pandemiclife

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I've been a patient and health advocate for many years. Getting diagnosed with and living with a rare immune disease is no easy feat and I have learned many things along the way. I try to share some things with you to help keep you and those around you healthy. Here are some tips that can help get you through this pandemic.

1) Pay attention to what's going on around you. Are case numbers going up? Are local Facebook friends saying they are sick? This by the way is useful information for other infectious diseases too including the flu. But it's only useful if you apply that information to your life.

2) If cases are going up take a good hard look at your daily activities and at your calendar. What things do you not need to be doing right now? What activities can be modified or done in a safer way? For example, you do need to go to work and to your doctor's appointments, but maybe you should pass on an indoor event that is not essential and not worth risking your health.

3)Layer protections. We all know by now the things that can help prevent covid infections. Do as many of them as you can.

4) Mental health is important, in fact, I think mental health will be an issue we grapple with long after the pandemic. Take care of your mental health and do some things you enjoy, but also be aware of what risks you are taking, and think of it as gambling. Try to not push your luck if the odds are stacked against you. Know that your lucky streak will likely run out the longer and more you play. More chances equal more risk. For example, instead of going into a store every day, buy what you need for the week so you are taking 1 chance instead of 7. It's a very simple idea that can reduce your risk once you get into the habit of thinking this way.

5)Avoid overconfidence. This is probably the most important. Humans have a horrible tendency of thinking they are all that and that no harm can ever come to them. The Titanic was said to be unsinkable before it sank. Let that sink in. There are many times that really bad things happen because people wrongfully think that they have everything perfectly under control. Maintaining some sense of caution is the wisest attitude to have. People who are not overconfident will remain humble and are more likely to take precautions and respond appropriately to a threat.

Our non-medical underlying conditions as human beings and as a country have made this pandemic worse than it had to be. Let's think in terms of damage control and repair moving forward. How can we as individuals, communities, and a country become more resilient? These are conversations we need to have but each one of us can work on ourselves in the meantime.

I hope you all have a safe & healthy holiday! #COVID19 #omicron #pandemic #pandemiclife #MentalHealth #resiliance #communitymatters #Overconfidence #riskassessment

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The story of my year #COVID19 #COVID19 #pandemiclife

Trying to be safe and order online. One, bad package job; two, bad transit company; three, a lot of waste. I can’t even blame it on 2020–It occurred in 2021.

Train wreck. I mean the spaghetti was sticking out the corners of the (retaped) box!!

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Having #ADHD ,  #Sadd and #Anxiety in #pandemiclife

I am an early Childhood Special Ed. Teacher and I have to go to work and put a brave face on for 8 hours because my anxiety cannot fill the room and move to my preschoolers. This pandemic is starting to weigh on me very heavily. My routine is broken, my sleep is all jacked up and teaching preschool from my basement is less than ideal. My #ADHD makes it so hard to focus at home, #Sadd is creeping up quickly in the dead of winter with no one around feeling isolated but at the same time feelings of #Anxiety creep up as the thought of returning to school is scary but something I am longing to do for my routine and so many other reasons. I need normalcy back. It has been a YEAR. I am pretty proud that I haven't gone insane but Im not sure how much longer I can live like this.

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Is it possible to get used to a difficult day(s)? #Anxiety

First of all, I want to give my gratitude for a warm welcome I received here, thank you all! So it's time to post my third thought.

Honestly, I would have thought that one would become used to having a difficult day with yourself, especially when this has been part of your life for a long time. Is this even possible? Can we really get used to those days where everything feels so heavy, dark and impossible? Those days when a simple task seems like a mountain to climb and all you choose to do is not to leave the comforts of your bed. Because the outer world seems like a hell of a frightening place, and you are simply not up for it. So can we ever get used to it, a difficult day(s)?
#Anxiety #Depression   #MentalHealth   #difficulttimes #Selfesteem   #IrritableBowelSyndromeIBS   #FearOfAbandonment   #pandemiclife

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Unleashing my thoughts in to the deep end

I haven’t felt like I have been drowning in a while. I’ve been stressed out, worn out, but now, it feels as if I can’t get out of the deep end.
The elephant in the room-Pandemic. I haven’t seen anyone in person besides work due to being very cautious and in the midst of that, sadly, friends disappear because you won’t be unsafe.
Physical health-When youre stressed everything goes down. My body started to gain a ton of weight for no reason that I caused, I.e. ice cream, no movement. I’ve always had self image issues, however, this weight gain with gnarley stretch marks in a short amount of time is crippling physically and emotionally. I wear clothes that cover me snd with my mask I feel like no one can see all of me. But, I have started some treatment.
Mentally/emotionally: for the first time ever, I took my night medicine in the morning by accident, before work. I’m in education, I cannot look as i did. My eyes fell heavy, I kept leaving the room for air thinking it was a bad panic attack, my tongue was getting heavier, my body stopped being able to walk, whileacrambling and lying my ass off because of course, stigma, and was landed in a wheel chair to my car where I slept until my dad took me home.
Professionally: I’m drowning. The area I’m in is tough and I will always be prepared. But with my medicine mishap, I keep asking for help for a float in the deep end but no one can hear me. I just need a little help and a little pause for me to catch up while there’s a war in me that I’m doing my best with. My brain won’t let me think.
I’m lonely. I love to be alone. But I need someone, anyone to listen and I will do the same. I don’t mean relationships; I’m still grieving and my heart is broken. But I need a real friend. I know our lives are so crazy, but I’d love to listen to someone else’s life too. Somehow my first ex Bf listens to me, maybe because he needs entertainment while at work . I know I’m a lot, but I’m drowning. My grandmother, my best friend, is sick and I think there’s something that’s not being related to me about her illness. I won’t let her feel down and I will fight for her. I need her here.
So as you can see, I’m a wreck, drowning in a pool on a sunny way. I need something, a hug, a mix tape. Thank you for scrolling. #Bipolar1Disorder #BipolarDepression #Anxiety #pandemiclife #Stress #ADHD

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I would love to hear from the community what they have been doing home alone, during the lockdown. What activities, mood boosters and TV shows helped?

#pandemiclife #Homealone

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Working Through the Pain #Fibromyalgia

Stress is the worst for me. Right before this pandemic, I got a new job.  It's a pretty easy job, but I have to be upright to do it.  Starting a week ago, I have had extreme burning all through my back and shoulders.  My job is mostly on the phone and I sound so angry when I talk to people.  It's sales, so I don't HAVE to make calls, but I don't make money if I don't.  I'm struggling to sound like I'm NOT Liam Neeson out to kill the gang that took my daughter.  I'm working through the stress and trying to get the family to help out with some of the housework etc...  It's such a slow process and I was never patient.  Stress levels are high.  Pandemic, housework, school work for the kids, my work.  No wonder my back is on fire.  I tried sitting outside with my coffee in the mornings but my dogs bark like the world is ending.  I could take them out with me, but I fear for my neighbor's ankles.  I almost have my routine in place, and with that my stress will ease.  It takes me a long time.  ADHD.  Which is just the worst to have with Fibro.  Imagine a cat in a cage that's got a couple of inches of water.  
Enough rambling.  I'm upright and have a meeting set up for today.  I'll do my yoga later and perhaps try to sit outside this evening with some hot tea.  Nothing like getting eaten by mosquitos just before bed.

#Fibromyalgia #Stress #pandemiclife

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To the Broken and Shame ridden 💪🏽Mighty Ones💪🏽

✨I've always loved mosaic art.
Look at them. 🧐 God bless the 1st person who picked up broken pieces and with determination, mended them back together. 🥰 The pieces above I believe I got from Ross. I'll be honest, I have to fight or😒 had to fight (prepandemic) not to buy every piece I see everytime I go. So beautiful. Shining...glistening in the light. Saying, "Buy me...BUY ME...I will make your home a better place"✨💕

✨I just shared on a thread that thoughts of brokenness and lonliness make me cry often. But after I cry I feel better. I believe that is a healing method taken for granted. The One Who keeps are hearts beating gave us tear ducts for a reason. Notice we feel like crying when we're Sad😭, Happy🤗 and Angry😠. It's like He knew those emotions were too much for us to bear and He gave us tear ducts like when a tea pot whistles or pressure cooker lets out steam.

✨For those who make us feel shame for crying...🚫 Stop it🖐🏾. The shame is when we keep it in. It makes you sick. Crying is cleansing.

✨I believe if more people cried when their body told them to, instead of fighting it (especially men, I tell my boys that whole 'Men don't cry' thing is a lie and a snare) there would be a LOT MORE ☮️&💕 in the world.

✨I don't apologize anymore for crying. I just say "Give me a second" ☝🏾 I'm not going to apologize or feel shame for something I was literally created to do.

✨Go ahead...cry already...let it out🤗 You'll feel better👍🏽

#Broken #Shame #Mosaic #MosaicArt #Art #Lonliness #cry #Cleansing #pandemiclife #pandemic #quarantinesurvival

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The Tumbler

My dreams have been completely off kilter for the last 3 weeks. I am off of work at this time and have no schedule, other than really trying to stay alive. My thoughts are all over the place, conversations are absolutely no different when they happen. I can see my family looking at me with their head slowly cocking to one side or another with misunderstanding. I feel like what I am saying is sensical and flows well, but their faces say different. Is this just a part of #pandemiclife ?

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The Tumbler

My dreams have been completely off kilter for the last 3 weeks. I am off of work at this time and have no schedule, other than really trying to stay alive. My thoughts are all over the place, conversations are absolutely no different when they happen. I can see my family looking at me with their head slowly cocking to one side or another with misunderstanding. I feel like what I am saying is sensical and flows well, but their faces say different. Is this just a part of #pandemiclife ?