The Results Are In – Envelope Please

So, yay! I got my results back and I am NEGATIVE for Covid-19. Even though the results came back quickly, it was a LONG wait! I kept playing different scenarios in my mind. I still cannot breathe so easily so I am off to see my doctor to see what else may be going on. I do usually have trouble breathing this time of year but now this seems a bit off, a bit more complicated. So, I will go and check it out...maybe I just need a different type of inhaler. Anyway, that is another reason for getting a test. We have to rule out Covid-19 before trying to diagnosis anything else.

It is really a HUGE relief! I mean it would be nice if I could actually breathe more easily, but to know I am Covid negative and not potentially spreading a deadly virus around is good to know. I was getting very anxious trying to figure out how I would handle quarantine with my dog and no food in the house.

So, this morning I went out for a run (slog, jog/walk) with my best running buddy, my dog Quin. There are some really great trails near where I live, and I can let him off his lead and he can just do his own thing. There are very few people out there and he does not bother most people when we do cross paths anyway. He is more interested in the plants, trees, and bushes along the way. I am still moving terribly slow, and I do A LOT of stops and starts, but he doesn’t mind. We take a slightly different way almost every day, which means he needs to take a pee, every 10 feet or so to mark his territory, find his way home in case he gets lost. We are up to about 4k, he is showing side-effects of our fitness reboot as well. He is also getting old. He is 8 and a large mixed-breed dog. He does love it, and he comes home and sleeps all day. He pretty much did that before, but now he just does it better.

I have been trying to force myself out there to run*. Before the lockdowns, I was swimming almost every day. It is easy for me to get up and swim, I love swimming. To go out and run…not so easy. I am getting to enjoy being outdoors, seeing the sunrise over the Judean Hills has just been spectacular. The fresh air is nice, except when we go past some plants that set off my allergies and asthma. I am wondering if Quin pees on enough of the stuff, will it die down a bit?

A Slow Return to Normalcy

Here in Israel, we are going to have a staggered return to normalcy. Each progressive step, a different segment of the world will open up a bit more. Each progressive step will also be dependent on how many positive Covid results there are and how many people are in serious condition. The bad news is pools and gyms are not currently scheduled to open until December. December??

The good news is beaches, and the sea may open as early as later this week! This is extremely exciting! I love swimming in the sea! It’s a schlep to get there, but well worth it! I am hopeful that this will happen soon!

Swimming and My Mental Health

Swimming provides me with amazing health and psychological benefits, and I am not the only one! See Go For a Swim for These 6 Mental Health Benefits Swimming helps me clear my mind, release stress, and it’s really great exercise.

The thing is most studies indicate that we are in it for the long haul with Covid. We will see spikes again as cold weather approaches and people are inside more and the air becomes drier. We will have periods of lockdowns and then attempts and returns to normalcy. See How the Pandemic Might Play Out in 2021 and Beyond This is our new reality. So, although I agree wholeheartedly with the lockdown protocols, I will definitely jump at the chance to take advantage of resources made available to me when things open up again, mostly because I realize they may not be open for long.

We are lucky that here in Israel, we have had abnormally hot weather, and so the sea is still warm enough to swim in. I do have a wet suit (I look like a ginormous sausage) and will use it if the -pools have not yet opened and the sea gets colder.

So for me, I will take advantage of every opportunity I have to be outside, exercising, swimming in a pool or the sea, running, and even biking. These are good things, being outside, exercising is important self-care.

And when we must again, I will abide by the rules and protocols and do my part to slow the spread of this terrible pandemic and live my life the best way I can.