I Am We

I’m one of those folks with pre-existing conditions. I have a crappy immune system. I have asthma. I had cancer. I have a bunch of weird conditions connected to Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Last month, I had the the flu (strain A) and was hospitalized. Basically, I get sick very easily and it’s wicked hard for me to recover.

On Wednesday, my otolaryngologist personally called me and advised that I self-isolate. I’ve been trying to remain calm. I’m prone to anxiety, insomnia, and reactive depression. I’m not sleeping and I’m a bundle of nerves.

What I’m scared of isn’t getting sick or even dying. What I’m scared of is not being able to get the medical attention necessary if I do get COVID-19, or, more likely, an intractable migraine that necessitates an Emergency Department visit for intravenous infusions.

Please do all you can to prevent the spread of this illness (and the flu!). The less of a burden there is on our hospitals and health care providers, the better it will be for all. Please, wash your hands. Please, don’t hoard stuff. Please, look after each other … but from a distance of six feet.