And I don’t want it to be my back!

What a morning – what a day.

I arrived at my place of work this morning about ten minutes early because I didn’t need to drop my son off any where. The spring break camp I had signed him up for this week cancelled after the first day. I understand and I get it, but that means that he came with me to work this morning.

I got him set up on my tablet with Duck Duck Moose’s reading app and then started opening procedures (with gloves on). I noticed that we had gone through more than one box of gloves yesterday at work. I found one full box of medium gloves left and the one’s that were supposed to come in today’s delivery didn’t arrive….

The only reason I came into work this morning was to hear about the Board of Supervisors meeting – hoping that they will do as the ALA recommends and close the libraries. I don’t want to bring my child to work with me – it causes me stress. But if I want to get paid and not deplete my leave (for when I might really need it), my options are limited.

Sometime after 9 am, my son started to whine about getting on a computer. I had him select some audio books first and then signed him onto one of the library’s computers. Shortly before the library opened at 10 am, I helped him find a nice selection of Pink Panther cartoons to watch.

We opened at 10 am. The only thing different from yesterday was now all library programs and meeting room use are now cancelled until the end of the month. We already had every other computer disabled for social distancing purposes.

About ten minutes after we opened (maybe less), we had a stabbing outside the front of the library and the victim inside a study room. We called 911 (multiple people did) and the police and EMTs showed up faster than I have ever seen them show up at our library. At some point, I became the person on the 911 call so the manager could be on the floor.

I had a brief flash of anxiety as I wondered where my son was and how he was doing, but I stayed on the phone with the operator until the police arrived. (We had recently needed to go on lock down a couple of weeks ago and I knew that my son was safe – so that helped).

As if working with the public during a pandemic isn’t stressful enough, now we have to deal with an extra dose of crazy…..

Luckily, my son was very engrossed in Pink Panther and didn’t see any of the police or EMTs arriving and leaving. (His back was to the entrance).

And then more people kept coming to the library…. I made it until noon. I wanted to stay that long at least, to help out my co-workers for the rest of the day. But I now feel utterly spent – like I already worked for a week. My back is tweaking and having muscle spasms, because that is where I carry my stress these days.

I’ve meditated, laid flat on the ground, done my back exercises, taken a hot bath, applied ointment, and I’m still hobbling around with super tense muscles…

At least I’m home now.