A letter from Jul 26, 2022

Dear FutureMe, Took another COVID test this morning and once again came up negative. Going on three years in and we've yet to get it, as far as we know. I am feeling so frustrated. Can't count how many tests I've taken at this point -- and how many parties, concerts, dances, fun nights, trips, projects, community events I've missed out on. Right now the US has been in a sustained surge since early June and there doesn't seem to be evidence that it will lighten up. Why would it. No one wears masks any more about only 70% of adults and something like a third or half of kids are vaccinated. People aren't even really trying to avoid others when they have symptoms. Right now it seems inevitable that I will get COVID and I will get it many, many times. It is likely that it may disable me (again) and continue to keep me from enjoying the parts of life I love most. I tested negative but J has a cough and sore throat and so we'll see what her test says tomorrow. If it's positive then we cancel the trip to a lakehouse in WI this weekend...literally the thing we've been looking forward to all summer. I'm so tired of cancelling everything. Seeing friends, taking trips...some part of me is like, well, we made it to getting the baby vaccinated. Now we live the best we can for the time that we have. I hope you've been well.