Dancing Through Life: Corona Virus

Obviously, the Corona Virus (CoVid-19) is all everyone has been talking about for the past two months, and even more now as cases have been found in the United States over the past few weeks. I saw that some parents posted light hearted "Baby's First Pandemic" pictures on Instagram and I was surprised that I didn't think of that myself! So we took our pictures yesterday when I was home from work. Since I work with 911 and talking to deputies over the radio, I am counted as an essential worker, and have kept my regular schedule as well as working a couple overtime shifts to help out. Michael, however, has been off for two weeks and will probably not go back to work until the week of April 13th. It has been really nice being able to spend more time together!

Even though at this time we are not overly worried about Emma or ourselves catching the virus, we are still saying thank you prayers for our current health and praying that nobody in our family, and extended family and friends, has anything bad happen with them.

The last pandemic I remember was when people were worried about the Zika Virus from the mosquitos in other countries (?), which created extra caution for pregnant women because if they got it then their babies would be born with small, deformed heads. I remember there was talk about it around January 2016 because my dad asked me if I thought I was pregnant a few weeks before I went on a cruise with my parents. I told him I didn't know if I was or not and he seemed very surprised, but I told him that Michael and I had recently started trying to have a baby. I was not pregnant at that time though and didn't get pregnant until that March, which unfortunately ended three weeks later with a miscarriage. I became pregnant with Emma in October 2016. However, the Zika Virus pales in comparison to everything going on with the Corona Virus: everyone buying mass amounts of toilet paper, food, and cleaning supplies, people being forced to self-quarantine if they recently traveled to another country, many non-essential businesses and restaurants shutting down (delivery or pick up available only, so at least they are still making some money), schools being closed for a whole month and teachers having to do online video classes, all the churches and libraries around us are closed, and even all the Disney parks and Universal Studios/ Island of Adventure are completely closed! One benefit of that to us though is less 911 calls. We receive far too many 911 pocket dials from people riding roller coasters.

"Six feet apart, people! And don't forget to wash those hands!"

Interestingly enough, Michael and I have not fallen into the true Corona Virus panic mode and already had everything you see in these pictures. We always have lots of gloves, Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer, and soap in the house. With Emma and all of the medical equipment she already needs to help her breathe, we are always in panic mode in the back of our minds, making sure we do what is best for her so she doesn't get sick and end up back in the hospital. Although, I have heard that so far it is mostly elderly people who are suffering and passing because of the virus (I heard that the average age for deaths in Italy was 81), I still worry about Emma as it causes respiratory issues and she already has that. We are definitely not in a panic worry though, since that does no good, so we are continuing each day as if everything is normal. I think we're good on toilet paper too! ;)

*A-choo!*

At work the management employees have been talking about firefighters taking our temperatures at the beginning of each shift (we share our building with the fire department) to make sure nobody showing up has a fever or any other symptoms, but that hasn't happened yet. We have a handful of employees who are in "self-quarantine" at their houses because they recently got back from trips in various countries. There are a lot of signs around the building and they are keeping a lot of the inside doors open so there are less door handles for everyone to have to touch, and now we are not allowed visitors- including deputies who want to bring us donuts! (The deputies do not work out of our building and many of them have never even seen our building or met the operators that they talk to every day.)

In the picture directly above, I was visiting my best friend Mia and her parents at their house after Christmas. I was there to make cookies, but did have a cough, and none of them wanted to get sick. They didn't end up keeping their masks on the whole time I was there, but I love the photo. And it definitely makes me think of how everyone has been in panic mode lately.

Below: Emma trying to hide from the virus!

The main thing we have been doing since we have more time together now, is taking long walks, and I love it. We have come up with lots of new topics to discuss regarding the future. Yesterday I took a lot of scenery pictures along our walk on a trail we had not been to in over a year! Michael doesn't like being out in the heat, so I was very happy when our walk lasted an hour and 40 minutes. I did not track how many total miles that was though. Maybe close to four?