Now that I am home from the hospital, Alex and I have been working hard to do the work on having intentional conversations about where our city, state, and country are in terms of pandemic protocol. Besides my hospital visit, doctors, pharmacy, and gas, we have not broken quarantine. More and more, places are re-opening here in Ohio and we are not naive to the fact that we will be learning to live with this virus as a constant, unseen shadow for a long time.
Last night we were able to do a socially distanced dinner with Alex's parents and it was just so uplifting to spend time with them in person. We ate outside and maintained at least six feet of distance, but even these happy moments are colored with the brushstrokes of anxiety having adhered so completely to a strict regimen for so many days.
At the advice of both of our doctors, we are not changing much in the way of how we live our lives at this moment, but we are starting to have conversations about what it will look like as we enter "the next phase." We have looked into which parks nearby require reservations to space out visitors and require masks. We have been gathering information from friends about how long they have been in a strict quarantine. Most of it is in the infantile stages of planning right now, but it is giving me hope for a less isolated future.
I feel so grateful to have been quarantined with my husband as we have been able to commiserate, laugh, and cry together. Of course we have had our moments of wanting a little space, but overall it has made sense of a senseless situation to be with him. This time has been a crucible for many, showing us what we are capable of during a pandemic, an economic crises, and racial crisis. If we all continue to rise to the occasion, I know that we can do this together.
Prepare, don't panic.
-Allison
Comments