As the COVID-19 pandemic started to taper down in May of 2021, my husband and I decided to visit my mother in Puerto Rico. It had been almost two years since my last visit. Before our we got vaccinated, and shortly after that, out the door we went.
In Puerto Rico, all indoor bars were closed, only restaurants that served alcohol remained open until 8 pm. Entry to any establishment required temperature taking, hand sanitizing, and of course, face coverings.
When we arrived at my mothers’ house, there was no electricity. We would have to sleep in the scolding heat with no air conditioning or fans to fight off the mosquitos. The next day, the bathroom was clogged (the only bathroom in the house), and while we tried to find solutions for a plumber on a Sunday, we had to visit relatives to use their bathroom. My mothers’ roof was also under repair that day, so we had to leave the house because the workers had to shut down the water.
We decided to go to lunch at a restaurant off the beach. The views, the waves, the food, all made for a perfect day!
The roof was ready by the time we arrived from lunch, and a family member sent over an electrician who was able to power half the house. The rest of the trip I spent helping my mother around the house and running her errands. My husband was able to squeeze in two days of golf. Shopping was challenging not so much because of the mask mandate, but every store also required you to use hand sanitizer gel before entering. After a few stores, the gel piled up and felt super gross!
We managed to make the best of our trip and were happy to help my mother out as much as time allowed. However, we may not visit for a while.
Despite all the challenges during our visit, Puerto Rico continues to be breathtaking, beautiful, and warm. Seeing my mother after such a long time made up for all other inconveniences and frustrations. When you live far and cannot visit often, you notice how much your elderly parents age. It’s important to me to be there for her as she was for me.