Things I have done while in Quarantine

I made a list of things I have accomplished in the last month. I have friends that are just positiving the heck out of this thing. They are painting houses, doing you tube channel inspirational things, baking, churning out masks and really hitting the ball out of the park.

Then there is me.

Most days I am not up before noon because I am on the night shift schedule on my days off even. At 1 am I usually watch a little Murder She Wrote. This is followed by the 80's sensation Hart to Hart. I try to doze but usually I toss and turn. I apply Past Tense essential oils to my forehead and Mentholatum to my upper lip. Last night the Past Tense dripped into my eye and I had to jump out of bed and run to the sink where on the way I tripped over my harp music stand. After that I listen to Kris snore for awhile. Then I usually fall into a slumber about 5:30 am and sleep until 10. I try to wake up then and do things with Amanda.

During the day Amanda and I run into town once for our daily drive. We look at houses and peer out the windows and stop for a soda which she gets for me while wearing a mask. About 2 days a week we go to a friends house and Amanda runs her dog. Then we hand sanitize and drive home. After dinner I'm usually exhausted and lots of times I will fall asleep at 7pm hard and then wake up at 0130 for the TV marathon listed above.

Amanda does homework, reads and stays pretty motivated.

I do read. I read books. Here are some books I have read: Millenial Messiah 700pages (I think we are good for a few years on the Second Coming...based on my studying of the signs.. but as we know.... No one knows) Seven Miracles that Saved America... (from the dad collection when he was doing his "death cleaning") and President Nelsons book. I have also read some lighter books on murder and fiction stuff. Ha ha

I sometimes shower and sometimes wear clothes. I sometimes eat. I take a symptom that is mild and worry about it. Like a slight tickle in my throat or a headache. Then I google it and obsess. This can take up a few hours. Then I google articles on Coronavirus and treatment. I make a treatment plan for if I get it. Which does not include a ventilator. If I get bad I am going to sharpie on my chest DNI... which means no breathing tube. I have a personal theory that ventilators are killing people. Kris and I have a deal that we will prone me on my head and he will do percussion to drain my lungs. I guess I will do the same for him.

I try to call my kids and watch cute videos of my grand kids. Thankfully they seem to be doing awesome and growing in cuteness and intelligence. And my kids are so supportive and wonderful to each other and to their parents.

I pay bills and obsess about running out of money. I feel bad about not spending because I am not helping out any local businesses, but then I am glad I can pay bills. I make plans for how to pay bills creatively. I tend to not spend during these kinds of times which is good. Then I worry about being a scrooge but balance that with paying things off. I can't help others if I'm in debt and can't help myself.

On days that I work, I have a sense of relief that I am able to do at least this. I function pretty normally at work, but do tend to worry about my patients on an excessive level. Even the ones that are stable and not needing excessive worry. Then I come home and take Benadryl and sleep and work again. While I sleep I dream about my patients. On a happy note, since I am on the clean team.. I do get to take care of laboring moms and sweet babies. That is a definite plus. So when I weigh a baby, or burp a baby, or anything like that it is almost normal. Almost. Babies are sweet and squishy and don't talk to me. I do their Dubowitz scores and take their footprints and wipe their little buns.

I alternate between worrying about dying or my loved ones dying and wondering if we are all overreacting and worrying about the economy and the fallout which could be worse than the dying from the Rona.

So I think Quarantine has shown me that I do better in a world with people and connection and routine. I have enjoyed the time to reflect and be with family. But I really want to get back to a world balance with a lot of different experiences, activities and connection.

I think there is light at the end of the tunnel!

Things Kris is worrying about..........Wait for it.................


Finding enough quarantine time to fish