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Grandmother
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2020-09-29T15:55:00
What a time to be ALIVE ? COVID-19. 2020
My My My what a time to be alive. COVID-19 has put things into perspective for me personally as far as pursuing a career in the medical field which Ive always had a passion for. Just like anything COVID-19 has its pros and cons, mostly cons but I try to see the light in everything. My personal experience with COVID-19 has been pretty close. Being an essential worker, a student, and having people you care about contract COVID-19 is heart wrenching. Things shifted quickly for me in March. I vividly remember working at a Dermatologist office in LI. and one of my co-workers that went to Molloy College said their school had closed school down, but CUNY was still in school which was alamaring to me but I paid it no mind. I noticed that my co-worker had been sneezing and coughing, but again I didn't think it was COVID-19, and it wasn't in America like it was in China. On March 22nd I received an email from my doctor that my co-worker tested positive for the virus. I am in close proximity to her at the office and in her car when she drops me off home. Now I am worried for my families well being including mines. My sister is a city essential worker, she is a supervisor for NYCHA groundmens, my mom works for a Utility company, and my niece is 5 years old. I never displayed any symptoms so I didn't get tested. My immediate family is safe and sound as well. I ended up leaving that job, because the doctor was money hungry, and didn't really care about the safety of his employees. I later found out that his son had tested positive for the Virus, and he was still coming to work, we also never closed down for 14 days, perhaps 7. Now I only have one job which is for another Doctor, an Optometrist, we closed down for about 6-8 weeks. The Rockaways which I reside and work in has one of the highest COVID-19 cases in Queens county. I live close to St.John's Hospital and walking past those trailers on a day to day basis is very sad, especially knowing what lies inside. To make things “better” On April 8th I found out my Best friend contracted the virus along with her sister that is a Nurse, and dad that is a Welder. My friend already has pre existing health conditions such as UC (Ulcerative colitis.) My spirit was low when I got the news. Luckily for me my best friend is still here. It took her about a month to fully recover at home with plenty of rest and antibiotics. On August 19th, I thought I would certainly lose my 97 year old grandmother that resides in a nursing home because she too tested positive for COVID-19. However, she was asymptomatic, the nursing home kept us abreast of her daily progression which put us at ease. The nursing home quarantined her for 2 weeks and she pulled through no ventilator and was pretty healthy. Some good things I will take from COVID-19 is the much needed family time and mental break from society. As New Yorkers we are always on the go and I feel we don't get time to appreciate what we have in front of us. This was the time to start the healthy journey, learn to love yourself, relax, do an at home mani and pedi, binge eat, play video games, watch tv, read a book, make a budget, maybe even start a business, and most importantly learn to love and appreciate life no matter what the situation is. Everyone is fighting or going through something you know nothing about and will always be going through something whether it was precovid, postcovid or during COVID-19. Just remember to always look at the lighter side of things and smile.It will get easier with time. -
2020-09-27
The Ones We Have Lost
Throughout this unexpected pandemic, many have lost a family member, a friend, or someone they knew. It has truly been a tragic event in history. Like many others, I lost someone I was very close with. My grandma was my best friend, she raised me as a kid, and though me the things I know and follow now. Her name was Maria and she lived in the Dominican Republic, she died at the age of 83. Many people in the neighborhood she lived in had gotten sick due to the virus. Slowly she too was getting sick. Her neighborhood was considered as a red zone which meant that the virus was spreading fast. Many of these people live with the majority of their families in one house. My grandma did not get the virus as she was very cautious. She had pulmonary edema and it was what caused her death. I told my mom that I wanted to go and be with her, my uncle had died a week before and I did not want my grandma to be without me. My grandma was buried the same day she died, without a goodbye she went away. So far away she was, I didn’t even a last hug or a last I love you. I lost many people due to COVID, but this one hurt me the most. I wanted to dedicate this story to all those we have lost. Their memories will forever remain with us, in our hearts. Although they died alone in a bed, they each knew they were loved and it was just simply their time to leave. My mama ( grandma) was the funniest human being I knew, I’m glad I took advantage of the time we had. So if you have lost someone just know that I am with you, It’s okay to feel the way you feel. One day we will get to see them again! -
2020-03-13
Distant but Together- COVID-19 pandemic.
Throughout this pandemic it has been quite hard for me and my family because my grandmother is in a nursing home and got the virus. Luckily she is okay and didn't get that sick! However, its been hard and sad to think about how she is all alone in the nursing home still. She can't get any visitors and she stays in her room at all times except when she goes down to do her kidney dialysis. No one in my house had COVID-19 and we were all tested for the antibodies. When we all had to stay home for awhile in the beginning and nothing was open it was nice to be able to spend more time with my family. My parents both work full time and i finally got to spend a lot of time with them. That's one of the brighter parts of the pandemic, I think many families probably grew closer and we realized how much we take our lives for granted. I can't wait to see my grandmother again as i havent seen her since January. I really hope i can see her soon and get to tell her more about whats going on in my life! We talk on the phone almost every day but it's not the same. Slowly life is getting back to normal. I'm excited for restaurants to finally open for indoor eating in NYC after a long time of waiting for the mayor and governor to come to their senses. I'm confident that life will soon be back to the way it was with the vaccine that is coming. This story that i have uploaded is important to me because it made me realize how much i value and love my family. It also made me realize i take them for granted, throughout this pandemic it was scary to think that one of my family members could've gotten the virus. Thankfully we are all healthy and continuing to follow guidelines such as wearing masks when warranted. This year was definitely not as good as other years, but compared to many other people who lost loved ones I'd say this year was pretty good for me. I've learned to count my blessings and thank God every day for keeping me and my family safe and healthy. -
2020-05-01
The Effect of the Coronavirus on Hospitals and Doctors
This picture resonates with me for a number of reasons. Firstly, both of my parents are cardiologists and my grandmother is a nurse practitioner, meaning that they have had to deal with the effects of the virus up close. This has put a new reason to worry as my parents and grandmother could be at risk for contracting the virus should something go wrong. This picture says a lot about the severity of the pandemic. Life-saving and even basic medical equipment, such as the ones utilized in the photo, are in short supply. Doctors and medical personnel are called upon to risk their health to help save that of others. Hospitals are plagued with the sea of new patients flooding in, so much so that, overcrowding has become an issue in some hospitals. This picture is important to me because it demonstrates what our medical workers and hospital staff are sacrificing in order to help combat an enemy that surrounds us. -
2020-08-01
Family Funeral
We had a family funeral. Not everybody could be there, not everybody should. Our family arrived at the plot and we were reminded to keep our distance still. A funeral has never been an overall positive experience, but the individual tragedies involved with people being unable to arrive due to health concerns makes that funeral that much more tragic. -
2020-06-30
"We'll be happy to debate the efficacy of masks with you when this is all over" sign
Sign in a thrift store which is circling the internet, of unknown origin. It reads "If you choose not to wear a mask, we respectfully ask that you postpone your visit. We'll be happy to debate the efficacy of mask with you when this is all over and you come in to sell your dead grandmother's clothes. TL;DR Masks Required -
2020-06-24
"I am not a silver lining kinda person, but..." tweet
A tweet from author Anne Thériault talking about the silver lining to the disruption to routine brought on by the pandemic. She and her son have been staying with her mother in Kingston instead of their home in Toronto. -
2020-05-26
No Mask, No Service
I went to the grocery story with my 83 year old grandmother and was more than a little irritated to see that so many people were refusing to wear a mask. It gave me an uneasy feeling. My grandmother who lives alone and very far from any family, has no choice but to leave her home to buy necessities. I am worried for her safety. -
2020-05-26
Grandmother Grateful for Opportunity to Visit Husband's Grave for Memorial Day During COVID-19
Jo Ann of Blanchard, Oklahoma visited her husband's grave on 05/26/2020. She was taken by her grandson and his girlfriend to visit his grave. Before the restrictions of COVID-19 set in March, Jo Ann had visited her husband's grave almost daily for over five years. Since the restrictions of the pandemic, she had only visited three times. She said she was very grateful to be able to spend some time with her husband who had been a veteran in the Korean War. Jo Ann said she was looking forward to this pandemic ending so she could resume her normal visits. Submitted for the #ruralvoices collection. Contributed by Clinton P. Roberts, curatorial intern for Arizona State University, HST 580. -
2020-05-18
Things are different
Taking my grandmother Janice Simon to lunch at Denny's as shelter-in-place orders are lifted. The staff is wearing masks and every-other table is closed. All utensils and plates are disposable. Everyone there was so excited to be there. -
2020-05-15
My COVID-19 Experience
My name is Kylan Ritchie. I am a fourteen-year-old freshman from a small town near Clarksville, Tennessee. I am homeschooled due to the fact that I am a professional actress. COVID-19 did not have any effect on my school however, it has had a temporary effect on my job. I normally have a summer acting job but, due to COVID-19, I will be spending my summer at home. During my time in quarantine, which started on March 18th, I have learned various things about myself, my friends, and my family. Personally, I have learned that when I set my mind to something, in this circumstance, that was school, I can achieve a lot more than I believed. I learned that I am a procrastinator and that is something that I am attempting to fix. Also, I have learned that I do, in fact, have the mental stability to stay locked away in my house for long periods of time. My situation is different in comparison to my friends because of my father and grandmother. My dad has a heart condition and will be turning sixty this year and consequently, he has a higher chance of getting the virus and it being life threatening. Likewise, my grandmother has severe asthma and has an even higher chance of dying if she were to catch the virus. Because of this, I have been strictly following the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines to shelter in place as well as the Tennessee government’s stay at home order. Although, it has been fairly difficult because my friends and family have not followed the same guidelines that I have been following. Many of my friends have not been social distancing at all after Tennessee’s government decided to lift its stay at home order. A few of my friends have found that seeing their boyfriends or girlfriends, seeing other friends, or going out to eat is more important than social distancing or quarantining. Some states have begun lifting their stay at home orders and have seen a spike in cases and deaths. In my home state of Tennessee specifically, phase one of reopening has begun. After the reopening began, there was a 130 percent increase in cases in Tennessee. In the U.S. according to recent updates, by May 14, 2020, there has been a total of 1.47 million confirmed cases with 88,144 deaths across the U.S. and it is rising every day. The amount of deaths correlating with COVID-19 has now surpassed the American death toll of both WWI and the Vietnam War. The sad thing is, the death toll and infection rate continues to climb however, many state governments have decided to open everything up once more, massive amounts of citizens are refusing to wear protection while out in public, and violence has begun between mask wearers and non-mask wearers. When we look back in America’s history, we can see how America was able to overcome various epidemics going back to the smallpox breakout from 1633-1634 that killed 70 percent of the Native American population. In the beginning, America never truly quarantined as many families in the 14th century had done during the Black Plague, also known as the Black Death, outbreak. One of the first mentions of quarantine due to an illness in America was during the yellow fever outbreak. After attempting to have state and local governments handle the containment of the illness with zero success, Congress passed the federal quarantine legislation in 1878. This did not conflict with the states’ rights, it showed that the federal government was ready to involve itself in the quarantine activities of America. The legislation gave the Surgeon General the ability to, “[m]ake and enforce such regulations as in his judgment are necessary to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable diseases from foreign countries into the States or possessions, or from one State or possession into any other State of possession.” Many epidemics in the U.S. such as the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918 and the diphtheria epidemic of 1921-1925 have given me hope due to the fact that, in the end, a vaccine was created and licensed in order to lower the chance of America having another wave of that disease. For example, the Spanish flu, though it was horrible, and many people died from it, ended with the very first flu vaccine that would later stop millions of people from being infected. I believe that COVID-19, as of May 15, 2020, is far from over. There are still many waves to come unless people begin to quarantine and take precautions, or a vaccine is created. History shows that, in most cases, it takes a great deal of time to create a vaccine for diseases of this capacity. For this reason, I believe that many government related actions could be taken in order to prevent further spreading of the virus. In the end, I have decided to follow the advice of scientist and doctors who are seeing firsthand, what this virus is made of, what it does to a person’s body, and how it spreads. -
2020-05-01
Family First
A personal account #REL101 -
04/24/2020
Haircut or Grandma's Life?
The image is a meme. It alludes to the scene in Avengers: Endgame when Thanos has to sacrifice Gamora, his daughter, in order to achieve his goals. In the actual movie, Thanos tells a younger Gamora that it cost everything. In the meme, Thanos is seen telling Gamora it cost grandma as he is seen with waves in his hair and Apple Airpods in his ears. In relation to the Coronavirus, this meme is aimed at young individuals prioritizing their looks and style above the health of their loved ones.