Why I Wear a Mask
I’m responding to Ron Perry’s letter printed on Sept. 6 about wearing a mask. I have no clue what the point of his questions were, nor his motivation except for possibly to see his rantings and name in e Signal.
In the interest of educating him and others who don’t understand my decision to wear a mask in public places, here goes:
I am a senior citizen with a weakened immune system. I should also state that I am ghting two types of cancer. I need to be healthy to continue the ght, which means I need to avoid getting sick.
In 2023, I spent 15 days in the hospital ghting pneumonia, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) and
COVID-19, a wonderful trifecta, despite being vaccinated. My lungs had to be cleaned out, literally vacuumed out, as I could not walk 10 paces without having to sit and rest, wheezing and out of breath. A er my last stay, I was on a breathing machine for a few months.
I also was on a monthly immune booster (drip) for nine months starting last summer and will likely start that up again as we enter the 2024-25 cold and u season, and I will get the latest COVID-19 shot, the u shot, and the pneumonia shot by the end of October for maximum personal health protection.
I wear a mask to protect myself from others who might be sick and don’t care enough about their fellow human beings to stay home until they get better. In the past several weeks my business associates have come down with some respiratory issues a er ying commercially, so I know that there is something taking place that I need to be on high alert for. I avoid the movies and restaurants. If I go to anyplace with people present, such as the gas station, grocery store or co ee shop, I mask up.
I wear my mask to prevent others from being infected by me should I have something that I have yet to be diagnosed for.
My goal of wearing a mask is simply to avoid getting sick and to live a longer, more productive life. I’ve been a guest at the hospital more times than I want to remember, and I have no plan or desire to return.
So, if you see me wearing a mask, understand that this is not about you. It’s about me. And if you don’t like it or understand my decision, well, too bad.
Ken Keller
Valencia