home insemination kits with syringes
Every Friday, I treat my seven-year-old to a donut. It’s one of those small joys that help us navigate the challenges of the past year. She now eagerly anticipates it, counting down the days until she can enjoy her treat. I see it as a reward for enduring five days of pandemic schooling, where she can’t hug or even talk to her friends at lunch.
Last Wednesday, even though she was on spring break from first grade, the countdown began: “Just two more days until my donut!” In the middle of whatever we were doing, she would suddenly wonder if she should go for sprinkles.
So, on Friday, we found ourselves in a long drive-thru line at a donut shop on a sunny, yet unusually chilly afternoon. I chose this particular shop, a bit farther from home, because it had a drive-thru, and I needed something to occupy our time.
It had been a long week — and let’s be real, a long year. I was feeling all the emotions that have plagued us since the pandemic began: overwhelming fatigue, boredom, and an insatiable sense of unease. But this week brought forth a new emotion I hadn’t quite felt until now.
On her last day of school before the break, my daughter rushed home, excitedly announcing that her teacher was flying to California for spring break, and a classmate was going on a Disney cruise. Other families I knew were hopping on planes to visit relatives or just explore new places. During her spring break, over a million travelers passed through TSA checkpoints, and we’ve all seen the bustling scenes from Florida.
Yet, I’m still unvaccinated, and the CDC advises against travel for those in my position. So, we spent spring break in our driveway, living room, and kitchen.
With many local outdoor activities sold out due to COVID capacity limits, and the unseasonable cold making them less appealing, I crammed my work into the mornings while my daughter entertained herself with YouTube. I threw myself into teaching her how to ride a bike, playing spies with walkie-talkies, learning choreographies from YouTube videos, and competing in our own version of the Netflix baking show “Sugar Rush,” where we whipped up random treats based on silly themes — and I spent the next half-hour cleaning up.
Some of that may sound charming. However, after 13 months of being my child’s main playmate, this week of enforced fun almost pushed me to my limit. I cautiously scrolled through social media, trying to ignore the images of friends enjoying vacations, hugging family, or posing together in large groups. When one caught my eye, I took a deep breath and attempted to convince myself that maybe they were all fully vaccinated, even though that was unlikely. Still, I felt happy for them; they deserved a break.
But that feeling only lasts so long.
For some reason, the drive-thru line at the donut shop crawled along, and after 25 minutes, it was finally our turn. As I approached the window, my daughter exclaimed in alarm from the backseat: “Mom, he’s not wearing a mask!” Surely, she was mistaken, I thought.
Nope.
As I reached the drive-thru window, a young employee handed us her donut, grinning widely, and wished us a good day. My daughter was right — he had no mask on. Not even hanging under his chin. It was completely absent. (But what if he has a medical condition? Yeah, unlikely.)
I was taken aback. I hadn’t seen a stranger’s teeth that close in months. Unsure how to react, I grabbed the donut bag, sped away, and tossed it into the front seat, telling my daughter she couldn’t eat it.
While I know that surfaces aren’t the primary source of transmission, and the donut was likely safe, I was furious. I had just been confronted with a toothy grin, and I wanted her to understand that it was not okay.
We then drove another 15 minutes to our local donut shop without a drive-thru, avoiding indoor diners, and finally got her donut (no sprinkles).
There’s been much to be angry about lately. I’ve always been frustrated by those who disregard COVID guidelines, but at this stage of the pandemic, anyone’s nonchalant attitude infuriates me. I’ve been seething about that drive-thru incident for days.
I understand why people are eager to ignore the guidelines — I really do. But we are SO CLOSE to overcoming this. Every unvaccinated person who discards their mask, travels without quarantining, or invites friends over because they’re lonely complicates things for the rest of us. I want to do those things too, but their actions mean I have to wait even longer. It feels as if I’m stuck in that drive-thru line, watching others move ahead while I remain in the same spot.
According to the New York Times, my area is classified as having a “very high risk” of COVID-19 exposure (hospitalizations are up 42%), meaning we should avoid nonessential travel. During my child’s five-day break, over 4,000 Americans died from COVID. And have you heard about Michigan?
I reached out to others who are also trying to stay vigilant about COVID, and they share my intense frustration with rule-breakers. One unvaccinated parent, who also spent spring break at home, mentioned how some of her coworkers recently flew to Jamaica and England. “Have you screamed lately?” she asked me. When I noted that my daughter is always present, she suggested I lock myself in the car for a few moments to let it out. “You’ll need to do it a few times,” she advised.
I’ll give it a try. In the meantime, I hope everyone had a great spring break. If you weren’t vaccinated and went somewhere exciting, please keep it to yourself.
For more insights on home insemination
Visit this blog post, and for expert advice, you can check out this excellent resource. If you’re considering at-home options, Make a Mom offers fantastic products that can help.
Search Queries:
- home insemination kit
- self insemination
- intracervical insemination
- fertility advice
- at-home insemination
In summary, a simple trip to get a donut turned into a reflection on the ongoing challenges of the pandemic and the frustrations of navigating a world where some people disregard safety measures. As a parent, the pressure to keep my child safe while managing my own emotions is overwhelming.