Heather: The COVID-19 risk group speaks out

This pandemic has really added another layer of anxiety for everyone.

Especially for folks like myself, who have compromised mobility and respiratory muscles.

So yes, it is a bit terrifying.

And I have been in the house for about two months,

which is not really that atypical since in the winter months,

I generally wait it out, because of the fickle weather and climate.

Especially living here in the Northeast, where one day it could be slick and rainy, icy,

and another day it is dry as a bone and sunny.

So I am used to waiting it out.

This layer and level of heightened anxiety definitely is a game changer.

As it is for everyone. But with a disability, it adds another layer and level of dimension

that we have to fold into our new normal.

Because this is changing things, drastically.

How it is impacting me on a daily basis is

things like delayed grocery delivery

and PCA services because it has also affected my personal care attendant,

who has become sick and has not been able to hang out with me

and help me out for close to a month now.

Just ways like that really put a damper on things.

And delays things in different ways for people with disabilities.

What I want people who are not disabled to know

is just try and think beyond the box of self and the single lens.

This is a collective lens, and a lot of people who live with marginalized identities

and have high-risk factors, just be mindful of that.

That you are asymptomatic and you are going around and about your day,

but you could, in fact, be a carrier and infect someone who doesn't have that choice.

So be mindful of that and considerate and adhere to all the CDC guidelines.

That would be very helpful. And stay home when you are otherwise supposed to.

And go out only when necessary. So that would be very helpful.

Some of the ways I have been coping with staying indoors even more

is that sticking to a routine, getting up in the morning, completing my bathroom business,

making my bed, and then I go over to the window, slide it open,

take a big gulp of crisp, fresh air.

And I find that that helps my mood and my mental health.

And it sets the tone for the day.

I also work on a little gratitude project because I feel like that's important.

And when I really get overly anxious or too nervous about what's going on today,

I lean on to the sage advice my dad always gave me.

Don't worry about the things that you can't control.

And I find that that's very helpful because it is out of our hands.

And the things that we can control, then do that.

Washing your hands, making sure that your are mindful of who is coming in and out.

And limiting visitation and things like that.

I am grateful that I do have help nearby.

My mom and my sister live nearby. My daughter is not that far away from me.

And also, even in my own household, it is just me and my partner.

So whenever they come home from work or whatever, and I need something done,

that gets taken care of.

So those are things and considerations that keep me at an even keel

and my anxiety at bay. That's important.

I just take it day by day, because we can get through this.

We can get through this together.

I can make it through. You can make it through. We can do it together.

And we just have to think about that.