Covid for Christmas. Doesn't have a very good Hallmark ring to it. Nonetheless, my family like many families around the world are muddling through the wake of this pandemic. For so long the rumors of Covid-19 seemed exactly like that. A rumor. I had heard of a friend of a friend. Or my mom would tell me about her patients in the intensive care unit. Next, the second wave of Covid cases became big news when the election results were no longer of interest. Still, I kept moving right along as always attending church, the homeschool co-op, dance class for the girls thinking if I just keep performing our routine then maybe we can live a normal life after all.
Then, on a Wednesday morning while my husband was getting ready he warned me he was not feeling quite right. He took to his temperature, which read normal, and was off to work. Not thinking much of it I continued my day preparing breakfast for the kids then starting our school lessons, but that was quickly interrupted by my husband's return. He hastily went to our room muttering on the way up he was feeling awful, but needed to make a virtual meeting for work. I met him upstairs with a thermometer in his mouth preparing his laptop for a remote meeting. No temperature, but I had Tylenol ready for him for he had a headache and his back was aching. When the meeting was over he was in bed nearly dead to the world piled with blankets and the thermostat turned up baking the room. With these flu-like symptoms I knew he had Covid-19. Later that evening his temperature reached 101 extinguishing any remaining energy he might have had. I removed myself to sleep in my son's room.
The next morning my husband awoke still feeling beaten from the effects of the day before, but not defeated. I offered him headache medication, which quickly provided relief. He was then asked by his employer to get tested for Covid-19. Feeling up to the task he left on his own. Not gone long he returned with positive test results.
It was of no surprise, but then I had to assess what I needed to do. Quickly I sent messages and texts informing everyone I had made contact with of my husband's results. Trying to sound reassuring that I and the kids were feeling well I felt terrible for all I could have jeopardized. The Sunday prior I watched the toddlers at church. Tuesday prior, I am the designated photographer for our homeschool co-op which means I touched a lot of faces and bodies for the portrait shot that would appear in the yearbook. There were many moms and kids concerned to be at school for fear of catching Covid only to spread it to their family. Here I am possibly contaminated about to spoil Christmas for so many.
I wanted to wait a day before getting tested to provide time that if I was in fact Covid positive it would show up. When Friday arrived I could not find a testing facility that would take me that day. The earliest appointment I could find was 20 miles away in the country for Saturday morning. Saturday morning leaving my girls to entertain themselves under the ear shot of my husband my son and I went to have me tested at a drive-thru pharmacy.
Right before I pulled up to the pharmacy window I received a texted for a video to watch offering instructions of the procedure. Once I offered the service tech my information she returned a bag containing a swab and vile. I then proceeded to follow the instructions of the video by placing the swab towards the back of my nasal cavity twisting the swab for 15 seconds on both sides feeling very teary and cleansed. The swab was then to be inserted into the vile, placed back into the baggy, and entered into a drop-off box. My next job was to wait 3-4 days for results. This was painstaking. I was required to open a MyChart with the pharmacy to receive my results. That night and about every hour later I checked my account for my answer until the results finally came the following Tuesday. I was negative.
There was almost a sense of disappoint to have negative results. I wanted to have it and be done with it. On the other hand I was glad I could offer relief to all the moms and children I had made contact with so they could proceed with their family plans. On the down side for the upmost precaution school and church had been cancelled until the new year. And all Christmas activities were over. I held my girls from dance class and all seemed silent.
Some assessments. I guess for the sake of all the elderly, especially in nursing homes, I am glad there is a vaccine. However, the system of testing sucks. Long ago home testing kits for Covid-19 should have been approved. The waiting of four days to be tested then get results is crazy stupid. If people can test at home before going to work or interacting outside the home it would probably prevent a lot more spread. Pharmacies and urgent care units are making a killing with all this testing so it would not surprise if there is a lobby dragging the feet of the FDA to have home tests approved.
Second, I am not convinced this virus is as contagious as some would have us believe. I slept next to my husband the morning he started feeling bad. Though we have him quarantined to the bedroom I have still interacted with him bringing him meals, walking with him having some distance late at night, and breathing the same recycled air within our HVAC. Perhaps I am not susceptible to the virus or maybe it takes more viral load to infect someone.
Thirdly, watching my husband endure the effects of Covid-19 it did not seem dire. I felt terrible for him, but symptoms were of short duration and therefore not discouraging. He is healthy and almost 35. If you believe the research of blood type he is type A and managed just fine.
Assessment of the quarantine: this has placed strain on me and my household. Originally, we decided to keep my husband separate to give us time for recovery should I fall ill and then he would be well enough to watch the kids. Then I wanted to wait until I took my test to offer assurance to people whom I interacted. Later, my husband wanted to remain apart to make his quarantine worth it. My husband has been isolated to our bedroom for 9 days now. He is a restless creature, a hunter gather personality. To be locked away watching movie after movie has drained his motivation. He feels his entire life has come to a halt.
I am playing the role of single mother of three while also performing maid services to my husband. I am drained and irritable. Its Christmas and we can't really do anything. We have been doing lots of things like making sugar cookie and all kinds of Christmas ornaments, but I haven't been able to finish any of my Christmas shopping. I wanted to volunteer and help in the community during this unprecedented time. I really wanted to sing Christmas carols outside nursing home windows. All that seems nixed. What's worse my husband and I are strained. We are not sure what to do. When should he take the mask off? When can he join us for dinner? When can the kids and I hug him? He'll be tested in another four days, but do we really need to trust the "science" and wait that long? All this so hopefully I won't get sick right before Christmas day.
I have a lot to be thankful for. I don't want to sound complaisant. Mostly talking out loud. I am glad God seemed good to keep me from contracting the disease so people around me have peace of mind. I am glad I have three beautiful healthy children who love decorating for Christmas. We have placed much more emphasis on Jesus as the perfect gift instead of all the presents. And some homeschool moms have surprised us with treats found in the mailbox or on our front porch. My dad even mailed us a special care package. We are not the only ones isolating from loved ones so it is by no means the worse. It is one of those processes when you are forced to understand we cannot control everything and yielding to God's protection is the best way to move forward.
So... my tid bits on Covid-19.
