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Home visitation

shannonleebanks

With my daughter off school for the winter holidays, we could shield together as a family. So after nearly five months of living in the flat, I moved back home for nearly two weeks. People envision a perfect reunion — a fairy-tale Christmas with a glowing tree, hot chocolate and hugs. And it was amazing in all the ways you might imagine. But it also was challenging in all the ways you wouldn’t. It was my first time back in the house since August. The furniture was moved oh-so-slightly, we had new curtains in our bedroom windows. Plants has grown. … Continue reading Home visitation

me&my: covid diary, me&my: writingLeave a comment

Calm before the storm

shannonleebanks

The last time I felt this sense of foreboding I was 13 and sitting in a Middle School biology class with Mr Shoemaker. It had been a stormy morning and the wind gusts had been causing the school windows to clatter. We were Kansas kids, so we knew what it meant when the winds died down and the sky turned green.  For months now, I have been lonely but not afraid. I knew what to do to keep myself safe and endured that to buy time while they developed better treatments and the UK decided to pay for vaccine alternatives. … Continue reading Calm before the storm

me&my: covid diary, me&my: writingLeave a comment

PGTips and the power of human touch

shannonleebanks

I went to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned. I was afraid to walk into the building but my PGTips habit was visible even over Zoom calls. There are only 30 cases of Omicron identified in the UK but one of them is in Spelthorne which is where my dentist Nick has his offices. So I double masked and I cleaned my hands and tried unsuccessfully to hold my breath. The hygienist was in full PPE but my heart beat faster and I could feel muscle pull away when she told me about her recent family trip to Portugal … Continue reading PGTips and the power of human touch