Viral Circus

COVID-19 has shaken the whole world to it’s core. From one part of the globe to the complete opposite, it has all but stopped life as we know it. This scenario seems all too reminiscent of something that the American South will never forget.
Living in New Orleans, Louisiana we are accustomed to dealing with evacuations and disasters because of hurricane season each year. From June to November, we are on alert constantly. As you can imagine, Hurricane Katrina’s lasting effects really taught us how to deal with disaster prep along with the aftermath.
When Coronavirus first appeared on our radar here in New Orleans, I was personally shaken. Not only for me, but for my family. My husband is a physician at one of the main hospitals here in the city. Our 2 daughter’s are ages 4 and 2 and I stay at home with them. They go to nursery school for a few hours during the week but for most of the time I am at home with them. When the public schools closed down as did most of the nurseries along with everything else.

Many people through the years have asked me what it was like to experience Hurricane Katrina.
There really has not been an event equivalent to compare it to. That is, until now.
As that giant storm churned towards us 15 years ago everyone panicked and prepped as fast as they possibly could. Pandemonium and fear spread through New Orleans just like this virus has. The only difference is today, there isn't devastating winds or floods. Instead, it was stocking up on whatever you could so you wouldn’t have to leave your home. 
I watched other countries very closely before this virus was found here in Louisiana. I saw the panic in the streets and the death that came behind it. I knew I needed to act then before the greedy would buy everything in sight.
I am a planner and I like to be in control. I think that is partly why I feel like I do at the moment. I literally planned our family’s next moves over a week before mandated ‘stay home’ orders were given. While people were calling me "Chicken Little",  I made sure that we had everything we could possibly need. Well,  except for one major life changing variable.
Our son was to be born within the next two weeks in the middle of this nightmare. My husband and I frantically tried to complete his nursery and buy the essential items from the hardware stores before our ‘lock down’ order was issued.
Along with prior preparations of food and essential items for the family, I felt it was  also important to get the necessary items for the new baby. I feared that with panic stricken people buying up everything in sight along with the essential baby care items,  I just knew we would be under mandated closures when he was born so I bought the diapers and baby formula weeks ahead of time. I really felt like I was in front of this thing. I planned. I was ready. And then my husband told me how bad the virus had actually gotten.
It  was like the winds shifted. It was apparent that COVID-19 was about to strangle New Orleans.
Each day that went by more and more people were diagnosed. We saw this in Italy, and in New York City. But those places were much bigger than New Orleans. All of a sudden people were dying in numbers that doubled from the day before. Hundreds became thousands that were infected. It quickly was obvious that New Orleans and the state of Louisiana was the new epicenter for this outbreak. Hospitals were inundated. Especially the hospital my husband works at. Ventilators were almost depleted in the matter of a weeks time. Face masks were disappearing. Eye shields and gloves were almost gone.
P.P.E. (personal protective equipment) suddenly were rationed and in many cases disappeared or was extremely hard to come by. Local news reported that faculty were told to reuse face masks and even sterilize them so they could continue fight this battle, even without armor. Grown men are breaking down. Douglas has always been my voice of reason. When I get to hyped up, he is always there to calm me down. When I started my rants about Coronavirus this one time he didn't stop me. Or be the devil's advocate. Even when friends and family made it seem like I was over reacting in the beginning, Douglas listened to me. One conversation we had right after COVID-19 started to spread rapidly here in the city I will never forget. We were finishing up the baby's nursery one night when I told him that watching the images coming out of Italy and they were highly alarming and at the rate it was spreading it seemed impossible that it couldn't happen here. Waiting for him to correct me, instead his eyes got big. He got quiet. Which he does this so he can collect his thoughts. Then he said, "there is nothing we can do. The box has been opened and it cannot go back in. This will be the next pandemic. Most of us will get this virus. And if we all don't get it, we will personally know someone that has had it or has died from it. Lock downs will not stop it. Our hospitals will become overwhelmed. There is nothing we can do."
I was shocked. He always is optimistic. He is the yin to my yang. But that night, it was brutal honesty. And twelve hours later, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. 
That is when the tides started turning and that ominous silence fell when I walked outside. I was SHOOK. But I had to keep my cool for my family. My girls depend on me. On us. They can't see my fear. All of a sudden I am now their teacher every day along with being 'Papa'. I try keep it fun and new. I print out activities and educational things to keep  their minds learning. I research arts and crafts for them to make. And then we go outside and play with different things every day so this isolation doesn't get so monotonous.  
Then it was like my heart stopped. Douglas told me that the the main hospital was running low on manpower. Some started to get sick. And some were just overwhelmed by the tsunami of patients coming that were sick.  This whole time I had been so thankful for him being a psychiatrist resident during this viral circus. Then, he told me. The Dean had started pulling residents from other specialties to fight this virus on the front lines in the Emergency Department. It didn't matter what specialty. He wanted 'all men on deck.' My heart sank into my stomach. I felt ill.  Sure, I get it. He is a doctor. That is what you signed up for. But let me stop you. No. That is not what he signed up. He had a calling to help the mentally ill and the addicts from drugs and alcohol get sober, get off the street, clean up and lead a productive life. Fighting in the epicenter of this pandemic without proper equipment can be a death sentence. I would absolutely feel more incline for him to help if I knew without a shadow of a doubt that he had the life saving P.P.E. that he needs to stay healthy. He needs it and WE NEED IT.  As the hours ticked by my anger grew. I like to be in control. I quickly saw that we were spiraling into a tail spin that couldn't be stopped. 
Just as I started to feel hopeless, our phone rang. My mouth dropped to the floor. Our birth mother was in labor! Douglas quickly rushed her to the hospital. After examining her they admitted her. We had been threw this before time and time again with our previous birth mother. I just knew that she was going to be sent home. But this time proved to be different. They told Douglas that he was allowed to stay the night but unfortunately, due to Coronavirus, I had to stay at home.
Last night, Douglas got to stay with the birth mother at her hospital and officially go on "paternity leave" for over a month! For me, it was almost like he was rescued from being thrown into the front lines of a massacre. An unforeseen force directed us into a perfectly beautiful scenario just as hopelessness gripped our future while the walls were closing in all around us. Then came Shane. 
Our baby boy was born last night at 11:36 pm weighing in at 7 lbs 6 oz. He is the most beautiful boy I have ever seen. Although I have yet to hold him. Smell him. See him. It is now 10:43pm the following day and Douglas should be home in about an hours time. I am ecstatic. In this very moment I feel so peaceful and happy. Yes, right now, the world outside terrifying. But our hearts are overjoyed, filled with euphoric gratitude and blessed beyond belief.      

Photo Credit: BSA Photography.com