by Alisa Baldwin
Huntsville, AL – The Novel Coronavirus has been something I have tracked since it was first announced in China. As a cancer survivor, I try to stay informed on issues that can impact my health in order to take preventative measures.
Before we even transitioned to online classes, I began wearing a cloth mask to class, washing or sanitizing my hands more frequently, and maintaining a larger distance between myself and anyone I was talking with. These are precautions that have been ingrained in me since my bone marrow transplant in 2015, so it was pretty much second nature.
This means that before people started to go hoarding crazy, I made sure we had what we needed for a month. I did not over buy what we would actually use, we just keep really good records of the number of items we go through in a certain time frame. It is true, we might be a little OCD.
I have done alright with the transition to online class, although nursing is not meant to be done this way, it is important as a future nurse that I know how to remain flexible in my daily activities. I am a forward planner, and had anticipated that this would be instituted and so I had already talked with my husband and sister-in-law (who lives with us) on how things would change once I started full time at home.
My husband is currently working from home full time, which has been the biggest adjustment for me. He is required to be in the office, where I also do my studying, so that he can make video calls and answer emails from the people he is in charge of as well as from his boss. We have learned to schedule times so that we can both get done what we need to.
My major concern is for my family and healthcare workers. My parents have some health issues, and I know what that means for their susceptibility to this virus. I try to take time and go over there (with a mask on) to give some assistance and also relieve some stress.
On top of this I have put a personal skill into action. As of today, I have made over 180 cloth face masks for healthcare workers so that they are more protected. It is important to note that they are well versed in the proper wear and care for these masks, not to mention I wrote up my own instructions and attach it to each baggie containing a mask.
I know we are all stressed and trying to figure out how to live with this going on, but it is important to remember our basic human morals. Care for others as you would want them to care for you, do not implement prejudice against anyone you think is more likely to give you the virus, and always be kind to one another. We are all still human, we all still want to be loved and stay connected, we just need to make sure we are protecting ourselves and those around us in the process.
Let me know how this has impacted your life in the comments. What are you doing to make it through?