Crazy World. It seems all tangled up and upside down. It's 19 degrees on November 6th, there is a global pandemic and the American election results are still unknown......four days after the election. It's too tight as far as I am concerned. That beautiful country divided. Three layer masks, colour codes for the province of Ontario, different restrictions for different regions. Is anyone feeling a wee bit discombobulated?
I think we all are. I had a hissy fit over a sticky note this week. Thankfully, I kept the fit to myself. As the day wears on, my desk gets covered in paperwork. There is always a blue or yellow pad of little sticky notes on top of all that paperwork. I write notes and stick them to forms that I put in my outbox. Notes to my staff: email to this patient, fax to this lab, book this appointment etc. etc. I bet they are sick and tired of the sticky notes. After about 2 hours on the phone yesterday afternoon, I started to shift in my seat. All this desk sitting is not healthy. I shifted my weight this way and that, moved the seat forward and back, pushed the paper purposelessly from left to right, right to left. Before I knew it, there are sticky notes all over the place. One kept sticking to the arm I was holding the phone with. I kept trying to pull it off but it would stick again. On, off, on, off. All of a sudden, that stupid note that was just on the periphery of my focused attention came blasting to the forefront. I ripped the note off my arm and on to the floor, feeling this rush of intense irritability. I have learned to be quite mindful of my emotions. My husband is very grateful for that. I started to laugh at myself and then my internal voice said, "OK, that's enough, your too stressed. Get up and MOVE AWAY FROM THE DESK!"
Silliness. But not really. The world is not familiar and we need familiarity to feel safe and calm. Hang in there. We are moving forward and making progress despite this crazy struggle. Be kind and patient with yourself and others. We will make it.
Three layered masks. Pretty confusing stuff. I will try to clarify this weekend. If my migraine moves off, I might even try another youtube video. The extra layer is recommended as we congregate indoors more and more this winter. In some circumstances, COVID 19 can become aerosolized which means, if the conditions are right and you are close to a person with COVID 19 in a room with poor ventilation, there is a small chance that the virus can float in the air further than 6 feet. That scenario is not common. Conditions need to be just so. But the third layer makes your cloth mask more like a medical mask which can not only prevent you from spreading the virus but can stop you from breathing in the virus.
Next time you buy a mask, make sure it has three layers for that added protection. I will try to explain how to get a polypropylene layer inside the masks you have if you are inclined to work with what you have got. I do not have a conflict of interest relationship with Hides in Hand but they have been making masks that allow you to add that third layer along with a piece of polypropylene to insert for months now. They are also making Christmas masks. I will add their website link to the end of this post.
Will I add the third layer? Good question. I think it is better, if possible, to avoid situations where aerosolized COVID 19 can spread from person to person. Avoid gathering inside and avoid venues where you have the opportunity to gather inside, especially in older homes and buildings with poor ventilation. But, my newest mask has a third layer and the same masks will be under our Christmas tree this year.
Be off good cheer. Pray for a good and safe outcome for our American friends and be ever so hopeful. I can see the light on the horizon of this dark time. Vaccines are just around the corner. Stay united. In the end, we are all the same and when we work together, everyone can be protected and cared for.
Don't forget to register for our Finding the COVID Balance During COVID 19 Webinar event this coming Monday evening. You can register here:
Lot's of good discussion about how to cope and the reason we should have such great hope.
If you feel inclined, please give my your most pressing questions in the comments section of this post. We will try to answer as many as we can. Welcome Dr. Doug Friars, Guelph COVID Clinic Medical Director and fellow partner in crime who will be sharing his expertise with us.
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