Once the kids began school, I jumped into the volunteer helper role pretty quickly because I wanted to stay active and close to them. I was a homeroom mom several years for several grades helping their teachers with activities such as projects and field trips. I volunteered in the cafeteria, helped with fundraisers large and small, and from pre-K through high school, I was happy to use my creativity to help both our schools and our church as the yearbook committee chairperson and as a member of our church choir.
With the passage of time and the growing up of my kids, plus the added aspect of this crazy world where everything feels off, imbalanced and full of so much confusion, I felt a pull to reenter a ministry that I hadn’t been actively involved in for years: that being the PRO-LIFE movement.
For years prior to our having a family, Bruce and I were actively involved as trained counselors at a crisis pregnancy center in Northern Virginia. Over the years as our family grew, I would step in to help with office and newsletter work at our local center here in Jacksonville, but I hadn’t stayed consistently involved having been so busy with our young children. But the time felt right to put myself back in the role of pro-life counselor. I contacted our local center, met with the director and some of the other staff members, became familiar with recent industry practices and protocols, and read up on everything. I went through training and shadowing of other counselors and then began to help women in crisis
What an honor and humbling experience this decision has been. Many people that come to our center are simply in need of a proof of pregnancy form signed by a healthcare professional so that she can apply for Medicaid. But, as expected, many come in out of fear that they are facing an overwhelming situation that was not expected.
As counselors, we are faces and voices of nonjudgmental people who understand, who listen, the repeat back what our clients are telling us so they know that they are being heard and understood. We assure each person who has come to us for help that she is safe, she is validated, supported and she is not alone. We offer a vast amount of information and resources for her to make an INFORMED DECISION if she is experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. Each person is completely individual in social and health situation, history, family dynamic and either family support or lack thereof. Ultimately, we provide food for thought and enough support that decisions can be made. Faith is a component of our counseling session if the client has expressed religious beliefs while we talk about her options.
This role is difficult and wonderful at the same time. It’s frightening. Before entering the counseling room each time, I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide my words. I pray for each client and for the baby she is carrying. I am in awe and very humbled that God can use me as his instrument to help another woman in need. For now, I will volunteer a full day, once per week, and we’ll see where this may lead.
Well, it’s been a year, folks! And here we are, one year since the start of spring break 2020 when so many questions were flying around about what was going on … what were we all going to do? Would we keep the kids home from school for a while? What about our jobs? How long was all of this going to last? Sigh. You know what I mean.
Just like everyone else, we just didn’t know what was out in front of us. There were so many questions, and there was so much to worry about.
If you keep up with my blog or if you scroll down and catch up, you’ll learn that we experienced COVID-19 in this family in a very serious way … just as so many families did. And in the beginning, we all felt stopped in our tracks, stunted, somewhat paralyzed and all harboring a constant level of fear and worry.
But as time went by, the Pitre family started to breathe and decided to stretch our legs, open our windows, and get back into life.
Never intending to debate political items on this blog (or anywhere, really … it’s not my thing), my take on wearing masks have never been one of “YES”, and the reason for that stems from my life as an asthmatic and from my knowledge and education in an aspect of medical field with focus on health and wellness. Our bodies were created to breathe, and not to live behind pieces of cloth that prevent sufficient and healthy oxygen intake and which cause us to breathe in our own bacteria, causing respiratory and pulmonary disease. However, my family and I complied with the safety mandates issued for protection out of respect for other people, businesses we entered, and so on. I absolutely was not (and am still not) a fan of long-term wear for health reason of the wearer, which was one reason I kept my youngest boys (our 3rd twin set) home from school all last fall.
But, time proved that our boys needed to return to school for both academic (Benjamin) and social (Sean) reasons. I know our college kids Erin and Brandon have had a touch time maneuvering college classes completely online, sometimes not moderated by any teacher or professor at all.
So our youngest boys returned to school after Christmas break, and have been doing very well. I try to put the image of them in masks all day out of my mind. I wash their reusable supply of masks each night in hospital strength antiseptic, and then let a hot dryer kill any remaining bacteria. So far, so good!
So, as we rounded the turn of 2020 to 2021, we exhaled and knew that somehow we’d all get through these very challenging and unique times in our lives. I do look back on 2020 and, although I really didn’t know what was all going to come of this global situation, I’m proud of how most people, once the shock had worn off, went on with life. And so did we.We adjusted … my husband Bruce is still very busily working from home as an architect and project manager of many local hospital projects and attending several meetings per week; the kids are all thriving through the school year; boy scout meetings, projects and camping trips have continued; our middle twin set, Erin and Brandon have each started new jobs; I’ve picked up some consistent contract-based graphic design work for extra income, I’ve studio recorded my updated book TWINS x 3 to be produced as an audiobook hopefully in about a year, and I survived 2 spontaneous shoulder dislocations and a third surgery and extensive rehab on that shoulder. Oh, and my music collaborator Kenny and I completed and released a second album of original music in Nov 2020.
Life continues to go on, and when the bouts of confusion, frustration and disappointment with interruptions occur, I just take a breath, pray for continued discernment, wisdom and the TRUTH, and most of all rely on my firm belief that God has all of this.
We all feel very secure and blessed. Yes, very blessed.
Yes, very blessed.
Life is meant to be lived, come what may. Get out into it. Breathe.
We are sooooo fortunate to live so close to the coast … only 7 miles from the beaches, and oh yes, we enjoy them all year round.
I was so excited when my kids agreed to work on one of the songs on the music album that was released just a few months ago. During 2020, the music always continued. The music performing was very stop and go, hit or miss, but my co-writer and I worked hard and put out a second album in November 2020. I’ve also been working on my updated book’s audio book recording. Completing that project will be jumping to the top of my project priority list soon!
In 2019, I wrote a song called “JUST LIKE THAT” … that life can change in the blink of an eye, but together, we can face anything. How appropriate for 2020. Here are 3 of the six recording harmonies and backup vocals on “JUST LIKE THAT” in the recording studio, Sept 2020.
As a family we hold tight, we pray a lot, we attend Mass online each week, and we get outside as much as possible. Bruce and I need to continue to reassure our kids that things were going to be okay, that no matter what, we stick together, even if things feel unsure and scary. So we keep our projects going, our lives as familiar as possible, and keep the course moving ahead, steady and strong.
Our eldest (1st born/1st set) daughter Kathryn and her fiance Jonathan decided to have a small, private marriage ceremony in Tucson last October (without family because we couldn’t travel), but we will all be going out there this coming autumn for an official marriage blessing and Mass celebrated by Kathryn’s uncle, our family priest (my brother), Scott.
Lauren (2nd born/1st set) lives away from us now in a house here in Jacksonville with two other girls, works full-time from her home office, but spends many weekends here at our home. For a while, when everyone was completely locked down and quarantined, it was torture not being able to be with her. Thankfully, that didn’t last too long. I plan to FINALLY visit my Mom and step-Dad soon, and hopefully we’ll be able to visit Bruce’s family in Louisiana soon, as well. Gosh it’s been 14 months since I’ve hugged my mom.
On a very personal note, this year has been a year of extremely powerful and exponential spiritual growth for me. Never in my life have I prayed, read my Bible (I read the One Year Bible each day) and dug down deeply to gather strength, conviction and determination to live. This past year has magnified and reinforced my dependence on God, and the ever-growing realization that I simply cannot survive and thrive without God’s guidance, comfort and support, but I also know that I can get through anything, that ALL of us can get through anything that this life throws at us, through Christ who’s strength empowers me.
Let’s choose to live with renewed purpose, love and a whole new level of appreciation for each and every person, and every single day.
When the new school year began this year, we parents in the state of Florida were given a choice when considering the threat of contracting Covid 19: do we keep our children home and continue distance learning, or do we equip them with face masks, hand sanitizer, and strict instructions for correct social-distancing practices and send them back to school?
Well, the good news, as I already stated is that here in the state of Florida, we were given the choice to either continue distance learning or allow our children to return to a brick-and-mortar school, back in the classroom. As parents, we should consider either determination of this choice correct. There is no correct or incorrect option considering this choice. The important thing is to choose what is best for your children, for your peace of mind as a parent, and for what you feel is best for your family.
Following the traumatic summer of older son being being very ill with the cornona virus, when August arrived, I was simply not ready to send my youngest two boys back to school for fear that we’d be inviting another case or two of this virus into our family. So we decided to continue distance learning from our home. Sean and Ben have been attending 6th and 7th grade via Microsoft Teams through a secure site on our county school system’s site referred to as “Home Room”. Our teachers (God Bless them all) are teaching students in their classroom along with those who have opted to learn from home.
After a few weeks of adjustments and tweaking, my boys and I fell into a groove of getting up, getting dressed, eating breakfast and then sitting down at 8:30 am to begin their first scheduled classes. The days continue through their classes with a few breaks (and lunch), followed by my orders to “now go out and ride your bikes!” when the school day is over.
As the weeks and months have progressed, I’ve done my best to help each child stay on top of their classwork and homework assignments amid computer issues and internet disruptions. I received many assignment pages to print out, and then to upload once completed. Different teachers approach assignment tasks differently than others, and there have been changes, inconsistencies and problems to solve throughout our experience. It’s been frustrating, and as time has passed, I’ve questioned effectiveness of long-term online learning for my middle-school students. Are my boys truly learning well? Are they able to connect with their teachers, ask enough questions, feel that they are participating and keeping up with the subject matter? In some instances, their grades and my discussions with their teachers have indicated that they are, but in many instances, they’re not.
So I started to weigh the options again between distance learning and possibly returning them to the classroom, and again, I feel very fortunate to live in a state where we currently have the choice between attending school either in the classroom or virtually.
Where I stand today, my plan is to transition our boys back to the classroom after the Christmas break, at the start of this school year’s third quarter. The boys will be equipped with fresh personal protection equipment recommended by a friend who works healthcare, which has successfully protected her and her children so far.
What changed my mind?
I realize that there is a current surge in corona virus cases due to weather changes, as it would align with this year’s flu season, and that I, as a mother, must do everything I can to protect my children. And as parents, we must take into account all factors of our children’s well-being. I’ve realized that as the school year has progressed, my boys have demonstrated the symptoms of isolation, of frustration, irritability, most likely due to their lack of socialization. I’ve begun to wonder if my desire to keep them from getting ill from this virus (a survivable virus in more than 99% of cases) has been causing my children harm and in more ways than the virus, if they were to contract it, would.
I feel slightly more confident to move in this direction of sending them back to school for two reasons. 1- it appears evident that the virus is mutating and weakening. Those that I personally know who have become ill, do not appear to be as ill or for the illness to be as long-lasting as it has been in during last winter and in the spring/summer; and 2- therapeutics and medication protocols have tremendously improved as compared to treatment guesses that were enlisted last spring. In fact, therapeutic approaches have improved significantly and are more readily available even compared to July and August when my son Brandon was sick. I plan to continue the preventative measures we have been using for months: Vitamins D and C along with daily zinc supplements together with healthy nutrition and plenty of sleep. And if our two healthy young boys are to contract the virus, we and our doctor know what measures to take for their recoveries.
And if others in our immediate family catch the virus, hopefully we’re young and health enough to manage well.
For now, starting our second school quarter, and as we approach the holidays and the end of this incredible year 2020, we plug along just like everyone else, making the best choices for our families, staying positive and faithful, and looking forward to a safe and healthy 2021!
What are your thoughts on this subject? How are you handling your children’s education today? Please share your comments, questions and thoughts for further discussion!
It’s called a ‘novel coronavirus’ … a “new” virus never experienced before in the history of humankind. Some healthcare professionals say that it is, however, approximately 78% the same as common coronaviruses responsible for common colds and influenza. This number obviously leaves a significant 22% of unknowns, unpredictables and sleepless nights.
I know there are many who have had a much worse experience than we have, families with several members sick at the same time, and the loss of many loved ones. I’m simply sharing our particular, present experience with the hope that something about it can be helpful to someone else.
(Warning:Brief Digression) I have strong beliefs about the evil reasons behind this virus’s very existence, but don’t we all? Being denied access to in-person medical care by our 20-year primary care doctor while Brandon’s status was “positive” (when he needed them the most), as well as being denied access to the until-recently-available, 65-year-old, safe medication that multitudes of passionate, reputable, front-line practicing physicians all over the U.S. have proven can actually prevent (protect), shorten and cure this virus, has been an experience that I find very difficult to accurately and sufficiently describe. I’ve recently contacted our Florida governor, both senators and our district’s house representative to request new legislation that will ensure our rights as citizens the availability of requested medications that are being blatantly withheld. If you agree with me, please contact your legislators, as well. This mother bear has been angered and has been growling for many weeks.
Ok, enough of that.
My objective for this post is to share which therapies we feel have proven beneficial for my son as far as immunity boosters and other medication treatments are concerned. Doctors everywhere are perplexed, so there is little proven (available) protocol to follow yet. So, while following advice from professionals, and through some personal trial and error, parental instincts and common sense, we’ve arrived today at Brandon’s current status of “starting to feel better”.
I am not a doctor, and I am not making recommendations for you nor for your family members. Only you and your doctor know what is best for you. However, the following is a list of supplements/medications that Brandon has taken throughout his journey with this virus, and he is, thankfully slowly recovering.
1— Zinc and Vitamin C The 13.3 mg of zinc found in products such as Cold-eeze, and Airborne, for example taken 4 times per day (with food) has provided a significant decrease in Brandon’s symptoms. Zinc on the vitamin aisle in pill form will provide your full day’s dose with just one tablet. Additional vitamin C is also beneficial for immunity support. He’s been taking Emergen-C Immune which contains 1,000 mg vitamin C.
2— Baby Aspirin One daily dose of an 81 mg baby aspirin seems to have improved and prevented further problems with his circulation. He had complained of cold feet and hands in the beginning. Blood clots are a common occurrence with this virus and can occur when patients are bedridden. For Brandon, X-rays and CT scans (complete with contrast imaging dye injections) at his two ER stays ruled out any blood clots in his lungs, abdomen and extremities.
3— Tylenol (acetaminophen) There was initially the belief that ibuprofen (ex: Advil, Motrin IB) worsened COVID cases and led to many deaths, but later that belief was deemed false. We didn’t want to take any risks, so we simply continued the use of acetaminophen to help reduce fever and body aches.
4— Corticosteroid oral inhaler Qvar RediHaler is an inhaled medication (beclomethasone dipropionate) that Brandon was prescribed last fall to help treat a chest cold. He located his inhaler and started using it from the onset of his COVID symptoms to prevent congestion and possible pneumonia and to encourage lung function to properly continue its ability to effectively oxygenate his blood. I truly believe this inhaled steroid has played a big part in keeping his lungs clear.
5— Albuterol(via nebulizer breathing machine) Due to having six children and many cold and flu seasons, we bought our own nebulizer machine many years ago. We asked our doctor to please prescribe Brandon albuterol sulfate liquid vials for use in the nebulizer. For several weeks, he gave himself nebulizer breathing treatments twice per day or when needed to further aid in bronchial and lung health tissue dilation. He hasn’t needed to use this treatment in the last week.
6— Molecular Hydrogen (dissolving tablets) Dissolved in 16 oz of water and consumed 1-2 times per day, OTC (search online: “molecular hydrogen tabs”) as a powerful method of providing hydration at the very cellular level, and is the most powerful antioxidant on the planet, preventing free radicals from forming which become harmful cells, and destroying the free radicals that already exist. When we hydrate every cell of our bodies, we allow them to work at their full active potential, and we can turn illness around and prevent further disease. I’ve given Brandon this supplement every day since he got sick. He now is a true believer in its benefits.
Sincere Appreciation to Healthcare Professionals
We also depended upon and were eternally grateful for the health care he could received. Thank God the ER doctors and staff came to his rescue twice when he most needed them. They are our heroes, without a doubt. When Brandon received his second consecutive negative COVID test early last week, he was only then finally allowed to see our primary care doctor for an in-person examination. After the examination, the doctor ordered blood work to assess his overall wellness, and prescribed him a broad-spectrum antibiotic to treat a suspected sinus infection which was probably behind his lagging sore throat. Our doctor also prescribed him some further anti-anxiety medication for use only as needed. Anxiety and fear has played an enormous part in all of this, especially at night.
Simon, our family’s rest and recuperation expert and role model
All along, Brandon has remained well-hydrated and well-fed when his appetite allowed. He rests and sleeps as much as he wants to (taking our dog Simon’s nonverbal advice), walks around inside and outside our house to encourage circulation, and to start rebuilding his stamina. When it’s not too hot outside, he opens his bedroom window to bring in fresh air. We’ve isolated him completely, or rather, he self-isolated himself, until he received his second negative test, and we’ve been careful to disinfect surfaces all along.
Although he’s feeling better, reports the return of his ability to smell and taste, and that his hair and nails have begun to grow again, he still says he’s far from “feeling good”. His skin still feels hot and sensitive to warm temperatures (especially around his core), and is peeling in places. He still has joint and muscle pain. His blood test results were given to him over the phone, and indicated that all was normal, with no sign of the COVID virus still in his blood.
We pray that he feels like himself again soon, that he has no long-term health problems as a result of this virus’ effects. It’s clear to us that he had a significant and dangerous case. We know it could have gone in a completely different direction, and we’re so thankful that it didn’t. We pray that no other family members nor friends become infected and sickened, especially those who are older.
We also pray for the thousands people going through this right now. Many homes include multiple sick family members, and it’s so frightening and truly dangerous when the elderly are exposed and sickened.
Many thanks to all who ask for updates, and for your continued prayers. We are blessed that our boy is slowly recovering. Despite the frustrations we all feel about this pandemic, I have no doubt that we will persevere through it. In the meantime, we’re concentrating on taking care of each other, trying to remain patient, praying to God for guidance and protection, and keeping our faith strong.
I want to start out by saying again that we are just one family among millions touched by the effects of this serious pandemic. Because we are living it first-hand on a personal level, however, I feel strongly compelled to share the ongoing experience of our son Brandon’s illness.
During a text conversation with our next-door neighbor, Mary, she told me that she had seen Brandon walking to his car a few days ago. After he’d returned from his virus test appointment last Thursday (which came back negative), he’d parked along the curb in front of our mailbox, and we’d asked him to move his car into our driveway so it was no longer blocking our mail carrier’s access to our mailbox. Mary told me that when she saw him walking, she noticed his shoulders were hunched inward, his head was down, and he was moving very slowly. She expressed to me how much she hated to see him looking so defeated. She called out to him, “Brandon! Come on, stand up straight, pull your shoulders back, you’ve got this!”
He replied to her, “Yeah, I know, but it’s so hard.”
He had shown signs of improvement over this past week, and told me that up until three days ago, he was beginning to feel overall “a lot better”. However, then another dip occurred, one of those dips which we know now is typical for many people who have had this virus. And so we continue to encourage positive self-talk, prayer and patience. While feeling physically weak, and having a hard time enduring as time continues on, he’s also frightened. Doctors admit to being perplexed by the unfamiliarity and unpredictability of this virus. That fact really shakes Brandon’s confidence. I wish I could remove his access to the internet, but any attempts to pry the cell phone from the the fingers of my 20-year-old son, despite his weakened state, just would not end well.
From left to right, Brandon on his 20th birthday in October 2019; his second ER visit July 6, 2020; and today July 18, 2020 while on his “tryna think positive” quest.
Bruce (my rock) and I remind Brandon that although his recovery is slow right now, and that it seems an eternity since he first isolated himself to his bedroom, he is improving. He’s demonstrating a typical saw-tooth, upwardly-trending recovery. We also remind him that things could have gone in a completely different direction. He must stay positive (in mindset, of course, and not in test-result), and this will end soon. He is our miracle. The fact that none of the rest of us have contracted the virus is also a miracle.
So they say that when it rains it pours. Sadly, our daughter Kathryn and her fiancée, Jonathan have decided to postponed their wedding. As the two-month away mark approaches, and the pandemic situation only worsens, it was agreed by all that postponing would be the best decision. However, it was still an emotional, heart-wrenching, and heart-breaking decision for them to make. We do, however, look forward to celebrating with them when there is no longer the worry and threat of this uninvited viral guest, and when all can anticipate and participate in their big day with joy and excitement.
And because things tend to occur in 3’s, my right arm is currently wrapped in an immobilizing sling. My previously twice-dislocated, and twice-operated-upon right shoulder dislocated yet again last Sunday evening, and after two failed ER attempts to relocate it (ouch), I was put under general anesthesia, and it was finally relocated. A third surgery to stabilize this worn-out joint is not far off.
So, the first purpose of this post is to provide an update to everyone who has asked for one, and to ask each of you to please instill in anyone you know who may hold on to the belief that this virus is some sort of game or hoax, that it’s absolutely not. I won’t express my opinion of its WHY or HOW, but I will certainly testify to its reality and to its severity. If my very healthy son can be taken down this way, please consider the health of your family when you go out and socialize, or choose to vacation in Disney World right now.
We are planning for Sean and Benjamin to continue home-learning this fall.
The second and equally-important purpose of this post is to express once again our deepest, most heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has provided us with love, support, a flood of prayers (they are working!), and for the several dropped-off-dinners we’ve appreciated and have enjoyed immensely.
We don’t know how tomorrow will play out. When do we ever know? We do know, however, that God is in control if we allow his grace in our lives during the good and during the difficult. We also hold strong to our faith that in trusting God and in supporting, respecting and loving each other, we will all get through this.
PSA: If my 20-year-old, very fit, active, health-conscious son can become this sick with COVID-19, then everyone PLEASE PAY ATTENTION, including the teenagers and other young adults! This is not a game, this is not fake. Take this SERIOUSLY.
Thank you for checking back in with us. It’s truly incredible how most people today have been directly affected by this pandemic to some degree: lost income, a closed business, inability to travel or see extended family and friends, cancelled plans, school and work-from-home, cabin fever, and, well, constant fear of the unknown. Honestly, our family has experienced all of those aspects on some level these last few months, but no inconveniences or disappointments hit home quite like our son contracting it. My heart goes out to everyone ill or caring for a loved one who is ill with this virus. My son Brandon is sick and he’s still really struggling.
They may be in college now, but they’re forever my little ones. Pictured here are my middle set of twins: Brandon (l), and Erin (r).
Having personally experienced my share of cold/flu viruses over the years, and having cared for our children when they’ve been sick with every common injury and illness, I have some know-how under my belt as far as responding to illnesses in our home. However, this one is not common. It’s not predictable. It’s not familiar. It is uncharted territory, and it’s symptom pattern and behavior are simply mysterious.
So we wait, we monitor, we manage and we pray.
Over the past 11 days since I last posted, Brandon has experienced unfamiliar, unsettling and sometimes frightening symptoms. When he initially began to feel a bit better than he had during the first week and a half, Bruce and I started to breathe easy again. Unfortunately, the relief was short-lived and had us tricked. His symptoms progressed from the initial flu-like fever, aches, cough, lack of appetite, complete lack of senses of smell and taste, headache and fatigue to an increase in appetite, increased energy, and the desire to sit outside for a few minutes every day. But then he took some dips, which we expected based on what others have reported experiencing. Knowing he had now reached the two-week mark, he made himself an appointment to be retested, but there wasn’t an available appointment for a week.
And we wait, we manage, we monitor and we pray.
His last setback started on the Thursday afternoon prior to the 4th of July weekend, and he hasn’t improved since. He hasn’t feel well at all, describing a slightly increased temperature (no higher than 99 degrees), with chills, muscle and joint aches and practically no appetite and now diarrhea. Where he had started several days ago to disinfect his room and bathroom, and had increased energy, everything suddenly regressed. My instincts told me that a possible secondary infection was brewing.
Another, and one of the most difficult, symptom he’s experiencing are enormous ANXIETY attacks. These episodes may be a result of the neurological effects of the virus itself, or a response to all of the other symptoms, but whatever the reason, it’s a real and very challenging symptom, both for the person experiencing it and for those taking care of the person.
Monday morning (today) arrived and at 8am sharp I had him call our doctor’s office and spoke with our family doctor’s nurse who has experienced this virus herself. Because Brandon does not have a negative test status, he cannot be seen by our doctor. Understandably, but incredibly ironic and frustrating because the wait is so long for his retest appointment. As the day has gone on, his stress level, his discomfort and hard-to-describe overall symptoms have worsened, so we called two urgent care facilities, the second of which allowed him to come in and be examined. He’s there right now.
And we continue to wait and pray.
THIS IS DEPRESSING.
In addition to the physical affects that this virus has had on Brandon, he’s also been struggling to keep a positive attitude. Fear can be a powerful force, and as the days and weeks have progressed, his ability to cope has decreased. His anxiety bouts coupled with a deepening depression that he may not recover has gotten a grip on him. We have talks and I try so hard to lift him up, encourage him, comfort him, reassure him, but honestly, I just don’t know. His girlfriend has also been trying to help during long phone conversations.
As a family of faith we hold tight and turn to prayer and scripture. We’ve been referring to verses regarding trust and patience. We’ve also been encouraging anything and everything humorous … movies, series, games. Anything to lift his spirits and take his mind off feeling crappy.
As for me, and please bear with my digression, as this is for all of the women/moms reading this. I’m trying not to, but I’m struggling, too. I’m doing everything I can think of to help my sick child while I try to protect the rest of my family. Some days I’m doing okay. Some days, I wish I was handling it all better. I’ll say again that I know that everyone is suffering from the virus, from the affects of the fear, from the the fighting, from the unrest, and from all of the hate. So, since writing things down is what I do, I’m going to share my feelings here:
I’m worried about my son. I’m worried about my husband and the rest of my children. I’m worried that my mom, my step-dad and my mother-in-law will become ill with this horrible thing. I’m angry because this shouldn’t be happening in the first place. I’m angry at the way people on social media don’t hesitate to express their opinions while they spew insults and disrespect the equally-valid opinions of others. I’m angry that I had to stop working, lose a significant amount of income, and stop moving forward with music and writing projects, plans and goals. I’m heartbroken for my daughter as she tries to plan for a wedding while this ominous gray cloud casts an enormous shadow over an event that she wants to be, and should be, excited about. Lastly, I don’t sleep. I. Don’t. Sleep. I have been trying to increase my physical activity to reduce stress and encourage sleep. I began to incorporate melatonin and some extra stretching to release tension.
Ok, enough of that.
We will get through this, I have no doubt. Thank you for spending time reading this post, and many thanks to all of our friends and family for checking in with us so often. We feel your prayers, we feel your love, and we know we’re blessed to have your friendship and support. I see many miracles each day and I know that many more, large and small, will happen as a result of this crisis we’re all experiencing. I’m grateful for God’s love and protection, for the beautiful cardinals who stay close to our home these days, and to the hawk family who have a brand new family in one of our backyard trees. I’m thankful for funny movies, goofy games played with my kids, and for wine. I wish I wasn’t quite as thankful for comfort foods these days. Stupid pasta.
UPDATE:
(Tues 6:15 pm) Thank you all for each of your texts, messages, facebook posts and blog comments. We are absolutely overwhelmed by the support we’ve received from each and every one of you.
So, after a long night in the ER on extra O2 and IV fluids, Brandon (with Bruce there with him) received the results of his CT scan of his lungs and abdominal organs which was CLEAR: no pneumonia. His 2nd COVID test, however, still came back positive. The test will indicate positive if there’s any viral presence. The numbers were probably initially quite high and are probably quite low now, but still present. After stabilizing his O2 levels (which had been lower than they liked when he first arrived), and after he demonstrated the ability to maintain his body temp, he came home early this morning. If he had been admitted to the hospital, he would have been placed in isolation with other Covid-positive patients, where we would not be able to stay with him, so the decision was made to send him home. We’re hoping that this was his last set back, and that with time, he recovers completely.
We appreciate all the prayers, support and offers for meals!! We love you all !! We ask that God protect each and every one of you and your families. Thank you!
(Mon 9:54 pm) Ascension/St. Vincents Urgent Care wants to transport him to Baptist Hospital (downtown Jacksonville) in order to get his blood oxygen levels up and stable. We are awaiting the results of his retest. If it’s negative, he will not be placed with other Covid patients, and Bruce can stay with him. All prayers are welcome!
Tuesday: It’s been one week since his symptoms began and Brandon has not had a good day. He’s frequently nauseous and his lack of appetite leaves everything I prepare for him only slightly touched. His is, however, staying hydrated, as I insist. He has lung discomfort, tightness, throat pain and coughing. He feels weak, unsteady, and very tired. His sensitivity to cold has been challenging since the other three kids are hot if the A/C setting is raised upstairs, especially at night. I’ve encouraged him to close his room’s air vent and to open his window to let in fresh, warm summer air. He and my friend Mark have been texting back and forth, and I’m so grateful for that connection. Although they both feel cruddy, they have vented to each other here and there, and compare symptoms with each other. As for sources of comfort: He has reported to me that he feels a direct correlation between drinking “fizzy-tab water” and feeling better. He’s referring to the molecular hydrogen dissolving tablets that I’ve been giving him once a day. It does really seem to help! I have coached the benefits of this product to my clients, and I believe in its benefits from my personal experience, so I’m so glad that this product is helping my son through his recovery.
Wednesday: When I asked him how he was feeling today, he answered that he’d slept pretty well, but was still tired. He still has been experiencing body aches and weird chills, despite his temperature not exceeding 98-99 degrees. He continued to sleep much of the day. He has expressed that his anxiety level, however, has dropped and that he feels much more relaxed. Thank goodness!
Gratitude
And speaking of thanking, I want to focus now on being grateful for the blessings that always bubble up during the struggles in our lives, as they have now … for the continuing miracles and silver linings revealed in the midst of our stormy weather.
The response to my previous blog article has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive. Thank you, everyone, from the depths of my heart. It’s always apparent through the many crises we experience in our lives, that we just have to look for the helpers, those angels who God sends us when we need them. I’ve also received warm responses of love, prayers and support from all of our friends and family with phone calls and text messages. Friends two doors down dropped off a large bowl of Filipino Pancit a few days ago because they know we (and especially Brandon) love it! One of my closest friends will be bringing us a full dinner tonight of baked spaghetti, salad, garlic bread and, oh, chocolate cake. I’ve instructed all meal-deliverers to drop and run since up to this point, we had not received our test results yet. Thank you everyone!
I sat on our back patio and reached back out via fb messenger to the bassist, Mark, who has been texting Brandon. I told him that I simply couldn’t adequately express my gratitude for his time and his efforts. I told him that I was sorry that he’s been going through this, too, and that we all have him and his family in our prayers. I told him that he has been a true example of a storm cloud’s silver lining. I’d hoped that my expression of appreciation would help to lift and comfort him, as well. I later read his fb post where he wrote that he’d been texting the 20-yr-old son of a local fellow musician, and that he was happy that he could help encourage someone else going through this.
Slow test results, but finally …
Brandon had received his COVID-19 test results in 2 days. It has been 5 days since the rest of us had our tests administered. It’s clear that the increased demands for tests have slowed the processing and result-reporting time. I took a chance and called the center where we had tested, and the tech that answered actually looked up our results in his system. After I provided him with correct privacy information, he relayed to me that Sean, Benjamin and myself all tested NEGATIVE. Phew. At least we knew now that we were not exposed from the same source that infected Brandon, and that we were not able to expose others back before Brandon had tested positive, nor when his symptoms were early. This status, of course, could change. We’ll only know in time if we haven’t contracted it FROM Brandon. I pray that our negative status remains that way.
Erin is over 18 and I was not able to receive her results. She called the center herself and was told her results were not back yet. Bruce was tested elsewhere and is also awaiting his results.
Thursday (today): Aside from the times that I sit in our upstairs loft along the wall about 8 feet away from Brandon’s bedroom door and chat with him as he sits at the end of his bed or walks near his ajar doorway, we communicate via phone (voice and text). I texted him a couple of times this morning to ask if he had any appetite and would like to eat, but he didn’t respond. After a bit, I went upstairs and knocked, backed up, and waited. He opened his door to say that he just hadn’t slept well last night, but had slept well this morning. And yes, he would like to try to eat.
He’s been quiet today. I’m leaving him to rest. Although I’m aware that this illness can last 3-6 weeks, as I learned from our pediatrician’s nurse that I brain-picked yesterday for 45 minutes, I believe in my heart that Brandon will be ok. He will muscle his way through this. He’s young and strong. I also know that having a good day on Monday may mean a rough day on Tuesday. Both Brandon and Mark have reported this fact to me.
Mother Bear
The mother bear was born in me the moment I found out that I was pregnant for the first time. She’s been there, ready to reveal her claws should anything threaten the well being of any of my children. I understand the instinctively fierce need for mothers to protect their children.
I felt the bear begin to waken inside me when this virus first made headlines, when it entered our country, our state, our county, our part of town. My anxious need to do everything in my power to protect my family became a primal focus of mine. And when my son became ill, the bear became fully awake and emerged … clearly, strongly and without question. Not only was my child sick, but the remaining children living in our home were now threatened. For the very first time since our older girls moved out, I was glad that they didn’t live here. However, would my other children get sick with this potentially life-threatening illness, too? My claws would like nothing more than to shred to pieces the forces responsible for the creation and unleashing of this scourge.
Ok, I won’t go on and on here … most people reading this understand what I’m talking about.
Before receiving our COVID-19 tests results yesterday, we’d been waiting and waiting to find out the status of the remaining five of us. I realize that the testing sites’ staff members have been inundated and overworked with this recent spike in local cases, but, since we notified people in our lives that Brandon was a positive case, we’ve been receiving concerned inquiries about our health. Of course, my mother has been wondering if our test results were back. Of course, Bruce’s coworkers have been inquiring as to our status, and many of them have gotten tested themselves.
But no one has been more pressing, more regularly and relentlessly inquiring than the “neighbor”. Remember her … the one I mentioned in my previous post? Although I assured her that as soon as I received our results, I would notify her, this assurance was not sufficient for her. She has felt the need to text me almost daily to find out if I’ve heard. No one could be more frustrated than me with the slow response in test results notification, but this person was beginning to drive me insane. By this past Tuesday (2 days ago), already stressed beyond belief, I replied: “Hello, as I have already promised, I will let you know when I find out. The labs must be running behind due to the increase in tests. Please know that I sincerely hope that you and your family aren’t impacted by this virus, but if you are at some point, I also sincerely hope that no one causes you to feel as repulsive, feared, and pressured as we have been made to feel.”
Always preferring to take the high road, however, I then texted, “May I call you?” A few minutes later, we were speaking (with voices) on the phone. I introduced myself to her, and we began to carry on a decent, amiable conversation. I explained that I understood her concern that her children may have been exposed to this virus unknowingly by my two young sons back before we knew Brandon was ill. She assured me that she was also concerned for our family. In my mind, I thought, how can you be? You don’t even know us. We hung up after I told her that, again, I would let her know as soon as we were notified of the results.
On Wednesday late afternoon, less than a minute after I’d hung up with the testing center with our results, I received another text from “neighbor”. My screen read: “Any results yet? My parents want to stop by and visit, but we don’t want them near our children until we know if Sean or Ben exposed them, so please get back to me as soon as possible!”
AAAAGGGHHHH!!! I replied: “15 second ago, I learned that the boys and I tested negative.” Her response: “Wonderful! Now you can concentrate on your son’s recovery. Let me know if you need anything!”
I wanted to reply: “Thank you, because if I ever need further harassment, I certainly know who to call!”. But I didn’t. I decided instead just to leave her on read.
My advice to everyone reading this: We are ALL concerned about our families. All moms have internal mother bears. However, please learn the following from my experience:It is never okay to hound and harass another stressed-out worried mom under the guise of concern for her family when clearly the motive is purely self-centered.Trust that she will get back to you as she agreed, show some tact, sensitivity, genuine care … and leave her and her family alone.
Enough about that.
Well, we still don’t have Erin’s or Bruce’s test results. And again, these were tests taken last week. Things can change. This crisis is far from over, and will probably impact every family at some point, to some extent, before it’s a terrible thing of the past. My heart breaks for all who are suffering from this or from its effects.
My daughter and her fiancé were engaged over a year, announced their wedding date this past Christmas, and have been planning their wedding out of town. The wedding is to be in September. They have been trying to continue on as planned, but now are not sure whether to postpone or not. For now, she is simply overwhelmed and a bit heartbroken that her wedding plans have been so overshadowed by this insidious virus.
However, as I’ve encouraged my daughter, we must stay positive, pray for guidance, and keep moving forward. Bruce continues to work hard from home every day; the boys are keeping occupied with legos, board/card games and online gaming with friends; Erin continues to hole up in her room staying busy with summer online college classwork until her test results come in; I continue to keep the house clean, prepare meals, write song lyrics and blog posts and play my keyboard; all while Brandon continues to heal and recover.
We pray without ceasing.
Until my next post, I’d like to leave my readers with this:
Angels are everywhere. God is everywhere. There is good everywhere, and good will win in the end. God is love and love never fails. One day we will look back and be grateful that we kept our heads high, our faith firm, and our attitudes positive. Love one another and accept the love and help of the angels in our lives when we need them, and then be the angels for others when they need us. Enjoy comfort food including chocolate cake. It’s as simple as that.
Oh, and please don’t harass anyone, ever, especially a stressed-out mother bear.
Update (6/28): Erin’s and Bruce’s test results arrived late yesterday. It took 8 days to receive these results.
And, not surprisingly, the consistent text messages of concern for our family abruptly ceased once I notified the neighbor that our youngest boys’ tests were negative.
I know that the chances were pretty good when we, like most people, started easing out from behind the doors of our quarantined lives to test the waters “out there”. I was aware that one of us may contract this evil virus somehow, some way. Now, please understand that Bruce and I have been those parents … you know, the ones who didn’t allow our live-at-home college kids to work at their part time jobs at a smoothie restaurant past March 20th, even though it was a business that was considered “essential” and never closed. Our first set of twins, our eldest girls, both moved out last year, so our family home contains 6 of us right now, and we have all stayed home … we worked from home (jobs and school) for months, just like most people have. We have had one designated grocery-shopper: my husband Bruce.
Bruce and I decided during the last week of May to finally venture out … to brave and test the outside world beyond our local Publix. After much debate and consideration, we chose to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary by staying overnight in nearby St. Augustine, FL, while eating at two restaurants in the course of those 2 days. Phase 1 was in effect so restaurants were at 50% capacity. Mask-wearing wasn’t mandatory or enforced anywhere, but we made sure to wear them when necessary. It was actually quite comfortable having empty tables between each dining party. Well, the weekend get-away was a success, and in time we knew we had not come in contact with the virus.
Then phase 2 opening measures were put in place here in Floriday approximately three weeks ago (the 1st of June), and we reluctantly agreed to allowed Erin and Brandon to return to their part-time jobs at the same fast-food restaurant. The restaurant requires masks and gloves for all employees. Each of them has a significant other, and we finally allowed them to start spending time with them in person and not just via face-time.
Due to these changes, however, strict guidelines for those returning from the jungle were enforced: no shoes in the house; strip asap; start a hot water load of laundry; and take a hot shower.
I stepped up my already vigilant cleaning/disinfecting so that, in the event, the kids somehow managed to pick up THE GERM, I could kill it before it could sicken anyone.
While living this way, as we all have been, I’ve developed a sad perspective. I look around and see people masked and afraid. Dare I say we have become afraid of each other. The fear of this virus, and all of the gloom and doom we’ve been bombarded with these last few months have given us a subconscious (or conscious) attitude of repulsion toward people. Have you noticed it?
No, I won’t get into my political beliefs on the origin of and the reason for this virus’ world-wide outbreak, but most will agree that if something could cause us to eagerly and protectively comply with social distancing, to distrust and fear our neighbors and friends, this situation has certainly proven effective. Self-protection and self-preservation has been placed above all else.
Recently, Bruce began to return to his office 3 days a week, but needed to have his temperature checked at his office building’s front entrance, and all employees work spaces were sufficiently distanced from each other.
As for me, although I did not return to work as a health coach and manual therapist, I was looking forward to performing with my band. We had put on a virtual, live stream concert at the end of May, but could not wait to perform on stage again in front of a live audience, albeit small and socially-distanced). We have a performance at an outside venue near the beach scheduled for this coming Friday, 6/26. I’ve also recently resumed some music recording for my nearly-finished second music album, and other creative projects . We were slowly, carefully, reintroducing aspects of our lives.
Then came last Tuesday, June 16.
My son Brandon sent me a text message from his upstairs bedroom that I saw when I woke up around 7:30. “Mom, I am not feeling well, and I’m running a fever. I’m so sorry.” He then admitted that he’d kind of felt “off” the day before.
Oh NO. Without my knowledge, Brandon had driven himself downtown at 6am to receive a nasal swab test at the COVID19 testing center that has been set up in our football stadium’s parking lot. Because of the civil unrest that has been experienced downtown and in most other U.S. cities these last two weeks, he was turned away by the police and military groups attempting to maintain order and safety. Testing would resume later that day.
So he came home, and I then called our doctor’s office. We were directed to either return to the stadium later, go to any ER, or call and then go to a laboratory testing center (like LabCorp or Quest). He was turned away at both LabCorp and our closest ER, so he drove himself back downtown, sat for 3 hours in line while harboring a 102 degree temperature, and was finally tested. He would not receive results for 3-4 days.
Obviously not waiting for test results, we placed him in complete isolation, self-quarantined our family, and I cleaned our home like I’d never cleaned it before. I moved our younger twin boys to a room previously occupied by one of our older daughters so they were as far from Brandon as possible. Brandon’s twin, Erin, decided that she may have been exposed at work too, if that is where Brandon was exposed, so she is presently self-isolating in her bedroom, and wearing a mask if she ventures out to any other area of our home. Bruce contacted his boss and other coworkers, notifying them that he wouldn’t be back in the office or be able to attend any meetings for the time-being because of possible virus exposure.
I’ve been through many bouts of flu while parenting six children, and will tell you, that this has been no ordinary flu. It will be one week tomorrow since the onset of Brandon’s symptoms. The following is the how this virus has progressed:
Tuesday: In the middle of the night between Monday and Tuesday, he awoke feeling achy and “off”. By 5am he knew he had a fever. The thermometer registered nearly 101 degrees. As the day went on the body aches, headache and muscle stiffness worsened. By that night, his temp was 102 degrees.
Wednesday: He experienced an up-and-down fever all day. He took acetaminophen when it got too high, but we really wanted to annihilate this virus, and a fever is how to do it. By Wednesday evening, he began to report a scratchy throat and the beginnings of a cough. He had no appetite, but he pushed fluids. This is the day when he began to take increased vitamin C, D and zinc, some probiotics and a strong antioxidant molecular hydrogen dissolving tablet which is part of my health coaching dietary supplements.
Thursday: His fever seemed to be lowering and by that evening, his temperature was normal, but he still had chills, body aches and headache. I encouraged him to take a shower in the bathroom that only he’d been using since Tuesday morning. He had little appetite today, but I still encouraged nibbling. I went to the store, donned a mask and gloves, and bought his favorite snacks of Cheez-Its, honey-roasted peanuts, jello fruit cups and all his favorite fresh fruit.
On Thursday afternoon, I received a text message from Brandon again. This time it read: “Mom, I was just notified of my test results. It is positive. I’m sorry”. Although I fully expected it, I still felt a bowling ball hit me in the stomach.
I felt panicked. I felt terrified and crippled with fear. I can’t let Brandon or the other kids know that I am.
We have it. We have COVID-19 in our home. COVID-19 has made my son very ill. There are 3 other children and my husband living here, now exposed. Oh, and me, too. I spent the next 2 hours personally contacting our family, friends and our close-by neighbors. I contacted my band because I will not be performing next Friday. I won’t be continuing to record my album’s music. The kids and I were about to finalize a song they are recording with me.
At 8pm that evening I received a text message from a number I didn’t recognize. It read: “Hi Fran, I’m sorry to hear that your son is sick. My family and I live in the rental house near the end of this street. I got your number from another neighbor. Have you all been tested? You must get tested. Your two younger boys were outside last weekend and they may have exposed my child. All of us on this street feel the same way. There are many places where you can receive rapid results. You must do this immediately. In the meantime, because of your boys, we must all self-quarantine. Let me know AS SOON AS YOU HAVE TEST RESULTS.”
So, yeah. My first response was anger. But did I understand? Of course I did. I also understood that we were now considered the lepers of our neighborhood. Here we were, viewed with fear and probably disgust. After composing 3 different versions of text messages that I wanted to fire back with, I deleted them all and replied: “Thank you for your concern. Yes, we’re all being tested tomorrow, and I’ll let you know as soon as we have results.”
This is just the way I roll. I try very hard not to respond when I’m angry or feel indignant, or to what I perceive to be an insult. I would feel exactly the same way, but I probably would be a little less demanding. Maybe.
Mother bears show their claws at times like these. I know, because I would like to tear to pieces whomever caused this virus to be unleashed because it is now VERY PERSONAL … more personal than the inconveniences of lock-downs, of wearing masks, of lost income, of missing our friends and extended family. My family has been directly impacted. My child has been sickened. His life has been threatened. Our home has been invaded by a very dangerous enemy.
Everyone wants to know where he could have “picked it up”. We probably will never know. What I do know is that the number in positive cases have spiked considerably since Phase 2 was initiated. I completely supported the initiatives to re-open the economy and, well, life. It was time. I guess, also, that it was a matter of time before it directly impacted our family.
Friday: I spent several hours trying to make appointments for 5 people to receive COVID-19 tests. Unsuccessful in securing appointment before the following Wednesday, we finally we went up to a nearby urgent care facility and waited as walk-ins. Honestly, the wait wasn’t too bad and it was a good experience. While masked, were all evaluated, had our vitals checked, and received nasal swab tests within 2 hours. Our results would be expected in 4 days. Sigh.
Brandon seemed to want to eat a little bit by Friday evening. I made a chicken, spinach, Alfredo sauce with bow tie pasta dish that I know he loves. He thanked me and said how much he wished he could actually taste it. He has lost all sense of taste or smell.
He has been spending his waking hours playing video games, watching movies and chatting with his girlfriend. His girlfriend reported that 3 extended family member that have not been anywhere near her nor her parents have recently tested positive. Tragically, one of these people were her grandmother, who passed away last Tuesday having been in her mid-seventies and suffering with diabetes. Just unbelievable.
Saturday: Brandon started to experience significant respiratory discomfort. He complained of pain in his mid back and the sensation of his airway tightening. He continued to feel cold, and complained of chills despite a normal temperature.
I took a little bit of time after dinner to make Bruce a home made cheese cake for Father’s Day. It would chill in the fridge, and be ready after dinner on Sunday.
Brandon was now beginning to suffer increasing bouts of anxiety. He, naturally, has been reading everything online that he can find on this illness, and he’s scaring himself. I was awake with him throughout all of Saturday night, sitting on the floor in the hall down from his partially-opened bedroom door. He had panic attacks and was afraid that he was experiencing decreased circulation. I made him check his fingers and toes with the pinch test, and all looked normal. He complained next of loosing feeling in his hands and lower arms. Having some medical training and holding a healthcare practitioner’s license, I tried my best to assure him that his complexion looked healthy, that his energy level was encouraging, that his fingers and toes presented all signs of healthy circulation. He swore that his lips were turning blue, and I swore that I didn’t see it. However, I also was not experiencing first-hand what he was feeling. From what I’ve been reading and hearing myself, the symptoms he’s been experiencing seem to be par-for-the-course as far as this thing is concerned. I knew that if he didn’t spike a new fever (secondary infection, possibly pneumonia), or if he wasn’t having any difficulty breathing (shortness of breath), then his symptoms were not life-threatening and should be managed at home.
Sunday: However, by 6am, he convinced himself that he must go to the ER. Bruce and I tried to convince him that if he were lethargic, and had any inability to take deep, full breaths, we would share his concern. But his stress and his anxiety were now running the show. So he walked down the stairs, out our front door, and got into his car. I didn’t want Bruce riding in a car with him, and Bruce didn’t want me doing the same. So Brandon, full of anxious energy and focus, drove himself to the hospital. We insisted that he keep us posted constantly. Exhausted, I went to bed, but received each of his text messages each 15 minutes or so.
The triage nurse assessed him, and took his vitals. Aside from a slightly elevated heart rate and blood pressure, all checked out fine. His chest x-ray was clear and his pulse-oxygen reading was 100%. He drove home and went back to bed. He did, however, receive some peace-of-mind that his lungs weren’t full of fluid nor was his blood lacking oxygen.
Happy Father’s Day to Bruce
Although I’d chosen up to this point not to post all of this on Facebook, I have been reading some posts from a fellow musician here in town who I’d actually talked to last year about possibly playing bass for our band. When I realized that he and Brandon were in the same stage of this illness, both having started symptoms this past Tuesday, I reached out to Mark via messenger. Later that evening, he texted Brandon so that the two of them could connect and “compare notes” while commiserating. Mark, being a funny guy, also calmed Brandon down with his positive attitude. With Mark’s wife working as a nurse and having worked with COVID patients, he recommended that we purchase our own pulse-oximeter so Brandon could check his own blood-oxygen level, and to give Brandon 5-10 mg of melatonin each night so he can calm down and sleep better.
Monday (today): I gave Brandon 5mg of melatonin last evening, and although he was still up and anxious at 1am, he finally fell asleep, and didn’t wake until 11am. Today he is still experiencing chills and has a sore throat.
But, he wanted to eat today, saying he was hungry. I haven’t heard him use that word in a week. I’m praying (we all are) that he is beginning to improve.
So, my friends, this is serious. It is very serious. As for how it entered our home, it wasn’t for lack of mindfulness. We didn’t lack care. We took it serious, we took precautions. We may have even been overly-protective.
And yet, here we are.
We pray for our son, that he improves and recovers rapidly and completely. He’s young and healthy, so his prognosis is good. We also pray for everyone else going through this right now, for those struggling with this, and for those who have lost loved ones to this insidious, evil virus. We are also praying that this virus stops with Brandon and doesn’t spread throughout our family.
We have faith and we know that God has this.
Please be careful. I see online that there were so many large family gatherings celebrating Father’s Day. People are celebrating summer, celebrating each other, celebrating LIFE. I get it. I really do! But I don’t want people to get THIS, nor to keep spreading this. It’s not over …. it’s far from over. Please be careful. Don’t act irresponsibly. Don’t act foolishly.
Do I think we should all live our lives in masks? I wish there was another option. People wearing masks for extended amounts of time can cause their blood pressure to increase while their decreased oxygen intake can lead to hypoxia (under-oxygenated blood). We could be slowly suffocating ourselves. Infections due to over exposure of carbon dioxide we’re breathing in such as respiratory acidosis are developing. We’re all buying cute, decorative, washable masks (me, included), but if they’re not properly cleaned and dried after each use, we could be breathing in bacteria and developing serious infections. A young food-service employee recently was diagnosed with life-threatening pleurisy as a result of long-term mask-wearing. For people with asthma, like me, wearing a mask is absolutely brutal and I’ve come to realize that my symptoms increase after I’ve been wearing a mask for any amount of time.
For so many professions, however, it’s vital to stay as protected and protective as possible, especially when working in close proximity with others can’t be avoided. People must wear them for entire 8-12 hour shifts, or they lose their jobs. Some companies and business demand that patrons wear them or they cannot enter. Do we either get sick or we get sick? Is wearing a mask the lesser of two evils? It is, however, very important to protect others from exposure, if we have knowingly or unknowingly exposed or contagious.
As for healthcare professionals, masks are obviously mandatory and unavoidable. I can’t express how deeply thankful I am to those every one of these heros working on this war’s front lines. I pray for their safety every day.
There’s just no way around this, and I don’t have the perfect solution, but with common sense, time and faith, we’ll get through this.
We just all have to be patient, to be smart and to take care of ourselves, and those who we love.
Please check back! I’ll continue to update our story-in-the-making …
For my husband and me, deciding whether or not I would leave the onsite workforce when our first set of twins arrived wasn’t tough for us. Placing two newborns in daycare would have been very expensive, so we decided to accept and compensate for our temporary reduction in income. As challenging as it was in the early days while staying home with infants twins, the lack of stress that would have been involved with providing a daycare sitter enough pumped breast milk, diapers, clothing, etc., for two babies while I went to work just to pump milk far outweighed any income we would have kept after paying the monthly daycare bill.
I was happy with my decision, and I’ll never regret having stayed home with my children while they were preschool aged. Although my income would have prevented some financial strains over the years, I would have regretted missing out on my children’s early lives which already flew by too quickly. By the time we had six kids between the ages of 0 and 12, my taking care of our busy children just made sense.
I was fortunate that my career skills as a graphic designer provided me the ability to work from home while I was a SAHM (Stay-At-Home-Mom). When my eldest set of twins were six months old, I began to provide freelance design and production services for the office department where I had previously held a full-time position. I simply worked on a per-project basis via remote access, and with the arrivals of twin sets two and three, I eventually operated my own part-time design business from my home office. It wasn’t easy balancing my family and professional life, but doing so gave us some needed supplemental income, and I could stay current in my field’s ever changing technology.
There are ever-growing opportunities these days to allow a SAHM to become a WAHM should she choose to do so.
There were, and will probably always be, those who criticize a mother’s decision to continue working outside of the home and criticize those who leave the workforce to stay at home with her children, so parents simply have to decide what feels right and makes the most sense for their own family.
The above article was submitted to What To Expect on 3/6/19 for story contributions of “What factors should be considered before a woman decides to be a SAHM?”
