Masks. I have a lot to say about masks. First of all, they suck pond water. Here are just a few of my thoughts about masks.

• They are hot, even on the best days, but during a Kentucky summer, they are center-of-the-sun hot and borderline suffocating.

• They leave marks on your face.

• They never stay put; they slide up or down your face.

• They leave sore spots behind your ears.

• If you go the bandana route, you look like a train robber.

• How are you supposed to eat wearing a mask? I mean, really?!

There are so many reasons to hate masks. Do you know what else I have trouble with? Being told what to do. Ask my parents, my husband, my kids, even. I take direction pretty well at work (because employment is an essential element in maintaining our modest lifestyle), but I don’t like anyone to boss me around. No sir! So how do you think I feel about this mask mandate from our Governor? I think he has pissed a lot of people off. I also think he’s absolutely right! Feel free to read that again.

I have had to wear masks a lot in recent years. Didn’t like them then, don’t like them now, but guess what? It’s not always about ME. Lets rewind a little bit and review a few highlights from recent years (we’ll limit it to about 12 years or this could be a long post).

• I gave birth to a micro-preemie in 2007. He arrived 16 weeks early and weighed 785 grams. That’s 1lb 12oz…if you round up. He was at risk for everything! Any sort of infection could be lethal. I was at the hospital everyday, until I got sick. Though it broke my heart not to be there for him, the right thing to do was stay away. I cried and then I called the nurses and annoyed the heck out of them. I was blessed to know that he was in good hands and that Bobby would be able to spend time with him after work until shift change.
  When I felt better, I headed back for daily visits to the NICU but, just to make sure I wasn’t sharing anything with my baby or anyone else’s, guess what I did?
  I WORE A DAMN MASK!

If I had told anyone I was going to go into a NICU nursery with 4 other babies, all of whom were very fragile, while I was still hoarse and had a slight cough and tried to do it WITHOUT a mask, they’d tell me I was crazy. I wasn’t only making a choice that could affect my infant, but those belonging to 3 other families. Not to mention the nursing staff. And what if you could be sick but are asymptomatic? Would you walk into a NICU full of babies without a mask? I would certainly hope not!
For two years after he was released from the NICU, Gabriel was at risk of catching RSV. For a little guy like him, getting RSV could result in a hospital stay, or worse. During RSV/flu season, he had to receive monthly Synagis shots. Those are not cool. In order to protect him, we went under Doolin Family Lockdown. Other than going to work, we didn’t go out, we didn’t let people in and if any of us became sick, WE WORE THE DAMN MASKS! No one complained that I was infringing on their rights to come to my house. They didn’t complain if we were around people and I wouldn’t let anyone hold him. They did this because no one would be willing to put a little baby, at risk of serious illness, in danger…right?

• In 2014, I was diagnosed with cancer (that, too, sucks pond water). That year consisted of surgery, 4 months of chemo, and 33 radiation treatments. Once again, we implemented Doolin Family Lockdown. We allowed only pre-approved visitors, we even had signs on the doors warning that if anyone showed up unannounced, they were subject to being turned away. If a member of my household caught a cold, there were masks. Sometimes, I wore a mask just as added protection for myself. If you knew you could make me sick while I was immunosuppressed, wouldn’t you WEAR THE DAMN MASK?! I would hope so, or we really shouldn’t be friends.

• A couple of years later, Mattie was diagnosed with Flu A&B. Yes, at the same time. It involved a Saturday visit to the pediatrician and, that same night, a trip to the emergency room. It was no joke! Bobby and I split responsibility and I took care of Mattie while he looked after Gabriel. Since Mattie was sick and I was her caregiver, WE WORE THE DAMN MASKS in order to protect our loved ones. Would you argue with that?
  

Yes, masks are inconvenient, they are uncomfortable and they get misplaced a lot. What? Just me? Ok. Governor Brashear knew that a large number of people were going to be angry about the mandate. Regardless of how you feel about him politically or personally, remember that he’s trying to help those who don’t have the luxury of a robust immune system - like cancer patients, older citizens, the immunocompromised, and people who are just unlucky enough to catch things. He’s trying to open the economy but if we keep spreading this thing, another shutdown is in our future. Nobody is asking you to do anything crazy, no one is taking joy in having to enact a mandate. Why is it so offensive that we are asked to look beyond ourselves and consider our loved ones and our community? I respect everyone who says that they have a right to make a choice. In the United States, that’s true. The people in your community have those same rights and who are you to take away their right to NOT get sick. In the interest of your community, the economy, and of just being a good citizen of earth WEAR THE DAMN MASK!

Love to all! Stay healthy y’all.