Perpetual Ruminations

And It's Back Down!

Now I know how Charlie Brown felt when he'd get a stomach ache. Only, it's my head that hurts and I still don't have this figured out.

Yesterday we were looking at the girls returning to school this week but now that's changed. The school nurse called today to get an update on how things are going with our positive Covid results; my wife tested positive. She is in quarantine for ten days from the time of her testing positive. So, she is able to return to work, at the school, on Monday the twenty-fifth. The girls, who were exposed at the same time, didn't get sick so so we were told at the clinic that they would also be in quarantine for ten days from the day of exposure if no symptoms arise, therefore able to return to school this week.

Now, we learn that they have to quarantine until Feb. eighth before they can go back. Yes, my wife can return to work at the school next Monday, but the girls can't attend until Feb. eighth because they did not get sick. Of course, if they had gotten sick they would need to be tested before they could return, and then it would be ten days after they tested positive. But, the nurse warned, if they test negative, they have to wait ten days and then test again. If the second test is positive, it's ten days of quarantine, but if the second test is negative, they still have to quarantine for ten more days. That's twenty days out if they test negative compared to ten days out if they test positive. What?

In other words, if we take them in to be tested tomorrow, a positive will mean they have to stay home until Jan. twenty-ninth, so they would return to school on February first. But, if they test negative, they have to retest on Jan. twenty-ninth or after. If they test negative again, they still have to wait ten days before they can return to school, so February eighth.

So, do we have them tested? If it's a positive, they can return to school by the first, but if it's negative, they can't return until the eighth. If we don't have them tested, it's still the eighth. This is all because they reside in the same house as someone who tested positive who can return to work at the school in a week?

The girls are crushed, I'm at my wit's end, I seriously do not think I can do this anymore. Between the girls, distance learning, and a sick wife, I'm burned out. What makes it even worse, is they all come to me for answers I cannot give and since they cannot go anyplace to take out their anger, frustration, and stress, I get that, too. Then, it all switches and there are the tears and crying, the need for support and understanding, and again, they all come to me. What they don't understand is I'm in the same pile of crap trying to keep my head above the surface as well as holding them all up, too.

The sad part is, I can't even tell them more than, "It's just as hard for me."

For one, they don't understand how difficult it is for anyone other than themselves and what they are missing out on. Secondly, even if I could show them that it's even harder for me and could get them to understand, they would lose the only anchor they have through all of this. Meanwhile, here I am, trying to keep on keeping on, with nothing left to keep on with. The saddest part o it all, I can't even have a breakdown, there's no place to go because of the pandemic and my wife testing positive. Even if I lost it and called the "Help me I'm going psycho hotline, they would tell me to wait until February eighth before I come...