Just a Quick Check-In

The mood around here is elevated to "optimistic" after going an entire week with no Covid deaths. Also, we now have more people listed as "recovered" than "active" cases. Next week they'll start allowing restaurants to have outdoor dining, although there was only room for 1 or 2 tables on our city's sidewalks in pre-covid times, even less now with the social distancing rules. Parents are happy day care centers are starting to reopen, and summer day camps will be allowed starting mid-July if all goes well. Next week we'll even be allowed to go into stores to shop instead of pre-ordering (if you know the store's stock by heart, since most shops don't have a web presence) and curbside pickup. But the poor kids have classes until the 25th and still have no idea if they'll be allowed back into the school buildings come September.

Still no word on when the library will reopen. We have books to return and a list of things we want to take out! First the governor said June 22nd, but later said there's no date yet.

I've been getting out of the apartment again, but mostly for doctors - another podiatrist visit and finally my 6 month ophthalmologist's appointment (2 months late). He's still only allowed what's deemed emergency eye surgeries, and he said some of the cataract surgeries he was allowed to classify as emergency. Instead of 15-20 surgeries twice a week he's averaging 5 a week, and all sorts of hoops he, his staff, and especially the patients have to jump through, including multiple covid swabs for all of them. He also chuckled and said to me that I won't be needing his surgical expertise for a while yet - my right eye's cataract is actually improving and my vision is better than the last few visits. He even saw changes for the better in the retinal scan, something he rarely sees. When I told him the credit goes to my diet, he said to keep it up and I may no longer need his services. I know that's an exaggeration - I've been seeing an ophthalmologist for over 10 years now for various problems - but it was nice to know things aren't getting any worse, especially since my arthritis is and I may be forced to see a rheumatologist and go on those potent meds that have vision problems as known side effects. I keep stalling, but the hands are getting so bad some days I can't even type, and my podiatrist said my feet are getting worse. Heck, I wake up multiple times a night with pains in my shoulders, legs, back.

But today, the sun is supposed to be shining, the temps aren't going to get too high, and the grocery store has been getting much of the frozen and fresh veggies back in stock, although at much higher prices, but at least I can (hopefully) get my entire food order again (Still a shortage on paper products). Keep your fingers crossed for me - mine are too stiff to do it myself.