Thank God!
Believe me that wasn’t profanity. I am very thankful that our second year of living with COVID is now over and a new year, hopefully with new better times begins tomorrow.
I think we certainly need it.
There were a few good things about our second “COVID” year though. Nearly 80 percent of people across the U.S. are now vaccinated and although we are dealing with the Omicron variant, which is much more contagious, it is a bit less serious for most.
But, instead of getting back to normal, this fall has seen more hospitalizations and more deaths, with hospital staff chronically overworked and understaffed as they deal (mostly) with the unvaccinated, who are still at the highest risk of dying from the virus.
Medical experts say we can expect to continue dealing with the virus and more variants for years to come. Not something we were hoping for, but like everyone else, we will just have to make the best of it.
So once again this year, I am making a couple of New Year’s wishes instead of resolutions.
First and foremost, I wish the powers-that-be, in dealing with the continuing COVID-19 epidemic, would be less political and more concerned with people’s needs.
I also wish that everyone would get the vaccine and help get rid of this deadly virus that has claimed the life of someone in almost every family we know.
I wish they would do it- get vaccinated – not because someone tells them they must, but because they care about their own lives, and those of us who are old, and/or compromised and would be more likely not to make it, should we get infected.
I know how important it will be for people who are compromised – like Jack and I are, both with COPD, allergies and in my case, severely limited lung capacity. Believe me, it – the chance of contracting the virus – has been a scary thing to live with.
And then we both got it.
I was pretty scared that I wouldn’t make it, but we both actually made it through thanks to the care of our medical people who made sure we got the medicine we needed to fight this thing at home and not end up hospitalized and on a ventilator. I am so thankful for their care, and for all the prayers that got us through it this fall.
Even though we now have a strong natural immunity, we could still get it again. It’s what still keeps us at home most of the time and away as much as possible from crowds, although we actually did carefully have a family Christmas gathering (hosted by our daughter) for the first time since 2018. I sure did enjoy seeing grandchildren and their families that I haven’t seen in such a long time.
If side effects from the vaccine are still worrying people, I want to reassure them that experts say the chance of a severe reaction is slight. Most might be uncomfortable, but only for a day or so. The reaction has been compared to the shingles vaccine, which has a bit more uncomfortable side effects than the influenza vaccine.
Jack and I both got our flu shots too by the way.
And for those who have already had two doses of the COVID vaccine, check with you doctor to see if you need the booster yet.
So, I just wish people would realize how important that vaccine is for those of us whose health is compromised, and for those of us who are essential and health workers, the ones most at risk these days.
I am climbing back down off my soapbox for a while now.
It’s quiet around the house. Christmas is all over, always a melancholy time, and it seems as though winter has settled in to stay since we woke up to snow again this morning (Monday).
The daylight hours are at their lowest annual ebb. Dusk begins to arrive by 4:30 p.m. and dark is never far behind it this time of year.
Most days it seems like the kind of day to read a good book, catch a nap or bake a few goodies to hold us over until spring arrives again. We do seem to need more sleep this time of year.
Not that we need any more goodies. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we have had way more than our share of those, as my scale told me this morning… stupid thing.
It’s no wonder this is the time of year we all seem to put on a few pounds, and we are both looking a bit more “well rounded.”
Happy New Year
everyone!!