We asked readers to tell us how they’re coping during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, we bring you some of the responses. We will publish more in the days ahead. To read all of the Coping series, click here.
We started sheltering, sterilizing, etc., a week or so earlier than the order so we had established patterns, or so we thought.
We never thought how hard it would be to get supplies, especially when, as high-risk seniors, we can’t leave the house. The first two weeks were a scramble setting up networks of friends and finding online delivery resources. I learned that I would be a horrible purchasing agent: This past weekend the entire porch was full of purchases I had made two weeks ago. Many things aren’t coming until the end of May and into June.
I was disheartened to discover that the Safeway site didn’t work for our computer and Nob Hill’s delivery, the one we could get, stood us up. If it weren’t for friends and neighbors, we would be in bad shape.
Emotionally, it was a roller coaster. I’m surprised that the leisure time I thought we’d get is filled with washing hands, wiping deliveries down, airing cardboard boxes 24 hours and keeping track of all that, as well as keeping the supply chain going. We don’t have our paid helpers because we are minimizing who comes into the house, so there’s been a lot of extra work for these two old folks.
Are we fearful to get the virus? Not anymore. We know we are doing our best. Our faith in the Big Guy upstairs keeps us going as well as knowing that everyone is doing all they can for each other.
Jane Parks-McKay and Tim McKay
Santa Cruz
To read other submissions from readers about how they are coping during the coronavirus shutdown, click here.
We also welcome more submissions. Whether you’re working from home, out of work or a critical frontline worker, we’d like to hear from you. Think of this as an opportunity to share with other readers. Not about politics, but about how you’re getting by and how this challenging time affects you.
Send submissions to [email protected]. Please include, for publication, your name and your city, and a horizontal photo of you. Please also include, not for publication, your address and phone number. Please limit your thoughts to 250 words.
