Story by Courtney Meister via Lansing Mom
We’ll call tomorrow, Daddy.
It’s been a month now. My kids, 5 and 4 years old, have gone a month without spending time with their dad.
We are divorced, but share 50/50 custody and do everything we can to be great friends and even better co-parents.
But you see, he’s an essential worker. He’s a Correctional Officer in Jackson. Parnell Correctional Facility to be exact. You might’ve seen it in the news recently…having the most cases of COVID-19 in our state prisons. And, they’re all in his unit.
Last week we found out he tested positive after being sent home the week prior for showing symptoms. But, 7 days after the positive results he was ‘released’ and sent back.
The moment that happened, we had a tough decision to make. It’d already been 3 weeks without seeing them. But now? He’s going back, actively working with COVID diagnosed prisoners with nothing but gloves & a mask.
Should we let him take the kids? Should we risk it? Surely he won’t get it again. But what about the kids? Me? I’m a severe asthmatic. My boyfriend? His son?
It’s a decision we dreaded making. I’ve dealt with daily tears. My daughter, such a daddy’s girl… she cries big heavy tears for her daddy. We FaceTime daily, I’ve driven them by his house to wave from afar… but that almost makes it harder. It’s so hard for him too. I see the pain in his eyes every time we go to hang up…
We’ve had to make hard, sad decisions, that resulted in him not seeing them for the foreseeable future. When will it be safe? When will there be less risk? We don’t know. And that’s the reality our family is living in.
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