Prevailing Through a Pandemic

We were so careful. We did everything right and followed all the protocols. We respected the science and actual doctors. We researched proper masks and wore them even when no one else would. We got inoculated with the necessary vaccines, even our littlest members, even though TK ran a low-grade fever and got the chills 12 hours after every shot.

We stayed safe throughout 2020 when people were getting sick and dying. We remained healthy through 2021 when variants were confusing and vaccines became available. We started 2022 in the clear even though our closest family members got sick and we could not see them for weeks.

But it still came for us; it came for all four of us.

My parents were on vacation in Italy and it was TK's birthday when I woke up to head to work and my throat felt scratchy. TK said he felt similar that morning. When I got to work, I took my vitamins and Tylenol to stop the pain. My throat felt better but I got increasingly tired as the day went on. By 1 p.m., I could barely keep my head up and decided to call my boss to ask him to leave early. He suggested that I test myself when I got home. I exited my office while spraying Lysol on the way out. I wore my mask as I dropped off my leave form and started my drive home. Since it was TK's birthday, I popped into Publix (fully masked) to get him a cake but I could barely carry myself. I grabbed the cake, paid using the self-check, and got home.

When I arrived home, my family was surprised to see me. TK thought I left early to celebrate his birthday, but I told him it was because I was sick. I took out the COVID test and started to administer it. Within five seconds, the test popped positive. Since it was an expired test, TK recommended I take another so I did and that one was positive too. I was quarantined to the bedroom to eat my dinner when TK decided that he and the kids get tested as well. I made their appointments at a pediatric urgent care that we visited earlier in the year and called Teledoc to speak to a doctor about what I should do. Her advice was to hydrate, rest, and use Flonase because I was vaccinated and this would just be a really bad cold. TK and the kids were taken pretty quickly and after I was able to create their care accounts, I received a call from the lab. Jax and Addie were also positive and TK was still negative. Addie even had a fever in the office.

It broke my heart when they returned home and Jax was afraid to come near any of us because he said he had COVID. We comforted him by telling him that we all had it and would all be OK as long as we took care of each other. Since TK had the symptoms without the positive test, we decided to function as though we were all positive. We drank Gatorade, kept tissues handy, took plenty of naps, and took our vitamins. I worried about how this virus would affect the kids because they are little and their bodies are not fully grown. I also worried about how my asthma would affect my experience. 

Throughout all of this, we kept quiet. I didn't post on social media and we didn't tell anyone other than a couple of friends and family members about our sickness because we did not want my parents to find out while they were on a once-in-a-lifetime vacation in a foreign country. They wouldn't be able to help us and would just worry or cut their trip short―neither of which were wanted. We talked to them every day and enjoyed all their fun reports from their trip, but we left out a few details.

We were positive on a Friday. Our energy did not return until Wednesday and we did not test negative until Saturday. It was a long week of keeping an eye on each other, paying attention to everyone's breathing and temperatures. Luckily, the kids were in virtual school so they could still sign on and complete their coursework, but I had to stay home from work. I missed a big event but was able to work a couple days before becoming truly exhausted, slamming my laptop shut at 5 p.m., and falling asleep. It was brutal.

Fortunately, it's been five months since we had the virus and we aren't wearing masks everywhere anymore but we are testing when we feel sick and getting boosters. We just recently received the Omicron booster and I received the flu shot at the same time. We are grateful that we were safe for so long and when we were sick it was with a less severe variant. We still worry about the long-term effects, but we know that we are healthy and can still follow the science to stay that way.

My Journey to Ed.D.

I've always wanted to be a doctor. When I was younger, I wanted to be a medical doctor but knew I would cry every time someone got sick or died. That's not very professional or a great way to live. Then, I decided I wanted to be an academic doctor because I am a pretty good student. My mom likes to remind me that when someone says, "Is there a doctor in the house?" I can say yes but I can't save anyone's life or help them past administering CPR. But I can change some educational processes and maybe make people's lives just a little bit better and easier.  

I embarked on this journey in January 2020 and at the start of my first in-person class, we were involved in a deep discussion, and I was surrounded by intellectual individuals who wanted to soak up all they could from the professor and the content. As the discussion progressed, I felt that I was in the right place and made the right decision. 

Two months later, the world changed and my class pivoted to online. Luckily, I was already taking one class online and Zoom was easy to learn. I learned that I enjoyed learning remotely because I am comfortable using technology and enjoy grasping how to use new digital platforms. 

I proceeded to complete two courses each semester for six semesters and maintain a 4.0 GPA. My favorite course was Leadership Theory even though I had to take two hours off of work every Monday and Wednesday, rush home to shower (COVID safety), and hop on the computer for four hours. I was buried in work for that course, but I learned a lot and felt that I was able to contribute in a meaningful way to each class session. 

Currently, I am editing my prospectus for the second submission in mid-November. My first pass was not good enough, but that's OK. Nothing worth doing is easy. I've made it past the concept paper, chair selection, and literature review. I still have the prospectus, proposal, research, analysis, write-up, and defense left to complete. It is hard work, but it is worth it. 

My plan was to graduate in spring 2023, but after the prospectus setback, I am planning for summer 2023. For now, I will "just keep swimming" and take my dissertation bit by bit. Stay tuned ...

Quick Disney Trip Report, Day 3

Cast of Characters = me, TK (husband), Jax (9), and Addie (6)

Setting = Walt Disney World with a reservation at Gran Destino for March 9 - 12, 2022 

Day 3

Adventure = Magic Kingdom

We got up and got ready for the day because we were headed to Magic Kingdom on the bus. We took the car to the other parks but Magic Kingdom is a hassle for parking because it takes 30 minutes or more to get to the entrance because you have to park and then take the ferry or the monorail over. The bus stops right in front of the park and you walk right in. That's efficient. 

Our first stop was Joffrey's in Tomorrowland for breakfast. We found an outdoor table and enjoyed a quick yet pleasing meal. When we were finished, we headed to Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. I found some way to get 350,000 points and beat TK. That had never happened before so I was pretty proud of myself. Then, we headed over to Mickey's Philharmagic to see the new Coco scene. It was beautiful. There were so many bright and beautiful colors added to an already expressive attraction. 

The kids wanted to see the Country Bear Jamboree, so we headed right in, but the parade was getting ready to start. When we got out, the parade was ending, so Addie got to sit on TK's shoulders and wave at the characters. It was the best of both worlds. 

We wanted to ride Pirates of the Caribbean because it's one of our favorites, but Addie doesn't like the drop so we had to negotiate with her. Jax had just started watching the movies so he connected with it more. He was up to the third movie. 

For lunch, we wanted to leave the park, so we headed out. On the way, we saw a friend from home and his family, so I took a few photos of them and we hopped on the monorail. We mobile ordered our lunch at Captain Cook's at the Polynesian and found a table outside to eat our meals. It was nice to eat outside the chaos and watch waterfalls at our favorite resort. The kids were entertained by a duck who was swimming in a small waterfall. 

We returned to Magic Kingdom to ride Under the Sea and buy a Nuimo for Addie. I didn't realize the price had gone up so high for that small doll. In the summer, the price was around $13 and it rose to $22. We visited to the Main Street Confectionary for the Peanut Butter Cookie Pie that I saw on YouTube. Then, we headed back to the hotel to relax before dinner. 

We took our showers and drove over to Old Key West because we had a dinner reservation. The setting was fantastic but the food was just meh. We drove back to the hotel and hopped on the bus to head back to Magic Kingdom. When we got there, we thought we would watch the fireworks, but the kids wanted to go on rides instead so we headed to Tomorrowland Transit Authority. It stalled a few times, but we didn't mind because the fireworks were going off and it was also a favorite of ours. 

When we hopped off, we needed caffeine and hit Joffrey's again and finished our beverages before riding Dumbo. That was the end of our night, so we headed back to the hotel on a crowded bus. Out of all the families on the bus, one remained unmasked even though masks were required on all transportation. I don't know why they thought they were above the rules, but it's selfish and they should be penalized for not abiding by the rules. Addie fell asleep on my lap and we were so done by the time we got to the hotel and were definitely ready to call it a night. 

Quick Disney Trip Report, Day 2

Cast of Characters = me, TK (husband), Jax (9), and Addie (6)

Setting = Walt Disney World with a reservation at Gran Destino for March 9 - 12, 2022 

Day 2

Adventure = Hollywood Studios, Pool, Three Bridges

We woke up early yet again and arrived at Hollywood Studios by 8 a.m. We headed straight to Rise of the Resistance which was already at a two-hour wait by 8:06 a.m. so we got on line for Runaway Railway which took 20 minutes to ride. It had a new queue that included a short video that we've never seen before. We always love that ride because the kids love the Mickey cartoons and we love the effects. 

Then, we went over to Toy Story Mania and waited about 20 minutes again. I still did not beat TK. He scored 166,000 points and I only scored 112,000. Afterward, we stopped at the Market so I could finally buy a Num Num Cookie. I packed Ziploc bags so I could put the cookie away for later when I could warm it up. We also stopped at Joffrey's for coffee, chai, and muffins for breakfast and brought it all over to ABC Commissary so we could grab an outdoor table. 

After breakfast, we went over to indulge in the kids' Muppet obsession and watched Muppet 3D. I forgot that they only experienced it as toddlers. We headed right to Vacation Fun after because that was one we all haven't seen and it was cute. 

The park started to get even more crowded, so we left around 11:30 a.m. to head back to the resort and go to the pool. At the pool, the water was a little colder than I like but the kids didn't mind. They played some fun games with the recreation cast member and TK and I drank some fun beverages, but then it started to rain. We went back to the room to relax and get ready for dinner. My parents and their friends were meeting us to eat at Three Bridges and it did not take reservations. We decided to be there as soon as it opened so we could get a table for eight. We were seated within 10 minutes. 

Our food at Three Bridges was fantastic and the server was really helpful and friendly. After dinner, we went up to the Dahlia Lounge on the 16th floor so my parents could get some coffee. The view was fantastic because we could see Hollywood Studios, Blizzard Beach, and Expedition Everest. 

After dessert, my parents and their friends left and we went back to the room to get ready to go to Magic Kingdom but the kids said they would rather stay in and watch movies, so we did. 

Quick Disney Trip Report, Day 1

For Spring Break, we decided to take a few days off before the actual vacation to head to Walt Disney World and beat the crowds. It kind of worked, but stay tuned for details ...

Cast of Characters = me, TK (husband), Jax (9), and Addie (6)

Setting = Walt Disney World with a reservation at Gran Destino for March 9 - 12, 2022 

Day 1

Adventure = Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, Beach Club Resort

We woke up so early (5:30 a.m.) to get to Animal Kingdom by 6:45 a.m. because the park opened at 7 a.m. for resort guests and we had our reservation set for Gran Destino at Coronado Springs. We headed in the parking lot and were not able to park close to the entrance because cast members started directing us toward the middle. We ended up in Unicorn Q, so Addie called herself the Unicorn Queen for the duration of time it took us to walk to security. 

When we entered the park, we headed straight to Kilimanjaro Safari, but it did not open until 7:45 a.m., so we made a loop and headed back to pick up breakfast at Creature Comforts which is Animal Kingdom's Starbucks location. It was the emptiest I've ever seen so I made the comment to the barista that I was "Queen of the Starbucks" and she wrote it on my chai latte cup. Of course, I got a chuckle out of that. TK got a caramel latte and I bought a croissant and a chocolate croissant for the kids. We enjoyed our breakfast on line waiting for the Safari to open up. 

We entered the truck at 7:46 a.m. which was truly awesome. We saw a ton of animals and loved it. We learned that a group of giraffes is different when moving vs. standing around. When they are moving, they are a journey, and when they are standing around, they are a tower. Something new! 

Afterward, we walked out of the Safari and right over to Gorilla Falls Trail. We were able to see the animals and talk to cast members without waiting our turn to get close to the glass or fence. 

Then, we headed over to Maharajah Jungle Trek to see the tigers. We enjoyed taking our time to check out the animals and of course, the kids loved every minute. We took a ton of photos throughout the stroll.

After we saw all of the animals, we decided to ride Triceratop Spin because Addie enjoys it. When we rose above Dinoland U.S.A., I could see the barren space where Primevil Whirl used to be. That was a little sad. As we walked toward Discover Island, we had the great luck and pleasure to see a mama duck and her ducklings waddling around before a cast member shooed them into the bushes. 

We were ready to head out at 10:30 a.m. because we saw what we were focused on for the day. We headed over to Disney Springs to get our updated annual pass cards and 50th Anniversary magnets. When we made it through security, I checked into the virtual queue for the magnet and then spoke to the cast member at Guest Relations who sent us over to the Ticket Center. Our spot in line was group 13. I received a text about heading over for the magnets while waiting and then we were called up to the desk within minutes and scooped up our cards. The magnets were available back in Art of Disney and we showed our IDs, got our cards scanned, and received our magnets. Easy peasy! 

After we checked off those two tasks, we walked by Sprinkles to pick up a Cookie Cupcake that was a limited-time offering. I walked right up to the register, used my annual pass discount, and got one cupcake for all of us to share. I need to know what the cupcake tastes like, but I don't need to eat it all myself. 

On our way out, I popped into Ron Jon's Surf Shop to see if there were any rash guards for Jax. He is growing like a weed, so his rash guards all look like Winnie the Pooh shirts. I found one in black and found out that they offer a Florida resident discount (15%) that is more than the annual pass discount (10%). Jax also popped into the Pintraders and purchased a Hondo Ohnaka Funko POP to add to his collection. 

Since it was getting close to lunchtime, we headed to the resort. Our room at Gran Destino was not ready yet, so we headed to the front desk to ask about club level. They didn't have any upgrades available, but our room became available while we were chatting. It was a few minutes after noon. We went up to the room that was on the 10th floor and had a great view of Hollywood Studios and the parking lot. TK had to go to a doctor appointment, so after the kids ate their lunch in the room, we watched Disney Hits on the TV and then headed out for a short walk. They had yard games set up, so the kids played giant checkers with my help. It ended in a tie because I wanted to enjoy my vacation. We had to run back to the room quickly for the bathroom, but then we went to the food court area to grab a small lunch for me. I had half of a tuna salad wrap and got the kids some water. We went for a walk to see where the pool and the Three Bridges Restaurant were located. It started to drizzle, so we went back to our room to wait for TK to get back. 

When TK returned we set up our mobile order and headed over to the Beach Club Resort to grab the food from the Marketplace. We sat outside by ourselves for a while and enjoyed our dinner. We chose Beach Club for dinner because we wanted to end our night with serious ice cream sundaes at Beaches & Cream. Of course, each of us enjoyed our dessert. TK had the No Way Jose (topped with peanut butter and fudge) and I had a mini version of that. It was gluttonous but glorious. Jax had an ice cream sandwich and Addie had a small chocolate ice cream sundae. 

After filling up, we rolled out to the car to head back to the resort. We watched Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and went to bed.