I could not even come up with a title for this essay!!! Craig has suggested that I, at least, tell y’al about our COVID-19 restrictions here. And my beautiful roommate from undergrad noted it had been a month since my last entry in this BLOG!!! You know how it is … you have no deadline to do something … so “why do it now???” I don’t really think our COVID-19 will be gone for a year from now … unless a vaccine is found. Let me describe our COVID-19 restrictions … as Craig suggested …
The restrictions are not that bad … considering that one resident came in with the virus … no signs until here about 4-5 days … and two associates came down with the virus. And that is all we have had of the virus. The associates are the staff who work here but go home … or such … for the rest of their time. Temperatures are taken of every associate and of every resident every morning … and taken again if anyone goes out and comes back in. If I have a doctor’s appointment … and take a car, from here, and driven by one of our staff … I can return to the complex with only a temperature check. If someone not from our staff here drives or a car not from our assisted living complex garage is used, I have to be quarantined in my room for 14 days when I return… because there is no guaranty I have not been exposed to the virus. Yes … that means that if Craig were to drive me to the doctor’s or anywhere, I would return to being quarantined to my apartment for 14 days … not the building … my apartment!!!
Also, only residents and staff can come into the building. So … no visitors!!! A few weeks ago “chat rooms” were implemented. We could arrange half-hour meetings with family/close friends during which we would speak with a glass wall or glass door between us. About 2-3 weeks ago, the admin began holding the “chat rooms” outdoor … with just a picnic table between the resident and visitors. A little more than 6 feet was measured off with blue tape. And … the tables and chairs were cleaned between users!!! These “outdoor chat sessions” have gone to 45 minutes. Craig and I usually meet during the last “session”, so we usually have a full hour for conversation.
Sensible COVID-19 rules … in general … prohibit large gatherings, so we do not have our meals in the dining hall. Food for all three meals is brought to our apartments. Prior to each meal, one of the staff comes to our room with a choice for menu for the next meal … yes, this is done for each of breakfast, lunch, and dinner … each day. We choose what we want for the next meal … and the food is brought to our room during the usual meal-time!!!
Oh, yes. Face-masks are required each time we leave our apartments!!!
Since I sometimes do my walking in the halls, I might see a fellow resident … not often … but sometimes. I have realized I miss seeing other residents!!! I want to question if we could at least get four residents together to play some bridge!!!
I think several people in all of Denver … or in the States … have used our COVID time to develop new skills … or refine old ones. And I have done nothing!!! I set as a goal being able to insert pictures in this BLOG. At the beginning of writing this BLOG I labored and sometimes accidentally inserted a picture … I wanted to do it step-by-step knowing what each step did. If the quarantine lasts another year, maybe I can still learn!!!
That is pretty close to describing my life now. Nothing!!! If I am not walking or eating, I am watching television … news or re-runs … or Colorado Rockies baseball!!!
I have had SEVERAL DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS . October 7th is set for my right-knee replacement; September 17 is pre-op. My lungs have been completely checked … from the January Blood clots … and are in condition to go through the knee-replacement surgery. I need to put-together my leaving the hospital and coming back to here. Several re-habs are closed because of COVID-19. And I know that I cannot come back here directly from the hospital. The surgery will be so intense that I will need more professional help in walking and exercising. After the re-hab, however, I will, then, come back here. They are able to take complete care of me as I recover after re-hab.
It is 4:00 … and just enough time to walk/exercise before dinner. I do about 1/2 mile each day. I have wanted to increase that, but so far I cannot walk more. My episode with blood clots in January set me back.
I’ll come back after walking … to either publish this essay … or add that one precious occurrence I just thought of!!!
My one precious occurrence : did my walking … 10 x 200 = 2000 ft == 2000/5280 = .38 of a mile. That is still not making 1/2 of a mile. Dinner is soup, chicken salad with lovely crackers, and ambrosia for dessert. (There are always larger dinner entrees … so I choose a light entree from lunch and hold for dinner!!!) I am drinking my little white wine now … and I will still be drinking it with, and after, dinner.
I am thankful for the conservative COVID-19 rules this complex is using. I may be a little moody when I realize Craig and I cannot do lunch, travel somewhere in this beautiful country, just go for coffee and conversation, etc… But I am well … considering my lung experiences, it is excellent to be here.
I will write more often … I appreciate those of you who are reading this!!! Also, South Dakota Sturgis Motorcycle meeting is on … lots of memories … Pete and I visited it once for the food and just to see it!!!
Love y’al…