My goodness, it was a crazy year. 2020 brought the jacked-up crap that Y2K never could have even imagined. I haven’t written a personal what’s happening with me in some time now and I wanted to catch you up on how Covid-19 affected me in 2020. Physically nothing, I’m fine thank goodness. Mentally and emotionally I have to admit that I’m feeling different. 2020 will not defeat us and 2021 will be better. I have to admit something to you first. This post has been in drafts since September. I haven’t written many personal posts, but I’m hopeful that I’ll take the time do to it more this year. I’m still very much invested in my blog and want to still be connected with you all.
COVID-19
COVID-19. Sadly it is nowhere near being over here in the United States and we are constantly monitoring the CDC website, to see how Louisiana and our home state of Texas are doing. The Army has put in travel restrictions to soldiers stationed at Fort Polk that at one point was down to a 50-mile radius from the center of the post. As of now, it’s at 100 miles and sadly it still puts us out of the range to go home. Crazy right? But it’s for our safety and my husband is required to comply. It is what it is. Update, it’s now back to 250 miles radius so we are able to go home thank goodness. But is it safe? We should still be quarantined, in all honesty. And then it was cut back again too 100 miles.. ok then.
At the beginning of COVID-19, I was fine with the quarantining. I had time to think and the boys were home. We were safe. As time went on it became chaotic to the point where I dropped out of my college class and left a few other projects I was a part of. I couldn’t handle everything and I was able to make the decision to remove myself before it felt like my life out of control.
Removing some projects and responsibilities helped. I love being on a team and working. It’s a good thing and a bad thing, let’s be real. But better because it fills my cup. I needed to put a priority on things that have just been dragging along like finishing up my Bachelor’s degree. I have legit only been taking one class per quarter, so it’s taking me forever. I need to get that done. I’m hoping I can get into a good rhythm and start taking 2 classes per quarter so it’s a full load each quarter. Here’s hoping, but I’m also being honest with myself.
Mental Health
I was also in the process of finally getting some help with my mental health situation. I have the worst focus and attention issues. I started therapy in November 2019 and was going a few times a month. When the pandemic began the sessions went to the telephone, which was fine but I didn’t feel like I was truly being heard. I was prescribed medication for general anxiety. I’d never really considered anxiety, but I was willing to give it a shot to see if it helped. It didn’t. I started to wean myself off the medication, thankfully my primary care took the time to explain the best method to me, and with CBD I was able to not notice anything. I have to say, I didn’t notice a difference when I started taking the medication either. I’m shrugging my shoulders at this point.
I became a total advocate for CBD products. I started taking Sunday Scaries. Yes, that’s my referral link and I might get a free bottle if you choose to order some. You might have read my post about the CBD water I tried too. I’m still drinking it too. I’ll have to write more about this period in a later post that will focus on being a military spouse and dealing with the military facilities for mental health.
The 2020 Holidays
The pandemic continues and the quarantining does as well. Thanksgiving we were able to go home to Lufkin and spend it with my parents. My mom is tested weekly when she goes to visit my grandmother at a nursing facility and my dad goes hunting and home. They aren’t out and about so we felt confident going home to them and not seeing anyone else. We spent two days there and returned home on the third day. It’s only a two-hour drive from Fort Polk, so it was easy to travel. We don’t stop in between either, we pump gas before we leave and then head home. Not much outside world contact thankfully. We were safe and my parents were safe as well.
This Christmas we stayed home. Two days before Christmas the hubs was commanded to stay within a 100-mile radius of the post so we couldn’t go home as it’s 102 miles away. Totally sucks, but honestly, I was okay with it. My parents came to visit and my inlaws a week later, so our holidays weren’t completely alone. It still felt weird though. Not truly Christmas. We’re fortunate that the boys have always enjoyed doing things and getting out so that they understood and just took the time to enjoy their gifts and play with each other. And of course, argue with each other, my boys aren’t saints they are regular kids.
I’ll do another update on how COVID-19 is affecting me in March when it’s been a year.
Question:
How are you doing? How did you spend the holidays? Are you ready to take on 2021?
Sending virtual hugs,
Candy
