On Sunday, March 1st, I woke up with a bad headache and a strong, dry cough. I did not go to church. I called my work and told them I was sick and would not be in until better.
On Thursday, March 5th, I still had that bad headache, the strong, dry cough was now accompanied with a sore throat, muscle aches and pains, and by afternoon I was shivering and shaking, teeth chattering, it was so bad I called my county health department asking what I should do. As terrible as I felt, in terms of do you need to go to the hospital my problems were minor. After our discussion, I called a nearby walk-in clinic (my doc is an hour away) I sometimes go to. They wanted me to go to my doctor. Thanks for that.
March 5th was the first day that they announced testing would be available for people. There were locations that were determined to be the providers for those drive-by tests. My private practice doctor was not going to be one of them, and regardless of that, I was not capable of driving anywhere. I did learn where to go and what to expect.
I was so damn cold and exhausted from the struggle to find direction from someone “in the know” I crawled into bed and slept for another 4 hours. My temperature was 101.3.
When I woke up I was no longer “freezing.” It was 5:30 PM and I knew I had to get going. I got dressed, got in the car, and drove to the town 30 minutes north of me where the tents and drive-thru testing was to be.
There were a few parking spots with cones at the front, I parked in the coned spot closest to the tent hoping they were watching from windows because it was very stormy, heavy, heavy rain and strong winds. My temperature was 103.3, I was sick, and I didn’t know what I was supposed to do.
And nobody really had any answers.
An hour and a half later, a nurse in full protective gear came to my car and took me through a side door to my room.
And, the reason the tents were empty, the status change for testing had not been made official. The doctor called the health department and pushed for me to get tested. It was late now, after 8 PM. The individual said I likely would not pass criteria to have the tests read but to go ahead and do it and the next day a decision would be made about whether she could submit them for processing.
So they scraped my throat again and then pierced my brain with their 12″ nasal probes, one per nostril which, once finding its destination was twirled around to get a good sample.
I was told 3 days. I would know in 3 days.
I cannot share with you about the next 3 days as I was flush with fever, delirious at times, sleeping pretty much around the clock. I can tell you I’ve never been as sick in my life as I was on those days. I was in deep pain, had difficulty breathing (thankfully I have a CPAP machine, which helped), and in those moments of lucidity, I was SCARED.
Three days came, three days went.
On March 9th, I called. I knew my test was being processed as I had called and gotten the confirmation that an exception had been made in my case (they had already used the test after all, and we had pushed the fact that I work with seniors).
The wait was now 7 days.
On March 11th, my fever broke. On March 12th I learned the results of my coronavirus test. Negative.
However, I am to remain in quarantine until all of my symptoms have resolved.
Today is March 17th, I am still coughing up my lungs, although now I occasionally get something coming up out of the lungs. Because I was sick so early, I was unable to prepare for this by shopping for food, toiletries, etc.
And yet, I am calm. I feel at peace. The earth is cleansing herself. Isn’t it interesting that the world’s children are not hard hit? I find it fascinating, it feels like a plan. And ultimately, I know that God turns all things for good.
Photo by CDC on Unsplash
© MemeesMusings/B.L. Memee, 2020. All rights reserved.
Autism + Human Trafficking = Hooked
Huh??
That’s right you heard me. But what is Hooked? Well, it used to be an award-winning book, but now it transitioning into a feature film. The screenplay has already been honored in competitions and is going into pre-production beginning of July and I am part of it!
I still don’t get it.
This should help:
Hooked is the romantic dramedy of a young man whose autism prevents him from recognizing that the woman of his dreams is, in fact, a prostitute. The film is respectful to those with autism as well as those working the streets. The relationship between the two characters is sweet and heartwarming while shining a light on human trafficking in America.
The hooked film production is being sponsored by the 501(c)3non-profit, From the Heart Productions, so that any contributions, whether cash or non-cash, made toward Hooked are tax-deductible. From the Heart Productions has been dedicated to supporting world-changing films for over 23 years.
And just today an individual has offered to match Seed and Spark contributions made to our indie film up to $2500 between now and July 4 so that’s exciting too! And this is what got me fired up to share this project with all of you! (I guess I have been kinda holding tight to this project and not allowing others in… I wanted it all for me and didn’t want to share.) Not the wisest move.
Seed and Spark is a pretty cool crowdfunding site. It is just for filmmakers and they donate cool stuff to films that gain followers (different levels of award based on how many followers we get. ) We can even get free submissions into the film festivals with 1000 followers on Seed and Spark. Now I think that is totally awesome! And I am hoping some of you will follow our campaign to help us get there!
And just like other crowdfunding sites, you can earn cool stuff by donating too. Have you ever dreamed of being a screenwriter? With a $200 contribution, you can join a screenwriting workshop with award-winning screenwriter Allen Wolf taking place on Saturday, Oct. 27th. And there are, of course, lot’s of other fun, exciting incentives waiting for you. But I think the greatest reward is knowing that you are helping a movie that brings American human trafficking and bond slavery, as well as autism, to the big screen.
I want to know more about modern slavery in America!
(Excerpt from Hooked website)
“Our hope is that people who experience Hooked will be inspired to take action against trafficking. The International Labour Organization estimates that there are 40.3 million victims of human trafficking globally. 81% of them are trapped in forced labor, 25% of them are children, and 75% are women and girls. The map above only reflects cases reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline in 2016 where the location of the potential trafficking was known. Some cases may involve more than one location.
“Here are 11 Facts about trafficking from DoSomething.org:
“1. Globally, the average cost of a slave is $90.
“2. Trafficking primarily involves exploitation which comes in many forms, including: Forcing victims into prostitution, subjecting victims to slavery or involuntary servitude and compelling victims to commit sex acts for the purpose of creating pornography.
“3. According to some estimates, approximately 80% of trafficking involves sexual exploitation, and 19% involves labor exploitation.
“4. There are approximately 20 to 30 million slaves in the world today.
“5. According to the U.S. State Department, 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year, of which 80% are female and half are children.
“6. The average age a teen enters the sex trade in the U.S. is 12 to 14-year-old. Many victims are runaway girls who were sexually abused as children.
“7. California harbors 3 of the FBI’s 13 highest child sex trafficking areas in the nation: Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego.
“8. The National Human Trafficking Hotline receives more calls from Texas than any other state in the US. 15% of those calls are from the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
“9. Between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the U.S. each year.
“10. Human trafficking is the third largest international crime industry (behind illegal drugs and arms trafficking). It reportedly generates a profit of $32 billion every year. Of that number, $15.5 billion is made in industrialized countries.
“11. The International Labour Organization estimates that women and girls represent the largest share of forced labor victims with 11.4 million trafficked victims (55%) compared to 9.5 million (45%) men.”
Please go to our Seed and Spark Campaign and support us through follows, donations, or both! Thank you!
Sunshine, Oh Sunshine
Sunshine, oh Sunshine
your beams are everywhere
I shield my eyes
yet still you are there.
Sunshine, oh Sunshine
aren’t you aware
I live where I live
because your heat I can’t bear?
Sunshine, oh Sunshine
please go away
leave me in peace
before I wither away!
Sunshine, oh Sunshine
won’t you hear my plea
or is it simply that you
think so little of me?
Sunshine, oh Sunshine
you’re filling my eyes
Sunshine, oh Sunshine
you’re making me cry!
☀ ☀ ☀ ☀ ☀
#SuiteSunshine
☀ ☀ ☀ ☀ ☀
I am a total beginner-beginner at poetry and created Memee’s Poetry Parties in an attempt to challenge myself (or more accurately force myself to be challenged) at this form of writing. It does not come easily to me at all. If you enjoy poetry and want to give a poke at it I encourage you to join my monthly poetry party (link ups) whether you’re brand new to poetry and writing or a veteran writer we all learn from and appreciate one another.
So if you liked my poem I hope you’ll consider joining this month’s party, #summertimeblues!
☀ ☀ ☀ ☀ ☀
The beautiful image above came from a post advertising Sunshine Fest, an annual 5K run and festival in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Van and Dee Larson established the Sunshine Memorial Foundation after losing their beautiful daughter, “Sunshine” who passed away from heat stroke and dehydration while hiking in Arizona in 2007. She was only 31. To learn more about the non profit foundation, Sunshine Fest and their newest vision: Sunshine Hospitality Home, please visit their website Sunshine Memorial Foundation. They also have a Sunshine Blog, a Facebook presence as well as Instagram and Twitter accounts.
I am especially excited about their works towards the creation of Sunshine Hospitality House because as some of you have read, while my grandmother was here visiting with me she had a traumatic fall and has been in hospital and now a nursing home ever since. If I didn’t have a spare bedroom, if it had happened on any other vacation my aunt and mother would be without a place to stay while Grama recuperates enough to get back on a plane to return to Illinois where she lives. I hope the Larsons’ good work, in memory of their daughter is a great success and like sunshine does, spreads across the land!
Thank You Seattle from a Packer Fan – 55 (Orlando)
This was posted to Craigslist, Author unknown.
First of all what a great game yesterday. Both teams had their ups and downs and as a Packer fan I must say the end was not what I expected. The reason I am posting today is to let others know of the kindness shared to my 10-year old son by a 12-year-old girl from Seattle at the game. My son lost his best friend in the world last week after a short illness. He grew up with Boo from about one years old. Boo was my son’s dog, his best friend, the one who played with him, shared most all home meals with him and loved him no matter what. About 3 months ago Boo was just not himself and after a vet visit we all learned his time on Earth was very short. Well, Boo went to dog heaven last week and my son knew for the first time in his short life the feeling of losing someone you love. I was lost as how to help him heal, and out of nowhere a dear friend offered us two tickets to the game in Seattle. I got the tickets, bought the plane tickets and called a friend of mine in Seattle to see if we could bunk for the weekend. All was ready so I told my son. He was very excited and for a minute seemed to be doing better. Off we went and boy what a great time we had. Seattle is such a wonderful city and to see our much-loved Packers play could it get any better. Sunday arrived and off we went to the game. Great seats, loud, exciting, nothing better than this I thought. We were seated next to a large family of Seattle fans so what joy we were having kidding them as our Packers run off to a lead. My son was sitting right next to a young girl of 12. They talked and seemed to be having a great time. Well, we all know that the Packers played a great game, but a win was not to be had. After Seattle scored in overtime I noticed the young girl was crying and still sitting in her seat. Her father talked to her and gave her a hug. When we were leaving I asked the father if the girl was crying for joy by the win and to my shock he told me no, she was crying because she wanted the Packers to win because she knew my son had lost his dog and she thought he needed this more then she did. I kept this to myself on the flight home. While my son was having our dinner meal he looked at me and said he was glad that Seattle had won. I was surprised and ask him why. He looked at me and told me the girl sitting next to him had lost her cat to a dog attack only the day before and he wanted her to have something to help her feel better. Football will never be the same to me. So Thank You Seattle for the great game, and Thank You, God, for putting so much love for others to these two young people. Wishing Seattle only the very best but know the Pack Will Be Back!!!!!!!!
I Love A Rainy Night
It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man is snoring, he bumped his head and wet the bed so he couldn’t get up in the morning! Oh, my gosh! I just looked it up and discovered I was singing it wrong, quietly, in my head for decades!!! *
I live in Washington state and I sing these lyrics in my head quite often. Do you notice yourself humming it or singing the lyrics, properly or otherwise? Or are you of the other ilk, those who sing that much darker song — come on, you know the one: Rain, Rain go away come again some other day? If you are a rain hater you should not live anywhere on the west coast of America other than the southern most reaches of California. Of course, if you do choose to live in “the desert” you won’t be able to sing the best rain song of all: “I can see clearly now the rain is gone. I can see all obstacles in my way. Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind. It’s gonna be a bright, bright, sunshiny day. You won’t be singing Jimmy Cliff’s song because without the rain coming and paying us a visit it cannot go away.
And so I am here to say, I love the rain. The sight, the sound, the smell… Let it Pour, Let it Pour, Let it Pour!
This morning as I lay dreaming in my bed I slowly became cognizant of the beautiful, steady rhythm of a grand downpour of rain. I was dreaming a lucid dream. I don’t remember the contents of the dream, what I do remember is thinking about how wonderful it sounded to hear the raindrops once again slamming themselves against buildings, trees, rocks, cars and earth. I was tired, I wanted to sleep but the droning of the downpour was wonderful as they continued to sing to me, Memee, do you hear me? My drops are large, they are full and heavy. They want you to join us. Memee, won’t you wake up and come enjoy the display we’re putting on for you?
And so as I lay there in my slumber I decided it was too lovely to sleep through, this was a rain full of glory and I didn’t want to miss it. I woke myself up, opened my eyes and laid there for a while listening, it was magnificent. And then I decided I wanted, I needed even more from it… more sound, more smell and I wanted to see those raindrops as they fell, splishing and a’splashing their way to destruction. And so I got up, walked over to the window, opened the blinds fully, pulled the window open and breathed our rainstorm in.
Oh, what a wonderful way to start my day!
*(Three exclamation marks for 3 full decades)
