Protecting yourself during winter months with autoimmune disease

I wear a KN95 mask and have a small hand sanitizer in my purse.

The one time I didn't wear a mask- to an art class one month after vaccine- I got COVID and landed in the hospital.

Now I don't care if I am the only one in a given environment with a mask!

Good Morning and very sorry for the difficulties you are facing. I too have an autoimmune disease, Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis. I have no B-cells as a result of the treatment to get my disease under control. B-cells are the first line of immune defense in our bodies. I go no where without a mask. No where. But that is just the common sense part. I am also a retired Presbyterian Minister. And let me assure you that God does not want you to die because people don't usually wear masks to church. Sick people do... or they stay home. For 2 years, I watched a live-stream of church on You-Tube because it wasn't safe for me to go there. I spent 30 years in the pulpit and stopped going to church for 2+ years. Auto immune diseases need careful and consistent tending to if you want to live. You need to be your best advocate for your own health. You need to be sure you are taking care of yourself. The customs of culture (even church culture) no longer matter in your life. You have a specific battle to fight and it is indeed for your life. It is not easy. Don't give it up to "fit in" anywhere. Well, my preaching is done for today. Hope you take this to heart, and choose for your health.

@purehope2022
I am of the same mind as you. I, too, don't go anywhere without a mask...even if no one else is wearing one. And, I, too, "went to church" via live stream on line beginning with the covid outbreak and I have had to continue that for an extended period of time because of being immunosuppressed. It has just been within the past few months that I started attending church again in person...but NEVER NEVER NEVER without my mask. The only drawback right now is that some of God's people like to show their love with hugs and kisses...even when they see that you are wearing a mask. I appreciate the show of love and affection but I have to do all I can to avoid getting sick. So, I really appreciate your saying:
" You need to be sure you are taking care of yourself. The customs of culture (even church culture) no longer matter in your life. You have a specific battle to fight and it is indeed for your life."
Thank you!

I got covid and long covid last year because of someone that didn't mask up in a crowded space, and then spread it to us. So you could also view wearing a mask as maybe protecting others. Best to use an N95 or KN94 mask; the masks most people use are considerably less effective. The N95 mask, for example, works because it filters at least 95% of 1 micron and larger particles, keeping you from inhaling them. Viruses are smaller than a micron but are mostly transmitted with (larger) moisture from talking, coughing, and such. Things like mold and pollen spores are also blocked. For those of us with underperforming immune systems, being hit with a few virus or bacteria is easier to attack than a viral storm deluging us. Masks also keep our hands away from our faces, which helps a lot. If you do go to church and get comments from people there, it would be good to talk with the pastor about it. Having a compromised immune system and being disabled are very socially isolating, and balancing being with people and health is very hard.

Great question!

I struggle with visiting my elderly folks because there is that balance to be considered: Isolation and better physical health vs. Community and better mental & spiritual health. We mask if there's an outbreak in MIL's elder housing.

I don't want to get them sick, but I know they are lonely and isolated. I usually test for COVID if I have any sort of symptoms or just don't visit during that time. With flus, you usually know you have it. (I don't vaccinate for either because I'd rather know for sure that I'm sick and stay home. I don't want a higher likelihood of being an asymptomatic carrier.)

I'm not on any immune-suppressing treatment yet. But will need to consider these things further when I am. I may vaccinate for COVID/flu at that point. And mask more regularly.

For now, the autoimmune crap I have seems to clobber everything pretty effectively, including things I really wish it wouldn't, like my joints. I don't get colds/flus very often.

@purehope2022, @my44
Thank you both for your supportive comments. I too go to church via Zoom, and NEVER leave my apartment(where my air filtration system runs) without my mask.
Great to hear others who do the same.
I love your quote that culture, including church culture no longer matter ! How true!
@purehope, I enjoyed your sermon! Thanks!

@happilyalive Great question! I have a few autoimmune conditions, and also am immunocompromised [and under active treatment] for a blood cancer. I am like you, always on the lookout how to stay safe and healthy.

A long while ago it became clear that so many people simply don't understand, or may not care, that we could get very ill from the wrong interactions. Often I am the only one wearing a mask. Learning to not react to the stares, or comments, took some time. The truth is never far from my lips, "I can't afford to get sick, I could die, I am an active cancer patient". Do I limit my exposure? Yes, indeed! But sometimes, ya just gotta go someplace. And we need to advocate for ourselves.

As we head more in to the cold/flu/whatever season, let's be careful. Take care of ourselves however we need to.
Ginger

Thank you Ginger for the answer and understanding. I always prepare to do the grocery shopping and other errands by being super careful. Usually at these errands though my husband, who is disabled, is at home. Since we will be attending church together and I am his caretaker, I cannot afford to get sick. I also don't want to. So, after reading your response and that of others I've decided that I will continue to either attend church over the air waves and/or attend and wear a mask at all times along with avoiding the shaking of hands and cheek kisses. I love the body of Christ but also want to live. Hopefully that makes sense. Thank God for hand sanitizer and precautions that we can take.

Also, thank you to everyone that commented and gave me advice. Each of you are truly valued by me and I do hope that all of us are safe from illnesses, diseases and any harm that may come our way. I appreciate each of you.

Blessings to you all

Thank you for reminding me that I need to purchase some more N95 and KN94 masks. I decided to contact the pastor at the church that we are going to attend to let him know that I will be wearing a mask so it won't take him by surprise. Thank you for your comment. Sorry that you got covid and long covid. I totally wish that others understood how hard it is to be autoimmune.

I'm very sorry for the autoimmune diseases that you have. It's tough but with God's grace we can handle things as they come up. Sometimes it can be confusing and very difficult though. Thank you for your answer and especially in reminding me that God does not want me to die because people usually don't wear masks to church.

I will continue to watch live streaming of the church service and participating in that way until I can get into contact with the pastor of the church. I'm going to give him a heads up about my mask wearing since no one else there wears them, or that I've seen on live stream.

I am also reminded that the church is not a building but the body of God's people. You are a blessing.

Take care and have a great day.