I Want a Greta Hug

“In an effort to further safeguard our clients and employees from the spread of COVID-19, our Emergency Response Team has suspended all outgoing visits to family homes and all incoming visitors to group homes.”

This was the news I received via email late yesterday evening from the agency that operates Huntington House where Greta lives.

As the coronavirus continues its insidious march through our nation and around the globe, local hospitals have cancelled non-essential surgeries and appointments; long-term care facilities are on lock-down; many businesses have closed their doors; and we are all being asked, in the strongest possible terms, to stay home and practice physical distancing when we have to go out. I understand and agree with these measures. As members of a society, it is what’s required of us to help keep people healthy and slow the spread of COVID-19.

But when I read that email, I immediately got angry. “Good luck keeping me from taking her home for a visit! I’m still her legal guardian!”, I practically shouted at my screen. Within a few minutes, however, the real emotions underlying my anger became apparent: fear and sadness.

Greta looks forward to her weekend routine of visiting home. She talks about it all week, confirms and re-confirms her pick-up time, asks if Annelise will be around. She looks forward to seeing her beloved dogs, napping with daddy in her room and getting her weekly treat of a special snack from McDonald’s or Tim Hortons. And weekend home visits are my opportunity to spend time with Greta. To hug her. To watch her. To just be with my child.

We will continue to speak on the phone daily and we’ll FaceTime more often, but we all know those are paltry substitutions for being in the same room with someone, spending time face-to-face. I worry about her missing out on this social and family time that is so important to her well-being. Greta is 16 years old, but cognitively and emotionally she is much younger.

I am not okay with this, but what can I do? This is the new normal for the foreseeable future. Once again, I will look to draw strength from my “village”. I will wipe away my tears and come up with games to play with her over FaceTime. I will get out my craft supplies and make a card or activity book to send her in the mail (she loves getting mail!). If you have any bright ideas for how we can socialize and connect with her, please share them with me!

Most importantly, I ask everyone who reads this for one critical thing: do your part to help flatten the curve. The more responsibly we all act, the lower the risk and the sooner I can hug my first-born daughter again.