Featured Refresh
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
Now we play the waiting game. Unfortunately, I reside in South Carolina--wedged tightly to the east among the Deep South states-- which has already—no surprises here--fallen behind in the COVID-19 vaccine drive. Residents have been instructed to wait for the appropriate age phase. Only then can they utilize a vax locator in order to find sites that will administer the vaccine. Once a location is selected, they will then call the associated phone number to make an appointment if enough vaccines are available. As fate would have it, I am, at age 67, in Phase 1c which will not even launch until late spring 2021 in this state. As South Carolina ranks #36 in health care, I can only sigh, shake my head and pray that when my age group arises, vaccines will still be at hand. Meanwhile, in my nativeTexas, my 90-year-old mother, my brother and my sister-in-law (both 63) have already received their first doses of the vaccine. Too little, too late may spell severe illness and even death for some Palmetto State residents who continue to wait, wait, wait.
January 22, 2021
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Talk about anyone you're especially worried about during the pandemic, and what you’re worried about.
I feel worried about my grandmother, who is 101-years-old and who recently transitioned from assisted living into memory care. As of last week, I am now her power of attorney, which only formalizes the work and responsibilities I have been carrying since my mother died (over two years ago now, which boggles my mind). I've lost sight of whether I do a lot of work for my grandmother because I love her, or whether I love her because I do a lot of work for her. I think both may be true. Anyway, my dear, sweet grandmother has declined steadily over the past two years. It is impossible to tease apart whether this is due to losing my mother, due to the stresses and isolation of the pandemic, or due to very old age (i.e., whether this decline was coded in her genes and destined to happen regardless of losing my mother or the pandemic). I want to be there as much as I possibly can for her, and I want her to receive the best care possible (while fully acknowledging that I am not the right person to provide her day-to-day care). I also want her to have a good quality of life. And, at the same time, I hope she lives forever. If I could turn back the clock and give her her health and independence back, I would. In some ways, the pandemic has been a blanket that has covered absolutely everyone -- there is no escaping it. But, in other ways -- especially through my grandmother -- it is clear to me how vulnerable populations have been made even more vulnerable by the pandemic.
June 8, 2021