“The life which is unexamined is not worth living.”©Plato

Part 6

I think I had the corona virus from our New Year’s Eve our cruise.

We’d left on December 28  and returned on Jan 5. I was sick the following day. We’d both been feeling strangely achy the last two days onboard.

Hubby had taken two anitbiotic prescriptions. I had taken three. They didn’t help nor did over-the-counter meds before we went to the MD. Hubby was better after two weeks. I was better after six weeks but I do have autoimmune health issues which cause me to heal slower.

The cruise line was an Italian line. The ship had just arrived at Port Everglades directly from Italy. It was the first time this cruise line would be sailing the Caribbean. The ship was the Costa Luminosa.

The ship wasn’t clean. The staff looked unkept. The passengers were about 80% European, French, British and Chinese. There were a lot of children. 

One morning, we’d awakened too late to make it to the dining room for breakfast. I’m not a fan of buffets. I think the food always looks unappetizing. There are too many choices. It’s overwhelming to watch people mound huge amounts of food on their plates. You viewing gluttony at play. But, I take a med that requires food and it has to be taken early so we made our way to the buffet. I gathered my small bits of food and coffee. Hubby was on a search for a banana. Yes, he enjoys a banana everyday. I went to sit in, what I thought, was a quiet little area. 

A family, parents and small boy, sat across from me. I smiled at the boy. His hair was sticking up like a cute little porcupine. It looked like they’d done this hairstyle on purpose. He had big round dark eyes, super red chubby cheeks and a runny nose. I looked around to see if there was another table further away that I could move to. My feeling was that if he had a runny nose he might have a cough too. I located a table but as I stood up it was too late. He coughed right at me. He coughed several times. He sounded like a barking dog. It was deep and raspy.

No hand over his mouth … No cough in a tissue … No cough in the bend of his arm … Just a straight at me cough.

Since I was up and heading to that other table, I decided to talk to the parents. I told them their son looked sick and shouldn’t be in a public area with his cold. I said their son coughed in my direction and that I could get sick. I said if they could show him how to cough while covering his mouth with his hand or in bend of the arm. They looked at me like I was a crazy person. Perhaps, I was. I have a very weak and easily compromised autoimmune system. I just cann’t see parents taking a child out in public when they aren’t well. I suppose the red cheeks were from a fever.

The ship didn’t have any hand sanitizers anywhere. All of the criuses we’ve been on have them everywhere. There are times staff will come up to you and spray some in your hands. This ship was minus hand sanitizers.

The cruises have staff cleaning public areas all the time. The elevator buttons, hand rails, chair backs, door handles, just about anything people touch. This ship didn’t have anyone cleaning … ever. I remember commenting to my hubby that the children must be playing with the elevators button because they were very grimy. I’m a bit of a germ panic person so I always have tissues or hand wipes and sanitizers. I never touched the elevator buttons without a tissue. It was very bad.

Did I have COVID 19?

I couldn’t say a definitive yes. When there’s a test to see if you’ve contracted the virus, I will get it in order to definietly know. I had a lot of issues happen that could’ve brought on the virus. According to some articles I’ve read COVID19 started in Italy in November. 

My travels on an Italian ship started the end of December. The people on the ship could have been carriers or had it and not known. The cooks and staff could have had it or been carriers as well.

The man who coughed on me on New Year’s Eve could have had it or been a carrier. The little boy, who was Chinese might have had the virus and not a cold. Hubby had the virus for two weeks which is the time frame they’ve talked about on updates. 

I do know that I’ve had the flu in the past but this didn’t feel like the same thing. I feel if this was COVID19, it was the worse thing I’ve ever gone through. I’m hoping because I’ve been through it I can’t get it again. And, I might have built up an immunity to it. 

Thank you for reading 🙏🏻

May you have a safe journey during these difficult times. 

Isadora 😎

Part 1 – COVID19 and Me

Part 2 – COVID19 and Me – Part 2

Part 3 – COVID19 and Me – Part 3

Part 4 – COVID19 and Me – Part 4

Part 5 – COVID19 and Me – Part 5

“Come to the edge,” he said.

They said, “We are afraid.”

“Come to the edge,” he said.

They came.

He pushed them and they flew.” ©Guillaume Apollinaire

Part 4

There’s such a comfort as you arrive at the town where you live. I’ve been living in this home for 29 years. I love the tranquility there is within every wall. 

During the drive home, I started to feel chills. I wasn’t surprised. Sitting on a cold bench with the wind blasting your body could cause that. In the car, I decided that the minute I got home I’d take a hot bath and have a nap. I did. 

I slept for 24 hours and didn’t know it. Hubby would come in but let me sleep. Finally, when I got up I was very weak. My head hurt but it wasn’t a headache. I felt nauseous but I wasn’t throwing up. I had severe muscle aches and I had a cough too. I thought I’d gotten a cold.

I take quite a few medications so I was hesitant to take any of the over-the-counter meds I have in my home medicine cabinet. 

Two days later, with my symptoms getting worse, I conceded and took a liquid one. Then, some pills I had. In the meantime, hubby is down too and as weak as a weeping willow. 

By the third day, he decided, he was calling for a doctor appointment. He wasn’t happy I didn’t want to go to the doctor. I’m allergic to all antibiotics except for one. Each time I go to the doctor he makes me aware of that and encourages me to wait until the last possible moment to request them.

By the sixth day, my cough was getting worse. I was having difficulty breathing. It felt like there was an elephant sitting on my chest. The over-the-counter meds did nothing. Hubby was on antibiotics with no results. He went back for a different antibiotic. The doctor told him to stay away from me since he felt this was a very serious flu because he needed another prescription.

By the tenth day, I was coughing so hard it was difficult to catch my breathe; tears flowed and I had chest pain. My left side of my heart had enlarged a year ago so my cardiologist had done some surgery. I was at high risk. 

I needed to see the doctor. 

I’ve also had bronchial pneumonia three times and was hospitalized each time for that. I knew this cough was serious. I didn’t want to go to the hospital but if I had to go I’d go. I pleaded with the doctor when I saw him. I told him I’d been in bed and would continue to if need be. He gave me the antibiotic.

I did not get better. 

Florida was getting a cold snap from up north. It was cold out. I didn’t want to venture out in it but the meds the doctor gave me weren’t working. I put on a jacket, wrapped myself up in my trusty forever-with-me scarf over my head, around my nose and mouth and off we went to the doctor again. His nurse called in a prescription for a cough medication and an antibiotic, he sent me for a chest x-rays and called my pulmonologist for a next-day appointment. The x-rays were sent directly to the pulmonologist.

She read them. She said my lungs had fluid. I guess I should add that I had pulmonary embolisms in 2006 from surgery I’d had three says prior. My lungs have severe damage because of that. She prescribed a different antibiotic. She felt the one I had been taking was for bacterial infections not viral infections like I had. It took another three weeks for me to get better. I had lived for six weeks with this illness.

Isadora 😎

The saga with COVID 19 and Me will continue … come on back for the next chapter …

Part 1 – COVID19 and Me

Part 2 – COVID19 and Me – Part 2

Part 3 – COVID19 and Me – Part 3

Part 4 – COVID19 and Me – Part 4

Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. All things are passing away. Patience obtains all things©Teresa of Avila

Part 4

Sometimes, when we want to go home because we’re missing the feelings that home brings us, time stands still.

It felt like it was taking forever for hubby to get back with the car. The wind never stopped reminding me of its force. I scooted to a small area on the bench where there was a tiny glimmer of sun. I never have been able to tolerate the cold. I was really, really cold. My cellphone finally got a signal where I was able to see the temperature was 48 degrees.  

When I saw our car park near me, I jumped right in. Hubby had turned the heat on. It was toasty warm. Luggage loaded and my trusty driver buckled in we headed for home sweet home. It’s a three hour drive from the port to our front door. 

I asked him if there were a lot people at the car park while fiddling with the radio buttons. Hubby asked me to wait a few minutes before I turned the radio on. Then, and only then, did I see he looked upset. He began to tell me what had happened.

The car park has several floors. He’d parked on the fourth floor. He was in the elevator when the doors started closing. He saw a couple walking towards the elevator and shouted he’d hold the door for them. The man gestured no. Of course, he figured their car was on that floor. Once he arrived on his floor, the second elevator doors opened. 

He looked towards that elevator and realized it was the couple we’d offered chairs to on New Year’s Eve. They were also the couple he’d offered to hold the elevator doors for.

 He called out to them saying, “There was room in the elevator but, hey, we both got here at the same time.” Smiling he said, “Did you have a nice cruise?”

“You talkin’ to me?”, Mr. Grumpy said.

Yes, it was Mr. Grumpy and his wife.

“Sure, I was talking to you. We sat together on New Year’s Eve. Remember?”

“I didn’t sit with no one on New Year’s Eve. I don’t associate with no h_nky.” “And, I don’t talk to no h_nkies neither’.”

Quickly, his wife took hold of his arm and gravitated him towards the aisle.

~~~  Well, shut my mouth before the flies get in. ~~~

After my one minute rant, he continued with this horrible experience. 

He said he watched him walking away while a million thoughts went through his mind. His life flashed before his eyes. He’d grown up in an urban ghetto of Brooklyn, NY. All through his youth he’d dreamt of being a policeman. He felt they were the cowboys with the white hats riding in to save people. This was his neighborhood. Police were daily visitors. He learned to be tough on those mean streets. He gained experience on how to survive. He wanted to be more and knew, someday, with a good job he’d leave those dirty dark crumbling streets and have a better life. He accomplished that. He became a policeman. He built a life he could be proud of for himself and his family. It’s a shame that now-a-days you can’t tell people you were a policeman because of the anger people have towards them. The sacrifices they and their families make are many but there are rewards too. Ironically, his precinct was in the highest crime area of Brooklyn. And yes, it was a black neighborhood. He treated everyone with respect as they did him. Perhaps, it was a different time. Perhaps, the neighborhood needed him. Now, he was being attacked for, oddly enough, being white. According to the 2020 census, we are not white we are whatever our nationality is. I digress.

When you’re getting older things aren’t addressed with arguments, physical aggression or aren’t even addressed at all. But the moment he was attacked by this hateful man, all of the behaviors from his youth surged like cream to the top of milk. He took a few deep breaths and came back to the reality of his present being. He thought it was best to accept the situation in an intellectual way and consider what had just happened. 

The first thing he thought about was his, recent, near death heart attack. It stopped all desire to get involved with this man in any way, immediately. He recognized that it wouldn’t be an end to this man’s negative hateful thoughts. He walked away and found our car. 

Our world is changing. Life as we know it, is no more. Will this hateful man with his racist thoughts change his ways of thinking. No, I don’t think he will. He is but a minute part of the world. I see a world with lots of different colors. We are all special. We should all be proud of who we are. Hate doesn’t do anything but cause more hate.

Isadora 😎

The saga with COVID 19 and Me will continue … come on back for the next chapter …

The saga with COVID 19 and Me will continue … come on back for the next chapter …

Isadora 😎

Part 1 – COVID19 and Me

Part 2 – COVID19 and Me – Part 2

Part 3 – COVID19 and Me – Part 3

Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you.©Maori Proverb

Part 3

We declined on partaking of the buffet offered after the ball dropped. On display, for your eating pleasure, were a large variety of desserts, various cheeses, salty sliced fatty meat products and fruit among beautifully carved ice sculptures; while colorful flowers set an inviting scene. It was far too crowded to capture in a photograph. Instead, we made our way to the elevator.

Our travel consultant had gifted us a bottle of champagne. We’d saved it for celebrating in our room after we rang in the new year. Comfy in our jammies, we sat on the balcony to wallow in the sounds of the waves splashing against the ships bow. We basked in the luxury of the quiet starlit night. As we gazed at the bright stars, our thoughts gravitated to the many blessings in our lives. We were enveloped in a peaceful soothing calm; truly grateful our lives were full of love. Our hearts couldn’t have held more loving blessings.

~~~~~~~~~ 

When you’re cruising there’s a pamphlet left in your room every night. It lists restaurant hours, activities for the day such as trivia or other types of games or bingo, casino specials, entertainment hours, dance or exercise classes, children activities, special cocktail of the day, port information if there’s a port docking and more. 

The most important pamphlet is the last one from the night before you disembark. It explains what time to leave your luggage outside your door for pick-up, what time each passenger is to disembark and the documents required to leave the ship. 

Passengers who need to get to the airport for flights are the given priority. There’s always a reminder to leave something to wear off the ship. Many a newbie cruisers have packed their clothes in their jammies only to discover they had their luggage picked up and didn’t leave anything to wear off the ship. It can be quite a hilarious sight to see while waiting in line at customs. 

You can carry your luggage off the ship if you prefer to avoid the long arduous search for your bags later in the terminal. The suitcases are sectioned by floor in the large terminal but with over 2000 passengers you can imagine the amount of luggage string at you. It’s like a treasure hunt. Manufacturers make luggage that look alike adding to the madness. Travelers have taken to decorating their luggage with ribbons, stickers or paint creative images. 

It can be quite a walk when you disembark from the ship too. You can request a wheel complimentary wheel chair. I’d had back surgery shortly before on one cruise we’d taken and requested one. People glared and sent daggers my way. I wasn’t aware that the wheel chairs are taken to the front of the lines.  

Usually, we have our luggage picked up but we were feeling strangely tired. To hurry the disembarkation process along, we decided to carry our bags off.

There were only two bags. I took one, hubby took the other and, off we went. 

There was an elevator to get us to customs. There’s port personal to direct people in order to keep things running smoothly. The elevators can accommodate about four people with luggage so it’s a bit slow. We entered the elevator leaving space for two others.The port personal gestured to a couple online to enter the elevator. They declined and said they’d wait. The doors closed.

Hubby looked at me and asked, “Did that look like the couple we had given chairs to on New Year’s Eve?”

Honestly, I didn’t know. I thought they might have been. I couldn’t say for sure. But, my NYPD crime sniffing significant other always remembers people faces; always, even childhood classmates.

We made it through customs with only a short walk to the exit door. 

Without a warning, an unexpected blast of super cold air hit us like a wall.  

Wide eyed, I looked at hubby.

I said, “Where did that blast of cold air come from? I don’t have a jacket for this weather.” 

He assured me he’d get the car at the park lot as quickly as possible. He told me to stay in the foyer with the luggage. A windy gust blew as hubby forged forward to retrieve our car.

I was unaware you can’t to stay in the building once you’ve been cleared by customs. I was gently informed I had to exit.

Into the blustery wind I went dragging two bags behind me. I found a bench and sat down. I decided to search for my trusty forever-with-me scarf. Once found, I wrapped it around my neck and sat with fingers crossed that all would go quickly and my prince would bring my carriage. 

The saga with COVID 19 and Me will continue … come on back for the next chapter …

Isadora 😎

Part 1 – COVID19 and Me

Part 2 – COVID19 and Me – Part 2

Welcome Back … pour yourself a cup of coffee; perhaps, hot chocolate or a cup of my new favorite, chai tea. There are a few pastries for you to enjoy too.

Do sit in a comfy chair and let’s chat.

A little more music  … hope you like my selection. I enjoy Spanish Guitar playing.

Part 2

Let’s fast forward to New Year’s Eve …

If you’ve been on a cruise you know that they have at least one formal night. Formal night requires men to wear a suit jacket or a tuxedo if they’d prefer. Women are required to wear some type of dress or fancy suit.

In recent years, the formal dress code has lessened due to requests from former passengers on surveys done by cruise lines. The idea of wearing formal wear wasn’t pleasing too many. We live in Florida where flip flop and shorts are your formal wear so dressing up, if you’d like to call it that, is a nice change for us.

Tuesday, December 31,2019 was one of the two formal nights on-board ship. Tuxedos, gowns and bling were on parade from everyone including children throughout the evening.  

This is us before the massive crowds arrived.

Did I forget to mention children?

Yes, there were children – everywhere. We’d been on many holiday cruises before. There were never this many children. I think the European culture may have been the reason for it. They are very close to their families. 

Did I mention that the ship was an Italian line?

Yes, it was. It had just arrived from Italy and docked at the Port Everglade in Fort Lauderdale for the first time. 

Did I mention that 85% of the people on-board were from Italy, England, and China.

Yes, they were.

Did I mention they spoke Italian most of the time?

Yes, they did. Even when they spoke English it was indistinguishable. The accents were very thick.

~~~~~~~~~

One day, we were in our room when we heard over the in-room speaker, “Man overboard.”

WHAT the F—K? 

We ran into the hall to get an elevator to the top deck since nothing was visible from our balcony.

The crew members were in the hall in their life vests looking oddly at us. 

“We asked what was going on as we’d heard about a man overboard.”

“Did we need life jackets?,”I said.

In very, very broken English they said, “No man, only crew.” 

WHAT???

“No man, only crew learning safety.” 

HUH??? WTF … !!! 

It turns out it was a safety drill for the crew. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, back to New Year’s Eve …

The New Year’s Eve festivities were packed with more people than Times Square in New York City?

Yes, it was a mob scene. I’d only seen this type of crowd when on one occasion we’d decided to take the kids to see the New York City Macy’s Day parade. I’d never seen this on a ship before.

The New Years’ Eve ball from Times Square was going to be televised on three BIG screens on the top outdoor deck. There was going to be a buffet for everyone to enjoy after the ball dropped too. 

After dinner, we went for a stroll on the top deck. It was around 8:00 pm. The air was warm with a soothing breeze. The sound of the waves crashing against the side of the ship was rhythmic. The salty air was a welcoming scent filling the senses. There were a few hours before the New Year would arrive. It was a nice time to reflect on the past year with all that we’d been through with our health scares. The wishes of a New Year filled with calmer days as part of our wishes to the sky of glowing stars above.

People were beginning to gather around the dance floor and big screen area. Seeing this, we decided to try to get a table. I’ve got bad knees making standing for too long uncomfortable. I thought a table would be the perfect way to enjoy watching the dancers and the ball drop. We were sitting, chatting and listening to music when a black couple asked if they could sit at our table. There were four chairs; two were empty. We didn’t mind so we gladly offered them to join us. 

OH … you must be wondering why I mentioned their race?

Fear not, it will all come to be told.

I’m a bit chatty. I was always shy all of my life but when I started my handmade jewelry business it was important to interact with many, many people. I developed the skill and still seem to have it. 

I enjoy meeting new people. I love learning about them as well as imparting some of my own info too.

His wife was quiet but answered me if I asked her a question. He was grumpy and grunted a lot. I’d asked his name and he just stared at me. She answered for him. Eventually, they gradually twisted their bodies in such a way that you knew they didn’t want to be involved with you. They were there for the seats. 

Hubby got up to get a drink for us and asked if he could get them something? 

They declined, looking annoyed that he’d asked.

Did I mention there weren’t any waiters to serve you?

Yes, there were no waiters. I’ve never been on a cruise where there wasn’t a waiter going around asking if you’d like a cocktail. It even happens at the pool. Where were they? 

A few minutes later the husband (Mr. Grumpy) tells his wife,  “I’m going to get a drink and I’m taking this damn suit off. He grumbled, he was tired of being in it”.

As he left, he coughed.

He was directly across from me. No covered mouth. No cough in the bend of his arm. No handkerchief to cover his mouth. 

Nothing!

It sounded like a very serious congestion. He quickly blurted out that he didn’t have a cold. After he was gone, his wife said, “He has bad allergies. He’s not sick.” 

OK???!!! 

Did my glaring look at him say he was sick? 

Maybe. 

But, I didn’t think it was allergies. My hubby has allergies. I know allergies. It was congestion in his lungs. He sounded like a rumbling earthquake.

He left and came back in a t-shirt. 

As more people began crowding the area, I became concerned. I’m short – 5 feet. I’ve got bad knees so I don’t walk very quickly. I was getting a bit claustrophobic. I don’t like crowds or small confined spaces. Yikes, this wasn’t going too well for me.

The dance floor couldn’t be seen anymore. Dancing was no longer possible because you couldn’t get to the dance floor plus flailing arms and a lot of twerking was all around you. We managed one slow dance before this became a horror. When we’d returned to our table, a woman was seated in my chair. When I approached, she glared at me. I’d asked Mr. Grumpy and his wife if they’d hold our seats for us while we danced. She gave me a shrug as her answer. She shrugged again when I asked if she’d told the seated woman. The woman did get up but it was useless to see a thing unless I stood. 

There was a river of people standing in every crevice which was overwhelming. I began to feel that our safety was at risk. A crew member passing by loudly told people to keep the aisle clear. No one listened. A feeling of doom covered me. I wanted to run screaming. No one cared about safety. 

Another black couple in their mid 30’s stood near our table amongst the other people. 

Again … I’ll clear the need to mention race eventually.

The beautiful young woman looked at me and asked, “Can I leave my iPhone and purse on your table while we dance and until the ball drops?”

Naturally, I said, “Yes.”

10  9  8 … the count down … 7 6 5 … people were yelling … 4 3 2 1 …

balloons falling, confetti, screams, and pushing. 

Yes, lots of pushing with people getting angry because access to the screens was blocked by the crowds.  Others were pushing to get to someone they wanted to hug and wish a Happy New Year. 

We stayed among this chaos until midnight. 

We told the younger couple they could take our seats since right after 2020 arrived we’d be leaving. As they approached about 15 minutes later, we got up. I introduced them to the other couple and wished them all a Happy New Year. I slowly and carefully turned towards the exit and was instantly stunned. The grumpy old man was all smiling with chatty laughter and super talkative to this young couple even before they finished sitting down.

I looked at my hubby and said, “It’s time to go.”

The saga with COVID 19 and Me will continue … come on back for the next chapter …

Isadora

 ***** Part 1 – COVID19 and Me

https://insidethemindofisadora.com/2020/03/26/covid-19-and-me/