ACTUALLY THANKFUL

 The day after Thanksgiving Day

Naturally, I was in quarantine for Thanksgiving.  I spent the day resting and playing MLB-The Show on PS-4.   I got a few messages and a couple of phone calls, so believe it or not I had a quiet day.  I normally spend the holiday with my cousin, but this is how I would actually like to spend the day.  Despite being shut in recovering from a virus that has killed millions, I am pretty thankful.

I am thankful to the folks who knew I was sick and checked on me.  I am normally extremely low maintenance, however, it was nice to have folks chime in and change the mood.

I am thankful for my cousin and my next-door neighbor who thought of me and brought me a plate of food. 

I am thankful I got the vaccine.  Even though I am among the skeptics, I think it was better to get it.  With all the talk and criticism there are no alternate solutions.  I can only stay in the apartment but for so long.  And I was fully vaccinated and still got covid so I could have gotten this quicker during a necessary trip to the supermarket.

I am thankful that even though I am not in the greatest shape, I did not abuse and/or misuse my body.  Yes, I am overweight and need to exercise more.  At the same time I rarely drink, never smoke or do illegal drugs.  I don't misuse the drugs I have a prescription for.  I say all of that to say that had I damaged my body in the past, it may not have helped me during that covid period.

I am thankful I did not lose my sense of taste.

I am thankful that even though I lost my sense of smell, it appears to already be coming back, slowly but gradually.  On Wednesday I could smell nothing.  Yesterday I was able to smell the ginger in my tea and a piece of chicken.  Today, even though i could not smell the bleach and the pine in the mop water, I could smell something foreign.  I could fully smell my deodorant.

I am thankful I have healthcare and that I have the resources to follow-up with it.

I am thankful I have the knowledge and the diligence to act on preventative care. People think I am crazy but my normal routine for my usual sinus issues (and the vaccine if you want) probably kept me out of the intensive care unit.

I am really thankful my parents and a few other close relatives and friends aren't alive now.  I used to shiver thinking about managing in this pandemic with my parents.  It would have been even worse had I had to through Covid AND worry about my parents.