Do you have a snapshot moment-in-time memory of COVID impacting your life?

[Tap]

Today, I returned to work part time. The last day I worked at my main job, was a Friday, mid March. That day, we were all anxiously awaiting notifications from the school districts about the impending closures due to COVID. I am in Washington State, so we were some of the first to close. There are 5 local school districts, and when they started to announce the closures, everyone was waiting to see what their school district was going to do. There were shout-outs across the pharmacy, as each parent got notified over about 30 minutes, that all 5 districts were closing for at least 5 weeks. Not much work got done the rest of they day as people scrambled to call day cares, family and friends to try and formulate plans. I was explaining why the school closure meant that I wasn't going to be able to work until they reopened.(dd is special needs)

Mid-march, I was standing in the same spot in the pharmacy as I did today. People were excited I was back, and wanting to hear how the past 3 months had been at home. It was surreal, that 3 months later the world is in such a different place. I may lose my job still, because I can't work full time and I am waiting to get extra hours allotted in FMLA, so the uncertainty of COVID is still very present in my mind.

At the time, I didn't realize how pivotal that single moment in time was.  Going forward, I  think that both of these days will be tied up in my mind, eternally linked. Time has moved on, but I have come full circle, back to where I started, for better or worse and most certainly....uncertainty is the only thing I can count on. 

ETA: I am giving out 'likes' as a hug of solidarity. 

Edited June 11, 2020 by Tap

[mom2scouts]

Yes, it was Thursday, March 12. We were supposed to leave for an evening athletic event and it was an almost 2 hour drive. The event organizers had repeatedly assured us that the event was still on, but we kept checking over and over all day because the governor was shutting more things down every day. We had dd pack her bag and put on her uniform while we continued to check online. Within 30 minutes of the time we needed to leave, we got word from our coach that our team was not attending. Later, we learned that the event was canceled as teams were arriving. After that, event after event and activity after activity was canceled and we've barely left the house since then. Like you, I didn't realize the major changes that would take place in my daily life and how different things would be now.

[katilac]

First, I had a lot of anxiety about dd getting home from college 7 hours away. Until she was on the road, I kept thinking there was going to be a case at her dorm and she wouldn't be able to leave. After she was on the road, I kept thinking that she'd only been driving regularly for about three months, lol. She made it and was quite pleased with herself for packing her whole room with no parental help and driving the whole way by herself. 

Then, sadness on her behalf because she worked so hard and wouldn't be able to have commencement, a graduation party, or her planned trip to New York City. 

I will also never forget that I finished a very miserable assignment in our public school system on the exact day they announced schools would be closing. Thanks for nothing, lol.  

 

[Shoeless]

Yes, it was March 13. We had attended a birthday party in the early part of the day, and even though it was outside, I was very uncomfortable being there because I knew what was going on with covid. I still wanted to go because I really didn't know when my son would be able to see his friends again, so it was potentially a "last hurrah" for a long time. Everyone at the party was rolling their eyes and acting like covid was no big deal.  We were only there an hour when my husband texted me to say that his employer was sending everyone home and if I needed to go to the store, I should do it NOW before everyone else got the same idea. So I bustled kiddo out of there, hit up Walmart, and spent twice as much as I normally do, because I really had no idea when we'd be able to go back to the store again. Kiddo kept asking "Why are you buying so much? We have all this stuff at home! Why are you spending so much money?", and I remember looking at him and feeling like I'd failed him in a really basic way. Like, how do you answer that question in a way that is truthful but not terrifying? 

Several days after the party, one of the attendees was like "Oh by the way, I've been exposed to covid and feel sick, so I had to get tested", and I about came unglued. I only found out because they commented on in a random post about how they wanted to go to a parent's night out dinner, but were waiting on test results.  If I hadn't been looking at that post, I never would have known they were exposed. If they told the party host about it, I don't know, because no one ever contacted me to say "Hey, you might have been exposed". 

[dirty ethel rackham]

March 11 ... During my clinicals shift, an announcement had been made about moving all in-person instruction to online starting the following week and we were speculating about when we would get pulled from our clinical rotation.  In Madrid, where my daughter was studying abroad, they had recently closed all schooled and moved everything online, but they were acting like it would be 2 weeks and then back to normal.  Then at 8 PM, POTUS gave the address where he was suspending all travel from Europe as of Friday, March 13.  I thought about texting my daughter, but realized it was the middle of the night there, so I got online and started working on getting her on a flight home.  As I was clicking on flights, they went from $800 one way, to $2000, to $3000, to sold out.  I wasn't OK with spending upwards of $3000 on a one way ticket, but I couldn't even get a flight out in time.  Then, my daughter called me from Spain since her roommates' parents did contact their children in the middle of the night.  Dd was OK with spending a month in Spain if we couldn't get her home, not realizing that the country would completely shut down in 2 days.  My phone was lighting up with messages from other parents who had kids in this study abroad program.   While I was trying to quell the growing panic during that conversation, the White House walked back that declaration and clarified that US citizens and legal residents could return to the US from Europe after that deadline, but would face increased screening.  We were able to get dd on a flight home on Sunday.  The next day, DD called me, crying, after she helped put her roommates into a taxi to go back home, knowing that she had 3 more days in Spain, but was so alone.  Then we received word that her flight got cancelled and were panicking that she would be stuck there.  Fortunately, they re-booked her on another airline.  

That Friday, in the last 15 minutes of my shift at the hospital, we received word that our clinical rotation was on hiatus until further notice.  Most of my co-workers had left for the day and I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to them.  I've been home for nearly 3 months.

On that Saturday, we watched in horror as  hoards of  travelers from Europe were stuck for hours in close proximity to each other while waiting to get through customs.  It was taking 5 hours.  I was really worried about my daughter flying home the next day going through that same airport.  We made plans to all quarantine together for the next 2 weeks, planning menus, getting groceries, etc..

On Sunday, dd made it home.  I hardly slept until she was on the flight home and fought back tears when we picked her up from the airport.  

In less than 5 days time, I went from having a full class schedule and a stressful clinical rotation to being at home, only leaving to walk the dog.  I went from an empty house to having dd home and dh working from home.  And a nearly silent neighborhood.  

[EmseB]

Going to Costco on a hunch in late February. I have an image in my mind of a bunch of people standing around waiting for the guy to bring another pallet of bottled water out because all that was left was those tiny bottles. 

Then at Safeway in early March seeing the lady in front of me with a cary full of canned goods and liquor. 😂

[Shoeless]

39 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

was their test negative? You didn't get sick, did you? 

I did come unglued at Bible study like a week or two before all church activities were shut down. One lady wasn't feeling well and sat at another table. We discussed Covid a little bit, but many people were not taking it that seriously (I think holding hands before praying over the potluck). She thought it would be funny? to put her hands on my face. I was horrified and she dismissed it saying she'd just washed her hands. But I had seen her touch her face with her hands before doing it. I was so upset and said something like, "I cannot believe you did that." About a week later I got a text from the church text chain that she had strep throat. I don't think she ever had covid but that was enough to freak me out. 

 

Their test was negative, but they also got a test way past the "optimal" window, so a false negative was highly likely to occur. So I have no idea if this person had covid or not. Thankfully, DS and I did not get sick. I was really blown away by the la-di-da attitude of it all. No one here cares if they get covid or pass it on to someone else. They don't consider it to be their problem if someone gets sick. It's such a callous mindset. 

[Pawz4me]

I guess mine was March 3. That's the day DH's oncologist recommended waiting to start a new treatment because he (the doc) believed the increased risk of exposure to Covid from having to come into the cancer center more frequently was a more worrisome risk than DH's cancer. In a couple of weeks we'll find out if he was right about that or not.

[Guest]

Mine was, I think, March 16th. That is the day French President Macron addressed the nation and dd sent me a text that said, “I think I need to come home.” That just made the full reality of the situation indisputable. And the manner in which she had to come home, so rushed, so fraught with worry, not even able to say goodbye to students and coworkers. 

If there is a second one, it was going to Costco on March 1, the day after I had returned from Europe. I almost abandoned my intentions because it was absolutely packed with people; there was literally nowhere at all to park, even in the back of the store by the dumpsters and loading bays. I finally parked at the Costco gas station. 

If there’s a third one, it was the day I went to the small grocery near me and there was empty shelves everywhere. I remember commenting to a lady who was like, “omg, there’s no bread at all!” And I said, “It’s crazy, right? I make my own bread but there’s no flour, either.” She was like, “There’s no flour?!” I took pictures of all the empty shelves and labeled them. Those are going in my COVID scrapbook. 

[Tenaj]

There are several days that stand out it my mind.  The end of February coincided with the end of my sons' basketball season and I was still spending a lot of time waiting during practices.  Because of the ladies here, I spent that time hitting up Sam's Club and other grocery stores and stocked up on everything.  I was so thankful for that when the shortages hit because my freezer was full and the pantry was stocked.  I've told so many people how thankful I am for this board.  I remember the first week of March, maybe March 5? was the tournament final.  Our team hadn't advanced but we talked about going to that game anyway and decided last minute not to go because we weren't sure we wanted to be in a crowd at that time.

On March 9th my dh's boss decided that my husband's work team should work from home just as an experiment.  The boss called that night and since it had been successful, they decided to it again the next day.  He hasn't been back to work since except to pick up equipment or supplies a few times and it looks like he'll be home until at least August 3 though they are kicking around the possibility of his team staying home until the end of the calendar year.

I still get a bit teary-eyed when I think of how stressful church was that week as we tried to convince our Pastor to shut down the church.  We did shut down and started back last week.

Oh, but one thing that makes me smile, is that every afternoon for two months or more, I would listen to our governor's press conferences at 2 p.m.  You may have heard of "Wine with Dewine".  Well, I didn't do wine, but I sewed a quilt wall-hanging that I have affectionately called my Covid Quilt - LOL!  I still listen but he's not having them daily at this point.  My family has been chuckling at all the projects in many houses that will be remembered as being completed during the pandemic of 2020.  

[Carrie12345]

Many. But a big one was dh getting on a plane for work last week. None of us were happy.

[TracyP]

March 7. I went to My Fair Lady with my mom. I was already very concerned about Covid, but I didn't want to back out. It was the first time either of us had been to a play and we rarely get to hang out alone. I kept looking at all the people crowding together and wondering if anybody else was as worried as I was - one couple wore masks... I am glad I went, but the whole night was surreal. I knew it was the last time I would be out and about because I had already planned a family stay at home order. It felt like a big deal that night, and now looking back it feels even bigger. Wow, how the world has changed in just 3 months.

[CTVKath]

Mine was March 12th when the first cancellation occurred and they continued all through the weekend. It was surreal. I took my DD to one last gymnastics practice on March 12th thinking that it would only be half full (correct) and would probably be the last time she'd see her friends for awhile (also correct).

Lasting undated memories are trying to get groceries and essentials for 4 households (mine and 3 elderly) and empty shelves at 4-5 stores over several weeks. A good positive undated memory is almost 6 weeks of nightly read alouds by Andrew Peterson of the first 2 books in his Wingfeather series. We listened as a family. That's what I'll probably remember the most. 

[Ottakee]

One of my memories just two weeks ago.  I went shopping at Aldi's and as I was packing up my paid for groceries I dropped an empty box (you know the ones you collect as you shop to out your stuff in to take it home).

A gentleman reached down to pick it up for me and stopped and looked and neither of us knew what to do.   That was a sad moment to realize that normal, kind gestures were now in question.  Of he picked up the box for me, what if I was offended that his germs were now on my box, but yet he wanted to be kind and helpful as it fell on the opposite side of the cart that I was standing on.

It really mad me sad to think that holding the door for someone, picking up something for them they dropped, etc can now be considered rude/offensive.

[TheReader]

There are a few for me. We were on Spring Break, which was already odd for me as my Grandpa had just died, the family had all just left to go back home (we had not yet had the funeral, but the siblings were here while he was hospitalized b/c it hadn't looked good), and so I was already in an odd mode. We were watching things, b/c DH's company is Italian owned so we were acutely aware of how bad things could get. DH was already off for the week (he had taken off for Spring Break) but we decided not to take our planned mini-road trip and instead do short day things near home. 

DH's mom already had our dogs, though, so we arranged to pick them up. She would not let us in the house (she's at higher risk) and in fact had us text when we arrived, she opened the front door and let the dogs out (and had already set their things on the porch), let us get the dogs in the car, closed the door, went inside, and once she was back inside we were able to grab their food & such from the porch. That was surreal. 

After that, we went up to tour the Bluebell factory; we called that morning to be sure they were open, because things were starting to close a bit. They were, but there were handwashing stations all over, and everyone was a little awkward about getting close to one another or not. The next day, Bluebell announced they were closing the tour part of things. Also that day we heard on the radio that the Houston Rodeo was being closed/cancelled, which was HUGE. I went immediately to the store -- things had already been running out in the days prior, and I knew once that announcement hit, things would get way worse. We were home, so were able to go before people got off work, but that was when we realized this was really turning into a big thing....I mean, the rodeo is huge. Huge. and already running, and they had to shut it down and empty it out that day. That was wild. 

Then recently, in the grocery store, a gentleman in one of the motorized carts was asking for where to find okra; the store employee asked if there hadn't been some in the produce section, and the gentleman said no, he'd looked and would prefer fresh, but couldn't find it. I overheard, knew I had seen the okra, and offered to show him. So, off he and I went, only to realize when we got over there that the okra was in boxes up on the top middle of a display, not reachable from the seat of the motorized cart. So then we had  a moment of me in my mask, him in his, discussing whether it was okay if I handed him the box/placed it in his cart for him, should I find something to use to touch the box with to cover my hand, etc. As well as a shared commentary on how grateful we were that despite all this, being nice was still a thing, even if under these odd circumstances.  But that was just.....odd.....having to stop and evaluate -- will he mind if I touch the box? Is that okay? Is it still helpful if I get my "germs" on his box of okra? What's the right thing to do here?? 

 

[catz]

2 hours ago, TracyP said:

March 7. I went to My Fair Lady with my mom. I was already very concerned about Covid, but I didn't want to back out. It was the first time either of us had been to a play and we rarely get to hang out alone. I kept looking at all the people crowding together and wondering if anybody else was as worried as I was - one couple wore masks... I am glad I went, but the whole night was surreal. I knew it was the last time I would be out and about because I had already planned a family stay at home order. It felt like a big deal that night, and now looking back it feels even bigger. Wow, how the world has changed in just 3 months.

In Minneapolis at the Orpheum?   My daughter and I were there March 8.  There are a number of things that stick in my mind in the first 2 weeks of March. I had a kid coming home from college which was stressful too.   But that show was a big one.   I was glad we got that show in.  💕  It was really fantastic but I remember flinching every time the actors held hands or got close.  Lol.  

Edited June 11, 2020 by FuzzyCatz

[MEmama]

In late January I seriously questioned our planned flight back to California to visit family in early/mid February. We did go, but we were very concerned about the airports, public transport, etc. 

DS competed in a big regional meet the day before our flight and I remember being shocked that no one seemed concerned. Someone sitting in front of us had a brand new infant and I felt true shock that anyone would willingly bring a baby to a venue with thousands of people during a health crisis. That was surreal to me.

Everything after I felt pretty prepared for. School closings and all that were expected; I only wondered why it took this country so long to (sort of) close down. 

Edited June 11, 2020 by MEmama

[TracyP]

46 minutes ago, FuzzyCatz said:

In Minneapolis at the Orpheum?   My daughter and I were there March 8.  There are a number of things that stick in my mind in the first 2 weeks of March. I had a kid coming home from college which was stressful too.   But that show was a big one.   I was glad we got that show in.  💕  It was really fantastic but I remember flinching every time the actors held hands or got close.  Lol.  

Yes, at the Orpheum! And it was fantastic. 🥰

[73349]

.

 

Edited October 2, 2020 by Carolina Wren

[prairiewindmomma]

In early February I went to Home Depot and watched a Chinese lady buying a pallet of N95s....dozens and dozens of boxes. A worker brought up another dusty pallet from the back of the store and she said that she was sending the first to her family in China and keeping the second pallet for herself. Dh had coworkers in China on lockdown, and I had already seen the thread here on WTM, but it was the first time I thought seriously about this possibly becoming a pandemic rather than just a regional outbreak.

The second moment was March 4. Dh had sick coworkers, we already had community spread, and I had been coughed on that morning at ds’s orthodontist appointment. It was beyond time for us to be locking down even though work and school hadn’t shut down yet. I sent a series of emails to church, school, and friends that the kids and I would be home from then on. Dh and I had a rare fight—about upcoming work travel. He had already had three conferences cancel (as I had said they would, and he had said they wouldn’t). He was supposed to be getting on a plane that following Monday and I didn’t want him to go. I wanted him to wear a N95 on the plane if he was going to fly and through the meetings and he didn’t want to make a fuss by doing so, and had no idea how he would negotiate the work dinner with a mask on. The meeting ended up canceling and so it worked out....but it was super stressful knowing you were being exposed when you went out.

 

[Wheres Toto]

We were supposed to do a parade with 4-H which was cancelled.  I cancelled my classes that Friday.   We had already gone shopping and stocked up on some things because of hearing things on here.    It was one day from "not sure what I'm going to do about classes" to "we're closed".   And even then we were thinking it would only last a few weeks.  

There was also Dh's trip to China being cancelled, him being ordered to work from home, dd's school year being set to distance learning, and her job closing. 

Edited June 11, 2020 by Where's Toto?

[regentrude]

The last time I went out to a gathering was an open mic I performed at early in March. Lovely venue in a local winery, supportive crowd of regulars, one of my favorite events each month. Some of us were already careful not to hug. We talked quite a bit about the virus. Little did I know that this would be the last time to see my musician friends for a long time 😞

Edited June 11, 2020 by regentrude

[math teacher]

We were on Spring Break March 9-13, and I was already concerned. We got the message that week that schools were closed. Monday the 16th, my birthday, we had a meeting at the school to start planning what we should do. I'll never forget that birthday.

[Corraleno]

March 12th. I was visiting DS at school, and he came back from a hastily-called team meeting and said that the university was shutting down and the NCAA championship, that he had worked so hard for, was cancelled. Then he left to spend the evening saying goodbye to his teammates, came home around 3:00 AM, and just sat on the couch and cried. The next day we packed up his things, and the day after that we started the 3-day drive home. He kept saying it was all so surreal, like a bad dream he wished he could wake up from.  

[Guest]

For me, it was the last lesson before Spring break and getting a text from DD "Spring Break extended by one week, online for the rest of the semester". I stuck my main lesson books in my bag. In late April, I went back to pick up materials. The sign about recital and Spring break closure was still on my door, the preschool still had Leprechauns and Rainbows up. It will feel even weirder in the fall-if we go back then. 

[Tap]

I asked dd21 this question and this is her reply. Her husband is active duty Air Force. They live in Nevada, but were in Washington for his father's wedding mid-March at a beach house.  They left thier phones upstairs during the ceremony. When they went up to get the phones later that day, he had 15 voicemails from his commanders. They wanted him back ASAP and since they were coming home from Washington, they were discussing quarantine when they returned. The moment isn't just a snap-shot of COVID for them, it is also one of being active duty. If it had been one message in a few hours time, that would have been one thing, but getting 15 phone calls/messages in a few hours, was another!! I am sure he felt a bit of panic when he saw the number of messages from his bosses and the base! LOL 

They had already planned to be going home the day the AF said they needed to be home by, so that worked out ok. They were sitting in the airport when they got another call. The commander said they were going to come home to full quarantine for 2 weeks (due to being in Washington). They had to make arrangements for a friend to pick up their dog from the dog sitter (they weren't allowed to) and had to ask him to get money from the bank for them too. They were asked to make a grocery list and that the AF would deliver groceries to them. They wouldn't be allowed to leave their house at all, not even to check the mail. Sitting in the airport, making a grocery list for someone else to shop for them was a postcard moment for dd. Especially since she wasn't home and couldn't look at her own pantry to see what she needed. She said it felt surreal that they were on the precipice of a lock down, and savoring their last bits of freedom. LOL 

Luckily, they released the quarantine the following day but her husband wasn't allowed to go to work on base, for another month.