The coronavirus. The current
topic that dominates our news cycle. I
have been inundated with emails from many health organizations updating me on
the coronavirus (COVID-19). Multiple
emails, several times a day, informing me of the latest recommendations from
the Center for Disease Control (CDC) is starting to make me feel anxious.
Why am I anxious?
Because having spondyloarthritis means I take two immunosuppressant
medications to control my overactive immune system. Since these medications weaken my immune
system, this leaves me at a greater risk to contract communicable
illnesses. When I receive my Cimzia
injection at the doctor’s office, I need to be in good health in order to
receive it. If I were to receive my
medication when I wasn’t feeling well, there is an increased chance of becoming
very sick.
Being on immunosuppressants, along with this latest
outbreak, has made me become more proactive in keeping myself healthy. I am washing my hands more frequently than
usual. In my church where we receive
holy communion, I have decided not to receive for now due to the unknown nature
of this virus. While it makes me sad to
not fully participate in the liturgy, I need to be proactive with my health.
If you live with a chronic illness, are you feeling anxious
about the coronavirus? Here are some
steps I am taking to stay calm:
- · Limit Watching the News: The news is our source of information about the spread of this virus. However, the 24/7 nature of our news is feeding my anxiety. I now turn on the news in the morning and in the evening for a few minutes to see the latest headlines.
- · Watch a calming show: With the stock market tumbling fueled by this outbreak, my husband and I are both anxious. We started watching When Calls the Heart on Netflix. It’s a series on the Hallmark Channel. It’s a quiet, peaceful presence in our chaotic world. We watched several seasons over the past few days which helped take my mind off the news of the day.
- · Stock up on medication: I receive emails from several health organizations with the latest updates from the CDC. One tip was to review medications and to keep a supply on hand at home. I looked through all my meds and discovered there were some that were expired that needed my doctor’s approval to refill. Those meds are being reviewed and filled.
- · Stock up on food and water: This tip first made me question if I have enough food on hand in case I can’t get out. However, I have plenty on hand because living near the shore, I am stocked up on emergency supplies in the event of bad weather.
- · Pray, exercise, meditate: These are all good actions to calm fears and live in peace no matter what the storm.
- · Communicate: I have been talking about my fears with my family. It helps to share my feelings and hear their feedback. They also have their own concerns about this outbreak. Being able to share our feelings as a family makes us all feel a little bit better.
- · Limit Social Media: I have been reading the book, Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport. It’s an interesting read on our dependence on social media and the benefits of taking a break from these digital platforms. I already started to reduce my use of social media but considering the latest news, I’m really reducing my usage. Social media has fueled my anxiety regarding COVID-19. There is a lot of misleading information about COVID-19 on social media. The World Health Organization (WHO) has termed this misinformation an “infodemic.” Instead, I’ve been reading books which always makes me feel content.
Yesterday was a delightful, spring-like day. I went to the small village of Island
Heights, NJ. I sat by the river and read
my book. As a beautiful, warm breeze was
blowing, I heard the gentle sounds of wind chimes from a nearby home. People of all ages were walking the small
boardwalk without a care in the world. It was a wonderful escape from listening to
the news.
How are you managing your chronic illness and the news of
the COVID-19 outbreak? I wish you peace,
good health, and strength during this time.
As the saying goes, “This too shall pass.”
