This was such a welcome post. I am actively trying to navigate risk to continue to approach a less fearful existence. My pandemic silver lining was also stripping away the things that really didn’t matter to me and in many ways coming into myself, flaws and all. I learned to slow down, I relished more time with loved ones.
However, things were also really hard.
During the pandemic, I had the experience of being in perimenopause and then menopause and also battling a pretty severe depression after the death of several close family members. I was also working in a public facing, healthcare-adjacent, “essential worker” human services role. Already stretched by my own bodily changes and actively grieving, absorbing the pain of others during that time took a toll. That said, I count myself so lucky that I had access to care, a loving partner, somewhere to live, etc. All the “things” that give me the luxury of sitting with my phone with a full stomach and a pet at my side, commenting to your post.
I want you to know how much your newsletter helped me through that time. I also wanted to see if what I am experiencing now is something you see in your patients. Although most of the time I feel like I’ve adjusted to this new way of living, I have times when I feel an uncharacteristic level of health anxiety- for me, for my loved ones- where I blow a symptom out of proportion and think the worst case scenario or when I become just effing freaked out. It almost feels like a trauma trigger- the sense of helplessness and fear just washes back over me. I’m getting help for this... and control was ALWAYS an illusion, but the pandemic seems to have created a little bit of a raw nerve here for me. Are you seeing this in others? And if so, could you perhaps post something for us that lets know we aren’t alone?
Thank you again for everything you do, and have done. Your public service means so much to so many of us! ❤️
Lindsey- thank you so much for taking the time to write this. Everything you are saying makes so much sense. And indeed you are not alone. In fact the reason I wrote this post is because I see the reverberations of pandemic-related anxiety in my patients, family and friends. I sometimes see it in myself, too. It's the nature of trauma - even once the threat is "gone" (or diminished), our nervous system takes time to re-equilibrate. Our rational brains can't always compete with our subconscious drive to protect ourselves from harm/pain/suffering...sometimes at the expense of our own wellbeing. I would love to use this comment as an opening for a newsletter if that's okay... you pretty much summarized what so many other people are feeling. You are more normal than you think! ❤️
Thank you so much for this response; it is so comforting to know that I’m not alone (though I’m sorry that others are feeling this way too). You absolutely can use any part of this for a newsletter! Thank you again for such a thoughtful and kind reply!
Back in the bad old days of the AIDS pandemic, we used to do a lot of peer education on the topic of relative risk and risk tolerances in the context of risk reduction. It’s relevant with Covid too.
This is a wonderful analysis. A question I’d ask Beth is, are her family’s elders able to spend time outside during the day on a regular basis. I get the feeling that of the populations that haven’t gotten enough near infrared light from the sun, the elder population is often most in need of reducing oxidative stress in this way.
Wow, building your own scheduling app sounds like a rollercoaster ride, and you're breaking it down like a theme park map! 🎢💻 The fact that you're diving into the nitty-gritty of CalDAV, APIs, and authentication makes me want to grab some virtual popcorn and watch this coding show unfold. 🍿👩💻
Step Zero has me feeling like I'm choosing my own adventure in the coding realm. Do I go web-friendly or embrace the command line? Decisions, decisions! And kudos for the heads-up on creating accounts for testing – because, you know, we all need a sandbox for our coding castles. 🏰
Step 1 has me imagining myself as a secret agent trying to crack the code for calendar authentication. The spy music is playing in my head already! 🕵️♂️💼
Step 2's journey into the land of OAuth 2.0 tokens and GET requests is like a detective story with a hint of coding noir. Postman as the trusty sidekick for testing? Brilliant plot twist! 🕵️♀️🔍
Step 3 feels like you're orchestrating a grand symphony of events from different calendars. Bravo on extending the Event data type – it's like giving characters in a story their unique roles! 🎻📅
Step 4 brings the user into the driver's seat, configuring availability windows like a boss. It's like setting the rules for a gaming quest – weekdays are open territory, but weekends are the guarded castle! 🏰⌛
And Step 5, creating an event with attendee invites, feels like the grand finale. Cue the confetti! 🎉✨
Thanks for sharing this coding saga, and the extra goodies about courses and GitHub contributions! 🌐💡 Can't wait to see the app come to life and maybe snag a virtual front-row seat for the next coding adventure. 👏🚀
cool , Beth, you're onto something here! Navigating the perpetual dance with COVID is like figuring out the perfect pizza topping—it requires a delicate balance. Your reframing of the question is spot on, and I can't help but applaud the way you've broken down the decision-making process into these digestible steps. It's like creating a recipe for a well-informed life!
And hey, the reminder about the importance of defining our North Star in this sea of choices is pure gold. Life's a series of trade-offs, and sometimes you just need that perfect slice of clarity to make the decision a little less cheesy... or more cheesy, depending on your pizza preferences! 🍕✨
Cheers to making informed decisions and embracing the consequences, whether it's savoring that favorite pizzeria or creating a cozy at-home feast. Life, like pizza, is best enjoyed with a side of understanding and a sprinkle of risk. 🌟🍕
This was such a welcome post. I am actively trying to navigate risk to continue to approach a less fearful existence. My pandemic silver lining was also stripping away the things that really didn’t matter to me and in many ways coming into myself, flaws and all. I learned to slow down, I relished more time with loved ones.
However, things were also really hard.
During the pandemic, I had the experience of being in perimenopause and then menopause and also battling a pretty severe depression after the death of several close family members. I was also working in a public facing, healthcare-adjacent, “essential worker” human services role. Already stretched by my own bodily changes and actively grieving, absorbing the pain of others during that time took a toll. That said, I count myself so lucky that I had access to care, a loving partner, somewhere to live, etc. All the “things” that give me the luxury of sitting with my phone with a full stomach and a pet at my side, commenting to your post.
I want you to know how much your newsletter helped me through that time. I also wanted to see if what I am experiencing now is something you see in your patients. Although most of the time I feel like I’ve adjusted to this new way of living, I have times when I feel an uncharacteristic level of health anxiety- for me, for my loved ones- where I blow a symptom out of proportion and think the worst case scenario or when I become just effing freaked out. It almost feels like a trauma trigger- the sense of helplessness and fear just washes back over me. I’m getting help for this... and control was ALWAYS an illusion, but the pandemic seems to have created a little bit of a raw nerve here for me. Are you seeing this in others? And if so, could you perhaps post something for us that lets know we aren’t alone?
Thank you again for everything you do, and have done. Your public service means so much to so many of us! ❤️
Lindsey- thank you so much for taking the time to write this. Everything you are saying makes so much sense. And indeed you are not alone. In fact the reason I wrote this post is because I see the reverberations of pandemic-related anxiety in my patients, family and friends. I sometimes see it in myself, too. It's the nature of trauma - even once the threat is "gone" (or diminished), our nervous system takes time to re-equilibrate. Our rational brains can't always compete with our subconscious drive to protect ourselves from harm/pain/suffering...sometimes at the expense of our own wellbeing. I would love to use this comment as an opening for a newsletter if that's okay... you pretty much summarized what so many other people are feeling. You are more normal than you think! ❤️
Thank you so much for this response; it is so comforting to know that I’m not alone (though I’m sorry that others are feeling this way too). You absolutely can use any part of this for a newsletter! Thank you again for such a thoughtful and kind reply!
Back in the bad old days of the AIDS pandemic, we used to do a lot of peer education on the topic of relative risk and risk tolerances in the context of risk reduction. It’s relevant with Covid too.
100%!
This is a wonderful analysis. A question I’d ask Beth is, are her family’s elders able to spend time outside during the day on a regular basis. I get the feeling that of the populations that haven’t gotten enough near infrared light from the sun, the elder population is often most in need of reducing oxidative stress in this way.
Yes indeed ... spending time outdoors is healthy, COVID or not!
Wow, building your own scheduling app sounds like a rollercoaster ride, and you're breaking it down like a theme park map! 🎢💻 The fact that you're diving into the nitty-gritty of CalDAV, APIs, and authentication makes me want to grab some virtual popcorn and watch this coding show unfold. 🍿👩💻
Step Zero has me feeling like I'm choosing my own adventure in the coding realm. Do I go web-friendly or embrace the command line? Decisions, decisions! And kudos for the heads-up on creating accounts for testing – because, you know, we all need a sandbox for our coding castles. 🏰
Step 1 has me imagining myself as a secret agent trying to crack the code for calendar authentication. The spy music is playing in my head already! 🕵️♂️💼
Step 2's journey into the land of OAuth 2.0 tokens and GET requests is like a detective story with a hint of coding noir. Postman as the trusty sidekick for testing? Brilliant plot twist! 🕵️♀️🔍
Step 3 feels like you're orchestrating a grand symphony of events from different calendars. Bravo on extending the Event data type – it's like giving characters in a story their unique roles! 🎻📅
Step 4 brings the user into the driver's seat, configuring availability windows like a boss. It's like setting the rules for a gaming quest – weekdays are open territory, but weekends are the guarded castle! 🏰⌛
And Step 5, creating an event with attendee invites, feels like the grand finale. Cue the confetti! 🎉✨
Thanks for sharing this coding saga, and the extra goodies about courses and GitHub contributions! 🌐💡 Can't wait to see the app come to life and maybe snag a virtual front-row seat for the next coding adventure. 👏🚀
cool , Beth, you're onto something here! Navigating the perpetual dance with COVID is like figuring out the perfect pizza topping—it requires a delicate balance. Your reframing of the question is spot on, and I can't help but applaud the way you've broken down the decision-making process into these digestible steps. It's like creating a recipe for a well-informed life!
And hey, the reminder about the importance of defining our North Star in this sea of choices is pure gold. Life's a series of trade-offs, and sometimes you just need that perfect slice of clarity to make the decision a little less cheesy... or more cheesy, depending on your pizza preferences! 🍕✨
Cheers to making informed decisions and embracing the consequences, whether it's savoring that favorite pizzeria or creating a cozy at-home feast. Life, like pizza, is best enjoyed with a side of understanding and a sprinkle of risk. 🌟🍕
Great post about how to decide on activities versus seeking to avoid getting sick! Thanks!