Coping During the Pandemic of 2020 in New York City
By Hildegarde Payne, RN, MA, CDCES, FADCES
Diabetes Care and Education Specialist
ADCES NYS CB Board Member
The Pandemic of the Century, it seems like a bad movie or a nightmare. I prayed for the day when the “stay at home” or quarantine order will be completely lifted. I was inundated with negative news, the high unemployment rate, and the economy, the state of the union, protest and political unrest.
I will remember, my life before the COVID-19 Pandemic and mourn lifestyle, freedoms, leisure activities, and interactions with friends, colleagues and family. I did the best I could to stay healthy and use the resources that I had to make life livable in the “new normal”. They were competing information and difficulty managing the unknown and planning for the future. Short term goal was to stay alive and virus free as well manage the daily stressors. I use daily prayer, healthy eating, taking medications, and monitoring, keeping active, problem solving and reducing risk. How blessed I felt as a diabetes care and education specialist that I have strategies in my tool box that worked not only for my patients but can be applied to my own self-care.
The long term goal was to endure the changes that were out of my control and hope for a future with less restrictions on daily living. What help me most was a daily gratitude journal? Sound familiar?
The medical community seems to know more now about the virus then six months ago. I am interested in novel treatment guidelines and a safe vaccine when it becomes available.
How are you doing in your local region or state?