I am an avid reader - love to learn as much as I can about whatever piques my interest at the time. I am a hoarder of information! I originally started paying attention to the virus when I found out my daughter-in-law's Mom was living in Wuhan. She had lived in Guangzhou for years, and I knew she had sold property in Guangzhou to move closer to her family. I had no idea she was right in the middle of the epicenter. It was alarming - Ziwei is a member of my family, and what happens to her, happens to me.
After learning that information, I really started paying attention, and became a little more apprehensive that our government wasn't taking a more robust approach to limit the arrival and departure of our citizens, as well as foreign visitors. When the Seattle nursing homes / assisted care facilities were impacted, and as the virus gradually has taken a foothold across our country, I started reading everything I could get my hands on, and of course my Iphone is my constant companion. And there is no shortage of articles to read. I endeavor to manage a problem by educating myself - the more I know about the problem, the better I can devise a solution. But that approach only works when you have the ability to elicit control over the situation.
As individuals, we can educate ourselves on how long the virus lives on various surfaces, what the symptoms are, how to manage groceries that you bring into your home. In a pandemic, you have to surrender control, and place your faith and trust in the local, state and federal governments to take the appropriate action at the most opportune time. The ability to manage the outcome of this pandemic lies in the hands of our leaders; our responsibility as a U.S. citizen, as a parent, as a grandparent, as a son and a daughter, is to adhere to the guidelines that are provided by the CDC.
Today I am on information overload, and have even taken a break from trying to determine how many cases we have in Iowa, or how NYC is coping with this onslaught. It is hard not to feel compelled to read the human interest stories, and garner how our fearless medical community is coping with this invasion. Earlier this week, I felt guilty if I wasn't staying abreast with every article that was published. But...today, if only for a day, I need to take a break, and I encourage you to take the time you need to take care of yourself. If you don't care for yourself, you can't care for those that need you, and that need may become more copious in the weeks to come.
I am providing the CDC guidelines for coping with stress. Bee safe.