfort zone… and that is really hard to do.