Well, Hannah and I have just finished watching another episode of Father Brown. We both like mysteries, though I am pretty certain after the first three episodes that Lady Felicia must have PTSD hiding behind her upper-crust gentility with as many murders as she happens upon. And, no, that is not all I’ve been doing the past week. But, perhaps I wish it was.
I start this post unsure what I plan on writing each week for the next month or two. Do I take the next couple of months off to focus on providing support to my family? I have many, many hours of direct therapy I will be providing to Tony by myself that I need to plan. Hannah and Andy also need my love and support. And, I have my own health I need to be taking care of in all of this.
Do I switch to content that focuses on something more light-hearted? We have been slightly short on those experiences the last few years…but I suppose I could dredge some things up. They might just be incredibly off topic. Heaven knows though, nobody needs to read about a reality any gloomier for me or anybody else then it already has been. The world doesn’t need me to add fragments of internal darkness to the discourse right now. Though, someday, I certainly may choose to go there when it comes to this period of time in our life. Do I talk strictly about what I am doing to help work with Tony under our current therapeutic conditions? I just don’t know. I don’t have an answer for you yet.
So, maybe next week you’ll show up here and read something…and maybe you will not. I am deciding some things day by day right now.
That being said, my heart is with the families of everyone impacted by the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic, and with everyone who is grieving a loss. So much has made it into the news about the importance of sheltering at home for those who are more vulnerable to serious illness with this virus. And because I have loved ones that could be considered at risk, I want to make sure each of you are clear that no amount of staying at home will be sufficient unless you have a solid infection control plan.
Washing your hands often is a good place to start, but it’s not enough. Have you scrubbed down the faucet handles with disinfectant? The light switches? The door handles? Are you spraying boxes delivered to you with disinfectant? Are you wiping down the things you purchase, or that comes in those boxes? Anybody who packs your things or delivers them can give you an invisible present right now since this virus can live up to 3 days on some surfaces.
In our home, I have a fairly aggressive infection control strategy in motion that includes a great many more steps than that, but as we have already stated, my husband works in healthcare and that’s how we roll. His work shoes don’t come in the house until they’ve sat in disinfectant. Bedding is getting washed daily. Bath towels are single use. Counters cleansed, surfaces disinfected…the amount of laundry and cleaning alone may write my blog for me next month.
And after all is said and done with this, do what you can not to touch your face. I have been consistently wearing make up pretty much every day since the beginning of January. Not because I’m especially vain, though I can be sometimes, I suppose. But because at nearly 44, I wear a dewy foundation for more “mature” skin. You don’t want to touch this stuff or it gets a bit messy…and so I don’t. I’ve made sure to give myself plenty of time to internalize this habit. This is what helps me, you are welcome to find something that helps you.
And with that, I am going to spend a little less time writing or doing therapy this week (though I have been supporting a few sessions via tele-health with Chris and Amara while we shelter in home for the next two weeks, both of whom I am grateful to say are remaining on our therapy team). I find that to care for my own well-being right now I am needing a little more from the company of books that are just for fun. And a bit more time with Hannah…and Father Brown, of course. Be safe and take care of your own wellness– each and every one of you.
