Is your head spinning yet?

Yesterday we were told that a person who has COVID 19 is unlikely to develop long term immunity which means that banking on the majority of the population becoming infected and developing immunity to COVID 19 ( herd immunity) as a means of ending the pandemic is not likely.

We need to wait for either a vaccine or an anti-viral treatment to rid the planet of this virus, both of which will take a year, not weeks or months. We are stuck with this virus.

Yeah. That could definitely lead to despair. I realized something this morning as a woke at 5 am. For the last week or so, I am not waking up with dread and panic. That innate, deep, gnawing fear that I push away everyday in the name of coping and moving on, is no longer there. There is a reason for that. There is less uncertainty. It is fear of the unknown that can drive us to despair. We are beginning to accept COVID 19 and the many, pervasive, dizzying ways it has changed our lives. Acceptance, in an odd way, brings peace. I accept this dramatic change. I accept that things will not be the same again. I accept the challenge of working together nationally and globally to end COVID 19 and I accept the resistance and opposition I will face everyday as I work to get the scientific word out there.

Today, we hear that COVID 19 transmission in Canada is largely under control. The epidemiology, the science shows that WE HAVE THE VIRUS UNDER CONTROL! Physical distancing, living in bubbles, wearing masks, washing hands, testing, testing and testing while collectively following our leaders has allowed us to get this virus under control.

Acceptance and control brings more than peace, they bring confidence and strength, power!

The number of daily cases continues to decline along with the number of hospitalizations and ICU admissions. I just need to remind everyone what an incredible accomplishment this is. We flattened the curve, we smashed COVID 19 and we came out the other side beaten, bruised and bewildered but relatively intact.

And all this success at the same time that the World Health Organization announces that the world is no where near the end of COVID 19, that most countries have yet to feel the devastating brunt of the virus. We have not been spared. This is not magic. We are here because our health care system is public and available to all, because our governments worked together collaboratively and because as a nation and a culture, we followed their lead.

Until there is a treatment or a vaccine, your life will not go back to normal but there is life out here in this new world. There is much to be grateful for and there is still so much work to be done. Cases can reemerge at anytime and any place. In a matter of weeks, we could find ourselves in the same terrifying state as so many other countries are experiencing. The pandemic restrictions need to stay in place. Releasing these restrictions will put us back to where we were in March and April

"Dynamic models are telling us that if we relax too much or too soon the epidemic will most likely rebound with explosive growth as a distinct possibility." Dr. Theresa Tam

Accept set backs. We will see small outbreaks. Restrictive public health measures will slowly be lifted "to minimize the unintended health, social and economic consequences." This will inevitably lead to an increase in cases but not necessarily to the dreaded second wave. The key is to keep the outbreaks small and contained by testing those that are the most at risk and quarantining the positive cases.

Of Ontario's 257 confirmed new cases of COVID-19, reported today, 177 are from the Windsor-Essex area. The provincial caseload grew sharply following targeted testing of migrant farm workers over the weekend. Expect higher numbers as the Kingston outbreak is contained.

British Columbia, has moved into Phase 3 of its reopening plan and is seeing a sustained rise in cases for the first time in months, with hospitalizations at their highest point since June 7 and the five-day rolling average of new cases the highest since May 17. This is to be expected. Fear not. It has been awhile since I have said this but, we have got this. Trust the science and the experts.

Our job remains the same. Follow the guidelines, remain vigilant and accept the changes in your life. We are working through a massive global catastrophe, and we have faired very, very well. Let's hold on to that.

There is a small group within the population that will use COVID 19 and the fear it creates to convince you that the science is wrong and that your leaders have ulterior motives. Nonsense. Our numbers prove that our leaders and health advisors can certainly be trusted as they follow the science. And a vaccine that is safe and effective can definitely be made and mass produced in a short period of time because we have never been this smart. We have never lived in an era of such scientific technology and advancements. Never before in our history has the world worked so collaboratively with so many resources. We will get this done. You are safe.

Anne-Marie

Please share.

And don't forget the vulnerable. It is time to make the world a place of justice and equality. Amen to that!

For equal access to treatment in Lesotho!
https://www.braceletofhope.ca/ways-to-give/

Lets keep our local charities strong by donating here:
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/47254

For non-Facebook users, you can find this post here:
https://braceletofhope.blogspot.com/

For local assistance with anxiety and depression:
www.here4help.ca
CMHA WW Website: www.cmhaww.ca
Here 24/7 at 1-844-HERE-247 or www.here247.ca.
And for post-secondary students, Good2Talk
https://good2talk.ca/

What will the next year look like?

This is a long post. Sit tight. Always new information.

Some new evidence today that suggests that the immunity that develops after COVID 19 infection does not last long.
Which means that weeks after infection, a person could become infected again. It also means that herd immunity may not be possible. One approach to rid the planet of a virus is to let as many people as possible become infected in the hopes that once 70 % become permanently immune to the virus, the virus dies out.

Not so with COVID 19. If natural infection does not give long-lasting immunity, we need to wait for a vaccine that induces a stronger, longer-lived response. A strong and effective vaccine or, much like the flu, an annual vaccine, or like childhood immunizations, a series of vaccines that as a group, confers immunity.

This puts even more pressure on the development of a vaccine, which takes time.

This virus is going to be with us for awhile. Even though the scientific community has learned 5 to 10 years worth of information about COVID 19 in the last 6 months, Vaccine development takes time. We need a very accurate vaccine that causes a person to produce antibodies to the virus without putting that person's immune system into overdrive, which can be dangerous.

This new research also suggests that asymptomatic infections test positive for an average of five days longer than symptomatic infections ( 19 days compared with 14 days). Which could mean they are shedding virus longer. No symptoms, virus being shed by talking, singing, laughing or shouting.

That's the dangerous piece. This virus is having a great time when these asymptomatic people are having a great time. It loves mass indoor and outdoor gatherings: concerts, weddings, parties, church gatherings, bars and nightclubs. We have a very low incidence of COVID 19 in this country. Well done folks: 218 new cases in the country in the last 24 hours, 178 in Ontario.

Here's the thing. If there are Canadians out there with asymptomatic infection, they are most likely to spread it in large gatherings. The fewer that are gathered, the less likely the spread and being outdoors decreases the risk even further. If there are Canadians out there with asymptomatic infection that are shedding virus but feeling great, A MASK DECREASES THE CHANCE OF SPREADING THE VIRUS.

That's why physical distancing, gatherings of less than ten, proper hand hygiene and wearing masks when in public are key tools in fighting the spread of COVID-19.

Until there is a vaccine, this is what we will need to continue to do and my guess is, that's at least a year. What does a year of COVID 19 look like? It looks like the same as it does now only with even tighter adherence to the public health guidelines because, we are opening up our economies.

The first wave of COVID-19 is subsiding in Canada, with daily case numbers and hospitalizations falling to rates not seen since the beginning of the pandemic. Gotta read that again.

We can stay right here if we remain vigilant, if we work together like a well oiled, highly functional, determined and focused team, we can stay right here. A second wave is not set in stone. I think it is absolutely possible to avoid it and that should be our goal. If we keep up our guard, we will see small outbreaks that are picked up early with widespread testing, contact tracing and quarantining. One small outbreak to the next small outbreak with fewer and fewer hospitalizations and deaths because, those that are positive are watched closely. Support is given quickly preserving the lungs and other vital organs, avoiding life support and death.

That's the next year. Can we do it? You bet we can. Wear a mask in public, stay six feet apart. Avoid large gatherings at all costs. Wear masks at church and in the shared public spaces at work, in the grocery store, the bank, the pharmacy.
Enjoy your bubble of 10 or less but adhere to the pact and stay out of other bubbles. Enjoy your friends as they sit six feet away from you at a BBQ or campfire, eat outdoors with company and wash your hands especially while being in public spaces and when you have returned home.

Organizations are getting ready for the new vaccine. That is very hopeful. It is not 'if' it is 'when' there is a vaccine. We will need to build a massive capacity to store and distribute that vaccine around the world. Let's not leave resource poor countries out of the solution. It is time to love and respect our fellow man in every country of this world. Canada is contributing to a $9.5 billion fund sponsored by an organization called Global Citizen which will address the humanitarian and developmental impacts of the pandemic in resource poor countries and make sure there is equal access to vaccines and treatments.

Wouldn't it be remarkable if this next, uncertain year leads to a world where justice and equality become our main focus? I'd be in for that.

To you my fellow warriors: Celebrating Pride and Canada Day. It will be a grand week! Proud, free and standing on guard together!

Anne-Marie

Please share.

For equal access to treatment in Lesotho!
https://www.braceletofhope.ca/ways-to-give/

Lets keep our local charities strong by donating here:
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/47254

For non-Facebook users, you can find this post here:
https://braceletofhope.blogspot.com/

Not Blending my bubble

Many of us have moved towards expanding our social bubbles to 10. Many have decided to stick with their original bubble of six or less. We had three of our adult kids over for an outdoor BBQ last weekend. There were five of us in total. It was very strange trying to keep that six feet of distance. We used some athleticism at times, darting to the left or right or jumping off decks or steps to keep the distance. It became kind of like a game after a bit. Kinda fun. We like a challenge. Once dinner was served on our laps outside, we relaxed and just enjoyed each other's company. Not hugging is hard. We could blend these bubbles but two of my kids work with the public. One runs a business that would not fair well if he became sick. There are just too many unknowns to stay safe.

So, even though we could blend our bubbles, we are not. If my parents or in-laws were alive, I am sure we would blend with them for their emotional well being. Every group has to make their own decision but, we are in the unique position of watching as other countries re-open with many of their citizens becoming complacent about physical distancing.

Forty thousand new cases in the USA yesterday. The majority of new cases in North America are occurring in young people between the ages of 16 and 30. The death rate in this age group is very low. As a result, fewer people are dying of the virus for now but there are states whose ICU's are filled to capacity. They are being overrun. There are only two options when this happens: Lock everything down again or let the virus run it's course through the population which means mass death and ICU's that must turn sick people away at which point the death rate sores.

You are not going to believe these numbers. They make me my heart jump with hope but at the same time, I feel a sense of dread. Complacency will rob us of the progress we have made. It has done so in so many other countries. Can we learn from them and respond accordingly?

ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN CASES IN CANADA TODAY.

They are only in Ontario. No other province or territory has any new cases. I can't believe we did this. No one predicted we would do this well. Thank you Canada and thank you to every one of you who followed the public health guidelines and sacrificed so much.

Our time of sacrifice is not over.

No one predicted that the huge surge in cases in countries not so lucky as ours would be this bad.

Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease physician at Toronto General Hospital, said transmission has declined "to an impressive extent," and lockdowns can't remain in place forever. But he also warned against complacency.

And this from Canada's chief medical officer, Dr Theresa Tam:

"With COVID-19 around us, we can't have a reopening that doesn't include all of us working together to keep our guard up and keep the curve down. Now that spaces are reopening, we need to avoid or strictly limit our time in settings and situations that increase our risk of exposure to the virus, like close spaces with poor ventilation, crowded places with large numbers of people gathered and close contacts where you can't keep the two metres apart from others."

Life as we knew it is gone. Let's accept that. We will head back to being able to socialize and be close again but not now. You can head to that patio, get that haircut, have friends over in your back yard but all with physical distancing and mask wearing. Masks everywhere in public, period.

My staff know that I could blend bubbles with my kids that live close by. But I won't. We do not need to wear masks in the parts of our office that are not open to the general public, but we do...to protect each other. Everything in me screams to the fact that we must follow the guidelines even beyond the guidelines in order to avoid the heart breaking scenario that is happening through out the world. My heart aches for this country and everyone who is suffering in so many ways. I pray, with all my heart, that we will not subject ourselves to more suffering in the name of complacency.

I could hug my beautiful daughter now, but I won't so my staff orchestrated a surprise for me. They hid her away in an exam room, dressed in PPE and used some cockamamy excuse about a sick patient to get me back into my PPE and into that room. We hugged in PPE. Spontaneous tears and the longest hug I have ever had with my daughter. I spent the rest of the day feeling an unexpected joy and sense of peace.

We are missing out on the hugely positive effect of touch and hugs. I will never take that for granted again but I will deprive myself of it for my family, my community and my country. And, I will continue to fight for countries that cannot succeed on their own. Praying for Lesotho too.

Anne-Marie

Please Share

Lets protect the people of Lesotho.
Donations for COVID relief in that beautiful country here:

https://www.braceletofhope.ca/ways-to-give/

Lets keep our local charities strong by donating here:

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/47254

THE GUELPH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION IS JUST $3,000 SHY OF THEIR $100,000 GOAL in support of our local charities who are at risk of closing due to COVID 10. Can we get them to their goal this weekend?

For non-Facebook users, you can find this post here:
https://braceletofhope.blogspot.com/

And now, I am pleading with all of you!

Very late tonight. We held Bracelet of Hope's Annual General Meeting this evening. We have an amazing board. Our new Mobile Health Unit, launched a few days before the pandemic was called, is now treating hundreds of people in rural Lesotho, poised perfectly to begin spreading the extremely important messages about physical distancing and wearing masks.

I am terrified for them. Lesotho is land locked by South Africa. The number of new cases in South Africa is now taking off, fulfilling a very grim prediction. There are now 111,000 cases and Lesotho has 27. Lesotho follows South Africa in matters related to health. They will be next to deal with a surge and with a quarter of the population living with HIV, how will they cope?

Take a look at this website:

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

It is the Johns Hopkins University COVID Dashboard and Interactive map. Look at the USA and South America, then look at Canada. Red indicates cases of COVID 19. There is a clear demarcation at the USA-Canadian Border. The USA is being pummelled with new cases as is Brazil. I am terrified for them too. It is not by accident that Canada is not in the 'RED'. It is the result of excellent leadership, an intact, public healthcare system, governmental collaboration and a nation of citizens that followed public health guidelines. We are so lucky. We are blessed to live here.

The public health catastrophe and the economic collapse that is about to happen in other countries is not happening here.... yet. The suffering will be tremendous. Have we truly avoided this outcome in Canada? Yes. Will that continue? Maybe but absolutely not if we let our guard down.

The virus is still with us. Young people are letting their guard down. Beaches and other outdoor public spaces were packed last weekend. A good number of young people are indifferent to the spread. In April the median age of people who were becoming infected with COVID 19 was 52. Now that age is 27.

Please spread this message widely. Young people, for the most part, do not suffer the serious consequences of this virus but they do spread it. If that spread takes off, WE WILL BE IN THE RED IN NO TIME. In WW2, young people were sent to war. Eighteen year olds suffered the horrors of war. Young people died by the millions. COVID 19 is another global threat but we are not sending teenagers to war. We are asking them to give up their socializing for a very short period of time.

We can do this. Please believe in the catastrophic capacity of this virus. Please keep us out of the red. Avoid complacency at all costs. There were 37,000 new cases of COVID 19 in the states today. It will take many months to turn that horrifying situation around and thousands will die in the process.

This virus is real. We can beat it but it requires our utmost in respect and defiance. We express that defiance by strictly, perfectly and totally adhering to the public health guidelines that are now burned into our brains.

No new cases in Guelph today!

Only 279 cases in the country!

163 in Ontario!

Can you see how miraculous this is? Let's hold on to the ground we have stolen from this virus.

A shout out to the staff at my local Tim Hortons on Eramosa Rd in Guelph. Getting that coffee every morning is such a blessing. I could not survive the morning office without it. I know you are still smiling behind those masks and I am even more grateful for that. If we can keep our distance at every Tim Hortons across this country, well, we can pretty much do anything.

Warriors. Your shield is your mask.

Please share and encourage our amazing young people to stay committed and strong.

Anne-Marie

For non-Facebook users, you can find this post here:
https://braceletofhope.blogspot.com/

Lets protect the people of Lesotho.
Donations for COVID relief in that beautiful country here:

https://www.braceletofhope.ca/ways-to-give/

Yeah. You guys are really funny!

Yesterday was an awesome day. In an entire afternoon, I saw every patient in the office except one. Virtual medicine is great and I hope it remains an option for patients in the post-COVID 19 era. I like the sound to that, 'The post-COVID 19 era'. We will get there.

Anyway, I would much prefer to see my patients in person. The lovely thing about family medicine and HIV medicine is that you have the privilege of caring for people over many decades. I like the sound of that too, 'Caring for HIV patients over decades'. We can do that now. We have come so far in the fight against HIV that most people living with HIV, in the developed world, are expected to live close to a normal life expectancy on the powerful treatments now available.

One of my patients came in to have her knee injected which obviously can't be done over the phone. So many patients are now sitting on very long joint replacement lists which were long before COVID 19. Now they seem completely out of reach. We are working on that. In the meantime, joint injections can relieve pain while people wait. This lovely patient always smiles. She is a little cheeky. I love her. I was lucky enough to be at the delivery of her first child in 1987 when I was training at St. Joseph's Hospital in Hamilton.

She has been following my posts. In a Zip Lock bag, she had an ice pack, the medication I was about to inject and...yep.... carrots. I will never live it down. Not laughing as much as I usually do at the office but I really belly laughed yesterday.

Joyful moments in a life that now seems to be constantly shifting. I think that is what I find to be one of the most difficult things about this pandemic. Nothing feels the same and tomorrow it will feel different again. I did not realize how attached I was to consistency and comfort.

Cases in Guelph are definitely up with 2 newly confirmed diagnoses today. Ontario's cases were above 200. Six provinces reported cases today after reporting 0 cases for several days in a row. But there is good news. There are fewer and fewer cases in the ICU and today, there are no COVID 19 cases in our ICU. What a relief it must be for the staff who have been battling with COVID 19 under incredibly stressful circumstances for over 100 days.

We are moving closer and closer to a vaccine. No worries. I have learned to strategically duck when I post that word on Facebook. Resilience is wonderful. Water off a ducks back. Researchers are now saying, 'when' we have a vaccine, not 'if' we have a vaccine, and they may be ready for use by the end of the year.

Nothing seems normal. Life is very difficult. The increase in anxiety is palpable, buffered somewhat by this beautiful season but still affecting most of us. We will look back at this trial. It will be behind us. The virus doesn't know this but we have figured out how to manage it. More and more evidence that masks work, that physical distancing saves lives and that hand washing makes the virus vanish. Early testing and contact tracing prevents outbreaks and reduces the number of people requiring hospitalizations and ICU admissions. We can expect more cases as we open up the economy but most of these cases are avoidable if we follow the guidelines.

I cannot stress how important it is to keep our guard up. A gentle but firm reminder to younger people; It is so difficult not to gather with friends. How can you spend a summer without beaches and bars and back deck parties? How do you develop a new long-term relationship during COVID 19? I feel for you but, a lot of new cases are occurring in people under 25. You are the most innovative and creative generation human kind has ever seen with incredible information technologies at your fingertips. Create a way. Socialize differently and stay apart physically. Please.

A reminder from Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health:
Please go to an Assessment Centre to get tested. Public Health DOES NOT provide testing. No referral is needed. Bring your health card to the assessment centre (if you have one). It is OK if it is expired. Presenting your health card allows you to:
• Check your test results online. Public Health only calls those who test positive.
• Be treated or prescribed medication for other respiratory conditions if needed. This option is available at the testing centre in Guelph.
• Move through the testing process faster.

Sit by an open window for a bit tonight. You will hear one of the most relaxing sounds. The wind in the leaves. Love it.

Anne-Marie

Please share

For local assistance with anxiety and depression:
www.here4help.ca
CMHA WW Website: www.cmhaww.ca
Here 24/7 at 1-844-HERE-247 or www.here247.ca.
And for post-secondary students, Good2Talk
https://good2talk.ca/

For non-Facebook users, you can find this post here:

https://braceletofhope.blogspot.com/

Don't Move!!

Please stay right there. Get the message out to as many people as you can.

Less than 300 cases in Canada today. Only 161 in Ontario. We have had less than 200 daily cases for 8 out of the last 9 days. For the first time since March 9th, Quebec had no deaths.

The five-day rolling average of new cases now sits at 175. At it's peak the average was 588.

Twenty nine of the province’s 34 local public health units reported five or fewer new cases today and 18 reported no new cases at all.

Toronto and Peel Region will be allowed to move into the next phase of Ontario's reopening plan on Wednesday. I think Premier Doug Ford was pretty pleased to announce that today but at the same time, he pleaded with farms in Windsor and Essex to test all their migrant workers. He pleaded.

There continues to be a steady decline in hospitalizations and consistent testing levels above 20,000 per day. Proud that so many our following the leaders in this great province and country.

We learned today at a zoom meeting with physicians and COVID 19 clinic leaders, that new cases in Guelph are coming in groups. One person tests positive. That person's contacts are traced and all those that are positive are quarantined stopping the spread of the virus to the rest of the community. Testing and contact tracing is very effective at controlling this virus. This is exactly where we need to remain.

All of this good work will disintegrate in a matter of 14 days if we stop following public health guidelines. I have this image of our country tucked safely away from a giant global storm that is overwhelming populations and health care systems around the world.

Don't budge. Not even an inch. Stay safe in your social bubbles, stay six feet apart in public, wear a mask, wash your hands frequently. Avoid gathering in large groups inside. This is where the greatest risk of spread occurs.

It took months for the world to reach 1 million cases. The last million cases occurred in just the last 8 days.

I am whispering this, " We are damn lucky to be living in Canada. Period."

Now is the time to figuratively link arms and remain united as a strong, massive national front. It is the only way to avoid what is becoming a human and economic catastrophe in so many countries.

We were asked to get the message out to Guelph this morning: Please see your family doctor for any chronic or new health issues. Don't delay. We are all in our places ready to keep you healthy. And..... get tested for COVID 19.

Stay strong team!

Anne-Marie

Please share.

For non-Facebook users, you can find this post here:

https://braceletofhope.blogspot.com/

Masks that Match

I am running out of ideas for photos. How many times can you look at a person with a mask on? It is proven by the social media experts that our brains zoom in on a face and more so a familiar face. You are stuck with mine. If I want to get a message out, this is the best way to grab your attention.

Tonight, I want to get a message out.

There were only 20 new deaths in Canada today. I am loathe to put ‘only’ in front of new deaths. Each of those deaths were connected to family and friends that lost loved ones on Father’s day. That will be forever tough for them on so many accounts.

There were only 267 new cases in Canada and they were all in Ontario and Quebec with 175 and 92 respectively.

ONLY 267 new cases in the country. Of the 101,268 number of COVID 19 infections in the country since the beginning of the pandemic, 63,860 have recovered.

Recoveries are now outpacing new cases and new deaths, every day.

Some provinces are getting ready for Phase 3. Provinces that have been in phase 2 for weeks reported no new cases today. They are well on their way to re-opening their economies …….with no new cases. We have yet to see a second wave despite a lessening of our social and work restrictions.

WHY?

Testing, contact tracing. Testing, contact tracing, Testing and contact tracing.........While remaining six feet apart with masks on. More than 50 % of us are now wearing masks in public.

More than 23,000 tests were completed yesterday in Ontario.

We did not magically reduce the number of new cases in Canada from 3,000 a day at the peak of the pandemic to just 267 cases today. We worked at that. We suffered for that. We accomplished that.

So, here we are. What will we do next? We understand much more about this virus and we know that this physical distancing, testing, contact tracing, mask wearing strategy works. You don't have to look far to see what will happen if we abandon the plan.

The World Health Organization reported the largest single-day increase in global cases today; 183,020 and 4,743 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Brazil, the USA, India, South Africa, are experiencing huge increases in daily cases. Even Germany, a country that had the virus under excellent control, had over 1,000 new cases today.

This virus is spreading rapidly around the world. We are not immune to it.

Take home message: We have not defeated COVID 19. Our excellent numbers could lull us into a sense of complacency and once that happens, we are back to square one.

We do not have to go back to life the way it was in March. Stay six feet apart, keep your social bubbles tight, make a pact with the folks that are in that bubble and stick with it. Wear a mask, wash your hands frequently and get comfortable. We have a long way to go.

But don't think for a minute that we can't win. There is no doubt that we can and we will.

And so begins the first week of a COVID 19 summer.

Stay strong and focused folks.

Anne-Marie

Please share.

For non-Facebook users, you can find this post here:

https://braceletofhope.blogspot.com/

Summer solstice and 100 days of COVID 19

It is hard to believe that we have spent an entire season dealing with COVID 19. We had dinner with dear friends tonight. We sat on their back porch, each of us taking our too generous share of a large 10 foot table. It was so hard to sit so far apart. We are euchre buddies. You cannot socially distance and play euchre so, we enjoyed a meal and some wine and an amazing, summer solstice sunset at 9 pm.

I remember as a kid in the sixties complaining vehemently to my parents about having to go to bed when it was still light out. We called in 'lighter- later'. It was not fun hearing the neighbourhood kids still playing on the street through my bedroom window. I thought of that memory as we drove home tonight, watching the brilliant pink-orange of the already set sun making the white picket farm fences glow. I loved that as a kid: Corn fields, picket fences, setting suns and a too early bed time.

Those were precious times.

We tried to do a quick run to the grocery store before our visit. I realized as I stood outside in line in the heat of this last day of spring 2020, that a quick run to the grocery store no longer exists. I watched as people parked their cars and joined the line. I watched as they fumbled with car keys and purses and cell phones and car doors, all while trying to get their masks on. I now envy the women who have masks that match their outfits and I think the guys with a double layered bandana look really cool. I admire the distance everyone is keeping. The distance seems to come with silence. An eery, strange silence. Our hand shakes and social greetings have been replaced by masks and silence. It bothered me and for a minute or two, I was angry at what this virus has forced us to do but then I realized there is a new and ironic connection between each of us that was not there before. It is our commitment to work together to make COVID 19 move on and out of our daily lives. These are precious times too. There is an intimacy that comes with grief and loss and a connection that comes with shared hardship.

Some perspective on our developed world and the developing world ( or first world and third world as they were once called):

Standing in line at a grocery store for 20 min in the heat with a mask on is a privilege in a country like ours. Entering a grocery store that is packed with food and fresh produce is a privilege. Sitting with two healthy friends while sipping wine in their back yard is more than a privilege, it is a blessing. Having a government that can carry us through times of loss and unemployment is unimaginable to most people in the world and having that government rely on the wisdom of some of the most skilled scientists, researchers and medical experts to come up with a plan that has carried us this far, through an entire season, is miraculous. Thank you for making me wear a mask. Thank you for making me stay six feet away from people I love and thank you leading me down a path that will see the end of COVID 19.

Struggle, yes. Hardship, yep. A way of life that has passed and a new one ahead, no question. Equally precious, absolutely.

This is my 100th post.

One hundred days of a pandemic behind us. And more to come I am afraid. But we are still standing, so much stronger than we were three months ago.

Here's to more and more strength as we move into the summer of 2020.

Anne-Marie

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For non-Facebook users, you can find this post here:

https://braceletofhope.blogspot.com/