375. Covid Candy

Maren got COVID this summer, which sucks. But in the midst of her sickness, something really sweet happened.

Transcripts may not appear in their final version and are subject to change.

I’m Nora McInerny and It’s Going To Be Okay. 

Every day I share one okay thing with you. Sometimes it’s from me, sometimes it’s from you. And we do this to remind ourselves that despite the terrible stuff, there’s still SOMETHING to celebrate, no matter how small. 

Maren (Pronounced with a long “a”… “Mah-ren”… people usually say Mare-in, since the spelling looks like “Karen.” I’d leave a voice memo to clarify all this, but I can’t really talk at the moment… you’ll soon find out why!) wrote in with today’s okay thing. She wrote this to us WHILE she was sick with COVID:

This is July 3rd, and while I’m just wanting to crash in bed at 8:30, this is when so many local fireworks are just getting started. So I prop my head up with two extra pillows, and wait for all the hubbub to die down.

July 4th – with a Covid case, that means no family gatherings, not just for me but the whole family. My husband took our 14 and 17 year olds to the parade, and they got a bagful of candy just like they’d do at a younger age, and hopefully the day was still a little special for them. And then he took them to fireworks, and Six Flags the next day.  

July 5th and I was feeling sicker than any time in my life. I’ve had Covid before with little effects, but this time it was hitting me full force. I had gone through at least 2 full boxes of Kleenex trying to clear out a constantly congested nose. I had pushed the fluids and drank the lemon tea and tried to find a comfortable position while I stuck my head over a steaming pot of water.

My son texted me that they were on their way home from Six Flags, and trying to be at least halfway cheery I replied, “Ok, hope it was a nice day. I’m in bed now, I don’t even feel like watching Netflix.” (I had been trying to work my way through season 3 of Bridgerton, and I’ll still get through it before the end of this quarantine, but that was NOT the night!)

To which my always-emotionally-intelligent son replied, “Oh no. Hope you feel better, and you’ll get through it.”

And a few minutes later, “Any candy you would want? I have plenty. Just name some, and when I get home I’ll try and find it. Thumbs-up emoji.”

The next night would bring fits of coughing and a nose that even a neti pot could not unclog. But I could breathe, even if only though my mouth. I could breathe, unlike countless others whose breath and life Covid has brutally snatched away. 

And I had parade tootsie rolls and Starburst waiting outside my door, and a tall glass of ice water garnished with two lemons on the rim and basil from our garden in the glass, a Covid Mocktail if you will.  

And that is how I knew it would be o.k. Life, love from family, and Covid Candy.