Let's Bend the Rules for All the Right Reasons
Let's Bend the Rules for All the Right Reasons
By: Amanda Nerstad
This pandemic has been hard on everyone. Covid-19 is scary to me, especially as a stage IV lung cancer patient. I have followed all of the rules. I mask up when I go out, I choose to stay home as much as I can, I’m not visiting other homes, our family is not taking visitors in our home, we use grocery delivery services and we do our best to keep everyone healthy.
I’ve had to explain to my daughters why we are choosing not to attend parties of friends, visiting family, having sleepovers, etc like other people we know. I understand their risk of dying is different from mine. I have done my research, have facilitated virtual calls with lung cancer doctors about Covid-19 and I know I have a 33% risk of dying if I get Covid-19. I have stayed quiet and followed the rules.
After being diagnosed with a terminal disease, I learned to notice the winks from God and realized that it is ok to bend the rules for all the right reasons. We took our girls out of school last year to celebrate their birthdays. We place our children’s schooling as a high priority, however we did take them horseback riding to celebrate my daughters special day....for all the right reasons. While attending virtual school, my daughters history essay was denied and recorded as “incomplete”, because it was not a two page essay. Instead she made a creative video as if she were standing on the stage of a Hamilton play. She was rapping every word while giving facts dressed up like Paul Revere. All this was done with a big smile on her face. My email response to her teacher was.... Sometimes it’s OK to bend the rules for all the right reasons.
Yesterday I saw a lung cancer friend post on Facebook that she was denied a covid vaccination shot. At the same time, her husband was allowed to get the vaccine because he is a teacher and considered essential. Although they had over 60 cancellations she was turned away.
So I am asking BOLDLY and unapologetically to every healthcare center and every Governor..... Give lung cancer patients access to a life-saving vaccine. Let’s change the guidelines, let’s bend the rules......FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS!
Make your voice heard through the LUNGevity Action Network! Submit a comment using our template about why lung cancer patients should be prioritized for the vaccine >> https://action.lungevity.org/take-action-on-cdc-vaccine-distribution-plan/
- Chris S., Tom Galli, Lisa Haines and 3 others
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