Back

One year ago today, my partner Brian died. He was one of that week's covid statistics. According to the weekly tracking of covid deaths, 1,515 Americans died in the same week as Brian.
https://mindly.social/@WeeklyAmericanPandemicDeaths@mastodon.social/111982182949584596
Every one of those deaths was a person whose loss hit somebody as hard as Brian's death hit me. Every one was more than just a statistic.

Brian came into my life when I was nearly 50, when I wasn't expecting to meet a special someone. We had 15 wonderful years together. He had semi-retired, was working part-time. I was a bit younger, still working two jobs. We were talking about all the fun things we were going to do when we were both retired. We expected to have another good 10 to 15 years ahead of us.

Avoided covid for four years. Vaccinated, boosted, wearing masks at work or when shopping. Both of my jobs are public facing jobs, so I was especially careful.

But by 2024, everyone else was getting careless. Sick people coughing all over us, unmasked, were all around us. At one of our part-time jobs, where we both worked, was one such person. We both were finally caught by covid.

I was flat on my back at home for a week. Brian was hospitalized in ICU, developed pneumonia, and died.

Covid is still out there, folks. So is flu, and RSV, and other nasty things. If you are sick, stay home. If you must go out, (yes, there are medical appointments, and quick runs for food), then have the common sense to wear a mask out there.

Do it for my Brian.