Pandemic

Pandemic! A pandemic is widespread and affects everything and everyone. No one is safe and there are no lives without risk. Pandemic’s once unleashed on unsuspecting, innocent people wreaks havoc. There are numerous unknown’s and more what if’s than originally believed. If you are exposed several things may happen! First, you have been following the recommended guidelines, still being optimistic but cautious. You wore a face mask every time you left your home and gloves as well. You removed your shoes at the door, opened mail outside or in your garage, throwing away the junk and spraying the rest to disinfect it before bringing it inside. You have maintained a six-foot social distancing protocol when out and about running errands. You avoided conversation’s with strangers and did not touch anything you did not plan to buy. So, what happened, you are wondering as you are now feeling sick! You are positive for the virus and it is a wait and see, remaining quarantined at home. So, as I said before several things may happen! Some people are carrier’s without even knowing it. They transmit the virus to others while they remain unaffected. Other’s get the virus and it passes quickly without inflicting damage, leaving them with antibodies for future protection. Still others will get sick, deteriorate extremely fast, needing hospitalization and intubation. Having no known effective treatments against this virus, it begins attacking the lungs causing breathing complications’ and requiring intubation, I.V antibiotic’s and may continue to worsen, claiming your life! Now risking heart disease and kidney failure, fear becomes overwhelming! Pandemic and what if have now taken over you and the entire world creating havoc and shutting most of the world down! People lost their jobs, are going hungry, unable to pay their bills and are suspicious of everyone. Travel has been banned as death spreads through our nursing facilities, jails, prisons, hospitals and subdivisions! Numerous businesses have now gone out of business leaving many more unemployed and destitute. If you survive the hospital and make it home, you will be one of the lucky few. Other’s will be fearful of you and avoid interactions if able while those who live with you will self-isolate for a couple of weeks. What about the rest of the world? The news continues to discuss death and a weakening economy. Things are looking grim everywhere, the death toll is causing depression, and people are committing suicide as fear takes over. So, with the self-isolation, social distancing and the unknowns; life has changed to something we have never known before. The pandemic and what ifs has changed the way we live and think! How fast can someone create a vaccine against this virus, and will it come fast enough to save thousands of lives that would be lost sooner than anticipated? What about an effective treatment plan to save thousands of others who have contracted the virus already? Questions without answers as this pandemic has taken control. What things have changed in our every day lives and how has our thinking evolved? What comes next as we fight not only to avoid catching the virus but to survive the virus? Life has changed for all of us as we wait patiently for a miracle to come our way! Debbie Knapp 05/03/2020