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Cheryl Hughes; This Is Not A Political Statement

I saw a story on the news this week that was both sad and uplifting.  A dad and his daughter contracted the Covid virus and were hospitalized at the same time.  The daughter’s daughter, the dad’s granddaughter, told the story.

The granddaughter said the doctors contacted her family to tell them that her mom was not going to survive.  Her grandfather was given the same prognosis.  The girl set up a call between her mom and her grandfather, so they could say their goodbyes.


“I’m dying, Kiddo,” the father said to his daughter.


“I am too, Dad,” the daughter said.


“Well then, I will look for you in Heaven,” her father said.


The girl being interviewed lost her grandfather shortly thereafter, and her mom, a few days later.  I felt so sad for that girl, but at the same time, I was touched by the dignity with which her mom and grandfather had faced death.


I asked myself, “Is there anything else—short of an automobile wreck or a natural disaster—that could have taken this woman and her dad at the same time?  I don’t think there is, and if the answer to that question is “no,” why are so many people in denial about the severity of this virus?


I’ve heard it said at least a thousand times, “Oh, we’ve all either had it or we’re going to get it, so what’s the point?”  I want to go on record as saying, I don’t know if I’ve had it, but I sure don’t want to get it.  I saw what my brother went through, and I don’t want to have blood clots in my lungs.


I have friends from all walks of life—liberals, moderates and conservatives.  A few say things like, “I know the virus is real, but it’s not as bad as they’re making it out to be” or “They’re inflating the numbers of Covid deaths” or “It’s mostly people with pre-existing conditions.”  One person said, “Dr. Fauci (Head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) should be tried for crimes against humanity for stirring people up for no good reason.”


If there is no good reason, why are the states running out of hospital beds?  Do states usually run out of hospital beds every year at this time?  Unless I am grossly uninformed, I don’t think they do.  Maybe, there is a conspiracy afoot involving all the hospitals in all fifty states.  Did they all get together and decide to tell the rest of us that they are running out of hospital beds, when in reality, there are plenty of beds?


What about the rest of the world?  Does the conspiracy include Europe and Asia?  The US has challenges making trade agreements with other countries; somehow, I don’t see our health care system being able to collude with the health care systems of other countries in order to delude the entire world.


 Doctors Without Borders is an organization of health care professionals who travel to countries that have dire health care needs.  They do a lot of work in third world countries, like Haiti.  It was announced this week that the organization is sending teams of doctors to the United States, because the consequences of the virus is overwhelming our own health care professionals.


I woke up this morning with these concerns on my mind.  This is not a political statement.  I am just a grandmother who wants to live to see her granddaughter grow up.  I want the same for you.

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