The one question people keep asking me in this time of uncertainty
How am I doing?
That’s the question I’ve gotten from so many people that I can’t even count.
Let me start with the good. My friends and people I barely know have been amazing. People have brought us food and distilled water which I need to clean my beds and to clean my sinuses. They know I can’t go anywhere because of the health risk, nor can Andrea or the kids because they risk bringing the virus to me. Obviously, I worry about them catching it too but I’m the one with the terrible lungs, which makes this virus a true threat to my survival. I’ve gotten texts and e-mails from near and far. You’d think the last few weeks I was celebrating a birthday. They say you always know who are your true friends when you’re going through a difficult time. I have too many to count now and it’s awesome.
Now, let’s discuss the not so good. I have read articles about people frolicking on the beach in large groups and spreading this virus without a care in the world. I don’t know if it’s more ignorance or selfishness. Whatever it is, it’s wrong. And if I hear one more person compare this to the flu, I don’t know what I’ll do. Ask people in the medical community if there’s a difference. It’s like saying asthma and cystic fibrosis are the same thing. Just to be clear, they’re not.
I’ve also read articles about things in Italy, where they are actually having to decide which patients to save and which to let die. Now I’m reading with the lack of supplies we have here and the spread of this virus, the same could happen here in the United States. I have fought all my life to beat cystic fibrosis. What makes a doctor or anyone else who has never met me before an expert on my chances fighting coronavirus?
Before I delve into politics, let me tell you that I’m an independent voter which means I vote either way. I don’t care which party a candidate represents as long as I agree with his policies and how he treats ALL people.
Today I watched as my governor, Brian Kemp, did not put Georgia in a lockdown. He basically told people who are at high risk, like me, or someone 60 or over, to seek shelter. What does he think we’ve been doing for the last two weeks? I feel like I’m playing the longest version of hide-and-seek ever, and because we can’t decide to close everything down, I’ll be playing for the rest of my life. Then I hear President Trump say he thinks we can open things back up in the next few weeks. It’s like our politicians have turned into the mayor from Jaws whose biggest concern was opening up the beach to make money. I promise you if we let everybody congregate in big groups in the next few weeks, this will be much worse than any fictional shark movie.
So, for the last time, how am I doing?
I’m nervous. I sit in my house all day finding things to do but I get depressed and anxious especially after getting another coronavirus update on my phone or turning on the TV to see more bad news. I’m scared to death because there is a virus out there that anyone can catch and spread and there are so many of us in danger of losing our lives. More than 35 million Americans live with a chronic lung disease according to the American Lung Association, and according to the ACLU approximately 68.7 million people are 60 and older. We are endangering the lives of more than 100 million people in this country or nearly one-third of all Americans, not to mention the selfless medical workers and volunteers who are trying to save as many lives as possible. We are putting our parents, our grandparents and people like me who fight so hard to breathe at serious risk.
We cannot open this country back up right now and certainly not in the next few weeks. We need to shut everything down for at least 3 months and most likely 6-9 months. There are not enough tests to diagnose everyone. We need to be able to do that, like Korea did. We need a system in place where people can be diagnosed within 24 hours so they can immediately move into quarantine like we do with the flu. We need a vaccine that can make it so if you do catch this virus, your health will not be as compromised as it normally would. Then, and only then, will I feel safe.
Until then, I am not comfortable leaving my home or having anyone enter it. I guess it’s back to playing hide-and-seek.
Live your dreams and love your life.
Andy