Being Healthy & Thankful
Greetings from the island everyone. I hope that all of you are doing well and staying healthy (more on that later).
It’s quite refreshing, for the first time in several weeks, not having to talk about storm damage or dealing with a storm to begin my monthly article. Thank you, Lord! This has been a Summer/early Fall that will not soon be forgotten in regards to Gulf of Mexico land falling storms. Prior to this year, 12 years had passed since I had gotten tidal surge water inside my downstairs kitchen area of the island house. . . and it happened THREE times this storm season! What the heck??
You just simply never know from one summer to the next what trials and tribulations you might encounter from “H” season out here. The odds are in your favor that all will be OK and life will continue on as usual, not having to deal with storm damage and/or repairs and rebuilding. But those odds will mathematically catch up to you. . it might take 12 years, but eventually they will. Overall, I am blessed that I only had minor damage and loss and cleanup this storm season, and for that I am thankful.
Island life and activity has slowed down considerably the past month, always the norm when nearing the winter months. With the holidays and deer season starting and unpredictable nasty cold and blowing northers, circumstances, for the most part, keep people away from the island…yay! Don’t get me wrong, I still see, and occasionally even associate with, fellow islanders when they come out, but everyone pretty much knows that I am an island hermit and keep to myself inside my island compound. This is the life, bad with the good, that I first chose to have nearly 21 years ago, and have lived full-time now for nearly 15 years.
I can assure you that it is not the easiest of lives to live out here, but for me the positives far outweigh the negatives, and I’ll continue on. Some of my old cop buddies often joke that when no one has heard from me in awhile, and then notices the buzzards circling over my island house, they will know that the Island Guy is done. Gotta love how cop friends think, kinda morbid, but very true.
In closing, I want to mention about the Covid virus issue and how it has personally affected me the past several weeks. You would think that living alone on an island, I would be the LAST person to catch and test positive for this very unpredictable virus. . . you would be wrong! On Oct. 21 I began feeling sickly, no big deal, surely just a light touch of upper respiratory or sinus issues. I progressively got worse and worse. . very fatigued, body aches, no appetite and a deep chest cough. Foolishly, I did not go across the bay to get checked/examined, but instead just remained on the island. I was raised during a time that if you were not on death’s doorstep, and especially if you were poor, you didn’t go to a doctor, you just toughed it out. Mistake!
Finally, at the persistence of my friends, Britton & Susan, who even offered to come get and take me, I went in on my own to Twin Fountains Clinic…best decision ever. No surprise that I tested positive for the Covid virus, I had all of the symptoms. Other than being overweight, hey I love food, I am a healthy person, no medical issues at all, but this virus beat me up good. A huge debt of gratitude to Dr. JD at the clinic for recognizing I needed help, staying in touch, and pulling me through this. And thank you to sister Sherry and Rod for coming across the bay with supplies during my isolation, and to my nephew, Steven. Also to fellow islanders for the same, especially Louisiana Joe. I tell you about my Covid ordeal only to emphasize the need to please go get checked early if you develop symptoms, and that no one is exempt from it. You may or may not require any medical assistance at all; this virus affects people so very differently, but at least get checked. As of this writing, I’m on my last days of a three week island isolation, and I’m much better.
Well that’s it from the island for now; everyone please have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. And be very thankful for the good in your life.
