A thread. Yesterday I didn’t watch football. Instead, my friends’ daughter and I took a trip to Des Moines for doughnuts and pizza. Six months ago she was pulled from school and their house on lockdown. While things have changed a little she still doesn’t go to school. 1/

She doesn’t get to see her friends. Two days a week she watches her 5 year old medically needy brother between the time her dad leaves for work and her mom is done with work or I get there. She can give meds, feed him through his g tube, put his trach back in, all of it. 2/

She refuses to change poppy diapers though. Covid left them with a shortage of in home nursing care and she’s stepped up. Of course she complains sometimes. She’s a kid who had to grow up really fast. She’s a social girl and she needs breaks too. She deserves them. 3/

So we went out yesterday and got doughnuts from Krispy Kreme, pizza from Giordano’s and wandered Joann in West Des Moines for at least an hour because it’s her favorite store. Most people were wearing masks which was awesome! 4/

It bothers me when people say “just stay home if you’re at risk” and we don’t have to wear masks. You’re asking their families to stay home. You’re willing to make them stay in their house for a over a year and have no interaction with other people. 5/

All because you don’t want to wear a mask in the store. Doesn’t seem like a huge ask for you to wear a mask so kids like Averie can have days out of the house, to be able to relax and forget about the responsibilities that wait for them at home. Thanks. #WearADamnMask