Coping during the ongoing pandemic
This year is clearly not going the way anyone could have imagined. I was about a week into getting back to normal with walking after my accident. Being able to go to the gym, go out and not feel like an alien crutching around. But here we are dealing with the repercussions of this pandemic and learning to live with social distancing as an order.
I went to Seattle for work third week of February, crazy to think about now because this is where the virus initially exploded and there was no precaution taken at that point. No one expected the level of gravity this virus has.
The same night the NBA was indefinitely suspended, it snowballed here in Oregon. Events and large gatherings like venue shows were first to go, which happens to be what Matt (boyfriend) and I work in. However, I was glad to hear that the government was making moves. The mayor of Portland declared a state of emergency, attempting to get a handle on it. And it’s quite impressive that we have stayed relatively low in cases given that our bordering states are Washington and California. But with that said I also don’t necessarily believe that everyone is getting tested and I don’t know if I believe the statistics coming out are as accurate. We were not testing in the US for quite some time.
As the situation uncovered, talking on the phone with one of my best friends in Chicago helped ease some of the feelings we had going into this. We both were very understanding and respecting the need for social distancing. She has it a bit tougher than I do being a major city. On the other hand, I have my family in Michigan still leaving the house. The number of cases skyrocketed tenfold there. Like many, I’m worried about those I love and don’t know what to expect for months to come with worsening states.
If anything this has exposed the extreme flaws we have as a country. The middle class that was once known is no longer, the divide between the poor and the elite is significant. Coming out of this, if we are not all fighting for a better quality of life for one another, we didn’t learn anything.
While the virus is taking its course through the country, we are all learning to live in social distance as a way to offset the number of cases. I live in a one-bedroom apartment with my boyfriend and the situation has definitely evolved. Going into the second week, I am really starting to feel it. We are both at home all day, every day.
Besides the fact that he has no work, his introverted self is doing relatively okay. I am someone that needs to be out and in different environments throughout the day. So it’s an adjustment being in the same space for work, eating, working out, relaxing but it could be worse and I’m thankful. We are all feeling stir crazy and trying to find ways to cope. But it is so important to wait out the storm inside, so we can get on with our lives. How terrible would it be in about a month when it really starts to get warm and we are not able to go out and enjoy it?
Going on walks in my neighborhood regularly is my saving grace. We need to take this time to reconnect with ourselves away from the pressure of our typical “busy” lives. The struggle and fear is real, but it’s not about what happens to you, it’s how you react to it.
Jane Theory 