His wife is a teacher at a magnet school, so follows protocol for masks, etc... but I don't think he did. He survived Vietnam, enlisted at 19 then did 20 yrs of service, he wasn't afraid of a little "flu". He was a retired Navy man, quiet, unassuming, gentle, such kind eyes, just like his father with whom he shared a birthday. His wife tested positive 1st, but he waited too long to go to the Dr. Finally went to ER, was immediately transferred to closest major city with covid ICU unit with covid pneumonia & tanking oxygen levels. Started getting better, but took a sudden & catastrophic downturn. The overworked, exhausted, caring ICU staff held a phone to his face so his wife, 3 kids and a few of his many siblings could tell him they loved him one last time & say goodbye. He might not have heard them by then. It was 5 days before his shared birthday. No service, no burial with earned military honors, no consoling hugs to comfort those he left behind.
About 10 miles away from my cousin's rural home lives my cousin's wife's sister & her family - she's my sister-in-law. She met my youngest brother though our cousin & they fell in love, married, have 1 child who lives right next door with his expectant wife & young baby in the home my brother built. They all live on the 40 acres bought by our father almost 70 years ago and handed down over the years. Hills, fields, forests, pine, birch, aspen, maples, deer - all this just next to the lake where we grew up and learned to swim as kids. My sister-in-law is also a teacher, teaches Spanish as a 2nd language. She was so proud the day she passed her test and became a US citizen many years ago ! My recently retired brother's only job now was babysitting & spoiling his beloved grandaughter every day. Sounds like a fairy tale, right ???
My brother and his wife are now both covid-19 positive, his son & family are also quarantining in their home next door. My brother has a horrid, painful cough, getting prednisone, antibiotics, opiate cough suppressant, inhaler, a home unit to monitor blood oxygen & other vitals. Not sick enough, yet, to be admitted. He told me last night via email he's sure it's just the same bronchitis he had last year... it goes away and comes back...
heavy sigh... (he tested +)
I am holding my breath, waiting for news but not really wanting news, on the chance it is bad news again. Fully expecting to hear more of my virus-denying relatives are sick, there are so many of them.
please wear a mask, take appropriate precautions - it's real and it can be excruciating for all those involved
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