2023 can stop doing this stuff right now

This past week saw me doing a whirlwind of work. I taught three classes, flew across the country to meet with one client, led a Future Trends Forum session, worked up the next FTTE report, held several virtual meetings, started redesigning FTTE, honed my next book proposal, prepped my spring class, and tried in vain to stem the email tide.

I hate leaving town when my wife is still recovering from heart attacks (first, second). I only do it for professional purposes — and those trips are extra needed now, given medical bills, as we decided to handle health care in America. I actually turned down some trips which took me away too long. Meanwhile, we set up care at home (our two adult children coming in handy).

Then to make things worse, last week Ceredwyn came down with COVID. You all know the drill: she tested positive, re-tested to make sure, then we confined her to our bedroom. We brought her food and other supplies, leaving them outside the door. I slept in the living room. She very all too symptomatic: joint pain, headaches, throat pain, fevers, chills. It was like a bad flu for several days.

This made things worse for her in all kinds of ways. Being sequestered isolated her from human contact. Ibuprofen interacts badly with some cardio meds, so my wife can’t use “vitamin I” to address pain. Acetaminophen has no effect on her now, so the suffering is wretched. Plus she can’t do cardio rehab sessions while being infected. And there’s the general psychological stress piled onto genuine…