We talked flu and pantry preparedness last week....
And I was pretty chipper.
I'D NAILED IT!!! GO ME!
RUTHY- 1 FLU- 0
And then pneumonia sent me to the E.R. on Friday, my husband to Urgent Care on Saturday, our doctor's request for Covid 19 testing that was denied (this was Saturday, lack of testing materials in WNY) and we both ended up home, with pneumonia, two healthy people who twelve days before were pretty sure of themselves and their place in the world and we discovered that:
A major or sudden or terminal illness changes our perspectives.
We think of all kinds of things we generally brush off.
Like re-doing that will we did twenty years ago, before we had grandkids, before I was a published author, before the farm was almost paid off.
Organizing papers in case we both die at the same time... and not only isn't the one left behind going to find everything, there wouldn't be "one left behind"... EEK!!!!
So yes, a wake-up call in the highest sense, the kind of wake up call that reminds us of the preciousness of life and if the current worldwide pandemic doesn't make us realize how fleeting our grip on everything is, then maybe we aren't really paying attention.
You know, this all happened so fast, that there wasn't time to fear... well, much. Some. Okay, there was SOME FEAR, but then there was something else.
Trust.
Trust in God.
Trust that whatever was happening was happening for a reason. That whatever was happening was being handled, and that we'd get through, by and by. One way or another. Because God is with us. God is for us, not against us. And I held on to that completely.
Importantly, I'd just gotten my hair cut and styled, so at least if you're going to be rushed to the E.R., it's good to have great hair.
Clean underwear has NOTHING on great hair.
I'm just saying. :)
We are in the midst of crisis. Of a history-making crisis, but we are not the first to face such things (plagues, famine, locusts, drought, dust, more locusts, malaria, black death, bubonic plague, smallpox, cholera, Spanish Flu, Hong Kong Flu, AIDS) and now Coronavirus or Covid-19.
The world has just pushed the "reset" button en masse.
Things will change for a lot of people. Doors will close and opportunities will open and life will go on, but it will go on differently for so many. So very many.
I won't talk about how the lack of proper testing materials put more of us at risk and has obscured the numbers, but I was interviewed by Reuters (thanks to my daughter's Tweet about her parents' travails) and here's a link to the very informative article the Reuters' team wrote:
SPECIAL REPORT: HOW KOREA TROUNCED US IN CORONA TESTING
That's a story for another day. Today is about getting by. Dealing. Looking at the bright side. Listening to the birds of spring, winging their way northward, assuring us of a new day dawning.
No, we don't know what that day will be like. As the sun rises, there will be new numbers, new worries, valid concerns and millions of parents are trying to figure out what to do with multi-millions of children who can't go to school and can barely leave the house.
A temporary and new normal.
BUT ALL IS NOT LOST.
We have survived so much as societies. As people As faithful.
We will press forward, we will keep moving, we will continue to rock babies, and talk to elders, and knit socks and mittens or quilt blankets and shop on Amazon and have really good coffee sometimes. And ordinary coffee most often.
We are resilient.
We are relentless.
We are children of God, and with that courage and faith comes fortitude, for long before we walked the earth there were martyrs and saints and holy people, sacrificing so much. So very much. For you. For me. For us.
God bless us.
God bless this world.
And may He grace us with sufficient humility to understand that we need Him far more than He needs us, and yet he wants us even more than that!!!
Oh, that God!
So wondrous and special and good.
So we don't blame Him for the virus.
Stuff happens. Things mutate. And then they spread. And we take up arms and needles and test kits and we fight back.
I am sending you blessings this day, this holy day of March 19 which happens to be my husband's birthday... the day after Fenway's!!!!!
Happy birthday to Dave and Fenway....
And may we learn to love and trust and share with our utmost good from this day forward.
Ruthy
As ever, so well said! Sending prayers and love your way Ruthy!
ReplyDeleteTracey, thank you! We'll gladly accept both!
DeleteLove you, Ruthie. Stay strong! Sending hugs and wishing your both well. Happy Birthday, Farmer Dave!
ReplyDeleteLove you right back. Silly germs.... I'll give ya' germ warfare: Take that!!!! (Waves a prayer book in general direction of anything with germs....)
DeleteAs rough as this whole situation is, we are blessed to all stand strong together, no matter what happens.
Oh, Ruthy, I’m so sorry you’re going through this. Cyber hugs 🤗! I’m so thankful your son was able to help out. You and Farmer Dave take care and take it easy.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sweet Terri! And yes, it's good to have Zach around, and son-in-law Jon has been here doing outside chores, Beth and Mandy sent food... And the kids that are farther away have been checking in multiple times a day.... And Lacey offered to shop for us at Wegmans... we are blessed to have folks near and far away, but that's what concerns me, is so many people alone... or not near family. That's a huge disconnect at a time like this. Thank you!!!
DeleteWhen I first heard that you had the flu (was it two weeks ago now?) I thought Ruthy's going to attack this the way she attacks everything else - with faith, trust, and a huge helping of Yankee gumption.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't wrong.
Continuing to pray for restored health and complete healing.
And Happy Birthday to Farmer Dave!
Aw, you're the best.... March 3rd I came down sick. Dave was March 8th.... And it's been an interesting couple of weeks, but I do think he's turning the corner now that we have a new antibiotic and it's attacking the sinus infection that evolved the past few days. Gosh, when the body gets out of whack, it is MUCH EASIER for it to stay out of whack or just get whackier!!!!
DeleteBodies are funny things!
I will pass those wishes on to the farmer! :)
Praying for you and your family Ruth! Thank you for sharing your experience because we all need to remember that God has us and loves every one of us. He knows the number of hairs on our heads!
ReplyDeleteAmen to that... the thought that he knows us before we are in our mother's womb... that he cares for us even more than those cute sparrows! We are blessed!
DeletePraying for an uncomplicated recovery for you both! That article you linked was really interesting. Really makes you think just how many actual cases there are when two people who present with all the symptoms can't get a confirmation test! It's that way here in Canada too -- you have to have been in a country or in contact with someone who has been diagnosed in order to be tested but we're way past that now, I think. I'm symptomatic so I'm doing the self-isolation but I have no way of knowing whether it's just the flu or the FLU. Thank you for sharing your fresh and God-focused outlook on it all. Cyber hugs!
ReplyDeleteCyber hugs right back, and I'm so sorry you got sick, too! I might have contaminated you, my friend! :)
DeleteBlessings to you and all of Canada... We've got this!
Praying for you, Kav! If you have any respiratory distress, be sure to call for help. Now you're going to give me more worry wrinkles to add on to the one Ruthy gave me!
DeleteLove your attitude, Ruthy! Hang in there!
ReplyDeleteOh, thank you, Kathryn!!!!!
DeleteRuthy, I love that, no matter what, you're always positive. That's because you choose to trust. And sometimes, that's all we can do. But that one little thing can do so much for us. It may not change our circumstances, but it changes our perspective.
ReplyDeleteMindy! That is exactly what it does, and that perspective kind of rules the land, doesn't it? So much of how we perceive and how we emit is down to that perspective.... and it isn't even if the glass is half-full or half-empty... that's semantics.
DeleteIt's how can we fill it up again? Do we need to go to the store or is there more in the fridge???
A do-nothing attitude is kind of like a death knell.
Thank you for your kind words, my friend!
I'm so sorry! Praying you both recover completely! What a wonder you are encouraging us when you are sick! (Glad you looked beautiful to go to the ER!)
ReplyDeleteOh, Linda, thank you so much! It was a whirlwind of happenings, and I have to say that on Saturday, when I was driving a very RELUCTANT husband to Urgent Care and I was really sick myself, that day was rough... and then they were rude to him and I nearly lost it.
DeleteI didn't.
I simply and pretty coldly reminded them that I brought a sick man in to be treated and that was their purpose, was it not?
So there are moments when I am not such a wonder, LOL!
But golly gee whiz, when a person's sick, a little kindness goes a long way, right???
Ruthy feel better! Make sure Farmer Dave stays in bed too! As of Monday I started working from home. They have over 50% doing it either with our own computers or company provided. Jacob even got me a new laptop! However it has what looks line a screen defect that is becoming more noticable so I have to take it in this weekend to see if I can exchange it. Can't send it in for any repair right now since I need it for work!
ReplyDeleteOh, Katie, that's a pickle, isn't it? But hooray for a new laptop, pretty girl! I'm so glad. And hoping they swap it out for one that works. Keep us posted!
DeleteWhat a beautiful post, Ruthy. I'm so glad you're both feeling a little better! You've given me some new wrinkles this week from worry!
ReplyDeleteBut I agree about making sure other people know all about our finances, etc. I've been showing my husband all the financials for my parents in case something happens to me. Now I've realized (during my recent nights of sleeplessness) that need to share with at least one of my kids.
I love your inspiring words today! Very needed.
Praying for you and your family, Ruthy! Thanks for the post. I always love reading your thoughts and views. You're amazing! Hang tight and get better quickly. I'm keeping you and your family in my prayers!
ReplyDelete