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We seem to be working on a lot of projects around the house. Currently, it's fencing the back yard so we will be able to get some small sheep. Not quite sure how we're gonna get them shipped over here when they are old enough, since that would be around the first of May, but sometimes ya just gotta keep marching off in whatever direction.
Should we get the fencing done, there's several gardens to build so we will stay pretty busy. Having additional garden space is comforting, too. What with it being spring and all, there's mulberries and peaches ripe at the moment. Putting those in jars will keep me busy for a bit, too.
We still socialize with some of our friends, but just several at a time at the most. They only live several houses over and don't go out to much more than the grocery and the post office, so it's still pretty limited in scope.
A lot more chatting with friends and relatives via texting or sometimes we *gasp* call them on the phone! They don't have Skype or any of the other fancier ways, but the phone still works as a phone.
Tomorrow I may do some baking. We just about finished off a huge pot of chili. Maybe it will be soup next.
I've been too busy at work to deal with anything, but yesterday the stress of it all popped up as an intense headache. I couldn't even tie my shoelaces as my head hurt so bad when I tried to bend over, I thought I'd vomit.
Most of my clients are dentists and they have all shut down and most laid off their staff. The closings are supposed to last until April 6th, but I'm sure it will continue for much longer and some will probably have to declare bankruptcy. The past several days we were rushing about trying to get them loans to tide them over until they can get back to work.
Additionally my office is not paperless so it has been a wild scramble trying to get everything scanned in, in the event of shelter in place.
Am going to force myself to deal with the grocery stores this morning to stock up as much as possible and then go to work. I have been working 13 hours a day and am exhausted. Will probably get laid off myself as the doctors won't be able to stay in business and pay us.
The one silver lining is that my elderly cat will be so happy if I am at home everyday. She is here now purring loudly beside me.
I'm concerned, extremely bored, and definitely worried about my health care worker friends. I'm also worried about my elderly friends. The isolation is hard, but I can't say that I'm overly stressed about it. I can eat, heck, it's one thing I have to look forward to. I can sleep. This is hard, but I've been through hard times before. You do what you have to do.
Take a deep breath W.L.1919 and focus on what you can control. I like to ride my exercise bike, and we are on lock down now, but we can still walk our dog. I text my friends and the house is super clean
Keep your eye on the prize. This too shall pass. Life will return to normal eventually.
I am wondering what other people who are stressed are doing to cope with the pandemic.
I'm stressed. I am fatigued because I can't sleep at night. I am nauseated a lot and can't eat.
While I am stressed about the health implications of this virus, it's mainly older relatives that I worry about. My own mom who ticks off several boxes in the "high risk" group: age, diabetes, heart issues, seems nonchalant about things and keeps going out and even went to church this past weekend. I am so glad they closed the churches so she can't go anymore. She's been out every day this week and is going to the market tomorrow.
I am also stressed about the financial impact. Where I work wasn't doing well at the start of the year and the economic fallout from things closing and cancelling is hurting us more. There is talk of a recession and last time that happened I lost my job due to cut backs. I am a divorced mom, I am the only breadwinner. Luckily, I've saved up for an emergency and I could be unemployed for several months and live off my emergency money, but that doesn't make me worry less.
My main way to "burn off stress" is gone, the gym is closed. I've taken to taking the dog for extra long, 5 mile plus, walks. At least the weather has been holding out for that. I wish I could run, but I have a bad knee. I am starting to get arthritis so I don't run anymore because the doctor said that would make it worse.
I am also trying to turn off the news and distract myself with binge watching TV shows from better days. I am thinking a Star Trek marathon might be in order soon.
The walks and TV aren't cutting it, but it helps. What are your stress coping strategies for the unique situations imposed by this pandemic? Maybe we can all give each other ideas to help each other.
Just remember, when this is all over things will pick back up. Restaurants will boom again as people who are now tired of being home and cooking need to just get out, same goes for shopping. It may take a few months but it will pick up. As for your mom, I don't know how to convince her to limit her going out. Luckily here in Florida everything is pretty much shut down except grocery stores and gas stations. As for going out, so long as she is keeping her distance from others such as just taking a walk or a drive she will be ok. Limit store visits.
I am upset with the market but not overly worried. Even though retired at the moment we don't need to tap into it. Take some deep breathing exercises before going to bed to relax you plus increasing your lung functions will help you in your health. Suggest your mom do the same.
Yes, but not in a Republic. And.. this is a Republic not a Socialist Democracy. In a Republic it is up to individual states to take care of themselves.
Just like the check being sent out is going to be financial demo disaster. Someone need pay for it & taxes will ultimately rise. If you hyperinflate money by printing more it is only matter of time til it crashes. Simple econ 101.
Added to this; the whole thing is a 'political year scam' as this 'virus' is nowhere going to be as bad as predicted.
Ok, I'm no authority but I can see smoke n mirrors coming from far away.
The only 'task force' to be eventually implemented longterm will be Martial Law & (ok, I won't say but you ALL know what it is).
That may have worked in the wild west but we are in a new century.
Air travel, sea travel and the internet shrank the world really fast since 1900, we need to look at the world and humanity differently.
Have to get back to the corned beef and cabbage. How did you deal with the stress, weight gain and making babies is going to be the late-night TV monologue next year.
During the past two weeks I've been watching too much news about this Global Pandemic, getting stressed out & scared with the news changing seemingly every single hour. When the schools & libraries & shopping malls & restaurants all closed down here within just two days, felt so eerie & strange, especially with hardly any traffic on the streets (only busy places have been supermarkets, where most of the shelves are picked clean...)
Been feeling fearful that this will last for months & months, catastrophising that things will never return to normal... So been eating too much & not sleeping well, plus not getting enough exercise-- no one here feels safe playing singles tennis, which I usually do a lot this time of year, it's been sunny & 70s/low 80s past few days.
So today, tried to avoid the news and spent lots of time distracting myself. I have cable TV with DVR (but no streaming services), so was catching up on all these recorded movies & comedy shows. Hey, it really helped to watch episodes of Monty Python's Flying Circus from 1969 - early 70s with all the silliness-- Grannies from Hell & "Spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam!"
Also surprisingly, it's helped to watch blockbuster disaster movies such as "The Poseidon Adventure." (Maybe it's seeing how all those characters went thru extreme danger... but finally survived?)
I am fine. My friends are not. My friends are in great danger & the torment is almost more than they can bear.
They are the parents on my fb groups of children with severe needs. Severe autism. For many, school was the only time they were not fending off physical assaults. Therapy is cancelled. Respite care is cancelled. The routine changes have sent these kids & young adults into violent meltdowns. Self-injuring into bloody pulps. Some routinely have to call 911 & have their kids restrained in an ambulance only to spend days in an ER heavily sedated.But this is no longer an option.
Grown kids still in diapers & they can't get incontinence supplies. They are having trouble getting seizure & psych prescriptions filled. Kids are violently detoxing . The kids are too aggressive to take to a grocery store & there is no one to help so they are running out of food. I saw an SOS post yesterday from a mom who is begging for potatoes.
Quote:
Anyone in Lake Elsinore area that have some baking potatoes to spare? I live many states away so can't help my friend. Her son ussually is allowed one potato a day (his comfort go to food), but he has eaten them all and she can't find anymore. Hes having meltdowns as he doesn't understand and has been attacking her too. His whole schedule is thrown off and it's not going well.
UPDATE: Still looking for potatoes. I ordered her some Denny's so he can get some french fries, hamburger and fruit in him. He had a huge meltdown and attacked her pretty badly and managed to throw and break her phone. At the moment she can't even leave the house with him at all as hes so upset. Oh and she just got a noise complaint email.
The parents of young adults in group homes are not faring any better. Locked out from their kids. No visitors allowed but getting hysterical calls from staff that their kids are violently self-injuring.
We have always been forgotten; our kids an awkward reminder of an utter failure of public health. We have always been in isolation while the media rubbed our noses in s*** by only portraying the 'good autistics'. The high functioning ones who don't give teachers concussions or throw furniture like they live in a doll house.
And now they will be abandoned yet again. The herd they protected doesn't even know they exist. Here is a post from one of my friends:
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Y’all I gotta vent. This sucks! This sucks! My son is whipping our asses right now. Like I would take him to the ER or hospital if I could, but I can’t. We have tried everything that we can. Doubled and tripled CBD oil and increase in meds and threw a dash of Xanax finally this evening because I am physically struggling to restrain him. Anyone who tries gets hurt in the process. I wished I had a straight jacket today just to make the hitting stop. I wonder if it wouldn’t be kinder to keep him heavily sedated until this is over. But then I think, it could be months....
I am hearing very concerning things like "We should all die together; nobody else can take care of him! He will be abused or starve if I get sick!"
My God.
Understand again that I am fine. I am so grateful now that I cancelled my son's services when he started that puberty onset aggression that is SO common in autistic males. SEVERE males. The 90% of autistics that are SEVERE. I didn't have any resources to lose, at the same time that we lost school.
Grateful that I never bought into that 'get help' crap & put my son on meds that he would be detoxing from right now. Glad I have been doing this alone all this time & taking him out into the fresh air & sunshine in lonely, isolated places where he can't hurt anyone & nobody can hurt him; is everyday life. I love having him home safe with me. I took him out of school a week BEFORE they closed.
I don't know how to help my friends. I have given dozens of pep talks but the despair posts keep coming. Another friend:
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BUCKETS of puke from my sons room. Entire. Room. Saturated. Carpet, blankets, pillows, walls. He seems fine but IM. NOT. Stay strong? Really? This life is Fkn TORTURE CITY. ALL OUR HELP IS GONE, schools closed, clubs closed even emergency respite homes closed. We are backed into a corner and I’ve HAD. IT.
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