Waiting Games

Yesterday I mentioned that this lovely little virus has had a personal impact. Not in the sense that my daily life has been disrupted. I mean it has been disrupted, but that's not the point. This virus is like Schrodinger's virus. Here's a meme to understand:


My uncle, B, and his partner, M, live in San Diego. M got very, very sick the second week of March. My uncle is paranoid about doctors and hospitals (that's another story), and both just didn't want to go to the hospital. Eventually, M got to the point where he was struggling to breathe and they had to go to the hospital. He was admitted to the hospital and placed into the ICU. Aside from sepsis and a myriad of other problems, they suspected that he had COVID but he wasn't tested. Why? Not enough tests. And because both B and M have an underlying health issue that makes doctors put them on a low priority list.

Eventually, M is well enough to be sent home. He's not better, but beds are so short they push him out when he can be cleared out of the ICU. Guess what. He's still sick. He still has issues breathing, and they don't have enough tests to test people like them. So they have to act like he has it because to act like it's anything else is irresponsible.

With my uncle being in San Diego, it's really hard. There is no other family close to them to see from a distance or to help. And if something does go wrong, we're on the other side of the country faced with the fear of going into a virus hot zone. I know they are both lonely, and I wish there was something I could do to be there for them. Yes, I'm afraid that M has the virus but I also fear B getting it. I'm afraid they might both die from the virus. I'm afraid they will die alone. And I'm afraid that their dog will be left alone.

There really isn't anything I can do but wait. Wait to see if they are ever tested. Wait to see if they get better. Wait to see if everything around the country gets better. Wait to see if I can see them again. Everything right now is a waiting game. We can't wait to return to normal - we will never go back to that version of normal. And I'm okay with that because it could lead to major changes in our country and society as a whole.

But I hope that the new normal gives me the ability to see my uncles again.