COVID-19 has truly taken the world by storm this year. Since early March, the world news media outlets main stories had something to do with COVID. It was scary when I first heard about it. And even scarier when someone I knew died of it. These times are pretty crazy. To add to all of it, the media is constantly reporting new cases, death rates and new mandates. Also, lots of other people are sharing and posting news that are the complete opposite of what the media says. There is so much information out there. When all of this was starting back in March, people were sicker than ever and more people died than what we’re seeing now. My sister, who worked as a nurse extern on the COVID floor in a Colorado hospital, would tell me that people would enter the ICU and they wouldn’t come out. That’s pretty scary. As time went on, and people quarantined, we saw the curve flatten. As doctors and researchers learned more about this strand of Coronavirus, even more people were surviving, both old and young. Thank God that He gave us doctors and researchers!
In early July my husband, son and I tested positive positive for COVID-19. Even though it probably shouldn’t have, it came as a surprise to us. It all started in late May when my husband and I invited my sister and her husband over for dinner. She dropped her daughter off at my mom’s house and picked her up afterwards. At the time, they didn’t have any symptoms and didn’t know they were about to get sick. The next day, my sister let us know that her daughter was sick and that she herself felt sick a few days after that. My parents went to Florida with my grandma and my aunt’s family. In Florida, mom got sick. My husband, Nik, got sick around the same time. Then it was my turn and then my son was sick. When my sister tested positive for COVID, we decided to get tested as well and all of our tests came back positive. Now, we’re not sure where my sister got it or her daughter, but from 1 person, my whole family and even my grandma and my aunt’s whole family (even though mom quarantined herself in Florida) all got sick with COVID-19.
So what was it was like? I can’t speak for everyone in my family because we all experienced it differently, but my husband and I pretty much had the same experience. The first 2-3 days that we were sick it was the worst. Everything hurt and I mean everything. I kept saying that I felt like a bus drove over me. We both had fevers, although they weren’t too high (101 was the highest) but our bodies felt almost foreign. We took Advil and Tylenol to help with the discomfort and it actually helped pretty well. After the 3rd day, we felt significantly better. We weren’t 100% for about 2 full weeks. Nik and I both lost our sense of smell which was really the only respiratory related problem and Nik had a cough that lingered for a while. Other than that, we didn’t really have respiratory problems or trouble breathing. My 7 month old son got sick once I started feeling a little better. He became fussy and he had a fever. He was a sick for about 2 days and then he felt a lot better and was back to his normal self. I’m just thankful this is an illness that’s not too dangerous for kids. I’m also thankful for my body, that it was able to battle this virus quickly. Like I mentioned before, we did all get tested and all three of us tested positive. The testing process was very simple. We booked appointments with CVS and you basically stay in your car in the drive-thru. The nurse gives you a sealed baggie of 4 small q-tips. You take one, swab both nostrils and put it into the the little testing vial. Then you seal the bag and put it into the LabCorp box outside. Your results are sent to you electronically. It’s a very simple test and you do the whole thing yourself. Overall it wasn’t terrible. I’ve been sicker before BUT I will say, I’ve never experienced something so contagious.
COVID often gets compared to the flu, but in all reality, the flu is not as contagious. If I had invited my sister over and she had some flu symptoms, it’s unlikely we all would have gotten sick unless I shared a drink with her or maybe gave her a hug. We all got sick from simply sitting at a table together without any actual physical contact. So yes, this is something the media outlets do have correct, COVID-19 is very contagious. I believe them when they say cases are rising in number. More tests will result in more positive cases, but something to keep in mind is that most people aren’t going to go get tested for COVID just for the heck of it. I got tested because I was sick. I know some employers require it, but if you’re not sick and you test positive, you’re the danger. My sister didn’t know she was about to be sick when she came over and all of this resulted from one dinner. If you test positive, even if you don’t feel sick, stay home. Don’t go to the grocery store or anywhere else because you just never know who you’ll give the virus to.
The COVID-19 pandemic naturally came with a lot of rumors and conspiracy theories. Those always pop up when something big happens. I wanted to address some of the things I’ve heard that are truly insane and it’s so sad that they come from fellow believers and Christians. I heard several crazy rumors about the testing: 1) the tests with the large Q-tip punctures your blood brain barrier and will leave you brain damaged. 2) when you get tested for COVID the q-tips implant you with either COVID/microchip. 3) when you test positive for COVID, you’re forced to go to the hospital against your will and finally 4) when you test positive for COVID, someone comes and takes your children away from you until you test negative. None of these things are true and it’s sad that that’s even something that needs to be addressed. For a Q-tip to puncture your blood brain barrier, it has to puncture several layers of muscle and the base of the skull. Instead, it is placed in the nasopharynx, a cavity behind the nose where the highest yield of viruses can be collected. No one is implanting you with anything. For something like that to happen, and for something like implanting people with COVID or a microchip to be mandated, all the government officials of the world (because remember this is a worldwide thing) and all medical staff of the world would have to agree to do so. And if they can’t agree on normal day to day stuff, I promise me you, no one is implanting you with anything. Finally, when you test positive, you’re encouraged to stay home. An ambulance is not coming to pick you up to take you to a hospital and no one took my kid away when I tested positive. It’s a sad day when Christians are out there spreading these lies and putting fear into people because this is all part of the “their plan.” Meanwhile, no one can ever tell you who “they” are and what their “plan” exactly is.
All in all, the thing that I learned from going through all of this and seeing all of this turn out is that we all need to give grace to each other. We all have our own personal opinions and we all have our own theories. Let’s not criticize when our opinions are different. Let’s not belittle when because we think we’re right. The truth is, God gave us people with extraordinary minds to create, innovate and heal. Let’s continue to pray for our nation and for the rest of the world that COVID-19 can be healed and things can get back to normal.
