Some Sacrifices Are Easier Than Others

We have had to make some changes in our normal family routine since the start of the pandemic.  Thus, we only go to the grocery and CVS once a week.  We order more online and spend more time at our own home visiting with friends and family outdoors.  I still have not gone to the hairdresser since March and none of us our pushing for a dental cleaning right now.  Even Doug agreed that we would sit out of mass until August.

The biggest change to our lives, however, has been eating out.  Before COVID-19 we went out or ordered out at least three times a week.  Since March 20th we have not visited a restaurant and have only ordered pizza twice and Subway four times.  Doug believes that while we cannot completely eliminate all risk of exposure that we can reduce it.  We have stuck with that philosophy since before the stay at home order was announced.

As Cam, Meg, Doug and I have adjusted pretty well to our new reality, it has definitley been harder for Cal.  His life was drastically different than ours while he was living in Bloomington.  That made sense then as he was not a high risk candidate.  He has had to change, however, since he moved home.  Although there is still a lot that he is able to do - have a job, play golf, hang out with his friends outside . . . there are a few things that we have asked him not to do while living at home.  The first, going to the gym, we may be able to ease up on in the next few weeks as there have been safety protocols put in place at the gym and articles on how he could reduce risk while exercising.  The second, however, isn't as easy.  We cannot find any information about going to the bars or eating inside restaruants that does not place that as a number one high risk activity.  Thus, Cal's friends are all allowed to go out, but he isn't.  I know that is extremely disappointing to him.  I feel bad about that, but a lot of people in our community just aren't taking the risk very seriously.  Doug and I drove by the Channel Marker today and it was packed.  The Frog is the main hangout for young people in our community and it is on overload.  If COVID-19 cases weren't skyrocketing in Elkhart County and definitely rising in ours, Doug and I probably wouldn't mind as much.  Until we see a decline or a lack of hospitalizations in our area from the deadly virus, we believe that we still have to be dilligent in keeping our home safe.  Hopefully, this will start to level out soon.  If not moving to Bloomington may soon be on the agenda as today it recorded zero cases.