The Coronavirus Diaries 3-17-20: One Mom's Fears

2020 is a crazy world these days. Who would have thought that the world we know could change so fast and so brutally? I can honestly say that this whole pandemic and panic we are all experiencing is so scary.

This is just the beginning of what appears to be a long and frightening experience for all of us. So, I thought I would document what is going on in my area, how the people I know are coping with the coronacraziness, including myself.

I honestly have to say when I first started hearing about this virus outbreak going on in China I barely glazed over the news reports. I felt that it was happening so far away from where I live that I had nothing to worry about.

Boy was I wrong on so many accounts. This is an event like nothing I have ever been affected by in all of my five-plus decades on earth. So, here I sit feeling like a prisoner in my own house, well almost.

Right now we are permitted to go to work, run our errands and practice social distancing. Social distancing is going to be one of those terms that will be long remembered even after this has all blown over.

So, this social distancing thing. This means you are not to be getting up in anyone else's personal space. You are to stay six feet away from others out in public, and three feet apart in other areas.

This is to hopefully slow down or stop the spread of this nasty coronavirus so it doesn't overwhelm cities and healthcare facilities and workers. Basically, the powers that be hope it keeps more people from dying.

This virus is no joke, it doesn't play and is hardest on the elderly. We have been warned that those over 65 should be parked at their houses and not to venture out if you can avoid it.

People are getting really frightened and when people get this scared they tend to do things that are really out of character. Take the grocery stores for instance, I ventured out today at 7 a.m. to pick up a few groceries.

Why so early you ask Well it seems that if you are not in the right grocery store at the right time then you will be walking through what looks like something right out of the Walking Dead.

I kid you not, people are buying up everything and anything they can get their hands on. There is a major problem these days with finding cleaning supplies, cold and flu meds, paper products and toilet paper.

About a week ago everyone began buying massive amounts of toilet paper and hoarding it to the point that now it is a game of survivor to find it. People all over the United States are complaining they are without toilet paper, something that we, well myself anyway have always taken for granted.

Stores are working overtime restocking food and supplies on the shelves. They can not do it fast enough. Today my Walmart was a grocery graveyard.

There was no meats in the meat department, produce empty, milk and eggs nonexistent. Canned foods almost completely gone, frozen foods not much better.

They had one pallet of bottled water which was guarded by an employee letting customers have only one case each. I picked up what I could find there and headed to our other grocery Kroger.

There I found people coming in and out in a rush. Kudos to Kroger though, at least they were stocked, they had everything needed, but you again could only purchase limited supplies. This is fine with me, I am not about hoarding food, just want what I need and willing to leave behind the rest for other shoppers.

After I finished my shopping I headed back home, nowhere else to go anyway. It was then that I heard why people continued to be in such a frenzy today. There is rumored talk that our state will most likely be going on lockdown.

This means no one but essential workers will be permitted to go out to work, doctors, nurses, first responders and police. This is a concept I can't get on board with.

Don't they understand it is ESSENTIAL for everyone to go to work. We have to pay our bills. Before you start complaining about my thoughts, let me explain. I know we all have to do our part to get through this crisis.

However, my husband is a self-employed home improvement contractor. He gets paid only for the work he does. No work, no pay. There is no unemployment for him, he is just screwed if he can't work.

I appreciate the fact that utility companies are halting disconnections and late charges during this time, and the fact that the president wants to help everyone with some cash to get through.

BUT...when this is all over, and people return to work, we are all going to be in major debt. Not only will we return to our regular monthly bills that will be paid we will also be expected to pay all the money that we owe for the time it was waived. So it will be a really hard time financially for most people.

It is going to take a long time for most to recover financially from this coronavirus outbreak and this really scares me. Three months into 2020 and it is looking pretty bleak so far.

I am however making an attempt to try and keep an upbeat and positive attitude throughout this crisis. It is trying though, the fear is real, the worry is excessive and the day after day of uncertainty is overbearing.

I have been banned with love from seeing my children and grandchildren. I say with love because they do not want me venturing out any more than necessary. One they do not want me to get sick, nor do they want me to carry any germs into them, or give me any germs they may have.

Two, we have decided that we need to keep the distance from each other in case one household undergoes quarantine then we have the others to rely on to get them supplies and meds they may need. Smart thinking on their part, but still heartbreaking for this mom and grandma to know she cannot see her loved ones for a few weeks.

I also have a daughter who works at the hospital and is right in the middle of the madness. So there is added worry and concern for her health and safety.

These are just a few of my coronavirus concerns for today March 17, 2020. I'm sure as the days and weeks go on there will be many more to come for me to document.

I want to urge everyone to do their part to stay safe, healthy and work together to put a stop to this coronavirus madness as quickly as we can. It is of utmost importance that we all stand with a united front and get our lives back to normal as quickly as we can.