The World is Shutting Down.
Dylan’s college has extended spring break. He will get another week! Unfortunately, Belmont is canceling his Easter break. And there are other changes in store, too.
After his extended spring break, Dylan will be doing classes online until April – as much as possible. He is taking voice lessons and a P.E. class called “Group Games.” I’m not sure how those will be handled.
This is, of course, all thanks to the coronavirus. Colleges are making the same kinds of decisions all over the country.
While I am not in panic mode (yet) – even as a worrier – I think it’s a good idea to have him home. Dylan’s campus was ravaged by the flu in January, and Dylan ended up bedridden for three days, alone, with no one to help. The thought of him lying in that bed again agonizes me.
And Dylan – who isn’t the least bit concerned for himself – has Reactive Airways Disease. That means that a disease that attacks his lungs – like, say, COVID-19 – would be more deadly for Dylan than most people.
This terrifies me. I remember Dylan standing at the foot of my bed in the middle of the night – a three-foot-tall toddler in the dark. He was trying to wake me up, to say “Mommy?” but it came out in a clogged, raspy gasp – and he couldn’t form an actual word.
Dylan couldn’t breathe.
I called 9-1-1 and we raced him to the hospital. He had a cold.
So I’m in no hurry for Dylan to contract this particular virus, even if Dylan thinks – and declares loudly – “I will be fine!”
In early April, Dylan and the rest of the Belmont students are scheduled to return to campus. This, I think, is nuts. I’m pretty sure Belmont thinks it’s nuts, too, because why would you send the kids back to school when the epidemic will be at full-force?
Shane, of course, is being fairly careful. The OCD is amazingly helpful in this situation. Shane’s hands are raw from all the washing, and they were like that months ago.
But he’s still in public school, and the school district is “monitoring” the situation – which, given our current numbers, is probably wise.
For now, they are thoroughly cleaning the schools. One school district closed for a whole day, just to clean up. How is that helpful? The virus only lives for two hours on an inanimate object. Every night, the virus dies all by itself. And the teachers had to do the cleaning!
In addition, Shane’s spring break is coming – but the Grand Gesture college road trip that I’d planned for Shane is now indefinitely postponed. We were traveling through Nashville to pick up Dylan during his Easter break – who now won’t be able to travel with us. And how would Shane get a feel for the colleges if there are no students on the campuses?
So the world is shutting down, temporarily I hope. And we’re taking it one step at a time. I am worried, but trying not to be a crazy person.
We’re washing our hands like crazy people, maybe. And I have enough vitamins, supplements, medications, bottled water, food and dog food to easily last two months.
To be fair, I always have that much crap in my house. But now, I might actually use it.