In last weekend’s paper Daily World Publisher Mike Hrycko invited readers to share stories with us about how the coronavirus has affected their lives. What are your stories? We’d like to print as many as we have room for. Send them to mhrycko@thedailyworld.com.

By Arlene Williams

Ocean Shores

I’m sure my story is not atypical of a senior citizen living alone (except for the companionship of her cat).

At this time of year, many of my days should be taken up with volunteer work. That, along with the occasional visit to the casino (as much for the human company as it is for the slot machines), a drive to the beach, where I sit in the car and look at the water, Sunday church services, a trip to the post office to check my mailbox and the weekly grocery shopping normally takes up my time. Now, the casino, the beach and church are not available and the post office and grocery store are an in-and-out sprint. My conversations with the cat, however, are more frequent and longer and I am rapidly doing the jigsaw puzzles on my computer and the games in my word puzzle magazines (even those I don’t like).

While I bemoan what I cannot do, I also have been the recipient of help when needed. Among those going above and beyond the call of duty are: the heating company repairman who delivered the part necessary to keep the heat pump working (even though it was “social distancing time”); the medical staff and EMTs who had to deal with my elevated blood pressure and vertigo after a routine medical procedure (vertigo diagnosis courtesy of the ER doctor during a telephone visit); the on-call doctor who pointed me in the direction of a pharmacy that was still open at 7:15 on a Friday night so that I could get the antibiotics necessary to treat my urinary tract infection. I am also grateful for the weekend visits from my daughter, even though our time together consists of take-out dinners and DVDs instead of leisurely restaurant meals and an adventure to Lake Quinault, Westport of some other exotic location.

However, this too shall pass and I, along with others, will get through it “the good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise.”