A MOTHER'S PLEA

So, this is a plea from a mother.

My youngest daughter is a CNA in a retirement home. The facility where she works is on lockdown. No one in, no one out. The only people allowed to come and go are the staff and the person who comes in to test them to see if they have Covid-19. Even the doctors are doing their check-ins by video call.

Her facility practices safe procedures. They wear gowns, gloves, eye protection, and facemasks. It's the facemasks I want to talk about. Her facility has issued each staff members four (4) N95 masks due to the shortage of masks across the world. Four. Why four? Because current believe is that Covid-19 cannot live on N95 material for more than three (3) days. So, they get four, and they rotate one out every day. They masks are sprayed with alcohol in-between uses and they are not allowed to leave the facility with the workers.

My daughter is on the frontlines, giving care to those who cannot care for themselves. While I am so proud of her I could bust, I'm also terrified for her. Quitting her job isn't an option for my daughter. She needs her income to pay bills and put food on the table. With so many people out of work, holding onto her job is very important to her.

Her fiancé is also an essential worker. He works in a grocery store and faces new obstacles every day from people fed up with how things are in the world right now. People are frustrated. I get that, but he is just doing his job. The same job he's had for several years. The same job he had before this chaos started. It is not his fault that there might not be something stocked on the shelves. It's not his fault you have to wear a mask when you go into the store. It's not his fault that any of this is happening. He's just trying to support his family, my family, the best way he can.

I have not been able to hug my daughter since the stay-at-home order went into effect. I've had to stand six feet away and tell her how much I want to hug her and that I love her more than the air I breathe.

I've had to do this with all of my children and my grandchildren. Six feet apart, masks on, wave through the window, video call. I fear that this is the way of life currently and pray it ends soon. I only ask that you all remember that there are those out there doing the best that they can, and appreciate the sacrifices they are making to make sure our world continues to go round.

And as my daughter says, the signs and honks and Air Force flybys for frontline workers are wonderful, very much appreciated, but if you really want to thank us, wear a mask and adhere to safety guidelines.