The coronavirus is named because under an electron microscope, the group of viruses appear to wear a crown. I can’t help but compare that to the crown of thorns that adorned the head of Jesus Christ while he hung on a cross. I don’t know exactly where I’m going with this illustration, I just keep thinking about it.

Today I am home. I’ve worked the past 3 days. I haven’t seen an influx of patients, but mostly I’m triaging on the phone. I rescheduled everyone that did not need to be there, gave lab results on the phone, discussed any concerns patients were having, refilled their meds, answered questions, gave advise. It felt good to be of some use. I still lack the ability to test anyone other than the most ill, healthcare workers, or those that have travelled, have had contact with a person with COVID 19 or symptoms associated with the illness. It’s frustrating because I can’t be sure that some mild cases have come and gone and I’m none the wiser.

It dawned on me this morning that I’m likely not going to be able to see my dad in person for a while. I’m too much of a risk to be near him. He’s elderly with chronic medical conditions and he’s all alone. My kids and my husband are equally dangerous to him. My husband works in healthcare, too, and kids are just walking Petri dishes. I have asked my facebook friends to help by sending him messages. Hopefully, the collective attention will keep his spirits up and he won’t feel so scared and isolated. We were supposed to be driving to the VA this morning to have his cataracts removed, but like everything else, it was cancelled until further notice. I decided to take the day off anyway and tomorrow, too. My plan is to rest up, relax, spend time with my family, stay hydrated, take my vitamins, and see what next week brings.

I have my worries, but I am also hopeful. Reports from China show no new cases for the first time since the outbreak started in December. This gives me hope. This too shall pass. 3 months. We can do anything for 3 months, right? Stay home, homeschool, delay our social gatherings, shopping, conserve our resources and maybe learn a few lessons about loving our neighbor. So many breakthroughs can happen in that time, new drugs, old drugs used in new ways, maybe (just maybe) a vaccine.

3 months is not a long time, but also an eternity. So many tears and hardship until an end is in sight. Loving our neighbor is imperative. Thinking of the other and not just the self. This is the lesson. Each of our personal survival depends on it.