HAPPY NEW YEAR folks! I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season.
I know our regulars were
expecting to see a new challenge posted today. Unfortunately,
I have been dealing with some tough issues in real life. I briefly touched on this during some of the posts published in December. I have also posted an update on my personal blog as well.
Both my
parents were hospitalized after being diagnosed with Covid during the first week of December. My father was released too soon and ended back in the hospital three days later; only this time, in a much worse state. He was diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia and was considered critical when he returned to the hospital. He was pumped full of antibiotics and was on 80% oxygen at the start, slowly weaned down over a two week period. My mom was released after a week in the hospital and thankfully had people coming into the apartment to check on her during her first two weeks. Dad
remained on oxygen until
they released him on Dec. 19th. Both are extremely weak,
exhausted and dealing with the lingering effects of covid (and for my
dad, the after effects of having a bad pneumonia as well). Thankfully,
for now they continue to have a personal support worker or someone from
the Covid
Team, checking on them daily throughout the weekdays but it is
definitely a challenge for the two of them to look after themselves
properly when they are so weak. It has become difficult for them to take
care of themselves during normal times, never mind right now. They have
been told that it will take
MONTHS before they are back to their normal selves.
Worrying about my parents and having to check in on them
with daily calls to both the apartment and the hospital depending on where each of them was at the time, left me with time
for little else during the first few weeks of December. My stress levels and inability to concentrate greatly affected the quality of my work. Given that at the same time, I was supposed to be getting the team ready for our January challenge, it became necessary to take a little
break from taking care of the challenge blogs that I am responsible for in order to maintain my own sanity.
I'm hoping that things will calm down soon and I can come back renewed for our February challenge. If it turns out I need some extra time, I'll be sure to provide an update at that time. I will do my best to publish the winner announcement for our October challenge (no winners for our November one as it was just for fun), sometime over the next couple of weeks.
I hope that we can count on your support and that you'll all come back and join us when we start
up again soon! Until that time, wishing you a happy and healthy start to 2022!
Lisa, life has been busy at my home the last month... but it's nothing like what you've been experiencing. I am so sorry to hear about your parents struggle with COVID and slow recovery time. How awful for all of you!! Am glad you are taking some time off to do some healing yourself. Mental stress over a loved one's health is so very hard to endure! So take whatever time you need and know that you have many friends across the globe sending up prayers and warm wishes for health and healing! Prayers from Wisconsin USA (Kathy at myasperations)
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