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   Antiqueight (antiqueight@mastodon.ie)'s status on Monday, 18-Mar-2024 05:10:00 JST Antiqueight

   Twice now recently people have asked me where to go eat in my home town. And I no longer know. I haven't eaten out INDOORS in so long that I dunno where to go or be comfortable. I occasionally no longer mask in large spaces with airflow but I feel vaguely uncomfortable. But in small spaces I am really nervous. I mask at the hospital. I mask in the shops, I do sometimes forget, I live alone so I am not thinking about it much.

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     Antiqueight (antiqueight@mastodon.ie)'s status on Monday, 18-Mar-2024 05:12:40 JST Antiqueight

     in reply to

     And sometimes I just can't face putting the mask back on. Or my brain just throws a wobbly and won't let me. But so far I've been lucky and it's never come back to bite me.

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     Antiqueight (antiqueight@mastodon.ie)'s status on Monday, 18-Mar-2024 06:11:19 JST Antiqueight

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     • Carol Connolly

     @carolconnolly It's when I find myself in a place where I sort of want to have been masked but didn't want to have to mask (and for what ever risk assessment felt it would be ok not to) but still feel uncomfortable without a mask but don't put one on - like Brain, please make up your mind?!
     It has been nice not having had a cold in I don't know how long.
     The numbers with long covid of one sort or another does start to make me feel like the one eyed man in the land of the blind/one eyed...

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     Carol Connolly (carolconnolly@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 18-Mar-2024 06:11:20 JST Carol Connolly

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     @Antiqueight if a sterilising vaccine for COVID came out tomorrow I would still need to mask due to all the other bugs I catch (I am working on getting my immune system back up and running but it is a long process).
     But... There isn't a sterilising vaccine yet. And personally, I think by next summer the sheer number of people with long COVID would make you relieved if you keep masking.
     But it is so, so hard to go against the world. I am not surprised most people have stopped. And working... 1/2

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     Carol Connolly (carolconnolly@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 18-Mar-2024 06:11:20 JST Carol Connolly

     in reply to

     @Antiqueight ... Out what is practical and what is workable and adding in new situations and new science means your masking choices will change. Like, I used to wear cloth, now I only wear Auras. I used to not mask outdoors, now I often do. I often unmask in healthcare settings because those people have power over me.
     So I say... Trust your gut about what is right for you. And be OK with changing when you learn new things. And give yourself grace when the world pushes you into something 2/2

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     Carol Connolly (carolconnolly@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 18-Mar-2024 06:19:13 JST Carol Connolly

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     @Antiqueight we are learning so much about this virus so rapidly it is absolutely fascinating. And scary. But the science is so so cool and teaching us so much about how the immune system works.
     But the recent studies that have proved that each infection makes you more likely to get long COVID, that the odds of you being luck decrease with each infection, that it is not an equal roll of the dice each time.... Shit.
     So every time you /don't/ catch it matters. So we just try our best.

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     Antiqueight (antiqueight@mastodon.ie)'s status on Monday, 18-Mar-2024 06:19:13 JST Antiqueight

     in reply to

     • Carol Connolly

     @carolconnolly Thank you for reminding me of that. When I get tired of the mask it's good to remember that there IS a STRONG reason I wear it. Watching friends who have long covid (and in fact any other post viral illness) go through what they are experiencing is a really strong reminder not to carelessly take risks.

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     Carol Connolly (carolconnolly@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 18-Mar-2024 06:26:41 JST Carol Connolly

     in reply to

     @Antiqueight I really wish I could give you positive news about living with a messed up immune system and post exertional malaise but uh.... It's awful. So yes, avoiding getting those two symptoms that are also common in long COVID would definitely make your life happier!
     But don't beat yourself up when circumstances outside your control mean you have to roll those dice. It happens! I will have to do it on Tuesday myself to access medical care. Be kind to yourself.

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     Antiqueight (antiqueight@mastodon.ie)'s status on Monday, 18-Mar-2024 06:26:41 JST Antiqueight

     in reply to

     • Carol Connolly

     @carolconnolly may you be stronger and healthier and doing better than you expected every day this year.