Going to Church Amid COVID

Last Thursday morning, my mom and I attended Mass at our church, Our Lady of Grace (OLG) Roman Catholic Church in Palm Bay, for the first time in two months. Going to church was a weekly routine for me before the coronavirus outbreak, so when I heard Catholic churches in the Diocese of Orlando were closing on March 19, I was stunned. OLG has been live-streaming its Masses on YouTube, making me feel somewhat connected to my church. OLG started its gradual reopening process on May 12 with Masses resuming last Tuesday. I was so glad to go to church in person, even though it was a different experience in the following ways: Almost everyone wore a mask. My mom and I were escorted to the front pew, which didn't contain hymnals or donation envelopes. Everyone else sat at least six feet apart in alternating pews.

I'm thankful for the opportunity to worship in public again. I've always felt welcome and respected at my church despite my disabilities. Whenever I read a Bible passage to the congregation, I'm able to access the space between the lectern and the altar thanks to a ramp (seen in the photo below). As churches are reopening in various parts of the country, you should look for church reopening updates in your area before you put on your Sunday best. If you still don't feel comfortable going to church, you can continue viewing streamed Masses/services online. You, my readers, are in my prayers.

I inside my church in January

(Photo by Tracy Jensen-McGrath)

My COVID-19 Testing Experience

A week ago, I underwent COVID-19 testing. Although I didn't have symptoms, my parents and I wanted to know if I had the coronavirus. So, I made an appointment to be tested. My mom drove me a few miles to the testing site, where we briefly waited in a short line of cars. I stayed in the van while a technician conducted a nasopharyngeal swab test by moving around a long cotton swab inside my nostrils for 15 seconds. I went into the testing facility for the antibody test, which involved a needle poke in my middle finger. About ten minutes later, the technician informed me I didn't have antibodies. However, I found out earlier this afternoon my swab test result came back negative.

If you haven't already done so, you should consider being tested for the coronavirus, especially if you have a medical condition that puts you at a higher risk. For more information about COVID-19 testing, go to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html. You can look online for a testing location near you.

Drive-through COVID-19 testing

(image via wlrn.org)

Applying for Disability Benefits

If you have an impairment, you may be eligible for disability benefits. I recently applied for Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) for the purpose of being enrolled in Medicare. (People under age 65 may be eligible for Medicare if they have disabilities.) A couple of weeks before submitting my application, I spoke with a Social Security Administration (SSA) representative on the phone for about an hour. He asked me questions about my disabilities and sources of income. A few days after the phone conversation, I received the SSDI application in the mail. Along with my completed form, I had to send pay stubs from the past four months at my current job. I was told it might be three months before I find out if I'm eligible for SSDI.

If you believe you qualify for disability benefits, you can apply today for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) as well as SSDI online. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Social Security offices are closed. If your application is denied, you can file an appeal. For more information, go to https://www.ssa.gov/.

SSA logo

(image via facebook.com)

Wheeling Through the "A-Maze-ing" Sledd's U-Pick Farm

You've probably heard the saying "April showers bring May flowers." This is so true at Sledd's U-Pick Farm in Mims, where there is a sunflower maze that covers more than four acres. My parents and I went there yesterday, a beautiful spring day. I was amazed by what appeared to be endless fields of sunflowers taller than I am. The dirt path was wide enough for my wheelchair to maneuver through the maze. (If you can't walk long distances, you should take your wheelchair with you. Service animals are allowed.)

The admission fee at Sledd's U-Pick Farm is $5 for everyone over the age of three. For additional charges, visitors with their own scissors and containers can cut sunflowers and pick some fruits and vegetables to take home; they can also have lunch. This farm is a wonderful place for a family outing as well as a photo shoot. For more information and updates, go to its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Sledds-U-Pick-Farm-205766459439752/.

I in the sunflower maze

(Photo by Tracy Jensen-McGrath)