dear healthy friends, i want to live too – a little covid-19 post

Y,all, I’m sure there isn’t a soul reading this who isn’t well-versed in COVID-19, or coronavirus, by now (as we all probably should be) – and, for the love, wash your hands.

As news of its spread continues, public reactions are mixed, from a state of  paranoia to total nonchalance.

There is one response, though, that has been so hurtful to me and to others in my spoonie community, while totally unintentional, and it goes like this:

The coronavirus has only infected 100 people in the United States (this was days ago) and only 6 people have died. That is far less than with the flu and the people who die with coronavirus are the elderly and people with chronic diseases. 

While the healthy person saying – or, more likely, typing on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter – this is thinking, “whew! I’m safe!”, they are also forgetting that they are implying that what happens to those of us with chronic illness doesn’t matter.

As it happens, I have, among other diagnosis, RA, CRPS, diabetes, and a diagnosis of being immunocompromised. That is what lead to my osteomylitis and subsequent sepsis. It also lead to my being diagnosed with a “Severe Systemic Inflammatory Response” with this most recent hospitalization. In other words, each episode keeps getting worse. . .

SO I WOULD LIKELY BE ONE OF THE SIX OR AT LEAST IN ICU if this stuff came my way. It would NOT be pretty.

And when it hits a person in a bad way? Things like hemorrhaging lungs happen.

COVID-19 positive patients are already in two states surrounding me. If there truly is an outbreak in my area, I’ll essentially need to stay in my house and pray for the best.

The risk of catching a new virus like this, one we’ve NEVER been exposed to before, is too great.

AND I WANT TO LIVE TOO>

I’m not being dramatic or ugly about this

I just want to remind everyone to take a moment to consider, before they say or post lhings without thought, that just because it would likely be easy for you to get over this illness, and you are relieved, that doesn’t mean it would be okay for everyone. And those chronic illness patients? They have faces, names, families, friends, whole lives.

And they just might be someone you care about as well.

Be well, everybody. Take care of yourselves and each other.

Grace and blessings.