Ten days ago when I made a grocery run, three of us in Hy-Vee were wearing masks. Today there were too many to count. I understand that wearing the mask does not prevent me from acquiring the virus, but it may prevent me from infecting others if I am a silent carrier.
I wanted to thank everyone I saw who was wearing a mask. But since we were more than six feet apart, we just smiled with our eyes.
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I picked up my mother-in-law's hearing-aid batteries at the audiologist. The receptionist set them out on the bench so that I wouldn't have to come inside. The pharmacy is allowing only drive-throughs, and I felt welcomed by the gloved and masked woman who handed me the meds.
I then girded myself for Hy-Vee where I made two pass-throughs, one for my mother-in-law and one for my household. I wiped the cart handles and maintained a 6-foot distance from others, at times slowing my shopping to a crawl. I reminded myself that my only real job these days is to be as responsible and safe as I can. Everything else is gravy.
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The process of venturing out into the public is stressful. I am keenly aware of the itch on my face, the bare hands of the woman who passed me a grocery cart, the transfer of the receipt from the checker's hand to mine.
I felt relief to at last arrive at my mother-in-law's with her batteries, medications, and groceries.
But as I unloaded her sundries, she mentioned she had heard on the radio that maybe people were over-reacting and all of this distancing might not be necessary, and I felt my eyes brim with tears.
My mother-in-law and I are on opposite ends of the political spectrum, but for more than 35 years we have lived by an unspoken agreement to keep politics out of our respectful and loving relationship.
"More people die of the flu and car accidents," she said, parroting what she has imbibed from the right-wing radio commentators continuing to downplay the pandemic. "I just don't think we need to overreact."
"My sister's husband is intubated in an induced coma with a dire prognosis," I reminded her. "So when I hear people on the radio saying this is no big deal, I feel it on a personal level."
I explained again that our health-care system is not equipped to absorb the surge of the very sick and highly-contagious COVID patients. I asked her to remember what my daughter Eloise in Spain said two weeks ago about doctors sobbing as the bodies piled up. I gave her the facts: as many as 25% of those ill with COVID-19 are healthcare workers, trying to fight for others' lives while imperiling their own.
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I do not want to argue with my sweet mother-in-law. But I--and I believe most Americans--are doing whatever we can to isolate, to lower the curve, and to protect each other by sacrificing our own immediate proclivities.
I am not angry at Janet. But I am angry at Rush Limbaugh and the like who are undermining my effort to keep these dear 90-somethings protected.
Enough.
Stay well.
Write.
Allison
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