Advice for Living Life?

It sounds as if you have carefully evaluated the situation and from my POV, it seems like a fairly low risk situation. Ultimately you will have to decide if you can go without having major anxiety. I put off all plane travel but know I will go crazy if I don’t have a change of scenery. I am renting a cottage near a beach in the Santa Barbara area. Staring at the ocean sounds like heaven so I’ll accept the small risk. I am driving there and will bring most of my food. Yes, I have a teeny, tiny concern. One of my friends was surprised that I hadn’t canceled the trip, but on balance, I feel comfortable. Take care.

Kikomoon, well, I wouldn't go. The more cases there are the more the risk of a breakthrough infection even for vaccinated people. And as an immunocompromised person, there's a good chance I didn't mount enough immunity from the vax.

With my lung met, I signed a dnr/dni when covid broke out. They won't put me on a vent because I'd very likely never come off. If I need more than just supplemental O2, I'll die. And I'd be super pissed at going through all this effort to buy time for my mbc, only to be taken out by covid.

Not worth it for me. It's not fear, as far as I'm concerned. It's just my risk assessment and also factors in how little I value dining in a restaurant. Take out and zoom is enough for me.

I hope you make a decision you're comfortable with!

It's tough that we have to think so hard about things we used to take for granted. Every time there is an invitation or event or desire to go somewhere, I try to evaluate the level of risk. I do not look at this as living my life in fear, but living smart. For me it goes something like this: Safer=Outdoors rather than indoors, Other people masked or known to be vaccinated rather than unvaccinated or unknown, Spaced rather than crowded.

I have felt comfortable visiting botanic gardens where there are masked and unmasked people, because it is outdoors, not super-crowded, and I am vaccinated and masked, even if everyone there is not. I have felt comfortable visiting and eating in homes with a small circle of vaccinated family and friends. I have plans to go camping with another family that is vaccinated. I will even go to a dance class when it starts up because everyone will mask and it is only for an hour, and it will feed my soul. I shop for groceries in the morning before so many covid aerosols have had a chance to collect in the space.

On the other hand, I don't shop for fun because it seems an unnecessary risk, being indoors with so many people. I can't go back to yoga class because half the people there do not want to mask or state their vaccination status. I am not comfortable eating at restaurants, even outdoors, because I would need to be unmasked to eat, and too close to unmasked people who may not be vaccinated, who are eating, laughing, maybe talking loudly -- which is riskier than talking quietly because more likely to spew greater distances.

I take into account my own situation. I am not greatly immune-compromised, but I can't afford to get sick and have to pause my treatment. I figure the vaccine would probably keep me out of the hospital, but on the other hand, my body is sort of worn out from treatment. My current dilemma is whether I can attend an outdoor concert. Outdoors with a breeze forecast is good, but crowded is not. I would double mask. (So far I have not found an N95 that fits.) It would be really special to go with the person who invited me, but I am nervous. Thoughts, anyone?

Kikomoon, is there another way to socialize that would feel more comfortable? Like eating outdoors with these folks at home instead of at a restaurant, or visiting with them but not for a meal, so everyone could wear their mask?

My husband and I have tickets for an indoor concert that was cancelled last year and now has been rescheduled for late September. The venue is pretty strict about vaccines and masks, but once the lights are down, I don't see how they can see whose nose is doing a Kilroy over the top of their mask. I'm not going. I love the group, but I can listen to them on YouTube and Spotify. I'll support them by buying some stuff from their website.