April, 2021
Attempting to live with a deadly illness during a deadly pandemic brings a unique set of inconveniences. Although sheltering in place is not impossible for the homebound like me, there are other impacts that have increased the suck.
A major Impact was losing my caregiver. A few months ago my long time caregiver was forced to depart to care for his disabled son because the family caregiver was lost to COVID. Disruption and endless training followed as the agency scrambled through a shrinking supply of caregivers talented enough to hold a pee bottle. We finally landed a candidate and training continues.
Then there’s the severe case of vaccine envy, aka FOMO Moderna, which was mercifully rectified recently. For obvious reasons, an in-house shot is preferred so we called the County of No Supply and put our name on the list. Come to find the allocation for the program is abysmally low and so we set our expectations for an appointment in November. Of course we are contacted late on Sunday afternoon during a Zoom call so the appointment inquiry is missed. The return number has neither an answer nor voice mail. Finally reach someone from the County of No Supply who tells St. Laurel that calling back is futile and that we should just wait for another appointment call, number unknown. We recalibrate our expectations for December.
Thanks to St. Laurel’s diligence, she notices that the County of No Supply has become the County of Mega Supply and blocks of appointments are available. She signs me up for Friday and receives a confirmation for Thursday. We show up and I reflect that I have not been out of the house since January. The County of Mega Supply has done an amazing job in getting shots in arms and even has tour guides for those of us on wheels. One Pfizer down and one to go.
The next morning St. Laurel is called by the County of Mega Supply that an in home shot is available Monday. She bargains for a second shot in home and are told no guarantee that they will have Pfizer.
One of the first world impacts I’ve experienced is being unable to see all the cool streaming stuff that is available because I can’t work a remote or anything else for that matter. I could ask St. Laurel but she has to work so she can support me in the manner to which I have become accustomed.
Now that I’m in the one more shot purgatory I am just that much closer to a life free of COVID fear. Believe me I look forward to the day when I have only one fatal disease to worry about. Now if we could just convince everyone to get vaccinated we would all be one happy herd.
Embrace The Suck 
So sorry to hear that you lost your wonderful caregiver. I hope your new one can be trained to be as capable. Got my second Moderna shot yesterday, and only suffered mild flu-like symptoms last night and much less today. Hope you are at least as lucky with your second Pfizer shot! How about St. Laurel — hope she is getting vaccinated too! Love, Nancy
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Yikes!!! Just adding insult to misery. Hugs and love sent your way from Minnesota. Chris and I were fortunate enough to piggy back on my mom’s facility (which I work for part-time). We are both fully Moderna vaccinated, and hope to see you in the next few months. Next week, we’ll be heading to Virginia to see the new (not so new now) grandchild Carter.
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I’m glad you were able to get the first shot. It seems so outrageous that you and St. Laurel had to go through all this frustration, and I hope they redeem themselves a bit when it’s time for the second one. Once again, you amaze me with your equanimity in the face of such ineptitude. I was going to say you could write a book about it, but you already are. So, more thanks!
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I’ll pray you get out of second shot purgatory in 4 weeks! There is excess
Vaccine since the Republicans and Anti
Vaccination folks are not daunted by the prospect of a fatal disease. So I’m
💯 percent certain you’ll get Pfizer Just
Surprised it took this long as you
Should have been prioritized. I wish I could have your humor -was laughing
At pee bottle holders. I bet you miss
The man I met as he was a superior
Human being which meant terrific
Care giver and very spiritual so I hope
He stays able to care for his son.
Laurel sent picture of you wearing the shirt-so glad it fits!!! 😘Marie
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Bob continues to make me laugh. His wit and wisdom are as sharp as ever! I admire and respect him and Laurel both in new ways through this blog. I didn’t know it was feasible to LOVE, admire and respect them more than I already did prior to ALS. What an inspiration they are to so many of us. I read this blog with gratitude and HOPE.
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Dearest Waldo,
Your attitude and sense of humor goes above and beyond the human condition of even the greatest men of our times. You set a very high bar for us all who are streaming the last few episodes of our mysterious lives while wondering with hope upon hope if Netflix will pick us up for another year. Optimistically I believe I found the storyline of my new season. I’ve become a founding member of a vertically integrated hemp farm, applying technology to create the Farm of the Future. Taking a chapter from E. Musk we are building a farm that drives itself. We grow for CBD and other cannabinoids in a state the still thinks THC cannabis is the devils lettuce. I’m working my ass off because I chose to live a life of Riley in my 40’s and 50’s, knowing that there was a real possibility that I would have to put my nose to the proverbial grindstone atleast one more time. So here I am, mixing it up with young whipper snappers and showing I can not only keep up, but reach for the stars with my ladder of experience and heart. Enough about me and back to you…Have YOU seem my latest movie? Yuk. Yuk.
Words can’t express my respect and love for you, not only for what you are enduring today with such grace, but who you have always been to me, a compassionate, intelligent, and very funny & musical stabilizing force. Laurell and Katie must be so very proud of you. I know I am. Oh, and now back to me…
Angela and I are doing well and bells are in our future. We want to be able to take care of each other, as we have seen the story line of so many take a tragic twist without much warning.
Please let me know when you feel ready to embrace my covid-vaccine-riddled body. I’m ready to embrace yours now.
So long for now my good friend.
With all my heart,
Bove
Scott Bovenizer
408-348-8292
Scott Bovenizer 408-348-8292
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Hi Bob, yes, you are surely living through even crazier times than any of us. Thanks for sharing how you do it with Saint Laurel’s help and those of others on whom you depend. We are leaving for the month of May to Castle Valley, Utah, but will have good interned connections when we are not lost in sandstone canyons. Will be thinking of you. Dick and Nancy
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My cousin, who is a nurse, won’t let her family get the vaccine until more studies are done. Same with my dental assistant. My neighbor says he doesn’t want anything messing with his DNA. Strange world.
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Hi Bob, You always make me chuckle with your stories and always are able to look at things with a sense of humor. I loved your ski video – watching you and your pals having such fun on your guys’ weekend. My older brother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s a few years back. He also has a saint caring for him and because of Covid, they’ve also had trouble getting help. She’s 83 and legally blind. But like your sweet, strong Saint Laurel, she’s a force of nature. thank goodness you have her! Hugs to both of you! Jaco
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