The Coronavirus: My Personal Survival Guide, Susan Honey Good

By Susan “Honey” Good

My Ultimate Concierge, America, and I flew back to California from my beautiful Chicago last Sunday. That evening we had dinner with a group of friends. We said our goodnights laughing without a care. The next morning we listened to the news and were struck by the seriousness of the Coronavirus. I wondered how I would be able to continue to smell the roses.

How to Continue to Smell the Roses

Stay calm and carry on.

I learned early Monday morning I had spent an entire afternoon the week prior with two girls who were exposed to the Coronavirus and hospitalized. One did have the Coronavirus and the other had symptoms and was awaiting testing. My reaction was one of great concern for my girlfriends. I was not overly worried about my wellbeing because of the time lapse and I felt fine. But I knew to relieve my apprehension I had to act proactively.

Be proactive

I  called our doctor and discussed what we could do to protect ourselves. My husband has been quite sick the week we were home and though almost fully recovered he was compromised. The doctor told me we should take 10,000 units of Vitamin D3, drink plenty of water, stay home and watch for the following symptoms: a dry cough, fatigue, a temperature, and shortness of breath. I hung up the phone and recall feeling positive.

And, I did my homework; I was proactive. I then picked up the phone to tell my friends about the discussion I had with our doctor. Again, I felt good that I passed on important info made personal to friends because I am not a phone conversationalist. These little acts closed a window of gloom and opened up a window of hope. The quote: “Stop and smell the roses” went through my mind and at that moment I decided, I was going to think and act rationally and be grateful for all the good in my life. Period

These are scary times. What I did for starters

My next big decision was to stay home because my husband was compromised and I had been exposed. We have been in the house for six days with the exception of going to the market (one time.)

I read up on what to eat, how to stock our home with necessities for two weeks, we ordered and found out where our medications are made (my husband’s medications arrive from India), necessary cleaning supplies to have on hand, medical supplies, books to read and I emailed friends for suggested movies to watch on Netflix and Amazon Prime.

I know we are all in uncharted territory and it is scary.

How I am smelling the roses

My Ultimate Concierge and I have each other and America, my family is safe, my ability to communicate is full steam ahead and… I continue to educate myself and stay in touch with family and friends. I have done everything in my power thus far and it gives me relief. Staying connected is very important for every human being; sharing is caring so I am sharing my decisions with you.

Sharing my decisions with you

1. CALM:

   This is the routine in our home. I know stress lowers our immune systems. Therefore, we turn on the news for an early am update report. Otherwise, we listen to music or watch movies or read, etc. Nature is very calming so we take walks with America or together. Exercise is a great stress reliever. And, I have read over and over that happy people are grateful, so do count your blessings.

2. FOODS:

   Obviously we have to resort to shelf foods. So darlings, lots of water, beans (I love bean soup!), pasta, sauces, cereal, canned soup, tuna, sardines, canned vegetables (I don’t like but…) Matzah, nuts, and don’t forget pooch food! Stock your freezer to your liking. You can freeze cheese and many other foods. Just google.

3. MEDICINES:

   Call the pharmacist to find out where your meds come from. Stock up on a 90 day supply. Also, a thermometer, cold and flu medications, alcohol, Band-Aids, peroxide, etc.

4. EXERCISE: 

   If you have a membership at a gym and prefer to stay away, order a bike or treadmill. It is a great investment for your health now and in the future. Invest your money in your health. We have no idea of how long we are going to be asked to stay out of crowds. Without our health, we are lost souls.

5. CLEANING SUPPLIES:

   White distilled vinegar, laundry detergent, dish and hand soap, and all paper products. It is difficult to find hand sanitizer toilettes so wash your hands often.

Entertainment

1. BOOKS:

   If you have a library card you can install Overdrive’s Libby app or Bibliotheca Cloud Library app on your phone or tablet. Enter your library card number and voila, you can check out books with a few clicks. How wonderful is that!

2. MOVIES & DOCUMENTARIES:

   Here is my personal list of movies & documentaries that my Ultimate Concierge and I recommend.

   • Outlander is a must-see. Netflix. The 5 seasons will keep you glued for hours!,
   • Hunters with Al Pacino. Amazon Prime. Fascinating.
   • Anne with an E has a 97% rating. Netflix. Three seasons. Don’t miss. Men love it too.
   • The Two Popes is on Netflix. It was up for an Academy Award. My ultimate concierge and I rank it as a don’t miss.
   • Parasite: Netflix. It won best picture of the year, best screenwriting and best director. I was mesmerized.
   • Judy: Netflix with Academy Award winner Renee Zellweger. Her acting was exceptional.
   • Ford and Ferrari: Netflix. I loved it and every man adored it.
   • Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and The Joker: I recommend them. My Ultimate Concierge did not care for either of them. I give them both a 10
   • Iris Apel: Netflix. I watched her documentary twice!
   • Finding Vivian Maier: Netflix. The documentary is the story of an amateur photographer who was a nanny and lived an obscure life only to become world-famous after her death. After watching this documentary I bought one of her photographs that hangs in my den in Chicago. Please watch and educate yourselves. You will not be sorry.

AND MY DARLINGS FOR A GOOD LAUGH, BEFORE YOU TURN OFF THE LIGHTS, WATCH THE RERUNS OF SEINFELD!

Time alone is healthy

Time alone is a good time for reflections. We live in an age of such speed it is oftentimes hard to think. I like to tread slowly so the fast pace is very difficult for me. And I like to luxuriate in stillness. I write about this often.

I recommend you “just be”. Sit still. Think about the you in you. Go nowhere but into your private world and examine your thoughts, your dreams, your challenges, and your hopes.

Be in the now. This is your life, and you and only you have power over it. You have choices. This is a good time to reexamine yours.

There is a reason for everything

Remember, there is a reason for everything. I am wondering what the Coronavirus is going to teach us. What are the reasons it is attacking the world?

At this time I know this: I have made wise choices for my Ultimate Concierge and me. There is nothing more at this time that I can do except share my thoughts with my family and you. I am smiling.

Susan “Honey” Good is the founder of HoneyGood.com where this blog originally appeared. The site is a collection of lessons learned, life advice and insights from not only her, but from a fantastic group of contributing writers, each adding their own spice to the recipe. Honey Good.com representing “a family tree of women” — wives, mothers, daughters, granddaughters, mothers-in-law, daughters-in-law, sisters, aunts, cousins and girlfriends — coming together to talk about what makes them tick as well as what they have in common. Honey Good discusses life experiences with wisdom, humor and intellect, enabling all to attain a “Honey Good Style of Life.”