"A mask offers less protection to the wearer than to the people around her, and so when you put one on, you send a message to everyone around you that their well-being matters to you."

As I shop (as seldom as possible) in my red state little town (no black lentils alas) and I'm one of the few people wearing a mask, I can't help but wonder how many of the maskless are doing so because of some sort of loyalty to the ethos of "freedom" (I would say "Trump" instead of "freedom" with shudder quotes but if there had never been a Trump, the vast maskless would still probably be maskless in this situation), I wish I could say to each of these smiling, friendly folks "My mask keeps you safe. If you sneeze or talk loudly toward me, my mask won't protect me very much. But if I sneeze, my mask will probably protect you. So why can't you reciprocate?"

It may not be much comfort, but if your story convinces just one person to wear a mask, you may be saving dozens of lives (perhaps hundreds or thousands--we still don't know that much about community spread), not just from your actions but from your courage and words. I'm extremely sorry for your suffering, but just as grateful for the bravery of your testimony.