To the General Public of The United States of America,

Coronavirus has equaled 9 weeks of quarantine. 9 weeks of frustration, misinformation, shutdowns, too early reopenings, terror to pee in a public bathroom, scared to death to walk into a grocery store, leary to touch a bag of carry out food and on and on. All this while being unemployed, not seeing my kids in two months, waking up everyday wondering if this is all a bad dream.

I know – waaaa waaaa. Poor me when we are all in the same boat. Yep, many people have it alot worse than me and I am completely aware of that and sympathetic as a person can be. I’ve spent the past 2 months making masks for people, hoping that I can help stop the spread a little. Giving back, it’s the least I can do. Which brings me to you, the general public of the US of A.

Most people I know are being very careful. Others, like myself are being overly careful. I have a good reason. I am a two time cancer survivor and I will not let Covid 19 be the death of me.

When I walk into a grocery store (yes, I know I can do delivery but sometimes there are weeks long wait times and items I can’t get)  and I see many of you without masks on, it incenses me. You think you are immune or that “it won’t happen to me”. You think your rights are being violated being told to wear a mask, you rebel – you refuse. “It’s my body” I see on posters!! Well my friend, it’s not just YOUR body. It’s everyone else that can be around you. Like me.

I never thought I would get cancer once, let alone twice. You never think you’ll get this virus, but you might. I’ve been through 20 rounds of chemotherapy and said if I ever had to do that again I’d rather put a bullet in my head. I hear that the symptoms of Covid are similar in intensity, so severe and last so long that you want to die – metaphorically speaking of course. But you know what? I know that feeling and I never want it ever again. And you who are not wearing a mask, are stepping into my space or sneezing and coughing without covering your mouth are taking a chance on MY HEALTH.

We used to go out to restaurants at least 4-5 nights a week. Sure, we would love to go out as I tire of coming up with creative ways to make chicken, we’d love to see a movie outside of our living room, love to watch a sporting event, go to a concert or go shopping. But for the sake of my health and my family as things open too early, we still won’t. We are doing our best to follow the mantra of “we are in this together” and do our part. So I ask those of you who refuse – those defiantly doing all the things that you should not be doing to take just one minute to think about your fellow human beings.

Hopefully by now you know that you can have the virus for several days before you have a single symptom. So while you are out and about, maskless, walking too close to people refusing to social distance, breathing your droplets into the air, you may be infecting someone.

Believe me, I want to have my life back as much as the next guy but at what cost? Everyone complains about “how much longer is this going to go on”. People are crying that their rights are being taken away – yet while you are complaining, thousands of people are sick and dying. After a conversation yesterday with a dear friend who lost her husband to the virus all I can think is that you people would not want to be her, in her shoes. Left alone with six children – two of which also had the virus and were deathly ill. She is numb, nauseous, heartbroken. She could not be with him in his 5 days in the hospital, he died alone.

Is this ok with you? I have tried in the years I blogged to avoid controversy – to be “PC” so to speak. But I am angry. I want this to be over and the only way that is going to happen is for people to understand that resuming “normal” life too early is going to result in a never-ending deterioration of our society, our economy and our health. Perhaps you should have conversations with those who have lost a loved one to it – then maybe you will think differently.

Please don’t come at me with a barrage of crap, I’m not up for it. I suppose you’ll say then I should have kept my mouth shut. I don’t want to hear reasons for why you aren’t following the rules – all I want is for people to take this as food for thought. Just please. consider your fellow man – consider how your careless actions may affect the rest of us. I will not engage in troll/negative dialog so save your words. And for the love of God do not make this a political platform.

Just do the right thing. Or at least, give it some serious thought.

With the greatest of hope,

A concerned citizen