Covid Struck Again!
In 2020 during the height of the pandemic that was Covid-19 I was working at a hospital as an entry screener. I took every precaution from santizing my hands to wearing all the proper PPE. But then when the vaccines came out you had those who refused to wear a mask. I was faced with lines of people with symptoms who refused to follow the guidelines. Somewhere along the line whether it was having to go through the ER to meet with my supervisor or my son coming home from school with it I myself ended up sick.
However, unlike those who had the mild version or the version where they just lost their taste and smell I ended up with Covid Pneumonia. I still have the awful memories of laying propped up on my recliner with ice packs on my head and under my arm pits. It was a trick I had learned as a nurses aide to reduce fevers. As my son sat back and watched Youtubers play games I found myself unable to breathe. Even with the antiviral meds and inhalers that my doctors had sent to me I was still suffering. To this day their are those who say I probably should have been admitted to the hospital. But who would watch my son?
I knew I couldn’t risk my parents or brother getting sick so I suffered at home and prayed every night that I wouldn’t die. God answered my prayers and I made it through. I eventually left the hospital and just worked the weekends caring for my mother who has Parkinson’s. I cyber schooled my son for two years. However, the moment he finally reached ninth grade I knew it was time to send him back. What I didn’t expect at the beginning of December 2023 was for him to bring home the new variant of Covid. Once again I found myself fighting fevers and my Covid related asthma even worse.
To make matters worse we live with my father who ended up getting it despite having all the vaccines. We both ended up miserable and I ended up once again afraid. I was immediately put on an antiviral called Paxlovid. It was a five day course but after beating Covid I then ended up with a severe sinus infection. I spent three weeks fighting my way through sickness and my asthma getting worse. Now as I await another trip to the lung doctor to see how badly my lungs are affected I find myself living in fear.
With Covid here to stay and constantly changing variants I find myself wondering how much more to take. It’s terrifying when your lungs are already weak and your immune system has already taken quite a beaten. However, I am not about to lock myself away in fear. Sicknesses will come and go and that is to be expected due to my soon to be sixteen year old son bringing home illnesses. But the thing I have learned the most is that you have to have faith. Faith that you will survive whatever is tossed your way. Whether it be a virus or any other challenge. I’m not going down without a fight.
