June 9, 2015. Harper, Texas. Isolation.

Ken remembers seeing signs on houses. No one was to enter because a person in the house was ill and being isolated from the public. The sick person was contagious. Wards in hospitals were isolation wards. But times have changed and now you never see Isolation signs on houses. Inoculations and anti-biotics have changed our routines. Ken and I have isolated ourselves and much to my great surprise, I seem perfectly happy with the isolation. The problem is infections. The treatment for my dire disease leave me with a compromised immune system, so the Oncologists and the written instructions tells me to wash my hands often, stay out of crowds, and limit contact with people to whom you know are healthy. So we do. Now we are anti social. We have turned down invitations when we know there is a big group. And I never enter large groups of people, like grocery stores. The system has worked. I have not had an infection. The interesting part of the whole process is that I seem perfectly happy being isolated. I could put a sign on the door but I don't need to because we never invite anyone over, except our neighbors. Ken and I will spend days at the Top House and never see a soul. After a life spent surrounded by people both young and old, I am surprised that I am content. I suppose that the isolation has it's own rewards, in that I do not get sicker, so I have resigned myself to the routine. I am still surprised at myself.