Saturday, April 11, 2020

True Colors


I've watched this video that Sabine posted about ten times already this morning. This is where I put everything I don't want to lose track of, so here you go. If you decide to listen, click and make it big. I hope it gives you beautiful chills. I miss the blending of voices in my own choir, which we had to suspend in early March. Perhaps we can figure out how to make music together like this in the meanwhile.

The woman I usually sit beside in choir, not the one who had a cold and tested negative, but the woman who sits on my other side, my neighbor with whom I share a cab to and from rehearsals, has been down with covid-19 for the past three weeks. I learned this two days ago, when I texted her, thinking that we had been uncharacteristically silent with one another. Her husband called me back and told me what was going on. He thinks he gave it to her, because he was sick with what he thought was a knock-your-socks-off flu in late February, and despite taking care of my friend, he hasn't been sick since. Her fever and blinding headaches wouldn't break for two weeks and she couldn't sleep from coughing so hard all night.

Her primary care doctor finally told her to come in and get tested. Her breathing wasn't constricted, thank God, so he sent her back home. Her test came back positive a few days later. She's had a terrible time of it, but her husband says she's finally on the mend. I last saw her on March 2, when we chatted and laughed uproariously, as we do, on the way home in our Lyft car. She was definitely contagious then, but had no idea. If I was going to get sick myself, I would likely have shown symptoms by now, right? I still wonder if my cold, or maybe it was allergies, might actually have been covid, as the timing would have been about right if she infected me. My family thinks I'm a little nuts, and that what I had was a garden variety cold. I still imagine symptoms sometimes, a scratchy throat when the windows are open and the pollen from the trees at our window floats in.

We got a new vacuum cleaner as the old one was worthless. My niece just set it up and is using it now.  You should see how much stuff it picked up from the living room area rug. It's a little terrifying actually. Still, this counts as big excitement around here. Tomorrow is Easter. My daughter and her love are coming over to spend it with us, as we had decided that our two households will quarantine together. Truth is, I can’t wait to see them, though I'm a little nervous that we're playing loose with the rules. Don't judge me.

28 comments:

  1. This is the second place today where I've read the words, "Don't judge me."
    And for the second time I will say- As if!
    A new vacuum is HUGE big news these days.
    And I think it's quite possible that instead of a cold you may have had one of those very light cases. Who knows?
    Loving you so much.

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    1. Mary, who knows? It might be wishful thinking on my part though, since if I did already have it, I could no longer infect anyone. If I had had it, seems the people I live with might have got sick too, so I don't know.

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  2. I had to get rid of the vacuum cleaner, all it was doing was collecting dust. Get it? Sorry.

    Our younger daughter is popping around to see us, but we stay in the garden with her and wear masks. I hope it's enough. She's 21 and a single mum, with mental health issues, and needs our support. Still it's against the law at the moment, which makes me uncomfortable.

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    1. Haha,I see what you did there Cool Joe. I think we just have to decide who we are agreeing to share germs with, and deal with however that unfolds. Sounds like it's a good thing to be there for your girl.

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  3. No judgments! I think we all have to decide what we're willing to risk in order to maintain our sanity during this crazy time. I think if you'd been infected by your friend you'd know it by now -- and others around you would probably know it too. If none of you are sick I suspect you didn't catch it.

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  4. Oh, and Camden Voices -- they're from my backyard, practically. We live in the Borough of Camden.

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  5. Having a brush that close with Covid sounds scary. I am so relieved that you are well. I can't imagine not getting together with family for the holiday tomorrow. Sending you good wishes for all to stay well and healthy. Enjoy the moment, quarantine together. Take care.

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    1. robin, we had no idea on March 2 what we were dealing with. meanwhile it was creeping among us. I am very relieved by every story i hear of a person who had it and got well.

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  6. I bet you did have it. I think many of us have had some derivation of it. I'm glad you're well and think about you often -- my New York City friends are whom I think about the most these days, hoping you'll all stay well.

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    1. Elizabeth, I wonder who among us has it and is asymptomatic, they are the lucky ones. But we need those antibody tests to know, don't we? No telling when that will happen.

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  7. A new vacuum cleaner is very exciting! I think our excitement today will be vacuuming and steaming the tile. We have leftovers for two nights, so I'm very excited about that. It doesn't take much these days.

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    1. Allison, the other excitement today was my husband and niece ventured out to the store, faces masked, hands gloved. We are living in a sci fi movie.

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  8. I'm so glad your friend is getting better and apparently did not infect you though who really knows? there is just no rhyme or reason why some people die and some people don't as far as I can tell. was on twitter and read a report of a 31 yr old mother of three, physically fit, died at home. I don't know what's better, staying at home and hope you survive or go to the hospital and die alone. I've read more than one account of people saying no one survives that gets put on a ventilator. if ventilators don't help people survive, why do they bother? what's your son say about it? is there any treatment at all for this? or do they just monitor you if you go to the hospital?

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    1. ellen, i heard that 50 percent of those who go on ventilators die, which is awful odds. and i know what you mean, die at home or die alone. The best choice of course is to live. Be well, friend.

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  9. Your true colors are beautiful, Rosemarie. I'm finding it difficult to write these days. Songs like that give me the words I seek. That song gave me something that I sorely needed when I first heard it in 1986 when I was 36 years old. Sending love.

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    1. Am, sending love back to you friend. yes, words don't come very easily right now. we don't have words for what we are currently experiencing perhaps.

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  10. I just sang along with the beautiful Camden Voices...what a lovely video. Thank you for posting it. Hoping that you stay well. I think of you all when I hear anything about NY.

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  11. Thrilled with your new vacuum cleaner! It is the little things, the efficient things that make this all quite joyful. We have been in for a very long time and must be because we are both so vulnerable. It is good. We like each other pretty much, and do not get in each other's way. helpful. I love the choir, that really made my day, thank you so much for that. Stay well, your family needs you, you need them. We are all in this boat! LOVE to you

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    1. Linda, we are the lucky ones, to be quarantined with collegial company. the outside world feels almost unreal. Stay well my friend.

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  12. There are so many things about this virus that are as yet not precisely known. All we can do is our best given the information we have at this moment. Hugs to you, my friend.

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    1. jenny, so many unknowns, it's like navigating a field of land mines. may we all place our feet in safety. hugs.

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  13. Ah, the glorious power of song! This lifted my spirits considerably. I'm glad your friend is on the mend - it sounds like a horrific three weeks for her. I learned from a friend in France that his cousin succumbed to the virus. It can be very overwhelming, and I listen to music now that brings me solace and joy.

    Stay well -- I've had bad allergies as well; I thought for a day that I might be sick, but thank goodness, no.

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    1. Tara, it's allergy season, which makes everything just a little bit more scary. I get a dry cough every spring, but this year, i'm watching it closely. so far i'm perfectly well. i'm glad you are, too.

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  14. Oh this song is so happy, and it is amazing how the technology allows this to be recorded in this way. I saw a choir in similar manner singing Down to the River to Pray, also marvelous. I am glad you did not come down with the dreaded virus, or perhaps you did and your cold was it.

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    1. It would actually be a blessing if the cold was it, and i am now immune. alas, that is probably magical thinking. be well, dear Terra.

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