How are you and what are you doing with this pandemic stay at home time?

[Golgotha]

The loss of gym and pool therapy...

This is the tragic part for me. My exercise habits have been hit hard. The gyms have re-opened where I live. But I have no confidence in them.

My county is suffering from 20-30+ infections per day and the state had a recent screw-up with testing.

For me, that means no going to the gym. My exercise has been to use free weights and riding a trike but that's much harder for me to establish a fixed routine compared to what I had with my previous gym routine. Or is that just me whining?!

Suffice it to say I still have to improve on the exercise front.

The days all blend into one another!

I get it. But with the weekends delineating things and only 5 days in the week, I can hit the weekday appointments fairly well.

My hair is longer than it's been for years and years,

Mine too. It was rough a month or so ago but now with the weather cooling I'm thinking the winter will be easier and I'm looking forward to having a new hair style by spring!

[502E79]

Hope to hear from more folks!

I read some early posts and thought of adding to the thread, but apparently never did. Since it's just me with MS (and senior years)... no major changes.

The loss of gym and pool therapy, church & library meant establishing different routines. I succeeded.

Things are closer to March levels now... I've even gotten out for a few nice meals (w. reservations / masks / social etc).

BUT... The thing I noticed most was disconcerting: I was as oblivious to difficulties endured by others and their families, as oblivious as someone without MS is to our difficulties. A depressing observation. At my age there are no excuses.

I can fix this, but sadly it took a pandemic to bring it to the forefront. And reading this thread. Thanks for sharing everyone.

[pennstater]

Thanks for the update Faith. Glad your husband is doing better. Hope his accommodation is successful and also that your son's job comes through.

It is a positive that slowing down helped you have more time to catch up with family. Hope you have a wonderful get together for your husband's 60th. Enjoy your daughter's visit.

Paul was sick for almost a month - his covid test was negative. It seemed to be a combination of a summer virus that seems to be active in this area and a skin infection. So for a few weeks, I was quarantining to make sure I didn't expose anyone. Once both his test and mine were negative, then I could get back to our new normal

Still volunteering at our church's food pantry, which is busier than ever. About 13 other churches refer people to the pantry, so it is a community outreach. Our church itself has remained virtual only.

We have had a few socially distanced get togethers. I have also been catching up via zoom, WhatsApp, FaceTime, or regular calls with folks. After getting an actual letter from a friend overseas, I decided to start writing myself. In these days of technology, I was surprised how wonderful it felt to read a letter. My goal is to write a letter a week and surprise someone. Hopefully, it will brighten their day.

We have been up our cabin again now that Paul is better. My torn meniscus finally healed, but now have Achilles tendonosis. I couldn't get it to heal on my own, so started PT, again. No walking, hiking, or biking for a few weeks until they get it under control.

Hope to hear from more folks!

[Mamabug]

I decided to resurrect this thread. It's been about 6 weeks or more since any comments, and time sort of stands still with this virus. Or time marches on. I'm not sure which one.

Last time I'd reported, I'd returned, in June, from traveling to Canada to visit my daughter's family. I'd started, before we left, returning to the gym (my local rec center and senior center) to exercise.

Things haven't changed much since then. I am getting out to exercise regularly again now -- usually about 3x a week. Both places use a high degree of COVID precautions. We had begun, very occasionally, to eat out in restaurants, but we've backed off on that and are back to using carry out or curbside pickup. It just feels safer than eating indoors.

Our church is still not meeting altogether in person. We've had a few smaller (12 or fewer), outdoor social gatherings. We're a larger-than-that church (about 200 per Sunday). My Sunday School class has been meeting weekly by Zoom for most of this whole time.

One of my volunteer activities has met outdoors for a socially distant meal about twice.

I seem to have had a lot of appointments during July and August. Some fall annually at that time; some are alternative health kinds of things that occur more frequently.
Others were delayed and rescheduled due to COVID. Some have been in person; some have been virtual.

We are anticipating another visit with my daughter and her family, who live in Canada. This time, they are coming here. Likely not her husband; since he is not a US citizen. I think it's not impossible for him to come (flying might work, rather than driving). But, due to him not being a citizen, and also being in the process of applying for permanent residency in the US (a green card), it could be more complicated than it's worth. We hope things will go as planned for her trip. During COVID times, it feels like everything is uncertain.

My husband struggled, especially during April through June, with debilitating anxiety and depression related to changes in his job that COVID caused. Although things have been temporarily back to normal job-wise since July, his future there remains in limbo as they procrastinate with processing a "reasonable accommodations" request. He's coping much better, but not always back to his normal mostly worry-free self.

A temp contract job that my son held for about nine months might have turned into a permanent position had it not been for COVID, but it ended in July. It looks like he might have found something else; it appears promising but he's waiting to hear for sure.

I've been calling my dad (85 years old; lives 1200 miles away) regularly. Back to once a week now, but it had been twice a week during times when we were all locked down more.

My sister and I, who used to text occasionally, and call a few times a year, did regular weekly video chats during the spring and summer. That was nice. She is a teacher and starting school next week, so those will likely be less frequent now as her schedule becomes busier.

My brother and I used to call once or twice a year. We've done slightly more than that during this time. But we're also emailing occasionally -- once or twice a month.

So, this has increased far-away-family contact for us.

We'll be celebrating my husband's 60th birthday this weekend with his family. Probably about 20 of us, and it's the reason for my daughter's trip. Outdoors, socially distant, catered (sort of -- it's a no-contact delivery).

I've been glad to see people a little more than a few months ago. It was hard being an extrovert living with two introverts and, most weeks, hardly seeing anyone else.

How have things changed for the rest of you during these months? Have they opened up some? Or are you still pretty isolated? How are you coping?

[Seasha]

It's good to hear from many of you who are playing it safe and therefore, healthy!

Some of you have used this time to start (and finish) projects and other's have lost some ambition. I started out so motivated to clean and organize and start projects and now I'm slowing down - partially due to MS progression - and mostly due to "it can wait till tomorrow or later" cuz who knows how long this will last?

I had a hair appointment last week and missed it because I forgot what day it was. The days all blend into one another! So, appt is for this week and although my hairdresser runs her business out of her home with only one person at a time, I'm still a tad bit nervous. My hair is longer than it's been for years and years, so it's time.

Our big outing is to grocery shop every two weeks to stock up. So glad they have sanitized carts and mask requirements for all entering. Workers wear them too plus gloves.

Like many of you, this hasn't affected my dh and me as much as some. Living a quiet life in the country, growing a garden, watching birds and wildlife - there was a cougar spotted in our area about 1/2 mile away and I'm glad I have a motorized scooter to ride in case I need a quick get-away plan!

Hope to hear more from many of you and know that's you're OK and doing what you can with what we are dealing with

[RonPaulaD]

My lifestyle hasn’t changed too much since this all started. I still spend most of my time at home in the sunroom either reading or watching TV. Pre-pandemic, my husband worked from home 2-3 days a week so transitioning to full time was less of an issue for us. My husband continues to do the shopping and picking up take-out dinners. We often go for a drive on Saturdays after we pick up drinks at McDonalds.

My parents and adult children stop by occasionally and visit while social distancing as best we can. We took our kids up to the North Shore for a few days last week staying in a cabin so that we could do our own cooking and avoid others as much as possible.

While I’m very excited to get back to my favorite restaurants and stores, I can see that it won’t be happening for quite a while. Numbers are ticking up in my state and I will be among the last who will venture out when we finally get the “all clear”.
Paula

[Myoak]

To entertain myself, I got a pair of binoculars to help me watch the wildlife out back. It's been so hot and humid that even the birds are hiding, but I did get to watch a pair of fawns yesterday morning. They were about 150 yards away, and with the binoculars I was able to count their spots and identify the flowers that were growing behind them. It's making life in a rocking chair so much more interesting!

Fawns can be endearing little buggers. Deer often have twins. There is a doe with two fawns which hang around in the river bottom behind my home. I mow 4 to 5 acres of it as an extension of the yard but there are several more acres which are left natural. Deer tend to stay around where they were born so the fawns were probably born close by. One of the two is inquisitive, I occasionally see him staring, checking out the house from 30 yards away while the other stays close to mama down in the bottom.

As far as what to do... projects never end around here. I just finished shingling the house entirely by myself using metal shingles. Not the big sheets of metal roofing. These are charcoal colored metal shingles. They look great and last 50+ years. It took 38 days from first shingle to last which I'm sure sets the record for length of time to shingle a house but the scaffolding required took a third of that time to build being another one-man job on this project.

Many years ago I purchased and stored actual redwood siding when an ancient local lumber yard went out of business. In 1997 I designed and built this home with greatly appreciated and needed help of a brother during construction. We dug and poured the basement, built the house, a huge deck and wrap-around walk, dry-walled, painted, did the flooring, plumbing, electrical, everything, outsourcing nothing.

It took us 8 months to complete working everyday but I had most all of the material picked out, purchased and stored beforehand. Also, the design never was altered, which can be expensive and time-consuming. I gave myself one year, 1996 to design and let me say that the nuance is mid-numbing. The one year time frame was to allow all changes in design to occur before construction began.

Presently, I am in the process of sealing the redwood again as maintenance with an excellent product called Australian Timber Oil. Thankfully, I still have a few gallons of the old stuff. The price has become shocking and the newer product is different. The newer product is good but like everything, the formulation changed because the older, the really great looking and lasting stuff was potentially carcinogenic; if you drank it, I guess.

I am always mindful that many reading this would love to be able to physically accomplish the myriad of things they would love to do but are unable because of MS.

It humbles me because I am so fortunate. But it also makes me very determined to help others in any way I'm able. No one choose MS but they have to deal with it in practical terms everyday. No, it isn't fair, but you still have to deal with it daily, tough as it is.

Learning how we are dealing with MS, the pandemic, and more strengthens everyone, I believe. Thank you for the thread, Seasha, thoughtful and sweet lady that you are!

[NoraS]

I've gotten out a little bit more, but I'm still trying to distance myself from people. I did take a risk some weeks ago to try my favorite buffet, and it went well. They require masks except while you're eating, and they provide both disposable silverware and gloves to wear when you get your food. You pay as soon as you walk in, and there is hand sanitizer available at several stations. The only contact we had with the glove-wearing staff was when they delivered our drinks and picked up the empty plates.

We were one of the (primarily rural) areas that wasn't hard hit by the virus, but now that everything has opened up it's increasing rapidly. So, we're all back to limiting our outside contacts and keeping our fingers crossed that the governor doesn't decide to shut down again.

My wonderful neighbors stop their car every time they see me on the porch and ask if I need anything from the store.

To entertain myself, I got a pair of binoculars to help me watch the wildlife out back. It's been so hot and humid that even the birds are hiding, but I did get to watch a pair of fawns yesterday morning. They were about 150 yards away, and with the binoculars I was able to count their spots and identify the flowers that were growing behind them. It's making life in a rocking chair so much more interesting!

[Mamabug]

Will resume these once 14 day quarantine at home is up due to trip below.

We did take a trip to Outer Banks, hit the beach a little where easy to social distance, and just stayed at the house and pool most of the time. But it was odd going into a convenience store to use facilities while gassing up and people not wearing masks or social distancing! I think I used sanitizer up to the elbows! We probably wouldn't have gone if NC numbers were what they are now. We also took more than normal, our own pillows, sheets, towels.

Trying to finish organizing at home, just not motivated!

Stay well all!

You sound a little bit like me. 14 day quarantine (except we had two -- one there and one here), we also went to a beach when we were in Canada, after the quarantine was over (social distanced), we probably wouldn't have gone if we'd known all of the complications (although we're glad we didn't know because it ended up being just what we needed in spite of all that).

And, yeah. Nobody except us in masks in convenience stores, even staff (in Nebraska and South Dakota and North Dakota). I carried a disinfectant wipe in one hand and used it to open doors and for everything I touched. So nothing touched my hands.

And yeah. not motivated at home.

[pennstater]

I have been helping my husband some with the garden, but it is now too hot & humid even early in the morning. I haven't walked early either.

We had been spending more time at our cabin where it is more rural and usually 10 degrees cooler than home. We were getting some spring clean-up done since it was too wet in the spring most of the time.

I had resumed some grocery shopping, some volunteer activities, and errand running. I am cautious with mask always on, sanitizer always with me, and wasg hands as soon as home. Will resume these once 14 day quarantine at home is up due to trip below.

We did take a trip to Outer Banks, hit the beach a little where easy to social distance, and just stayed at the house and pool most of the time. But it was odd going into a convenience store to use facilities while gassing up and people not wearing masks or social distancing! I think I used sanitizer up to the elbows! We probably wouldn't have gone if NC numbers were what they are now. We also took more than normal, our own pillows, sheets, towels.

Trying to finish organizing at home, just not motivated!

Stay well all!

[Mamabug]

I have to admit that I haven't had much oomph to start or complete tasks during this time.

For end of March through May, I mostly stayed at home, wasted a lot of time, watched a lot of TV. I also put energy into supporting my husband, who was going through some somewhat debilitating anxiety, stress and depression related to major changes in his job. He ended up seeing a therapist, and going on meds and short term disability for a number of those months.

In June, I began going back to the gym to exercise a couple of times during the first week or two.

Then we had the opportunity to go to Canada to visit my daughter's family and we decided that it would be good for both of us. It really was good for us. It was more complicated than we expected because we had been misinformed about Canada's exemption for family members, but we were able to cross the border because of my Canadian citizenship instead.

The Canadian government monitored our quarantine very closely (phone calls, emails and even a visit from the local RCMP) to make sure we were following quarantine guidelines. We worked pretty hard at finding ways to follow their many rules, including staying on their property for 14 days, using the spare bedroom and separate bathroom in the basement, social distancing even during meals, wearing masks when social distancing wasn't possible, etc. We discovered that, although many people use the term, quarantine, it really is a step quite a bit more restrictive than just the stay-at-home orders that we followed in March and April.

Because we stayed in Canada 17 days, we had three days, following the quarantine, when we could scrap many of the strict rules and safely live a more normal life, including bike rides (W/C rides for me) in parks, going to the beach with son-in-law's family (we still social distanced), etc. And, scrapping masks when around my grandsons and giving hugs freely.

At the time of our leaving, our county in Kansas had been very safe (0-1 active cases of COVID) and their province of Manitoba was also very, very safe. So, we felt our risk was low and theirs was too.

We've been home for about a week now. We are quarantined at home now (for 14 days again), due to the international travel. Hubby is able to work because he is an essential service, but is quarantined when off work. He has gone back to his previous duties, at least for now and is awaiting his company looking into his ADA request for reasonable accommodations so he won't need to return to his stressful duties.

When the rest of quarantine is over, I'll look forward to being able to go exercise again, and maybe get out sometimes, safely, with a mask and with social distancing.

[REG53]

DH and I are still staying the course. We did celebrate the 4th. The kids came by and we had a cookout. We kept our distance and stayed outside. It was fun. I am keeping doctors appoint.
I always wear a mask.

Stay Well

[Leenyi]

Seasha I'm so glad you got to safely hug your grandkids!

My husband and I had been self quarantining and laying low but we were very busy last week. Had a mamagram, a bone density test, and a Neuro appointment. They were appointments that had been rescheduled because of covid.
I was kind of nervous but everyone was wearing masks and they were doing temperature checks.
A women showed up at the neuro's office without a mask and they told her she wouldn't be seen unless she wore a mask. So she left. I was glad.

I celebrated my 60th birthday on friday with one of my son's and his family. Then had a repeat birthday celebration on the 4th with my other son and his family! I didn't hug anyone. But we were outside, the weather was great both days and I had some awesome races with the grandkids! I was a little disappointed because every one beat me. Even my 3 year old grandson could run faster than my scooter and I had it floored!

And to top it all off I finally had a hair appointment yesterday. Would have been nice if I could have had nice hair before all the appointments and the parties!

Take care everyone! Ei

[Seasha]

Hi all~

I'm approaching almost 4 months into this physical distancing time and wondering how it's going for all of you!

I hope you are practicing safe distancing, wearing a mask and all that's required at this time. Our state has seen an uptick of covid 19 cases, but certainly not as bad as some other states. Have any if you been tested yet?

How are you all keeping busy? Have you all cleaned out and organized closets, etc, like I have? LOL Now what to do with all the bags of items to give away? Any projects going on that you've put off for months, years? I did manage to plant my garden again this year even though this was the year I was going to have outside help and had to forgo that idea.

A bit of good news is that our library system has started a curb side pick up for holds! An avid reader here, it's nice not to have to buy so many books online.

It's been a heartbreak not to be physically close to my grandchildren, but I confess, that I got a chance to hug the one who I've been doing part time babysitting for since birth. It was the sweetest moment imaginable. We both wore masks, turned our head and held on for minutes.

Would love to hear how you are all doing? Hanging in there and keeping healthy, I hope!

[Mamabug]

Ditto what seasha, Kathy and Koko said. I just have such empathy for all those, during this time, whose major events +weddings, graduations, etc) are affected by the pandemic.