It Is So Simple

Every week when I start thinking about what personal stories to tell I always have to give a little giggle about how simple and fun life has been.  Better add that it still is as I plan on hanging around for a lot longer.  I haven't really gotten in to the hilarious years yet but they are going to start popping up soon.

In order for me to write my frame of mind has to be calm especially since I have to try to remember all the stories.  In the last few months I have missed a few weeks or been late or written stories that are just okay when I read them at completion.  I want to read them and laugh or cry what ever the situation was.  Too many times lately all I can say to myself is that one is okay and promise myself to do better next week.

I have had a lot of trouble since February but I figured my readers have noticed.  Maybe if I step out of my usual writing and tell what has been going on that has caused my writer's block I can go back to being the crazy person you read about each week.  I don't like having to force the words onto the page.

In January I got a small part in "Hello Dolly" at the Little Theatre in Ardmore, Oklahoma.  I have been involved with them for the last four years and love every minute of the 40 mile drive to rehearsals and the plays.  In addition I have been helping with costumes since I can sew. 
"Dolly" took place in the Edwardian style clothing that the costume shop was pretty void of.  Naturally my wonderful friend, Sindy, and I volunteered to make about 30 costumes in a very short amount of time.
That made for sewing all day, rehearsal every evening and then sewing all night. 

As usual there were people who missed rehearsal due to the flu.  They would be gone a few days and then back.  I did not pay much attention as I not only did not have time to worry about who was sick or why especially since by showtime both my hands were swollen and hurt horribly which I figured was Sewing Tunnel Syndrome.  The costumes looked great, I felt horrible.  When we had a couple of days off between weekend performances things got worse.

By Wednesday I was running a fever and really having trouble breathing. I convinced my husband to take me to a small hospital as we thought I might have the flu.  I tested negative for flu and strep throat but my oxygen level was too low for them to let me go home. When food arrived it was so bad I could not eat it.  It was even worse the next morning. Nothing had any taste at all, it was just stuff in my mouth.  Blamed the hospital.

The next day they did chest xrays but never gave me any medicine or the results of the xrays.  I wanted out of there as I had a performance that night but they said no.  Same thing happened the next morning when I asked to go home since I had not seen the jerky little doctor or any word on what was wrong with me so I pulled out the IV's and said so long.  The jerky little doctor told me I would die if I went home.  I got in the car and left.

About a week after I got home the news started talking about the COVID-19 virus.  When I heard the symptoms, dry cough, problem with breathing, fever and the lost of taste and smell it was obvious to me that the virus was what I had. Evidently the small rural hospital had never heard of Covid-19 at that time.  At that point there were no tests and as the weeks went by and tests were available you could only get on if you had the symptoms. The symptoms had long gone so I could not even tell if I still had it or not. I was worried sick that I had given it to other cast members and waited for months to hear if anyone else came down with it before I said anything. Luckily no one did. 

Basically Sindy, my husband and I have been hanging out at home since March 1st.  I have ventured to the costume shop and done a little shopping, lots of cooking as we don't trust take out and being vegetarains that is difficult anyway. Actually no complaints as it really took me about three months to feel better.  It left me with a horrible cough with lots of mucus and no energy.  There are also some other problems to the point that when they tell how many people have recovered I have to laugh.  If you read the stories about people who spent time in ICU with the virus and lived be sure to read the part where they can't walk, or think or many of the other residual efforts.
Recovered means that they after weeks or months had a negative COVID-19 test.

Now back to the real reason I am writing this.

I have watched the news, read the newspapers and can hardly look at Facebook anymore.  Everyone has the right to their own opinion and I won't unfriend someone who believes differently than I do.  Maybe I was lucky to have had parents who taught me not to be prejudiced against the color of skin, religion or nationality.  I can remember my Mom repeating the Golden Rule to us from the time I first heard words.
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".  Maybe I haven't always done the right thing but I have learned that I will carry the guilt for a long time if I do the wrong thing. 

The virus has caused people to lose their jobs, businesses have closed and the economy is going south.  When the virus was not prevalent in the center of the United States and the country started opening back up it has caused the virus to spread everywhere.  Why?  It is so simple in that there are too many people who think this is some hoax or some government conspiracy to take away your rights. When did our society become one where a bus driver is beaten to death because he asked someone to where a mask on the bus? When did it become your right to verbally abuse someone because they chose to wear a mask for your protection as they may have the virus? How are you going to feel if you become exposed and take the virus home to your family or is that okay with you?

I do not like wearing a mask anymore than anyone else.  I am still looking for one that is easy to breathe in but they are all uncomfortable especially in the hot weather. But I have been there and done the virus thing.  Even though it was a relatively mild case I would not wish it on anyone.  It was a very frightening thing not to be able to breathe and I realize how lucky I was. The solution to the problem is so simple.

Everyone wants life to go back to some sort of normal.  If you stop and think about restaurants and stores staying open, schools opening back up in the fall and all the other things you like to do where there are more than just a few people we all need to follow the rules that were working to stop the spread of the virus before.  Wear a mask, in public places, keep six feet or so of space from people you don't know and  stop thinking this is a hoax.  If nothing else please teach your children the rules.  Without abiding by them school will not open and your children may not live to grow up and have a chance at the fun life can be.

I have learned through the years of writing my silly stories that the picture at the beginning causes more people to read what I have written.  Yes, that is me playing the drums in a Follies production a couple of years ago. I always wanted to play the drums but Mother did not think that was very ladylike.  So, in my fifties my husband bought me a set of drums.  Many years and lessons later my debut as a drummer was playing Wipe Out with my son's band. Nothing like picking one of the hardest songs to play and I am sure it was pretty terrible. But this is what makes life fun and exciting. The only catch is that you have to keep living.  It is so simple - just wear the mask and we can together beat this thing.

Just remember that we are ALL in this together and as one we can win.