25 days ago I wrote:
For four months, once a month, I travel to the North of my tiny country by train, a three hour journey, one direction. I joined a course in ‘Felting’ here, adding to the knowledge I already gained from Youtube and Pinterest. Five weeks ago was the first of four of these journeys, today is the second. Where I had only a vague notion of the Corona Virus last time, I realize that today I’m very aware of it. I checked if there was some hand sanitizer for sale but of course it wasn’t anymore. People are already stocking up, especially in shops on train stations I would guess. I’m trying to be more aware of the surfaces I touch, and started correcting myself when I touch my face - this might be the best thing to do in order to prevent infrction, next to washing your hands 20 seconds or longer with soap. Anyway, I’m not panicking, just feeling aware, and my monthly journey to The North will be my anchor in experiencing how Corona will evolve in my country. From journey 1 to journey 2 I evolved from vaguely aware to slightly cautious. I think Felting is great for my health in more ways than one: tomorrow I’ll basically have my hands in hot water and soap all day long.
Little did I know that one moth later I would NOT travel by train anymore. Because I learned last week the school cancelled our next class as a preventive measure. Also, the government announced yesterday there are not gatherings to be held anymore until June 1st, so I already know my fourth and last felting class will be canceled as well.
Wow.
Today I decided to write some Corona Notes, even though back-dated. I feel this could be something I might read back later, for now we don't know how it will evolve and how much of a 'historic event' we're living through. Although I heard about 20% of the world's population is in lockdown (in some form) already, which, to me, sounds pretty historic. And we might only be at the beginning of all of it.
Timeline of Corona 'Events'
- March 8th, Sunday, I went to my grandmothers house. She and her new husband celebrated their 1-year anniversary so their kids and grandkids were all there. My sister in law was there (she works in an office job at the hospital) and we talked a little bit about Corona, but it wasn't too serious yet. The hospital she worked in was at the center of the worst infected region in the Netherlands though, so she was already noticing things speeding up.
- March 9th, Monday, I canceled Pilates, already knowing I would probably also cancel my Yoga and second Pilates class later that week. I remember it didn't make sense anymore to lie on a mat 1 meter from someone else. Government hadn't given any guidelines then though, they would take another week.
- March 10th, Tuesday, one of my best friends came to visit me at home. We said 'shall we hug'? And decided it was safe as we're both pretty much at home most of the time. It shows how awareness was growing over the days though.
- March 11th, Wednesday, I went to a restaurant with a friend. We hugged, talked about Corona, I remember not feeling comfortable because too many people were sitting too close from me, I also felt like I didn't want to touch the table and chair.
- I got sick Thursday 12th of March. Just a regular thing. Some throat aches, some sneezing, some sniffing.
- Friday the 13th, Friday, my cleaning lady visited. I didn't feel too comfortable, was very aware of us infecting each other, possibly? My boyfriend was working from home, also looking for ways to handle the spread of Corona, so the three of us were in this small space, and I was very aware of it.
After that I got pretty sick. That weekend I was feeling horrible: head aches, intense muscle pains, and my normally sensitive joints were now feeling absolutely weak - I would just 'sink' through my feet, for lack of better words, as if they weren't able to hold my weight. I remember making a very normal move and suddenly feel pain creep up from my ankle all the way through my shins, a pain which remained for a few days.
I had a fever, 38.2 Degrees Celsius, and I had the most vivid dreams that night.
Monday, when I was still sick, Rutte, our Prime Minister, held a speech, for the first time showing a serious face, telling the country 'I don't have an easy message to give you, we have to social distance, we have to make sure those who are weak and/or old won't become victims, please stay home, this might take weeks or months'.
The Netherlands didn't go into lock-down as was done in some other countries, like Italy, which is so far the worst affected by Corona in the world, so many people critiqued the speech. The Prime Minister is basically calling upon our own 'sensibleness': take precautions, keep distance, go to work when you have to, stay home when you can.
Basically, all week, I've been feeling low, having at least one day where I felt some form of panic, maybe I just was a little hypochondriac at that point, which is when I feel I start couching and some unhealthy feelings in my chest, a core 'Corona' symptom, right? I try to calm myself though, but messages about young people fighting for their lives don't help. The older people seem to be the ones 'actually dyeing', but the young ones are certainly not walking out of it undamaged. And nothing is known about long-term effects of Corona, yet.
I do however know how to calm myself again, even though I'm low on energy, my fever is gone, and although more symptoms pop up they don't necessarily feel like they make me sicker. Just as if a train of symptoms is going through the body one by one.
One week after the first speech, now it is Monday the 23th of March, a more serious press conference is held by the Prime Minister and some other Health Ministers / Experts. The message is clear: you didn't keep enough distance so now we'll up the possibilities of especially mayors to fine people who are in groups and to close parks/beaches when needed. They call it an 'intelligent lockdown', where not everybody has to stay at home, but you are expected to stay at home when one member in your family is sick. Also, you can go outside, if you are alone, and if you're with 3+ people you can get a fine.
The waiting starts now: are the Dutchies 'smart enough' to keep themselves in an 'intelligent lock-down'? Or do we need stricter enforcement even?
I'm hoping we're smart enough. This way we can still go outside without, like they do in France, a filled-in paper with your reason for going out.
Fingers crossed.
Oh, I'm slowly feeling better. Except I just learned that loss of smell is one of the symptoms of Corona and I haven't been able to smell anything for the past few days :D
I can't wait until we can test for anti-bodies so we can learn if we're already immune to it or not.
Cheers.
(This was basically a freewrite except for the part with the bullets/dates, and I might write a bit more in the coming week. Just wanted to have something to look back on in a few weeks, and was afraid I was already forgetting some things. Days at home start to look a bit similar pretty fast.)
So #posh on twitter:
We're going to see if the lockdown is a good strategy... many are saying it will probably going to be worse, on the long term. When the next wave of the virus comes, we won't have any defences against it. Maybe we should simply catch the damn virus as soon as possible and put it behind us. There's a real chance this plan will work against us in the future.
Maybe, maybe not. I hope we can postpone the 'hard hits' until we find proper medication. It's the way to go I guess. Don't make it worse now and then when it hits REALLY bad be able to take a pill and be done with it.
I'm still hopeful :-)
One thing to try for wiping the hands if the sanitizers and rubbing alcohol are all sold out is to get some very high strength alcohol like Bacardi 151 rum, or some very strong vodka, wet a cloth with it and keep it in a plastic sealed plastic bag to wipe your hands with when needed.
The main thing to remember is if you practice normal everyday flu season precautions you should be fine, people just need to become more aware of the situation and use, really use, some common sense.
my wife and I miss going out to our favorite food place, it has been over two months since we last went, but as we were hearing more and more about the beginning of this we stop going out to eat, it is a favorite place of the flying crowd, pilots stewards, and stewardess, They do great with homemade style soups, but now I have learned to make some soups at home to satisfy our want for them.
Yes, common sense is what our government is calling upon, and Dutch people are very much sensed on the idea of 'solidarity', so in general we don't find it hard to stay home if that helps others who are weaker or not able to stay at home.
So I guess we're lucky.
Still, even here, some restrictions were made, and even 'leveled up' two days ago, since not everyone is finding it easy to not go outside or be in groups anymore.
I've ordered in some food tonight as I really do want some of the businesses I've loved and supported to survive this. Also here, our government is working hard to help out where needed, so all in all I'm not TOO worried. Let's hope our economies survive this, but mostly ofcourse, we ourselves <3
I hope the small businesses can survive the crunch, they are the real back bone of community, the mom and pop owned stores, not the big box stores we have in America, corporate conglomerates. Every time a wal-mart type store moved in we lost a local small store, so I hope they can survive and restart.The prices may be a tad bit more expensive, but if I wanted a brand item they did not carry they always gave it a shot to see who else would be interested in that brand. If you asked at a local corporate store if they could carry this brand most often the answer received is We get what the headquarters send us"
Aaaaccccckkkk! You've been infected? And suffered silently for this long? You truly are one of my heroes.
I sincerely hope that your (our) bodies produce enough antibodies to provide some form of immunity. My friend the botanist is not particularly hopeful for immunity but thinks it may provide some relatively short term protection. Hopefully long enough for a treatment and/or vaccine to immerge.
From what I can find the Dutch response has been pretty good, significantly better than ours. The individual states have the ultimate authority and some of those are diddling around. Notably Florida and Texas.
Stay strong, my friend. I am truly concerned.
Lol! I really don't know if I was infected or not. I will not know until they have a test for antibodies. The 'full' diagnostical test is too scarce to just 'take and be done with' I'm afraid.
I'm hopeful we can 'social distance' long enough to have proper medication indeed. But these diseases evolve too. We'll see. I hope you guys in the US find some way to not make it worse, your president is not really helping so far :-/
Cheers @bigtom13, don't be too concerned, I'm doing fine <3
❤️
10 Million hugs
HUGS BACK AT YA!
Please be well :)
I will be - already doing better :D
That was a very disturbing read. I am sorry Rosa. Have you been tested for the infection? Get well soon!
Huh! No, I don't think I was ill enough to get a test, and I'm already feeling better. I might now when they have 'simple' tests for antibodies if I've indeed had it. There were days I thought I had it and there were days I was sure it was just a flu :D Very confusing times!
So you will never know? Anyway, good to hear you are already better ;)