I started journaling on Saturday, March 14, when I realized the historic moment we were going to live though, and that I was going to have some trouble managing my anxiety as we lived through it. I will go back and work on posting some of the more interesting excerpts from my journal, starting with the first day, March 14th.
My son Jay (pseudonym) was scheduled to have cataract surgery on March 17th. I wanted him to be healthy for his surgery, so I decided to keep us home from Monday, March 9th until the surgery. I recognized from the news that if the surgery was postponed due to illness, it could be months before it was rescheduled.
We went grocery shopping Monday, the store was normal, except for no hand sanitizer. The kids and I were quarantined from Monday on. Easy for homeschoolers. On Tuesday night, I canceled the small birthday party I had planned for Jay on Saturday afternoon (Pi Day - 3/14). On Wednesday, March 11th, Delaware had it's first COVID-19 case, at the University of Delaware, where my husband works. The University closed for Thursday & Friday and moved Spring Break up to the next week. I sent my husband to the grocery store for a forehead thermometer, robitussin, kids pain medicine, and celebratory food for Jay's birthday. It still wasn't crazy. However, he couldn't get the forehead thermometer. And he didn't get any pediatric acetaminophen. "That's fine, " I thought, "I'll get them from Amazon Prime."
Amazon was sold out.
So was Walmart,
Walgreens,
Target,
Bed Bath and Beyond,
and Buy Buy Baby.
That was when the first jolt of the seriousness of the situation hit me, and I was nervous about COVID-19 for the first time. Before that, I was worried about Jay being healthy for the surgery so that it wasn't postponed.
I got an ear thermometer from FSAstore.com, and pediatric acetaminophen from Target.com. I had my doctor refill my rescue inhaler and picked that up Thursday afternoon.
On Friday, the pictures started to fill my social media accounts of long lines stretching through grocery stores, empty dairy cases, empty shelves. The state of Delaware declared a State of Emergency. Christiana School District canceled classes for two weeks. Our church is serving a limited schedule - no social or educational gatherings for three weeks.
My parents and my brother are in Israel. They are supposed to return March 15th. When Trump announced in his Oval Office address on March 11th that all incoming flights from Europe were being stopped, I panicked. I send my Dad these messages:
Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Delaware
3/11/20 - 1
3/13/20 - 4
3/14/20 - 6
Rachel - I am glad you were able to take your kids on a hike, even if it did end messily. Those sorts of adventures are so good for all of us.
Stephanie - I hope your garden is a success. Our littles are close in age but I still feel too overwhelmed to attempt a garden here on our little half acre suburban plot. My life has a Groundhog Day feeling - the days are very similar, the hard things are harder, and many of the things that used to make my life happier like church, friends, and getting away occasionally have been taken away. The bad news is an irregular drumbeat and it's hard to focus on the present and not wonder what is coming next. On the externals of school and housework accomplished, we look good. But underneath, this is very, very hard.
Your good friend,
Elizabeth in Delaware
My son Jay (pseudonym) was scheduled to have cataract surgery on March 17th. I wanted him to be healthy for his surgery, so I decided to keep us home from Monday, March 9th until the surgery. I recognized from the news that if the surgery was postponed due to illness, it could be months before it was rescheduled.
We went grocery shopping Monday, the store was normal, except for no hand sanitizer. The kids and I were quarantined from Monday on. Easy for homeschoolers. On Tuesday night, I canceled the small birthday party I had planned for Jay on Saturday afternoon (Pi Day - 3/14). On Wednesday, March 11th, Delaware had it's first COVID-19 case, at the University of Delaware, where my husband works. The University closed for Thursday & Friday and moved Spring Break up to the next week. I sent my husband to the grocery store for a forehead thermometer, robitussin, kids pain medicine, and celebratory food for Jay's birthday. It still wasn't crazy. However, he couldn't get the forehead thermometer. And he didn't get any pediatric acetaminophen. "That's fine, " I thought, "I'll get them from Amazon Prime."
Amazon was sold out.
So was Walmart,
Walgreens,
Target,
Bed Bath and Beyond,
and Buy Buy Baby.
That was when the first jolt of the seriousness of the situation hit me, and I was nervous about COVID-19 for the first time. Before that, I was worried about Jay being healthy for the surgery so that it wasn't postponed.
I got an ear thermometer from FSAstore.com, and pediatric acetaminophen from Target.com. I had my doctor refill my rescue inhaler and picked that up Thursday afternoon.
On Friday, the pictures started to fill my social media accounts of long lines stretching through grocery stores, empty dairy cases, empty shelves. The state of Delaware declared a State of Emergency. Christiana School District canceled classes for two weeks. Our church is serving a limited schedule - no social or educational gatherings for three weeks.
My parents and my brother are in Israel. They are supposed to return March 15th. When Trump announced in his Oval Office address on March 11th that all incoming flights from Europe were being stopped, I panicked. I send my Dad these messages:
Trump is closing air travel from Europe for 30 days.I had made plans with family and friends to help us the day of Jay's surgery, but that is all being changed now. My mother-in-law isn't going to visit because my husband will be home from work. And my friend who was going to sit with me during the surgery will now probably give us a ride to and from the hospital so I can sit in the back with Jay.
Starting Friday.
You need to leave or find long term accommodations.
Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Delaware
3/11/20 - 1
3/13/20 - 4
3/14/20 - 6
Rachel - I am glad you were able to take your kids on a hike, even if it did end messily. Those sorts of adventures are so good for all of us.
Stephanie - I hope your garden is a success. Our littles are close in age but I still feel too overwhelmed to attempt a garden here on our little half acre suburban plot. My life has a Groundhog Day feeling - the days are very similar, the hard things are harder, and many of the things that used to make my life happier like church, friends, and getting away occasionally have been taken away. The bad news is an irregular drumbeat and it's hard to focus on the present and not wonder what is coming next. On the externals of school and housework accomplished, we look good. But underneath, this is very, very hard.
Your good friend,
Elizabeth in Delaware
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