Reflections from Afar

Notes from the Complement’s ace roving correspondent, writing under the nom de pandemic:
By Nonie Tenck —

Episode 1

Living away from the Manor while caring for my sick friend (hereafter referred to as Friend), leaves me feeling quite exposed. The Manor itself is a bubble protected from the Outside World, then we all have our own smaller bubbles inside that. Here I’m completely unprotected. No, that’s not true. It’s that the mask wearing and frequent hand washing assume far greater importance.
When I go out for my walk I pull up my mask as soon as I see someone coming, and guess what — the oncomer does the same! People around here are so considerate. The clerks in the grocery store; the helpers in the stores (brought in especially for the holidays? Or hired to provide jobs for some of those out of work because of the pandemic?); the clerks and nurses at the doctor’s offices; neighbors coming by with cookies and holiday greetings — everyone.  But rather than having to remember to phone in my meal orders every day at the Manor, here I have to think of menus, go grocery shopping, help fix meals, then clean up. Quite a challenge, unaccustomed as I am.  No more lounging around in sweats all day. Every day here seems to be something that requires looking presentable. Life is far less predictable here. But that’s probably a good thing. I’m thoroughly dislodged from my rut, and I have a new perspective on living through these times. Hooray for fresh views.

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Episode 2 — On the Road (still)

This morning I took my friend to her pre-op appointment with the cancer surgeon. When we got to the head of the check in line, the girl behind the counter peered around my friend and asked “Is she here with you?” nodding at me. Then she motioned me to come forward, and I had to answer all the questions too.

When we got to the doctor’s waiting room the nurse met us and took us right in- no waiting at all! She was very chatty as she took my friend’s weight, blood pressure, and temperature.
When the doctor came in he said he couldn’t stay long because it was a busy day. But after he did the physical exam and determined that all looked good to proceed with the surgery as scheduled on the 31st, he appeared more relaxed and took his time explaining exactly what he would be doing during the surgery and what she could expect afterwards. However, there still could be a last minute change either as to time of day or even the date of surgery If there is no ICU bed available for just in case.

Tomorrow is a teleMed appointment with the anesthetist.
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Nonie’s Third Epistle to the Manorites: Christmas Eve

A cheerful Bewick’s wren came out to greet me on my walk in the woods this morning.

                          Bewick Wren

Well, I say morning, but it was almost noon because I spent most of the morning putting together a double batch of banana bread and struggled really hard to get semi-hardened glued together bird seed out of a bird feeder that had been neglected far too long outside in alternating rain and sun. I’m SO over housework!
We sent Son out at eight o’clock this morning to do last minute grocery shopping, and he had to stand in line outside in the cold for a full hour to get into the store. Glad it wasn’t me. After he got back and the groceries were all put away and the banana bread was baking, Friend started making a batch of Pecan Lace cookies and Son started work on our fancy Christmas Eve meal. It’s barely a two-butt kitchen, so that’s when I went on my walk, leaving strict instructions about when and how to take the one large loaf and four small banana breads out of the oven. Now they’re cooling. Then we’ll wrap the little ones up as gifts for friends who’ll be stopping by (outside – masked) this afternoon. Whew. I’m ready for a nap already and it’s just past noon. The pace is killing me.
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Episode Last — Returning to campus following a two week hiatus

By Nonie Tenck

Driving back from Portland in a rental car on New Years Eve, I was ambivalent about returning home after having been away for two weeks. We had decorated the house with fifty years of Christmas ornaments and then taken it all away again before Friend’s hospitalization. Now I was tired of being away, of having to plan meals and clean up afterwards, of listening to someone else’s choice of news channels, of constantly tripping over a dog who wanted to be in the middle of things, of not having readily available a new book to read in the from Manor library, of not having a convenient place to do my exercises, of not having the right knitting needles readily to hand. I was looking forward to returning to my comfortable rut, but I wondered: was I was going back to such a predictable routine that I would feel I was in a cage?

Living at the Manor is so easy. We ARE awfully well protected here, especially in the high rise buildings. I hardly have to take care of myself; I have become lazy. In some ways my independence is limited: I am told to mask, and if I forget, my neighbors remind me. I am told to keep my distance. Only one person in the elevator at a time. No gatherings with friends. My meal options are laid out for me. My shopping options, my exercise options and my recreation opportunities – all are limited.

The same Covid limitations exist elsewhere, but it felt like the individuals I came into contact with (however briefly) when I was out walking or at the grocery store or visiting the doctor’s office with my sick friend — all had thoughtfully chosen to wear masks and limit their contacts. Here, some of the thinking part of it is done for us. I don’t know. It just feels like in some ways we exist within an artificial bubble, our own small world. Of course, one of the huge benefits is that the incidence of Covid here is much much lower than at many other retirement communities.

Being on the road was marvelous. The ever changing landscape felt liberating. I saw skeins of geese overhead and the occasional hawk on a tree. Cars and trucks whizzed by around me. Alternating showers and clouds and brief periods of sunlight required flipping the visor down and ducking my head as I swung it to the side. I was out in the real world for a short time. I had a most welcome taste of freedom before turning in the rental and returning to my little living space and my little circle of friends.

P.S. Friend called me on New Years Day to report that her four-hour surgery was successful. A fitting beginning for a new and better year ahead.

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