“Medical personnel will be asked to put their career before their or their families health, spouses of first responders wait for the call of quarantine, children who rely on schools will suffer, our elderly in nursing homes are at risk. Right now, at this moment, it’s happening. We all need to do our part.”
“I was trying to stock up on supplies because my husband and I fit many of the categories for this virus to be life-threatening: over 65–check, diabetes—check, lung issues—check, immune compromised—check. Our doctor told us, ‘You need to prepare to be home for 2 months.’ In the midst of all the anxieties and panic shopping, I learned a great deal about kindness.”
“When I saw images of our older folks struggling at grocery stores and meeting empty shelves, my heart absolutely broke. Some don’t have the technology to do their shopping online. Some can’t maneuver their walkers or motorized scooters through the crowds. Many don’t have the money to stock up on items. These are the people we are supposed to be protecting, and they’re falling through the cracks. I knew I had to do something.”
“I have heard that tragic events like this can break up a marriage. I was terrified that not only was I going to have to continue living this life without my daughter, but I was going to lose my best friend and the only person who could comfort me. He grabbed my face and whispered in my ear, ‘I’m not going anywhere.’ I only thought I loved him before.”
“To the woman who has to wait until pay day to pick up six bottles of hand sanitizer. To the woman who is full of fear for her children’s school being cancelled because there is no Plan B for childcare. To the woman who is crippled with anxiety because she doesn’t have the mental capacity to homeschool right now, you are still a good mother. And a virus cannot (and will not) change that.”
“As someone who has battled lupus for the past 16 years and remains on numerous immune-suppressing medications, I urge you to stay home. We know what it feels like to get sick because of someone else’s lack of concern or ignorance. My husband doesn’t want to raise our family alone.”
“In my 20-something years of teaching, this has been the hardest time of my career. We’re cleaning every surface of our classroom, desks, pencils, markers, light switches, and sinks 5 times a day. We’re learning new technology at a moment’s notice as our schools shut down and then turning around and teaching it to our students and their parents. We’re on the front lines.”
“Routine is something we thrive on in our house. It stays the same every day, down to what my little boy eats, the shape his sandwiches are cut into, and the song we sing at bedtime. Routine is the one thing he could control. With that one text message, everything changed for him.”
“Hoarding it under the sink does nothing. And guess what? Cleaning turns panic into productivity.”
“My husband jumped up, immediately opening the door. But just as fast as my husband acted, so did my son. He ran away, swallowing what appeared to be a nickel. In a split second, our night changed. He was crying, screaming, ‘Quarter, momma!’ He then begins to gag and vomit intermittently, telling me it has not passed through his throat. It has felt like a lifetime without his hugs, kisses, and hearing his sweet voice.”
