Pandemics and our family, 1920 and 2020

This Covid-19 has me and everyone else on edge. Fear, sadness, loneliness, boredom, frustration, anger. It seems all the negative emotions run through me. Seriously? we could possibly need to ultimately stay self isolated, or at least masked and super careful for 1-2 years until a vaccine is available to the general public?

1920, one hundred years ago, my 4 year old father, Carl Melvin, entered the Durand Hospital for Infectious Diseases. My grandmother Lydia cut a lock of his hair, tied it with embroidery thread and wrote 

"Melvin when he was 4 years old"

***************

Durand Hospital

of the

The John McCormick Institute of Infectious Diseases
637 South Wood Street

Chicago

I believe my grandmother may have cut that lock of hair just before my Dad entered the hospital, fearing that quite possibly he would not return to her. I do not know what infectious illness he had.  There were so many in 1920. He must however have been or potentially have been gravely ill for my grandparents to even consider sending him there. Hospitals were for the poor and indigent, the "worthy poor" because back in the day many felt that poverty, illness and morality all went together. Like the Covid-19 patients of today his family were not allowed to visit or see him until they received this letter informing "to call for him and oblige".  "Oblige" meaning pay up.

I'm scared and worried? Vaccine could be a year away? 

1799 - Ancestor Olof Marcusson saw children and grandchildren die of Smallpox in Sweden.

            Smallpox vaccine would officially end the disease worldwide in 1979

1891 - Ancestor Jakob Petersson and wife lost three children to Dipheria in Sweden

             Diptheria vaccine - 1923

1924 - My maternal aunt Gerd Sevaldsen, 16 mos. old died of Measles in Norway. 

             Measles vaccine - 1963

1952 -  A classmate had polio, starting kindergarten with a withered leg in Chicago.

              Polio vaccine - 1953 - she missed it by a year.

This list could be far far longer but the point is, SUCK IT UP RANAE. 

I descend from survivors. My family has survived much worse than lounging around in PJ's sans bra, Netflix binging or drinking coffee on the patio of my suburban home. 

So I remain at home and should I have to venture to the grocery or pharmacy I should, and will, certainly mask up and distant 6 feet for my protection and others. "Others" living in more crowded conditions, "others" who have to continue working with the fear of exposure, "others" who have lost their jobs, "others" who must stand in long food lines, "others" whose family members are alone in ICU, "others" who have no health insurance, "others" who speak no English and are too afraid to seek help. There are many many "others", "others" who could die while I most likely will survive.

In my privileged suburban home in 2020, it does me well to remember that in 1920, 100 years ago, my family were the "others".

    SUCK IT UP

    STAY SAFE

    STAY HOME,