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Katrina Anne Willis's avatar

Oh, Amy, when I heard the CDC's newest "recommendation," I immediately thought of you. It's so disappointing to watch capitalism take precedence over humanity. Sending you lots of love through an N95. XO

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Amy - The Tonic's avatar

It’s just bad science. The CDC has lost all credibility with me and so many others.

I’m in this odd position of feeling like I need to catch the common cold or something because I haven’t had an acute illness since September 2020 (six months after I had COVID, I caught a cold). I feel like my immune system needs to be put to work a bit to keep up my defenses. But how do I take just enough risks to catch a cold? And how do I catch a cold and not COVID again, or the flu (which leveled a long hauler friend of mine back in the fall)? Ughhh. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll hang around a friend who knows for sure they don’t have COVID. So tricky.

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Victoria SkyDancer's avatar

Not worth it. The last cold I had knocked me out for nearly a month. And don't get me started on the shitty medicine!

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Amy - The Tonic's avatar

That’s just the thing: the longer it is before I catch something, the worse it’s going to be, I fear. Did you eventually get back to some sort of baseline?

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Victoria SkyDancer's avatar

Yes, I'm back in a reasonably healthy state, but the congestion still lingers around my ears. There are times when I have a little trouble hearing other people talking, usually at the end of the day, for some reason.

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Amy - The Tonic's avatar

The universe must have heard me. I think I have a mild cold right now. Tested negative today for COVID. Glad to hear you are mostly better 💛

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Victoria SkyDancer's avatar

Look for things to boost your immune system, and may the crud pass quickly!

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Amy - The Tonic's avatar

Oh, and thanks for the love 😷 💕

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Jackie (she/her)'s avatar

Thank you so much for this post and especially for this part: "The broader message here is that your worth and value are tied to your ability to make someone else money (while barely covering your own expenses, but that’s a whole other post), and therefore those of us who are immunocompromised, disabled, and elderly are expendable. Stay home or accept the risk of death or pervasive illness so that everyone else can go to happy hour." You put exactly how I've felt since COVID started into the perfect words. For my own mental health, I try not to dwell it on it too much but I can't adequately describe what it feels like that your whole country thinks you should just die (or become more disabled) all so their life can go on as "normal". Thank you for the referral to Teri's page too!

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Amy - The Tonic's avatar

I’m so glad that resonated for you, though really, I wish I never had to write something like that. You’re right; it’s so upsetting. One thing I think about is if I do fully recover, and get off disability and start working again, will another virus just take me down again in a few years? I guess you can’t get too caught up in the what ifs but sometimes I do.

And I’m happy to have turned you on to Teri - she’s phenomenal!

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Jenovia 🕸️'s avatar

This is so infuriating. Our society is so disappointing. I still mask everywhere I go that requires me to be inside. Still have not had Covid. Don’t ever want it. My sister had long Covid and it broke my heart witnessing what she went through. She’s much better now and had someone stayed home while they were sick she would have never had it in the first place.

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Amy - The Tonic's avatar

I’m so happy to hear that you’re still a NOVID. You should change your name to JeNOVIDa! 😂😂

In all seriousness, your story is just proof that taking reasonable precautions works. How is your sister doing these days?

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Jenovia 🕸️'s avatar

😂😂😂

My sister is so much better. She is pretty much back to her usual self. It took almost two years tho. 😞

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Teri Adams's avatar

Thanks for the shout-out, Amy! It balances out the guy who took the time to restack my political note of a couple of days ago, only to write several paragraphs about what an idiot I am. 😉

I actually think it means I am getting somewhere since I got a few subscribers and a few restacks from it. 😂

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Amy - The Tonic's avatar

I guess the adage, “there’s no such thing as bad press” applies here? 🤭

I’d say that guy can go to hell, but as an atheist, I may run into him there 😆. So let’s send him to purgatory.

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Teri Adams's avatar

So many of my friends are atheists—I think I am agnostic, which I guess is decaf atheism… (I cracked myself up with that one!)

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Amy - The Tonic's avatar

HA!! 😈 (also, I only drink decaf 😁)

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