Do you feel like you are tapped out as we enter into the second half of 2020 continuing to adapt to a new kind of society since the coronavirus outbreak? I seem to have felt it more this week than any other. The common question starting most conversations seems to be, “How are you doing?” This is really asking, “How are you holding up through the pandemic?” How are you practicing the power of patience in the pandemic?
A bit of Pandemic History
The plague, a fatal infection arrived in Constantinople in 541 CE, Common Era, sometime used in place of AD. The plague spread across Europe, Asia, north Africa, and Arabia killing nearly 30 to 50 million people. This was half the world’s population.
The Black Death, a pandemic in Europe in 1347, took a shocking 200 million lives all in just four years. Science, not being as advanced as today’s standards, at least knew it was associated with closeness. At an Italian port, newly arriving sailors were ordered to be isolated until they could prove they were not contagious. In Venetia, this hold on the ship for thirty days became known as trentino. They soon increased the time of isolation to 40 days, quarentino. This is the origin of the word we use today, quarantine.
The Great Plague of London occurred in 1665. It killed 100,000 Londoners in a short period of seven months. The sick, forced to isolate in their homes, were told to do so to prevent spreading the disease. Family members who had infected members in their household were forced to publicly “announce” this by carrying a white pole in public.
There has been smallpox, cholera, and polio. This is not the first time the world has endured such quickly changing lifestyle to control a pandemic.
Personal Experience with Patience
Over the past few months, I have read other blogs, articles, and have heard breast cancer patients say, if they can get through cancer, they can get through the pandemic. I think back to my first diagnosis. It was a long year for me and my family in 2002. What began as a breast cancer diagnosis in early January lasted until the end of the year and into the next year. Two surgeries, 18 weeks of chemo, 6 weeks of daily radiation, and another year to feel fully recovered was frightening and exhausting. It took a lot of patience. Mouth sores, nausea, weakness, and radiated skin took its toll on me. Then the return in 2014 after I thought I beat it the first time…the return of my plague!
But this is different. It involves every last person I know. This week, more than any other, I noticed a sense of fatigue with friends and family I spoke to. I think we thought the Fourth of July, at least in America, was a bit of a slow roll and reopening. The slow roll is working in some places but in others, the resurgence came back with a vengeance, sliding us back like the bad after effect of a drug we did not want to take again.
Summon up More Patience!
Hang on tight. I wish I could say, “hang on tight to each other”. We are not even close to seeing an end to this new life we know in this history making coronavirus pandemic. Keep calling your friends and family. Zoom away because it is what we can do now to stay connected. I wish I had a magic wand but vaccines with true efficacy take time to develop. I do not want to state the obvious with numbers. Let’s just vow to acknowledge this will continue to try our patience. Celebrate the days you feel happy. There are going to be many days we will all be feeling befuddled, lonely, frustrated, confused, or angry.
How are you practicing the power of patience in the pandemic? Me? I am walking, writing, gardening, staying connected with family, trying my damnedest not to be judgmental of others, and continuing to hang on tight. I would love to hear your thoughts.
Hi Terri,
Your post was comforting. It helps to realize in this pandemic we aren’t alone and yet, we all sort of are on our own. I’ve been feeling that fatigue, for sure. And it’s hard to stay patient or to summon up more patience when leadership is lacking. It’s hard to be patient when so many choose not to wear masks and follow other guidelines. And I’m so worried about my mother-in-law. Whenever I start feeling too sorry for myself, I think about her and all the others like her who are forced to live in isolation. My heart breaks for those who are sick and for those who have died and who still will. And as you know, I’ve had surgery put on hold. Now it’s on again. Wonder if it’ll be off again. It’s just hard. Sure, there are varying and different kinds of hard. But it is all hard.
Like you, I’m walking, writing, reading (when I can concentrate), gardening and trying to stay connected with family. And trying not to stress about things out of my control – which is a lot these days.
Thanks for the post and for the history lesson on pandemics too. We are resilient. I try to focus on that too. Stay safe and well, Terri. xx
You bring up some great thoughts, Nancy. Your delayed surgery cannot be easy. I’ve talked to so many who have been scheduled, cancelled, rescheduled, only to be cancelled again. What a roller coaster! Hang on tight. I like your ending comment, “We are resilient.” I think I need a new post it note on my refrigerator with that saying! Always great to hear from you. You stay safe and well! ~ Terri