Pandemic Diary VI

This morning I posted this message on Facebook.

Has it occurred to anyone besides me (as a fleeting thought or a serious consideration) that it would be better to get this virus now and hope it's a mild case, self-quarantine until no longer contagious (however long that is...), be done with it, and stop having to worry about it? Worrying about getting infected is awful, and surely can't be good for anyone's long=term mental or physical well-being. Disclaimer: I'm not seriously thinking of being reckless or advocating this course of action. But when you're stuck alone in quarantine all day, day after day after day (and for me it's just day 5), don't thoughts like this go through your mind?

I did this against my better judgment, and after receiving a number of responses, I removed the post. There were a few who said yes, they have had these thoughts. And others who said no they wouldn't because they have underlying health concerns and avoiding getting infected is critically important to them.

I respect any position anyone takes on this. But the people who responded as if I was crying out for help and who tried to remind me of the importance of self-isolation missed my point entirely. So I ended up removing my post.

I'm doing fine. Yes, there is boredom to contend with. And there is the added inconvenience of being barricaded in my bedroom all day while work is progressing on my kitchen remodel. But as I've said before, I have a high threshold for boredom. I can entertain myself with minimal effort. I have Netflix and Amazon Prime and a computer and books to read and games on my phone. I've got five bridge game per week scheduled on BBO. I go out for a walk on the malecon every morning. And I can take a nap whenever I want.

Scenes from my morning walk today on the malecon

And I am well aware that the purpose of self-isolation is not to keep from getting infected. It's to minimize the likelihood that people who are infected and don't know it will infect others.

I would love to spend time with friends and family on the phone, with video chat, email, text messaging, or whatever works. That'll go a long way to help us all get through this. But please don't worry about me. There are many people in far more dire circumstances than I am.

My only big fear is if I get severely ill. I know for most people it is not that serious, but if I'm one of those who has a severe case, I don't know how I will manage. I have some flu medication and ibuprofen, and I've been sick at home in bed before, so I can cope with that if my symptoms are mild. But if I get very sick during a wave when many are getting sick and the hospitals here are overwhelmed, I don't know how I will survive. And worrying about that is the worst part of this experience.

Compared to that, boredom and seclusion are a delight!