I’m feeling incredibly sad and frustrated this Memorial Day Weekend. As I write this, just under one hundred thousand people have died of the coronavirus in the United States, with 345,000 total deaths worldwide. I ache for the families who’ve lost their loved ones, and I am frustrated with the people who are out there protesting for things to “open up.” Where is the empathy and compassion? Where is the grief and respect for the immense amount of people – fellow human beings – who have lost their lives? It’s a scary time for everyone right now as we grapple with job losses, closed schools, and canceled life events. These are devastating, difficult things to grapple with, but we are alive to grapple with them. I wish that everyone could step back and remember that people are dying, and the dying isn’t even close to being done.
Around The ‘Net
~Grappling With a Terrible Milestone: One Hundred Thousand Dead
~The pandemic upended child care. It could be devastating for working women.
~For disabled, protective steps present challenges
~‘This is not about politics’: GOP governor says wearing masks is public health issue
~Las Vegas needed help testing for coronavirus. Then a crown prince stepped in
~A Nurse With One Lung Had COVID-19. Other Nurses Saved Her.
~Man starts making masks for kids after losing his job
~Researchers Say ‘Upside-Down Cosmic Ray Shower’ May Be Evidence of a Parallel Universe
~A bakery is giving away hundreds of graduation cakes
~Quartet of marvels: A woman has quadruplets without fertility treatments, and they are identical
Almost Seven
My sweet James will be SEVEN YEARS OLD on Saturday. I can’t believe it! It feels like just yesterday I was spiraling out of control because my c-section was delayed a week. Oh, seven-years-ago Heather, you were ridiculous. James is wrapping up first grade and is missing his friends and baseball like crazy. I’ve planned a surprise birthday parade for him next week and I invited his whole class and baseball team to drive by. It isn’t the birthday he wanted (he really wanted a video game truck), but he is here to celebrate it and I never, ever take my kids’ birthdays for granted. I hope seeing all of his friends and family on Saturday (and all the other fun things I have planned) will make him forget all about a stuffy video game truck.
Happy Sunday, everyone. Please stay healthy and safe out there.
Patrice says:
I agree with you 100% Heather. People are crazy, and their actions will only prolong this situation. It’s so very sad and devastating. Sending positive thoughts to your family. Happy Birthday to James!
Jeanie says:
I totally agree with you on the coronavirus front. I’m in Sacramento and feel Gavin is opening everything up too quickly. Happy birthday to your sweet James.
Becki says:
People can choose to stay home and they can choose to allow and screen those who enter. They are unsure as to a vaccine or even any treatments? Are you staying home forever? Teach your kids forever? My 87 year old Mom said they had to live with the real threat of paralysis and death from polio for DECADES before a vaccine. California last week posted the highest number of young adult suicides in YEARS and Dr. Fauci is now stating that extended lockdown will cause irreparable damage. (MSN not Fox if you verify.) What about my Mom’s next door neighbor – who had a cancer diagnosis that was delayed by TWO MONTHS and treatment is now further delayed? There are so many like this. It is way past time. Choose to stay home – but we need to stop the damage of the lockdown. (And FYI – daughter AND soninlaw work at a major hospital and they say it is time.)
Heather says:
Hi Becki, I didn’t say people should stay home forever. I asked where the grief and compassion is for the people who have died. Where is yours?
Becki says:
Have plenty of compassion – where is your compassion for my mom’s next door neighbor who might die of cancer now because of the overextended shelter in place guidelines? Or my best friend? Same situation though hers is not a life threatening – but the backlog is so great that it might become so. Or my dear sweet 92 year old adopted Grandma – who loves Jesus and wants to see her family and hug them before she dies and doesn’t care if her time comes after that. She also would have liked her hair done during this time and got very very depressed about it. There are many facets of compassion here – I didn’t protest for a haircut, still haven’t gone into the salon but there are many facets to compassion. And some of these people are RIGHTFULLY frustrated it took so long/is taking so long to open up. My daughter has risked her life since January taking xrays of Covid patients
Jill says:
Wow…I am shocked at your reply Heather. I don’t know if you meant to, but it reads in a very condescending way. Of course everyone is upset at the death count. I am also upset about the amount of people who can no longer feed their kids or no longer have access to the health care they need. And what is the end goal with all of the closings/? The truth is In this situation, no one wins. If everything opens, people will be upset. If everything stays closed, people will be upset. I think we all need to have more empathy for everyone on both sides.
Debbie A-H says:
Happy Birthday, James!
Auntie_M says:
Thank you for all you said here!!!!!
And a huge early happy birthday to James!!!!