About eight months ago someone called from the dermatologists office to set up a follow-up appointment. You might recall at the other appointment I had, I asked him where he lived and he said, “New York City.”
The office had called during the height of COVID-19 to set up the appointment. Since he was from the coronavirus hotspot, I decided not to set up an appointment and wait until the next. The receptionist said that was fine, that most people were canceling now.
Isaiah 26:20 Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while [14-days] until the fury has passed by.
In the meantime I kept sewing masks to donate to the local hospitals, friends and agencies that requested them.
Probably four months later the receptionist called again to set up another appointment. She gave me a couple of date options and I picked one. She said, “That’s his first day back.”
I questioned, “his first day back? AFTER he’s self-quarantined for 14-days?”
She hemmed and hawed, and stuttered, “oh yes, he’s all quarantined.”
I didn’t believe a word of what she said.
Proverbs 12:22 The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.
I kept sewing. I took a break from the masks and used the mask scraps to make a mask scrap quilt and a few other quilts. Maybe quite a few.
Next I made a mask wall hanging and a mask table runner from the selvages from the mask fabrics I’d used.
As it neared time for the appointment, I debated whether to cancel or not. I decided to keep the appointment even though I was pretty sure that Doc Dermy would not have quarantined himself for 14-days. I planned to ask him.
Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
With all the 700+/- masks I made and gave away, I rarely wore one. I was pretty sure I could stay at least 6’ away from anyone in a store. Interestingly enough, even though I wasn’t paranoid about giving or getting coronavirus, I was concerned about Doc Dermy coming from such a hotspot for COVID-19 and not self-quarantining.
The day of the appointment, I dutifully put on my mask and went into the office. The receptionist asked me to take some hand sanitizer and she took my temperature. Then she handed me a hospital mask to put on. First I wondered what was wrong with my beautifully stitched sewing themed mask, but my biggest concern was whether or not I should put on a hospital mask that the receptionist just had her grubby hands on!!!??!! Where have her hands been?, on the phone?, touching the computer keys?, through her hair?, touching the money I just saw her get?, hugging Doc Dermy on his first day back from the germ fest capital of the world?, pushing the door where she came into work that thirty other staff also touched?, did she host a riot during Thanksgiving with super spreaders in attendance?, and what about all the germs on the counter from all the earlier patients?, I didn’t see her wipe it down with bleach?. The list was a mile long. I can’t get over how smart this coronavirus is that it knows not to jump from her ungloved hand to the mask to me.
As I was chitchatting with Doc Dermy, I asked him, “how did you manage to quarantine 14-days all in one-day?” He explained he did the nasal test and all was negative. I said, “but you still came from the biggest germ fest in the world.”
He assured me he didn’t have any coronaviruses on his sleeves. I’m still not so sure; I’m pretty sure I saw a million C-19’s hanging off him like Christmas tree bulbs.
Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them [coronavirus germs], for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
And that’s how easy it was for the devil to get into my mind. Just one, tiny, minuscule, little thought about Doc Dermy having COVID-19 because he didn’t quarantine for 14-days. The devil took my mind down a rabbit hole. And that, coupled with media hype and internet fear mongering, I was almost as paranoid as everyone else that believes it.
I asked about one particular spot and he said, “that’s nothing but old age.” I almost cried as I looked around the room for someone old and realized he meant me. He checked out all the rest of the aging brown spots and sent me on my way.
COVID-19 updates. *Note: if contact tracing is needed for me, start with Doc Dermy and his office staff.
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