I just want to start and say that I am sorry I flaked on you guys for the last episode but I am making it up to you now. I am posting this episode tonight and another one in 2 days so Wednesday night.
I wasn’t going to and didn’t really want to make an episode about COVID-19 aka: Corona Virus but how could I not? It is affecting every aspect of our lives right now. You can’t turn on the tv, radio, internet, without seeing or hearing a story about it. Most conversations we have are consumed with how our lives are and will be changed because of this. that I want to talk about is how we are coping and how everything that is going on affects us well at least how it is affecting me. This is a strange new world for all of us and for those of us with ADHD, how the hell are we managing our symptoms right now??
I live in Kentucky. Our governor is Andy Beshear. If Mr. Rodgers was a Governor then he would be Andy Beshear. Every day at 5pm he has given a press conference he gives an honest practical update on the state of our confirmed cases and deaths. He also updates us on what we are doing to prevent the spread in Kentucky. His daily talks have become so popular meme’s have popped up all over pretty much comparing him to a dad and Kentuckians his children he is protecting from the virus. I will share some of my favorites with you guys on the FB page and the show notes.
Governor Beshear isn’t afraid to make people upset. In fact he has become the dad that doesn’t get angry but shows you how disappointed he is then calls you out and embarrasses you in front of all of your friends. When he called for all gatherings to cease there was a Bingo hall still operating. If you know anything about Bingo halls they generally cater to an older audience which is also the most at risk for hospitalization and death with this virus. He called them out and basically said they were grounded. He has also called out our legislature for trying to sneak in a bill that would hurt teachers’ pensions, shaming them and bringing to light exactly what was going on. As governor he could call marshall law but hasn’t and has said he doesn’t want to but he did call out an individual who tested positive for the virus and refused to self quarantine. Governor Beshear put him in the corner real quick with a hall monitor aka police officer to make sure he stayed quarantined. He has also called out bars for staying open and businesses caught bragging about putting employees on unpaid leave.
Governor Beshear acknowledges how hard things are with all of the sacrifices he is asking us to make. In a bible belt state he has asked churches to refrain from holding in person worship on Sundays and to instead get creative with oustide the box ways to worship together. Do you have any idea how insane of a concept that is to so many people who cherish their worship times on Sunday’s and live for the fellowship that comes with the congregation? It may not seem like a big deal to many but here it is and people have done an amazing job adapting to our new reality. There have been services held at drive thru’s with families staying in their vehicles and services being streamed online. Yes, there are still those who are out and about and not heeding the warnings but so many more are doing their part. He keeps telling us things will get better but is a realist in that he also makes sure we know that yes they will get worse first but that we can make it through this.
One constant that gets brought up is this graph depicting the Spanish flu outbreak in 1918 and how early social distancing made a significant difference between how St. Louis and Philadelphia were affected. This is the model we are trying to follow by doing things early and limiting the number of those affected.
Andy Beshear is working everyday to do a few things:
- Show the good in our state coming from all of this
- Keep us informed
- Keep us calm
- Bring us together
- Show he cares
- Remind us how strong and resilient we are and that things will get better but they will get worse first
https://www.bmj.com/content/334/7608/1341.2.full
I guess the point I am trying to make here is I am lucky to live in a state with a governor who is taking this seriously and trying to get us through it with the smallest amount of casualties possible. He states over and over how important mental health is right now and how we need to still do all we can to stay healthy especially through trying to maintain some sort of routine for ourselves and our kids. Our governor has that calm reassuring tone that makes you feel confident in what is going on and in a time of chaos that is exactly what is needed. I am proud to be a Kentuckian. Even through all of this there are good things too, Bourbon distilleries in the state have halted alcohol production and started producing hand sanitizer, Toyota and other manufacturers have started supplying the state with respirators for the hospitals. The state is even encouraging people to apply for medicaid, unemployment benefits, etc. trying to make sure everyone can get what they need to get through this. Over and over the governor’s office is encouraging people to apply for unemployment to sign up for medicare and he and his staff are making sure that everyone knows where to go and how to apply. Everyone is doing what they can to relieve the stress, anxiety, and uncertainty we are all going through. With all of that, what are some of the things that your state or national government is doing to protect you? What are some examples of your communities coming together to help each other out while we are all practicing social distancing? I think it is important we try and focus on the good.What about your neighbors, your friends and family, and how are you staying healthy at home?
I know you are sitting there and thinking what the hell is going on what does any of that have to do with I know you are sitting there and thinking what the hell is going on what does any of that have to do with how I am navigating my ADHD through all of this? It is very important that we have leaders that we can put our trust into. It helps alleviate some of the anxiety of the unknown. For me having my governor to give a calm science based update and to stand up there and be emotional when mourning a constituents death and to be able to show pride and call attention to the good things going on in our community brings hope. It is also consistent. I know everyday at 5pm I can depend on a COVID update that isn’t worried about fake news or people getting up to thank the governor profusely so later they can get kickbacks or something. I am getting an hour of good, bad, and answers. I need that, I need that stability because right now everything else is all topsy turvy. I look forward to listening to his update and seeing who he is going to call out. Is he wearing khakis and a polo or a button down and jeans? It’s fun to try and pick out the same phrases over and over. You could make a drinking game out of it and there is even a bingo card meme floating around with all of them. The sad thing is, that when his talk is over and it is the white house’s turn I just can’t make myself listen. There have been too many miscommunicated or crossed messages and I feel like the federal government is maybe a little late in how serious they are taking things. Watching just causes me anxiety so I turn it off.
Before this all started I was already a hot mess and had enough anxiety for a few reasons. My day job budget season usually kicks off in November-December but doesn’t really get into high gear until the end of January through May. I also like to refer to this time period as the seventh level of hell but hey I digress. Adding to that I decided it would be a good time to apply for a new job. Usually the hiring process at Universities is not fast, it is slow and long and very frustrating. I thought I had all kinds of time. Yeah no, I applied for the job and just over a week later on a Monday received a call to schedule my first in person interview for that Friday. The next Monday or Tuesday I received a phone call for my second in person Interview for that Thursday. I was moving along at hyperspeed. Inside sources told me they were looking to hire immediately which meant they would want me to start immediately. When I finally received the offer I was only able to give a 2.5 week notice to my current job typically I have always given a month. That was in February My first day at my current job was March 2nd. I have spent to date a grand total of 25 days at my new job. Of those 25days only 10 have been spent actually in my new office. Luckily they packed my calendar those first two weeks and I met most of the people I have to work with and had meetings with all of the departments I have to create budgets for. So now my office is at the end of my dining room table with my daughters new first grade classroom at the other end. I will post a picture for you guys to see exactly what kind of crazy I am dealing with.
To top things off there is also all of this other stuff going on:
- Shutting down of schools – we are all homeschooling our kids now or NTI-Non-Traditional Instruction is what they call it
- This included packets the first week which I thought was hard enough because they also had a couple of things online
- Week 2 they are switching to all online assignments because there wasn’t enough transition going on they thought we needed more
- Kids don’t act at homeschool like they do at school school
- Kids don’t eat at homeschool like they eat at school their stomachs have quadrupled like they have the stomachs of a cow…yes look it up cows have 4 stomachs. I have no idea where they are putting all of the food but I swear I buy groceries every 2 days.
- My husband and I are both working from home
- Both have conference calls we have to do and now video conference calls too so I have to half get ready you know work hair/face and shirt but I am still wearing my leggings.
- My kids and I have all been sick with colds and strep going around oh and now it’s spring so we have allergies to contend with too but get the ‘you coughed you have COVID’ look
- People keep making runs on the grocery stores making getting essential items almost impossible to get like
- Toilet paper- I have literally been trying to get toilet paper for 3 weeks to no avail. Look please please stop hoarding toilet paper!!! There are 5 of us in this house and I am going to need some soon. Luckily I had just bought an extra pack before this all started but I am starting to get worried now.
- Paper towels- easier to get then toilet paper but not much and I don’t understand why there is a run on paper towels.
- Clorox wipes- I am running out and again none available for 3 weeks
- Tissues- these have actually become easier to find now so thank you for not hoarding these like paper towels and TP.
- Cleaning supplies- I am about out of my clorox cleaning spray which hasn’t been stocked again for 3 weeks. What were you all cleaning with before??? Please use that.
- Hand sanitizer- I have some so not so worried about this but my question is why is all of the hand sanitizer gone but no one has made a run on hand soap. The 1 thing all sources agree on is WASH YOUR HANDS but yet no run on hand soap just sanitizer. Folks, that is only a temporary thing you should use if you can’t wash your hands.
- Spaghetti O’s y’all look you need to let everyone else get some too. 3 weeks before I could get some. My poor kids have been begging me for some. Share the love people.
- Cooking all meals at home
- Planning meals- I can’t. This is extremely hard because there are all of these things I want to make but I know my kids won’t eat it. I get so tired of eww that’s gross, that looks disgusting, I’m not eating that. Before you start with your ‘my kids wouldn’t act like that’ I don’t’ care I just want them to eat. Mind your business.
- Prepping meals- Some days I don’t wanna do it
- Plating meals for everyone is dinner ready, I’m hungry, when dinner is going to be ready but when it is ready no one wants to come eat.
- Cleaning up after meals- uggghhhhh see prepping meals…I don’t wanna do it.
- Cleaning the house
- Don’t judge me, we pay someone to come clean once a month because between work, school, extra curricular, I am exhausted and on the weekends is all of the laundry, etc that didn’t get done during the week. Plus at some point I would like to rest, and get to all of the things I didn’t have time to do over the week.
I don’t know about you but there have been so many changes and so many new transitions I am dealing with. Some days I don’t even know where to start. For now though I am going to end. I have probably board you to tears but I think part of my Mental Health check is venting and getting it out. That’s what today is just me getting it out. The next episode let’s try and not be such a debbie downer and actually talk about some things that are good and helpful and how we can manage all of this CHANGE. Think about the song Changes by David Bowie he crooned “Time to turn around and face the strange” how fitting is that right now? We are definitely facing the strange.