A Harrowing Personal Experience in the Midst of the COVID 19 Pandemic
It might be safe to say that most of us were caught by surprise from this gruesome pandemic. November 2019 was the known factual outbreak that originated in Wuhan, China before it spreads throughout the world. Before we felt its onslaught in the first quarter of this year, everything seemed normal. When the first casualty claimed the life of one from Washington DC who reportedly had an underlying chonic health issue in February 29, 2020, many were alerted but casually took it as an isolated case.
New York, the Epicenter of COVID 19 in USA...
Shortly afterwards when many reported cases rose and casualties soared locally on the succeeding month as compounded by world news from other parts of the globe, the World Health Organization ultimately declared it as a pandemic. Unfortunately, New York is hit the hardest in all of USA.
Exploring Some Exciting Parts of the Middle East...
Going back in the month of January when everything was freewheeling, me and my better-half took a two-week tour to the beautiful United Arab Emirates... Courtesy of our beloved daughter who works as an RN in Abu Dhabi. It coincided with her mandatory annual vacation-leave so timed just to chaperone us around this fascinating country.
It was a very enjoyable experience we had in a place with different and distinct culture and heritage. By then everything ran normal and interesting. Nothing was heard about the dreadful disease up until we were back home here in NY.
Fast Forward: Enter the Debacle...
In the early part of the month of March, we found ourselves in a cranky and precarious situation. Our landlord was so intent to evict us from his apartment by giving us until the month ends. His reason was due to his alleged old plans to renovate the place in the absence of due notice. We could not find any good reason why in less than a month notice we have to vacate the place where we resided for almost a year with no fault whatsoever on our part and that includes our timely payment of monthly rentals. Although I must admit that our case was quite different since we're secondary tenants in a 4-room shared apartment, I believe we cannot simply be evicted until a place to move into is available for us. The primary tenant may have been advised long before March came but failed to notify us on time.
During the middle of March we noticed that all of our room-neighbors were packing their stuffs and getting ready to leave us behind with assured respective places to transfer to. Perhaps out of pity our primary tenant volunteered to help us find another place. It was so difficult on our part to look for an apartment room in NY that is modestly okey and at the same time affordable at a very short period of time. What is so disheartening and dangerous was that this is happening to us at the height of the COVID 19 pandemic where many are so scared to get even a bit closer to one another moreso to a stranger and the place where we're roaming around is its epicenter. Left with no choice we did really tried our best to look for one otherwise it would be much riskier to find ourselves sleeping along the cold sidestreets. Thank God, it took us a week to finally find one.
At the height of this crisis in the duration of our ordeals, almost every store and other establishments were locked down except for a few essential outlets that were allowed to operate daily but for a limited time schedules under a state government guidelines and are still enforced as of this date of writing. I bet this situation may also be true all throughout many other countries outside of the United States. Long queues are often the usual sights here with social distancing of 6 feet.
Out of the Blue, a Good Samaritan...
A couple of days before March ended while we're in the process of carting back and forth some of our personal belongings to our new place, the unexpected event happened. We were dumbfounded to see our former landlord suddenly popped up and helped us in transporting most of our heavy stuffs. Such gesture of good deeds along with primary tenant who earlier alloted her precious time in assisting us to locate a better place to move into mitigated most of our frustrations. We could not thank them enough for what they did for us.
Not Good to Get Complacent...
Living within an area like this is hard to take for granted. But by necessity, when food and other basic needs are almost exhausted you have to get exposed. As long as we observe directives like; wearing mask and gloves, washing hands once in a while, and all other precautionary measures recommended by government leaders and health authorities are very reasonable to take for our own good and for others safety.
Winning this war right now against a deadly but invisible enemy is a big question mark despite all of the progress we have on some experimental medicines and modern equipments. Yet keeping the numbers of casualties and those who have been found to be infected are slowing down in most parts of the country is a good sign of progress. This may later end up much lesser in fatalities as a result compared to previous ones like that of the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic which claimed more than 50 million lives worldwide. Hoping and praying that history will not repeat itself.
Kudos to all our hard working government leaders, medical people, law enforcement, soldiers and volunteers who are on the frontlines risking their very lives to save others. They are our modern heroes and heroines.
Finally..
One way for me and my wife to keep ourselves somewhat resistant against any virus, bacteria, pathogens and diseases is to keep healthy and fit as much as possible by some diet and lifestyle changes most especially at this uncertain time. Owning a pair of dumb bells and a stationary bike are simple but important tools for us to exercise at home even without the gym, getting some minutes under the sun, if there is, taking some good supplements with strong antioxidant in them and etc. are enough for us to be fit and healthy most of the time. And that is apart from all the necessary precautions everyone of us must observe and follow.
For everyone: Please Keep HEALTHY and SAFE!
Jimmy58
Recent Comments
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Honored to have the very first spot to comment on this post. I suppose years after the year 2020, we will still be remembering how Covid19 has affected us.
I send my condolences to the families who lost family members to the virus. I congratulate everyone who is fighting a good fight and preparing to yell a triumphant shout of victory when we finally emerge victorious at the other end. And it will be soon...we continue to pray.
Great post Jimmy. Be safe everyone. Be well.
Joe
Thanks a lot Joe for being the first to comment on my 1st Blog.
Likewise thankful for having the same sentiment.
God bless,
Jimmy
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It is not right what the Landlord did to you when it is in the middle of a disaster.
There must be some legal protection during disasters of any sort for tenants not to be given an eviction order.
Anyway, stay happy, healthy and safe now until we see an end to the horrid virus.
Thanks for stopping by and for your invaluable comment, Merlev.
Keep safe and healthy...
And God bless!