Kick Them Wicked Things

One of my favorite Counting Crows song is “A Long December”. I can’t call this blog that because I know for sure that I have used that title before. I definitely feel that we are all heading into the longest December of our lives no matter how old you are. I decided I wanted to sing today so there is an extended 60 second, one shot cover at the bottom of this page complete with some funky chords and my first singing in weeks. Check it out before you click off.

UGH!

If it didn’t hurt your soul to not be around a lot of people on Thanksgiving don’t worry because Christmas is coming and I’m sure the state of Pennsylvania or New Jersey or wherever you live isn’t just going to say go party with your friends and family.  I am already preparing for the worst.

Prepare to jump around a bit……..4….3……2…..1…….

My mom and dad went to get a Covid test yesterday in North Carolina – 3 1/2 hours in the car and when they got to the front for their test, there were at least 200 cars behind them – apparently those were people who went and had fun for Thanksgiving and now worried about having Covid. My mom and dad are both negative now but that was not the case a few weeks ago for my dad and with his type two diabetes and my mom’s Parkinson’s it definitely made me very nervous. My dad is a very stubborn thickheaded Italian man and I am very grateful that he actually listened to my brother and I. he totally behaved.

Let’s rewind back to the day that my father and I both tested positive for COVID-19. Yup.  We had the VID! OMG!

A few days before I was enjoying some cocktails with friends, we talked about the “almost” Covid shame that people go through if they get sick. And I remember telling her that I wouldn’t feel shame, I would tell people about it as usual when it comes to things I want to talk about especially in my blog. I have always used this blog to share pieces of me but sometimes it’s used for me to process things and then let them go.

I can’t say that I am 100% compliant at all times with the ever changing rules in my area but I am not opposed to a mask, I wash my hands diligently and always worry about the people around me.

I had COVID-19. I was sick. I don’t feel any shame. I didn’t do anything wrong.  I understand you take a risk every time you leave your house.

Of course the next day, I got a message from a friend that someone at work tested positive, and the next evening he tested positive too. The Sicilia lock down had begun. How did I get it? I am pretty damn sure.
FUCKING COORS LIGHT!

I was throwing out my friends beer cans for him and smashed about 12 or so into the trash can and I also enjoy his company and sat the closest to him. I always do. 2/3 feet across a bar I guess.

That morning, the wife came got sent home.  Into panic mode we went….  It was absolutely bat shit crazy trying to find somewhere to get tested for Covid. I started coughing, and really did not think anything of it because I always get sick before Thanksgiving. It’s definitely the way it is for me year after year. Then I remembered a friend of mine who works at a local lab and I reached out to him and he could get the test run instantly as long as we had a script.

Do you know how hard it is to get a goddamn script in Philadelphia? Our doctor took over a week to call us back, at that point we already knew our results and were 10 days almost on the mend. Absolutely ridiculous for the biggest medical center and company in the Philadelphia area. I actually don’t even think they have called us back to schedule our test yet. As of today it’s been 14 days since we called and 18 days since “Covid contact”. Utterly ridiculous but a local doctor at an urgent care took mercy on us and faxed scripts over. Not too long after, I was positive and my wife was negative. My son was negative, three times. My wife was positive on her second five days later.

Covid hit our house. I basically had flu like symptoms and I was weak. Everyone in the house had different symptoms. Ironically the boy I think had good old fashioned 2019 Flu. We were all were cautious. We were bunkered down.

I didn’t go crazy on social media for quite a few reasons. I actually went quiet.  I was too busy streaming.

1. A close gym buddy was burying his mom who taught at a local high school for 30 years and there was zero mention about her anywhere. 30 years of giving to kids. Nothing. Broke my heart actually.
2. Quite a few local musicians all have/had Covid at the same time.
3. Quite a few of them are in hospitals on vents and oxygen.
4. As soon as I made a comment about not feeling great, friends right out the gate asked if I had Covid, not how I was doing, not if we needed anything, not hey, what’s wrong. Just you have Covid? UGH! At that point I didn’t need the attention.  Can you believe that?  HA!

So guess what? Now you know someone who had Covid.

Maybe we should call it Franco’s Thanksgiving curse.

25 years ago I was hit by a drunk driver a few days before Thanksgiving and spend that the next 6 months in the hospital.
20 years ago I had one of the first barbaric Weight loss surgeries 10 days before Thanksgiving (WTF was I thinking) and was on a liquid diet that week still. I had 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes that day and it was fucking glorious.
Then this year while we had dinner, 1/2 the house couldn’t taste or smell it and we couldn’t be with both sons.

SOOOOOO. How is everyone? Lol.

I am okay. I am off quarantine. I feel okay and guess what? I didn’t gain much weight as I was giving my body whatever it needed to fight the VID. How come the news doesn’t tell you that the VID loves whiskey? crazy! Well on days that I felt okay or if I found a window of okay,  I jumped on the Peloton. I did over 200 miles in November on the Bike and I haven’t done that in months.

I am back on the Keto wagon and back in the gym. I won’t be ending the year where I had hopped but I have not, will not make any excuses either. But three days in to logging my food (I even upped my calories a bit) the scale is swinging where it needs to.

I was scared shitless looking for a covid test and when you fill out the questions… being overweight is a big deal when you have Covid. I can’t tell you it didn’t worry me. I still fit in my large sweats and shorts… the shirts are more snug than I’d like but they fit… but that BMI isn’t where the doctors would ever call me skinny either. I am glad I got a flu shot this year.  I think it helped me a lot.

So this is me trying. This is me doing my best. Unemployed. A little depressed. Okay with my circle shrinking. Still full of hope. On the mend. Full of gratitude.

Wash your hands.  Be diligent.  This isn’t going away just yet.  Not everyone will be lucky like we were.

Love ya!

Franco