The One Year Anniversary of COVID-19 and Lockdowns for a Kidney Transplant Recipient
Today is March 9, 2021, almost a year from the day when news of COVID-19 went public and Lockdowns started. Over the days of March 6th, 7th, and 8th , 2020 I had attended the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament, a big state event I have gone to for over 50 years, with my daughter, son, and a couple of buddies - as we always do. Now on the one year anniversary of this event I had remarked over this past weekend how we had hung out in the concourses between sold-out hockey game periods in our group of Tournament regulars, catching up from not seeing many of us for a year, happily talking hockey, blissfully unaware of what would happen in the next week.
The Minnesota State High School Girls Basketball Tournament was held the next week. They played one day with fans, and then it was shut down. I believe the tournament was played to completion, but to empty seats. With the Hockey Tournament we had attended the last major 2020 event in the Twin Cities before COVID Lockdown. The Governor of the State of Minnesota has now relaxed some restrictions and the high school kids are playing a shortened game schedule to a few parents in the stands. But there will be no big State High School Hockey Tournament this year. Season ticket holders like myself have not been approached to purchase tickets. There will like be no State Hockey Champions crowned this year, that I am aware of.
We are all suffering to some degree from COVID Lockdown fatigue. I personally like to get out and do things. Winter in Minnesota limits options to some degree unless you are really into outdoor activities such as skiing, or ice skating, or ice fishing, which I’m really not. And Minnesota has been locked down more than many other states, while for example South Dakota next door, has not. The COVID infection rates are really no different between the two states, but I won’t get into what I believe are the political aspects of the Pandemic. I’m just looking forward to warm weather and being able to play golf again, outside, one of the few activities that were not impacted by restrictions.
Mind you, I do not want to get COVID. As a suppressed immune system kidney transplant recipient, I do not believe I would fare well with it. At the same time I need to do things. Get out for my emotional health. I discovered a race track, not 25 minutes from our house outside of the Twin Cities Metro Area which runs snowmobile races, so I went there a couple weeks ago by myself. It was so much fun! Not too cold of a Minnesota Winter afternoon in February, yet still layering clothing, and the crowd was smaller so there was ability to social distance. But it is getting into “out-state” Minnesota where masks start disappearing, as opposed to the Metro Area where they are prevalent. I believe there is some politics involved here also. I was one of the few people wearing a mask there (which, by the way, is non-negotiable for me – but I won’t argue the point if someone else chooses not to). So I tried my best to keep my distance and had a great time!
The next weekend I returned to the track with a hockey tournament (hey, that wasn’t going to happen this year) / golf buddy for another smaller snowmobile racing event. Same situation: rare sightings of masks, but ability to social distance. We had a great time!
Well, last weekend the track was holding a National Sno-Cross Snowmobile Racing event. Online ticket sales for more expensive tickets, charges for parking, and I assumed bigger crowds. But my son and I had talked about going, and my buddy was “in” again so off to the track we went. It was crazy there with hundreds of fans attending! Like nothing I have seen since pre-COVID. The second day of 12 hours of racing, additional spectator stands built, and CBS Sports Network broadcasting the Pro races. Impressive, with unseasonably warm Minnesota weather for early March, so people were enjoying themselves. But with the same circumstances: few masks seen (although there were signs everywhere for people to wear them) plus stands marked with “No COVID Seating” on every other row (although largely ignored). It actually created a “flee or fight response” in me, although I decided to stay with my son (and grandson) and buddy to enjoy the day. At least we were outside! Smart of me? Arguably not. Did my mental health need it? Yes. And we had a great time, staying well into the evening racing.
An example of how strange our times have become.
So you might be asking if I have received the COVID vaccine yet, given the risk posed to me by attending those races. This is for another blog entry. But the quick answer is No, despite my immunosuppressed state. Amazingly. Am I frustrated? Yes. Have I contacted my kidney disease health provider more than once regarding whether they are looking after their kidney disease patients to get the vaccine? Yes. It looks like I’ll have to wait for State Guidelines for someone in my immunosuppressed condition to wait until sometime in April for my shots.
So we persevere, carry on, get on with our lives as best we can in the middle of this craziness. Hang in there my, presumably, COVID lockdown fatigued friends! It will get better soon, I pray.