Good Morning, Vietnam!

Well, Good Morning, Vietnam! (Say it in Robin Williams’ voice)

Here’s a short radio transmission from a besieged by the virus New York. I don’t need to bring you up to speed what’s happening around the country and in NYC in particular. It feels like a war zone sometimes with empty streets, barricaded expensive storefronts and life spent behind the closed doors. The police and ambulance sirens that are an essential part of the city on a regular day pierce the streets silence every few minutes day and night right now. And, the news of more and more people you know mourning the death of someone in their close circle is as grim as it can get.
So, let’s just say the mood’s been “complicated” with some fears and anxieties running amok, or certain tiredness and complacency setting in in between, or tiny bits of hope floating around that somehow we’ll survive both physically and mentally and re-emerg with a stronger self. In some ways, New York right now resembles the city we had right after 9/11: people were spending a lot of time at home with their loved ones and cultivating a sense of community and all-encompassing spirit. However, there’s a huge difference between what was happening then and now – the physical separation of people. Our modern technology does help with staying in touch while being apart dilemma, but there’s not much you can accomplish via Zoom and FaceTime in terms of an actual human touch and connection.

I’ve been mostly staying inside for the past six weeks since we went into this isolation mode, venturing out for occasional walks or a quick grocery or pharmacy run. With both asthma and an autoimmune disorder, I fall into a high risk category so I’m being as careful as I can trying to protect myself. I do get overcome with worry at times of course, and it’s been difficult to manage some of my chronic health needs when most doctors are not fully operating either, so I try to rely on faith and my own spirit that, even though I’ve already been through so much in my life, I can somehow withstand this difficulty too.

We’re lucky that everyone in my family and close friends circle remains healthy and safe so far, however, we pray that my cousin who’s a medical chief of pulmonary and critical care at his hospital is protected and safe too as he’s operating on the actual frontline managing the sickest patients. His young children are currently staying with my aunt and uncle so he doesn’t inadvertently infect them, and he comes to see them once a week looking at them through a closed glass door (a devastating picture for all of them but a necessary measure for the time being). I know our grandfather who was a military surgeon during WWII is looking down at him with pride and joy that this frontline medical care continues in the family, and his little grandson grew up to be an excellent doctor and a well-respected professional by both colleagues and patients. I try to offer my part in helping people during these difficult times too: I continue having remote psychotherapy sessions with my patients and volunteer my time and years of expertise at a self-organized network of mental health professionals who provide free psychological services to first responders and personnel in the medical field.

I can’t say I’ve been much in the mood for a lot of baking and cooking experiments even with plenty of time to spare, but I do try to spend some time in the kitchen, besides just making regular meals, to bring in a bit of distraction and joy to my own spirit and to indulge my family in some sweet things. I actually hope to make future posts with some of the recipes I’ve recently made as they turned out quite successful and well-received by the family. 

I’m remembering my grandma a lot these day. She died last year just a month before her 97th birthday. Grandma was a tough cookie. She survived famine in the 30s, marched through most of Europe during WWII as a nurse right alongside my grandfather, weathered though our immigration in the early 90s, helped to raise both myself and my son. Her whole world revolved around the family. Easter was her favorite holiday, and she was insistent on having the first meal of the day of just Easter bread and eggs. I hear her voice saying «внучечька» (grandbaby), and I know her spirit is with me today when I need all the protection and prayers.

I’m praying for your safety and protection too, surrounding you with my well wishes and good thoughts, and hope you do the same for me!