I decided to take a few weeks off here because it just seemed like things were changing in the world so much, and so quickly, that I needed to take some space and time. But I’m back now!

I can’t believe that my last post was about how busy my month was going to be, because just days after I wrote that, everything just kind of… disappeared. No more shows, no more weekends at my leadership program – I even had to miss my friend’s bridal shower. I was only two weeks into my new job when we switched into working from home for the foreseeable future.

One of the major impacts that SMA has on my body is a very weak respiratory system – even at my best, my lung capacity is much, much less than someone without SMA. So if I got a severe case of COVID-19, it could be incredibly dangerous for me. Also, studying and working in public health, I understand the scale of the pandemic that we’re in. I know how terrible it could be if we don’t stay at home, and we overwhelm the healthcare system with cases all at the same time – it could be catastrophic. All of this is to say that I’m taking the current situation incredibly seriously. I’m staying home – we’re having all of our groceries delivered, limiting our take-out food, and I’ve even given up my Starbucks cappuccinos. The farthest that I’ve gone is for a walk around my neighborhood, where I haven’t come less than six feet (really, probably less than ten feet!) from another person outside my family. I think it’s really, really important that we all take this seriously NOW, to keep it from being worse later.

In many ways, I’m very lucky. My job is safe, I’m not cramped in a small apartment, I have a yard and a deck to get some fresh air, I’m in self-quarantine with my family and my dog and cats, and I have access to almost every streaming service available (and I’ve been taking advantage, too). And I have some amazing friends and family who have offered to drop off things that we need.

But it’s still weird, and strange, and unsettling, because there’s so much uncertainty. Honestly, I don’t mind being “cooped up” that much, because I’m cooped up with a lot of space. But there’s no way of knowing how long this is going to last. It’s strange to think that, for now, this is the new normal. And I think it’s okay to take some time to adjust to the new normal, and to allow yourself to take that time.