Im pregnant and the Corona virus has stopped work for me and my child.. my source of income has been put on hold. Im afraid to give birth in these circumstances.
Audience: Friends and family
Crazy (Story #111)
Corona has effected my life a lot. I lost my job and money is getting tight.
Safer at home in Lovely Jupiter
Everyone is home. Normally a good thing but my boys would prefer to be in school (one in High School the other in college). Its a challenge with the uncertainty of the future with AP and AICE exams cancelled. As well as SAT and ACT! But we are fortunate that my husband can do his job from home (and that he has a job!) and we have a pantry and fridge full of food. Im immune compromised with a sore throat and cough so every time I cough (which is often), my husband worries. I am not worried as I dont have a fever or pain. But I havent left the house (except to run) in three weeks! Thank goodness for C25K and Healthier Jupiter! You got me started so I can keep up outdoor activity and wave to neighbors (from a distance) while Im out. We are fortunate to live in lovely Jupiter! Now if only I could find a washable wearable face mask…
Humble Awakening
The CoronaVirus has turkey been a humbling experience for me and my family. Im blessed to continue working being an essential employee, but the effect on our daily lives have been impacted. I like to look at the positives and use the opportunity to bond with self, love on family members, evaluate life, and appreciate the things we take for granted.
Quarantine Chronicles: More Isolated & Domesticated Than Ever
I’ve been practicing social distancing and working from home for 3 weeks, and it’s been a tricky transition. My husband still leaves the house to work every weekday, so I’ve become responsible for our young daughter’s distance learning. I’m struggling to find a rhythm for working from home, giving my daughter and husband the attention they need, and doing more cooking and cleaning than I usually do. I’ve never been this domestic! And I haven’t yet figured out a way to carve out time and space to take care of myself personally. It’s a strange place to be…feeling both more isolated than ever (cut off from regular interactions with family, friends, coworkers, and strangers that I’d see in public), but also never alone (because I’m constantly with my daughter, and often my husband). I feel very fortunate, but not quite like myself right now.
Stress
Its impacted my life alot. I work from home now. I fear for my childrens and my health everyday. I fear our residents and employees will be affected in a negative way. A lot of stress
To be human together
Ive been impacted by anxiety since childhood. When I was young, I felt a lot of shame about not being able to tell my brain to stop worrying (as well meaning adults suggested). When my two older children were in their early teens, they were both diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a condition that runs in both sides of my family. Although I had already worked on my anxiety in therapy, my childrens diagnoses motivated me to deepen my research, and do whatever I could to learn to manage my mental health and theirs. When their doctor wrote mindfulness meditation on a prescription pad and suggested it for all of us, I took it to heart. My children and I became vocal mental health advocates, and I trained in trauma-informed yoga and meditation to help others learn a skill which had helped me and my children. I went to work for non-profits focused on mental health and trauma, both as a yoga/meditation teacher and a mental health peer specialist. When people ask me what I do for work, I summarize it by saying I help both adults and children with big feelings by sharing my own experiences and tools that have helped me. Now with COVID-19, I cant interact with the people I serve face to face. Individual meetings have been replaced with phone calls. Classes have been replaced with YouTube videos and live video-conferencing. I am adapting everyday, as are the people I serve. It isnt easy, but Ive noticed a resilience coming to the surface. Ive noticed that skills that Ive developed over many years to manage my general anxiety (and trauma) are also helping me to manage this situational anxiety. I see the same in my children, my friends who identify as being in recovery from mental health conditions, and in many of the people I serve. It isnt universal. Others are really struggling. Seniors in isolation share their fears with me, and they are real and heavy. We practice breathing and grounding together (which is different on the phone but not impossible). We talk about gratitude and hope. We do what we did before, which was to be vulnerable, to sit with big feelings, empathize and acknowledge suffering. To be human together.
100 Days of Solitude
I wonder how much unlimited data on my phone plan really means. Ever since the beginning of this self-isolation era, I’m sure people have turned to their phones and their home wi-fi to ride this wave of corona virus-related news. I know everyone must be watching their Netflix, having Zoom conferences, virtual classes and virtual happy hours, and calling their people to ask them what they’re doing for the umpteenth time that day. As for me, I didn’t realize until now how crucial my phone has become to staying connected and keeping sane in a moment where staying home is the most responsible thing we can do. I wonder how many people are the same way and if the internet overlords can keep this going for us. Can you imagine if those networks fell? Do we whip out our typewriters and feather quills? Do we start to create to our Hulu comedy specials during dinner time? Worse, how long before people living by themselves start feeling the anxiety caused by confinement? I say we use ham radios again or even cans on very large lengths of strings moving forward. Solutions are endless, I’m sure.It’s a deep rabbit hole to follow when we think about how we became so dependent on the internet. It’s truly a blessing and a curse. While there are so many things going on right now, it’s important to stay optimistic and responsive to our community. So, thank you to all the technicians out there doing what they do and thank you to the invisible cable in the sky for carrying our memes, love letters, funny cat videos, and the smiles our loved people across the way for us.
A Not-So Gentle Reminder to Slow Down and Connect
I feel like I should be more concerned about the Corona Virus but I can’t help but feel a certain sense of calm around the whole situation. Maybe it is the connectedness – everyone is in it together and thinking of neighbors and loves ones. Because we are limited in where we can go, our home is filled with family time. Board games, pool time, and yoga have dominated the past weeks. When I walk my dog, everyone says hello now – or at least respond to me when I say hello (which I normally do). The sense of Unity that we are together in all of this is a feeling I enjoy – reminds me of a holiday – like the week before Christmas. Schedules are different and everyone is on a different, more thoughtful, mindset. Although it is an awful, tragedy of global proportions, I can’t help but enjoy the energy around me. Everyone is just on a slower pace, more mindful, more compassionate and looking to nature and simple activities to fill their days. If it weren’t so awful, its actually kind of nice.
Bryant Park W.P.B.
I live in downtown Lake Worth Beach… I’M SINGLE..SENIOR CITIZEN..AND GENERALLY A VERY POSITIVE PERSON…TAKE CARE OF MY MOM IN BOYNTON WHO’S 92.. LOVE MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND LOVE MY LAKE WORTHS BEACHSIDE COMMUNITY… MONEY’S STRESSFUL RIGHT NOW FOR MOST PEOPLE..AS IS THE FEAR OF CONTAMINATION… WE ARE NEAR THE BEACH (JUST A BRIDGE) BUT AREN’T ALOUD TO GO THERE.. I’M A SINGLE SENIOR LIVING ON NOW VERY DIMINISHED RESOURCES OF MONEY..WITH LOANS TAXES ELECTRIC ETC. IN A ONE BEDROOM RENTAL OF ONLY 450 SQ.FT. …I’VE SEEN EVERY MOVIE I OWN .. READ ALOT..FB ALOT.. COOK, CLEAN,FOOD SHOP, WALK OUR EMPTY TOWN..WHICH IS ALL SHUT DOWN EXCEPT FOR TAKE OUT FOOD WHICH I CAN NO LONGER AFFORD..AND HUMAN CONTACTS ARE RARE EXCEPT FOR SOME WHO DON’T BELIEVE IN SOCIAL DISTANCING… SO BASICALLY I ,FRIENDS , AND LOVED ONES BASICALLY ARE GETTING VERY BORED, EMOTIONLESS, SCARED, WORRIED AND GETTING NUMB… HOWEVER NOW THEY’VE ALSO SHUT DOWN A QUAINT AND LOVELY PARK ON THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY… BECAUSE OF SOCIAL DISTANCING… AND IT ANGERS ME THAT THIS ONCE VIBRANT AND QUIRKY TOWN IS NOT ALLOWING THE USE OF THE PARK BECAUSE SOME DON’T FOLLOW THE RULES… IN OTHER WORDS WE’RE ALL SUFFERING LONELINESS AND DEPRESSION FOR THE FEW BREAKING THE RULES… SUGGESTION: HOW LITTLE WILL IT COST TO HAVE VOLUNTEERED POLICING TO MAKE SURE SOCIAL DISTANCING RULES ARE FOLLOWED WITH BACK UP OF CALLING POLICE IF THE NEED ARISES? OR BETTER YET HAVE ONE OFFICER IN A PATROL CAR AT OR NEARBY THE PARK JUST TILL SUNDOWN… OR EVEN BETTER LET THE RESTAURANTS STAY OPEN WITH A 10 FT LIMIT BETWEEN CUSTOMERS AND STAFF STRICTLY ENFORCED BY OUR WONDERFUL AND CARING L.W.B. POLICE DEPT.. RULEBREAKERS.. GET SHUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY…NO IFS ANDS OR BUTS… TOMORROW THEY WILL KNOW THE SERIOUSNESS OF THEIR ACTIONS.. ESPECIALLY IF EVERYONE HAD TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY… SOME NOT PAYING THEIR BILLS… WHAT SAY YOU? WHY ARE THE RULE FOLLOWERS ALWAYS GETTING THE SHORT END OF THE STICK? WHICH CREATES MORE ANGER… AND LONELINESS…DEPRESSION… I’VE SEEN IT ALL OVER EVEN IN OUR CITY HALL.. IT’S THE FEELING OF POWERLESSNESS.. NOT THE AGENDA THAT MAKES US WANT TO FIGHT , REBEL, AND USE LAUGUAGE TO DEBASE ANOTHER HUMAN BEING… IT’S DEPRESSION , LONELINESS, FEAR AND NOT BEING LOVED AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SHOW AND RECIPROCATE THAT LOVE BACK TO OUR LITTLE DOWNTOWN IN Lake Worth Beach… What say you… Please share… It might be tour last time to share….