Un-quarantine

Today is a red letter day! We will have a visit from our son Patrick and his wife Katie and their two beautiful daughters Ryanne and Megan. With the exception of medical personnel and neighbors we have encountered while walking, with whom we maintain distances on the order of 20 feet and conversations on the order of 5 minutes or less, this will be our first in person visit with anyone since we began our quarantine in June. This will be our perfect Christmas present. 

We are discovering that "un-quarantining" is something of a challenge. We do not want to remain in quarantine forever, but we also don't want to take foolish chances with being exposed to illness, given that my immunity is, at best, compromised. So, we are going about it in baby steps. We will see our son and his family today. They are all vaccinated against Covid19, as are we. They have not had any known exposures, nor do they have any symptoms of illness. The same is true for us. This seems like a pretty safe way to start. 

We also plan to have our next door neighbors over for dinner on the 26th. He works for the American Red Cross and has been very careful about exposure and vaccination, as has his wife. They, too, are young and healthy and symptom free. My oncologist advised us to get together only with vaccinated people in small groups of masked individuals. While I have some serious questions about the efficacy of masks in preventing the spread of viruses, we will comply, because we trust Dr. Waugh, and in my experience as a health care practitioner, patients who comply with instructions are more likely to heal and remain well. 

As I have mentioned in previous posts, we have reserved a condo in Newport, OR for New Year's weekend. That will give us a chance to get away from our home, which we love, while still controlling our exposure risks. We do believe that an occasional change of scenery is healthy. Of course, at this moment, our getaway is in question because the weather forecast is calling for snow, most likely on the very day we need to travel over the Coast Range mountains to reach Newport.

And so, little by little we are planning to emerge from our quarantine. We have no specific plans beyond these. We are continuing to observe the one day at a time outlook, although these plans may tend to belie that statement. Nevertheless, we are prepared to cancel any and all of these plans, if circumstances change. 

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the church in Philippi wrote, "...I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." (Philippians 4:11) God is teaching us to emulate Paul as we navigate an ever-changing landscape. I, personally, am trying to look at disappointments as opportunities to embrace a new point of view. And so, one day at a time we are moving forward in faith into the world of "un-quarantine." If you are a praying person, please pray that we will follow God's lead and make wise choices.