Items

2020-06-22

What Long-Term Effects Could COVID-19 Have on Your Lungs?

A blog post from Banner Health about the long-term effects Covid-19 can have on the lungs.

2020-03-30

Covid Parking

I had a friend that kept telling me that the pandemic was fake. I told her that we needed to take it serious. When I took my daughter to the local urgent care for a doctors appointment, this was the parking lot scene. I just remember being blown away at the seriousness of the situation. The urgent care separated even those that came in for covid testing from the other patients, just to keep things extra safe.

2021

Another Hospital

My mother worked at several hospitals throughout the beginning of the pandemic, as there were nurse shortages. At this particular location, she working in several units including the ICU, outpatient surgery, and distributing vaccines. This is important to me because seeing my mom dressed like this and hearing about how she worked in multiple places any given day put into perspective how dire the situation was and continues to be.

2020

My Mom Working in the COVID ICU

While this is not me, it is still important to me since it is my mom. She has worked in the COVID ICU almost the entire time, and I was really affected by seeing her gowned up like that the first time. Her career during my lifetime has not required so much PPE, so it was a really surreal moment that forced me to really appreciate the extremity of the pandemic and how much danger my mom was in.

2021-02

Because I can... thats why...

At the beginning of the year, my workplace began offering free Covid vaccines and time from work to get them. I signed up because I know how important it is. Arguments about whether the vaccine should be mandatory aside, I got it because I can, and there are those that can't and this is my way of helping them too.

2021-10-04

How Covid-19 Has Changed My Life

The reflection that I have uploaded is a short summary of the biggest impacts Covid-19 has had on my life. This was the first time I've had the opportunity to share how Covid-19 has affected my life and I hope my experience helps others understand what life was like during these times. This submission is important to me because I want people 50 years from now to be able to read this and know how this pandemic has changed the world and how adaptable humans can become.

2021-08-05

Tucson Unified requires masks

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey and the Arizona State Legislature have attempted to make it illegal for school districts to require face masks. Tucson Unified School District's school board voted for a mask mandate in defiance of this. Other Arizona districts followed, risking the withholding of COVID relief funds that the governor is refusing to disburse to any district with a mask mandate. A judge later ruled that the law was invalid and schools could have a mask mandate. As someone with children who are in school but are too young to receive a vaccine yet, I hope districts continue to require face masks for the safety of the students and staff. The Arizona Daily Star published a story about TUSD's decision. TEXT OF ARTICLE: Tucson Unified School District is requiring all staffers, students and visitors to wear masks at all its school sites when the school year begins on Thursday, Aug. 5. The TUSD decision defies a new state law that bans public schools from issuing mask mandates. “While Gov. (Doug) Ducey and the state Legislature has decided to ignore the advice of our public health experts and endanger our community, we can’t sit idle and watch COVID inevitably spread throughout our schools and devastate so many TUSD families,” said board member Ravi Grivois-Shah during an emergency Governing Board meeting Wednesday morning. “This is why I will support, along with my colleagues, a requirement to have masks on TUSD campuses and authorize TUSD to enforce this.” The board passed the measure 4-0. Board President Leila Counts was not present for the vote. Masking in schools is an important mitigation measure to slow the spread of COVID-19, and especially the new delta variant, health agencies at the county, state and federal level all say. This week, with Tucson classrooms back at capacity, as nearly 140,000 children across Pima County are returning to classrooms in person, indoor masking is one of the remaining virus mitigation measures schools have left. Social distancing is problematic at most school sites because of large class sizes, and there’s a state ban on a vaccine mandate. Further, a vaccine is unavailable to anyone younger than 12 years old. Between July 20 and Aug. 2, there were 102 virus cases in Pima County schools and 11 outbreaks, according to data from the Health Department. Those figures occurred when most schools here were not yet open. At the end of July, cases in schools accounted for about 8% of the Pima County’s total reported cases, compared to 4% of total cases during last school year — when masks were required. The county also has seen an increase in pediatric admissions and ER visits in children over the last two weeks of July. Vail Unified is the only Tucson school district that has been open for two weeks. Without a mask mandate, the district has 57 current COVID-19 cases in students and 12 in staff workers. The county Health Department has already temporarily closed three Vail classrooms and told staffers and students to quarantine. “Last year, schools had a number of tools that are no longer available,” said Vail Superintendent John Carruth. “They had the ability to do hybrid learning with smaller class sizes, require face coverings and close classrooms if needed. This year, Vail has two instructional options for families — fully in person and fully remote. With all of our teachers assigned to in-person or fully remote instruction, we are leaning on structures we built last year to support students when (the Health Department) requires them to quarantine.” And while some parents, especially those with children not old enough to be vaccinated, fear for their children’s safety in a packed classroom with unmasked people, other parents are staunchly against mask mandates, saying it is unnecessary and even harmful. In an informal survey by the Arizona Daily Star, with 180 participants two weeks ago when the COVID-19 numbers were lower, less than a third of respondents said masks should be optional, in line with the new state law. The other two-thirds said masks should be required or schools should at least have the option to require them. TUSD, with about 42,000 students, follows at least two other school districts in the state, the Phoenix Union High and Phoenix Elementary school districts, in defying the governor and state Legislature by requiring masks. A Phoenix Union teacher sued the district over the mandate, but a court hearing on the case that was set for Wednesday morning was postponed until next week. Science teacher Douglas Hester filed a lawsuit against the Phoenix Union school district’s board members and superintendent on Aug. 2, saying the mandate is illegal and can’t be enforced. A hearing on the case is set for Aug. 13. While most Tucson school districts are strongly recommending that students and staff wear masks indoors, most have also said they don’t intend on mandating masks, including Vail, Marana, Amphitheater, Sahuarita, Sunnyside and Tanque Verde. TUSD Board Member Adelita Grijalva said the mask mandate is necessary for the following reasons: More children are getting sick from the new COVID variant; new evidence has shown that fully vaccinated people may still be able to transmit the virus; the delta variant appears to be more contagious than chickenpox; and many students in the district are too young to be vaccinated. “Probably over 30% of our district cannot be vaccinated because of age,” she said. “I know my youngest can’t. I know many of our children cannot or their friends cannot, and so we have to do everything we can in the district to ensure their safety. That’s our No. 1 priority.”

2020-05-01

Antibody Testing at the University of Arizona

The University of Arizona offered antibody testing in April and May 2020 to a limited number of community members. The goal was to get a better idea of how many people had already been infected with COVID without realizing it. I signed up for the test which was located at the new Arizona football practice field. This was my first time venturing out of the house since everything shut down and it was a surreal experience, being on campus but not seeing anyone walking around. The university is usually full of people with lots of energy. It was also uncomfortable being around people in the testing site because I had avoided being around anyone other than my immediate family since March.

2020-03-10

Goodbye Grandma

This text I wrote is in memory of my grandma, and the horrible and traumatic flashbacks of Covid 19. This experience took a huge toll on me and my family.

2021-09-30

COVID-19: A new personal struggle

My experience has changed overall with this pandemic. In my paper I discussed the different aspects of how my life changed given the circumstances with work, school, and personal lifestyle.

2020-05-01

The start of a pandemic that shock the medical field to its core

I have worked as a NYC paramedic for several years before the pandemic Covid-19 hit the world. As a paramedic, we were trained to deal with most situations that would happen on an emergency basis. We dealt with any situation as simple as a cut on the arm, to as complex as running a mega code on a cardiac arrest patient. When Covid-19 hit NYC, I was unaware of how bad it was going to get. At first, we thought it was a virus that was weaker than influenza, which is something we deal with on a regular basis. At this time, we would get one call a day that was related to Covid-19. I thought that everyone was over exaggerating. Over time, Covid-19 patients became more frequent, and in the matter of a month, it was the only type of call we would get. It was as if every other medical problem that people had went away. But this was because everyone that wasn't infected with Covid-19 was too afraid to go to the hospital. In the month of May 2020, things started to take a turn for the worst. People were starting to get critical on each call, where my partner and I would need to resort to extreme measures like endotracheal Intubation to help them breath. Sometimes, even intubation wouldn’t be enough, and the patient would go into cardiac arrest from the lack of oxygen in the body. It was a very difficult time for me because I felt powerless to stop people from dying to his terrible disease. In June 2020, it got so bad that the hospitals did not have capacity to accept anymore patients that came in. People were put in hallways, next to nursing stations, and hospitals had to dedicate entire floors to Covid-19 patients as they came in. Then another problem started to rear its head. My Co-workers and friends started to get sick. Those of us with families had to also make a choice, either quit their job to protect their families or live apart from them until this was all over. We did not have enough EMT’s and Paramedics to staff the ambulances we had running on any given day. Those of us who were not sick picked up anywhere from 60-90 hours a week. This struggle continues now as well. All over the world, there are not enough emergency services personal to cope with the amount of call volume that we are given each day. Over time we got adjusted to the madness and medicine advanced enough to be able to treat patients so that most did not become critical. Also, the vaccine was made available to the public and things started to get better. I shared my story to show a side of the pandemic most don’t get to experience. It shows how unprepared we were, and how we were able to prevail overtime. I will also include a video to show some insight on the pandemic that was taken with one of the companies I work with.

2021-09-28

Random COVID-19 testing on campus

I received this email notifying me that I need to get a COVID-19 test. The email states that unvaccinated and vaccinated community members are chosen randomly. I've been chosen once already in September and I took a test voluntarily last week, but I suppose it is better to test and know. It's really easy to take the saliva test, there is a vending machine/pickup table in the MU, you pick up a kit, register your kit online, and then return your saliva sample. So, I'm not at all bothered by this process.

2021-09-15

COVID-19 Archive Project Interview

[Curator's Note] Two persons interview each other about their experiences during the COVIS-19 pandemic. They both lived in different countries when the pandemic started, as one of them lives in Singapore and the other in India.

2021-09-21

COVID19 Archive Project Interview

We completed this interview for our History of Global Pandemics class, which we take at Northeastern University.

2021-09-13

New banner over 5th and Mill

One month after classes began on campus, this new banner was put up in downtown Tempe. It encourages the community to get vaccinated.

2020-03

Recollections from an Oncology Nurse

My mom is an oncology nurse and has worked in the field of nursing for the past 30 years. I recently asked her to talk to me about her experience this past year as a healthcare worker. She recalled the first week in March when things were becoming intense. People were asked to wear face shields and gowns as they were working in an immune-compromised area where the patients had cancer. At the time there was no vaccine. “It was incredibly intense and scary” my mother said. “People were worried about getting Covid from other staff at the hospital and also worried about contracting Covid from the patients.” “I walked into the hospital and there was an incredible underlying anxiety, the feeling of unease was palpable. People did not talk to each other like they normally did - everyone was consumed with the thought of not using each other’s pens, putting gloves on when receiving things from the pharmacy. Things we would never have even thought of before.”   She continued, “It was a feeling of both being unsettled and a blind trust you put in your coworkers to be as clean, as responsible and in isolation outside of work as you. The intensity of that feeling was there the moment you walked in. The environment had changed. People were not as happy, communicative, relaxed.”   She explained how working in Covid - there was an incredible newness to it - a fear and apprehension.

2021-03-30

Vaccines Rollin’ Out. Covid’s Over?

The picture that I have chosen for the archive is one of me after getting the vaccine in March of 2021. After receiving the vaccine, I captioned the photo, like many of my optimistic peers, “Covid over.” Since last February of 2020 when the pandemic started, a vaccine was finally being distributed across the country (USA), and a majority of people were ecstatic that quarantining was over. But little did I know, many people would be against taking the vaccine leading to variants of Covid-19 like the Delta variant. This picture was taken six months ago from when this archive was being made, and Covid is still not over because people choose to believe these conspiracy theories of the government putting microchips in the vaccine and other ridiculous things like that. Even with a vaccine that is available to everyone in the United States, the pandemic is still raging on with the Delta variant running rampant in the hospitals which has an even worse effect than the normal strain that was going around from February 2020 to around May of 2021. This picture is just to show how hopeful people get from new technology coming out that can save thousands of lives, but ignorant people choose to convince others what they believe since they are spreading their crazy selfish conspiracies. I was so hopeful of having a normal sophomore year of college, but once again Covid is still present (as of September 14, 2021) putting the elderly at risk and quarantining/putting a hold on people’s lives.

2021

9 WAYS TO PREVENT FACE MASK SKIN PROBLEMS

Masks play a vital role in reducing the spread of the coronavirus. Masks can also be hard on your skin, causing problems that range from acne and peeling skin to rashes and itchiness. To help prevent skin problems from developing under your mask, board-certified dermatologists recommend these nine tips. 1. Cleanse and moisturize your face daily. Gentle skin care can prevent skin problems. When washing your face, use a mild, fragrance-free cleanser and follow these steps, Face washing 101. Dry skin is a common face mask skin problem. Applying moisturizer adds a protective layer that can reduce dryness. You want to apply moisturizer immediately after washing your face. To get the most benefit from a moisturizer, board-certified dermatologist Carrie L. Kovarik, MD, FAAD, recommends using a moisturizer with one of the following ingredients: -Ceramides -Hyaluronic acid -Dimethicone (which can also create a barrier that helps reduce irritated skin) You can prevent breakouts from your moisturizer by using a moisturizer formulated for your skin type. When selecting moisturizer, follow this guide: Oily skin (or when weather is hot, humid): Gel moisturizer Normal or combination skin: Lotion Dry to very dry skin: Cream If you have acne or tend to break out, you can still use a gel moisturizer. Apply moisturizer before and after wearing a mask. Moisturizer can prevent problems, especially if you have dry or sensitive skin. (Tip courtesy of board-certified dermatologist Carrie L. Kovarik, MD, FAAD) 2. Protect your lips by applying petroleum jelly. Dry skin and chapped lips are common face mask skin problems. You can prevent chapped lips by applying petroleum jelly to your lips: -After washing your face -Before you put on your mask -Before bed To prevent breakouts, take care to apply the petroleum jelly only to your lips. 3. Skip the makeup when wearing a mask. Beneath a mask, makeup is more likely to clog your pores and lead to breakouts. If makeup is necessary, use only products labeled “non-comedogenic” or “won't clog pores.” 4. Avoid trying new skin care products that can irritate your skin. Wearing a mask for even a short time can make your skin more sensitive. To reduce skin problems, avoid trying harsh products, such as a chemical peel, exfoliant, or retinoid, for the first time, says board-certified dermatologist Daniela Kroshinsky, MD, MPH, FAAD. 5. Use less of certain skin care products if your face becomes irritated. When you cover your face with a mask, some skin care products that you’ve used in the past may irritate your skin. If this happens, Dr. Kroshinsky recommends cutting back on products that can irritate your skin, such as: -Leave-on salicylic acid -Retinoid you apply to your face -Aftershave 6. Wear the right mask. To reduce skin problems, look for masks that offer the following: -A snug, but comfortable fit -At least two layers of fabric -Soft, natural, and breathable fabric, such as cotton, on the inside layer that rests against your skin Wearing a mask that offers a snug, but comfortable fit helps to protect you and others from the coronavirus. You want a snug fit across your nose, on the sides, and under your chin. A snug, comfortable fit also reduces skin problems. If the mask feels too tight or slides around on your face, it can irritate your skin. You’re also more likely to adjust a poorly fitting mask. When you touch your mask, you can transfer germs to your mask and your face. The fabric is also important. Avoid synthetic fabrics, such as nylon, polyester, and rayon on the layer that rests against your skin. These are more likely to irritate your skin and cause breakouts. For more tips on selecting a face mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at CDC.gov/coronavirus. 7. Take a 15-minute mask break every 4 hours. Health care workers on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic have found that this helps save their skin. Of course, only remove your mask when it’s safe to do so and after washing your hands. Safe places to remove your mask include: -Outdoors, when you can stay at least six feet away from people -Inside your car when you’re alone -At home 8. Wash your cloth masks. Many health care organizations now recommend that you wash a cloth mask after each use. Washing it also removes oils and skin cells that collect inside the mask, which could lead to a skin problem. You can wash a cloth mask in a washing machine or by hand. Both ways remove germs and other particles. Just be sure to: -Follow the washing instructions on each mask. -Wash the masks in hot water unless the instructions say otherwise. -Use a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic laundry detergent. After washing your mask, check its shape. If a mask no longer fits snugly (and comfortably), it is less protective. 9. Continue the treatment plan that your dermatologist created for you. If you have a skin condition, such as acne or rosacea, it’s especially important to follow your treatment plan. This can help keep the condition under control.

2020-09-16

Vanderbilt Covid Testing

This photo is a screenshot of an email that I received during the Fall 2020 semester at Vanderbilt University. Throughout the semester, I received many emails that looked exactly like that one. The email is proof of a negative Covid test result, which every Vanderbilt student had to receive each week during the fall semester in order to remain living in their dorm. If a student tested positive, they would be taken from their dorm into quarantine housing. For some context, in March of 2020, all Vanderbilt students were sent home early due to the coronavirus. From March onward through the summer, Vanderbilt students worried about their fate as students. Would we be allowed to return to Nashville in the fall? Would we be subjected to more online “college”, trapped in our childhood bedrooms? This anxiety physically ate away at me, keeping me in a constant state of unease. When we finally heard that we would be coming back to campus, it felt as though an immense, invisible weight had been released from my shoulders. We were told, however, that there would be restrictions to college life. At that moment, I did not care an ounce. I would happily take any variation of college, as long as I would be able to live on campus. One of my major stressors entering that year was that we would be kicked off campus a second time. Callous students loudly proclaimed that this was inevitable, there would be no way that we would last this upcoming year. Comments like this brought the anxiety right back to the pit of my stomach. As a student who was going to be living on campus, what would I do if I was kicked off? Where would I go? I did not even want to think about that as a possibility. But that was the energy that charged the air at Vanderbilt that year: there was a fear and a deep distrust that Vanderbilt would stay open. One of the key differences between this year and other years at Vanderbilt was the weekly Covid testing (In the spring semester, the Covid testing was twice weekly). Students were required to enroll in times in their schedule when they would trek over to the Rec, or the large gym on campus, to spit in a tube. At the beginning of the year, I would go with my friends during our allotted time. We soon learned, however, that it did not really matter when you went, as long as went sometime during the week. While this was in some ways comical, to walk into the Rec center, with pop music blaring, and spit alongside your college peers, there was something stressful about it as well. It was like constantly turning yourself in; if you did have the misfortune of having Covid, you had willingly given yourself over for the school to come and take you away. Especially at the beginning, fear of Covid was rampant. Even if you felt fine, a scratchy throat may seem like your doom. At the beginning of the semester especially, waiting for the emailed results felt like eternity. And we all knew what would happen to people who tested positive, or those unfortunate enough to be contact traced: they were shipped off in a golf cart for everyone to see, and were banished from the rest of campus. But this was worth it, all of it was worth it for us. The stress of getting tested and the fear of being quarantined was a miniscule price to pay for being able to be on campus, with our friends. It was an escape from our summers of restriction. Or at least, it was for me. And for that, I give Vanderbilt tremendous credit for opening and following through successfully with the covid-testing of all the students each week.

2020-04-19

St. Joesph's Patient Observations

This is a post that my Mom shared on Facebook while she was in St. Joseph's in Cheektowaga for Covid 19 care. My mom discusses her observations as a Covid patient in a Covid hospital in April of 2020.

2020-04-10

A prayer for my mom

My mom had been sick for more than 2 weeks at my house at the end of March-early April. One morning she woke up and could barely catch her breath or breathe. My dad took both her and my brother who has similar symptoms to the emergency room. They transferred my mom to St. Joseph's for low oxygen levels and an elevated heart rate. My brother was sent home as his symptoms and current levels weren't enough to get him admitted due to the over crowding in the hospitals at this time.

2020-11-11

Holyoke Soldiers' Home Coalition Website

The Holyoke Soldiers' Home coalition created this website in response to the COVID-19 outbreak at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, Massachusetts. It provides updates on the efforts to build a new facility, the motivation for constructing a new and larger facility, the need for more staffing, and the possibility of new programs.

2020-11-10

"Those who died during COVID-19 outbreak at Holyoke Soldiers' Home honored with virtual tribute"

This MassLive article reports on a coalition attempting to memorialize the veterans at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, Massachusetts, who had died throughout the pandemic, most of them as a result of contracting COVID-19.

2020-10-06

"Staffing concerns predated coronavirus outbreak at Holyoke Soldiers' Home

This MassLive article reports on a pre-existing staffing shortage at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, Massachusetts, that influenced the gravity of the COVID-19 outbreak in the facility.

2020-05-10

Staying Safe as COVID-19 Restrictions Ease

A blog post from Banner Health about staying safe as restrictions ease.

2020-05-08

Fevers at Every Age

A blog post from Banner Health about fevers, including fevers associated with Covid-19.

2020-05-01

7 Health Insurance Questions, Answered

A blog post from Banner Health about Medical Insurance.

2020-04-30

Exercising Outside During COVID-19

A blog post from Banner Health about the risks and safety of exercising outside during the pandemic.

2020-04-28

Don’t Be Afraid to Order Takeout or Delivery

A blog post from Banner Health about the safety of takeout and food delivery and Covid-19.

2020-04-27

What to Know About the COVID-19 Antibody Test

A blog post from Banner Health about the antibody test available for Covid-19.

2020-04-24

Caring for Persons with Alzheimer’s Disease Amid the COVID-19 Crisis

A blog post from Banner Health on how to care for someone with Alzheimer's Disease during the pandmeic.

2020-04-21

What to Know About Valley Fever During the COVID-19 Pandemic

A blog post from Banner Health on the risks of Valley Fever and the chances of coming down with both Valley Fever and Covid-19.

2020-09-13

"Plight of Holyoke Soldiers' Home residents, families becomes political flashpoint in state Senate race"

This MassLive news article discusses how a state senate candidate was using the poor response to the pandemic at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home during his opponent's term in office to gain popularity for himself.

2020-06-25

"Holyoke Soldiers' Home investigation: 6 takeaways from Mark Pearlstein report on coronavirus outbreak"

This article comes from MassLive and reports on the major takeaways from a report that documents where the Holyoke Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, Massachusetts, failed in its COVID-19 response.

2020-04-28

"Coronavirus at Holyoke Soldiers' Home: 2 more veterans die in worst outbreak at health care facility nationwide

This article, published by MassLive, reports on the rising death count among residents at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Nearly three-quarters of the residents had contracted COVID-19, and about one-third had died from it. The title is evocative of the scale of the tragedy.

2020-04-20

"Coronavirus at Holyoke Soldiers' Home: Flags to fly at half-staff after at least 52 veterans die of COVID-19

This article, produced by MassLive, reports on Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker's decision to have flags flown at half-mast at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, Massachusetts, to commemorate the veterans who had died at the facility from COVID-19.

2020-04-06

"Coronavirus: Holyoke Soldiers Home residents struggle with relocation as one-third of residents infected with COVID-19

This article produced by MassLive reports on the efforts to relocate residents from the Holyoke Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, Massachusetts, to Holyoke Medical Center in attempt to mitigate the spread of the virus after 76 of the 210 residents had already tested positive. The article also discusses the continued investigation into the COVID-19 situation at the home.

2020-04-03

"Coronavirus: Western Massachusetts legislators call for 2nd investigation into Holyoke Soldiers' Home COVID-19 Deaths"

This article published by MassLive reports on local legislatures' desire to issue a second investigation into the COVID-19 response at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, Massachusetts, in light of the number of deaths among residents and the number of cases among residents and staff.

2020-03-31

"Coronavirus: Holyoke Soldiers' Home superintendent placed on leave, at least 5 residents die from COVID-19"

This article published by MassLive.com reports on the suspension of the superintendent of the Holyoke Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, Massachusetts, after several residents died and numerous other residents and staff members tested positive.

2020-03-31

"Coronavirus: 'We were just shocked' to learn of Holyoke Soldiers' Home deaths, Mayor Alex Morse says"

This article describes Holyoke mayor Alex Morse's reaction when he found out about the magnitude of the COVID-19 situation at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home.

2020-03-12

"Coronavirus in Massachusetts: Soldiers' Home in Holyoke limits visiting hours, screens visitors"

This article appeared on MassLive on March 12, 2020. It discusses the safety precautions that went into effect at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, Massachusetts. The article acts as context for the tragedy that would unfold at the home within the first few months of the pandemic.

2021-08-28

Visiting Grandma

This photograph is from when my mom, dad, brother, brother's fiancé, and I flew to Georgia to visit my declining grandmother. For my entire life, my grandma, my mom's mom, lived in the next town over, only about seven miles away. However, as she aged and as the isolation from the pandemic set in, my family decided that it would be best for her to move to Georgia to live with my aunt, my mom's sister. Although we tried to take care of my grandma from the start of the pandemic through when she left in October of 2020, we lived in perpetual uncertainty and fear of exposing her to the virus. Every time we had her come over for dinner, we were afraid that we were taking a gamble, especially when the pandemic was just starting. My grandma moved to a care facility in Georgia in April. Since my grandma, my family, and I were all vaccinated, we planned a short trip to make sure we got to see her one more time. Although we were masked and only had a limited amount of time, getting to see us again meant a tremendous amount to my grandma.

2021-03-21

Covid Testing

I was going on vacation out of country and I needed a negative covid test. I went to one of the drive up rapid testing sites provided by a local healthcare facility. Since the lines for testing had grown so much they had this testing site at a local golf course. They needed a lot of space to be able to accommodate everyone and have less of a traffic jam. I had gotten a few tests since the beginning of covid but this one definitely hurt the most. It only took thirty minutes for my results. Luckily it was negative.

-0021-08-31

Anger, Frustration, and Hope

In December of 2020 my family went to Florida to pick up our eldest daughter. All but one of us tried to be diligent in wearing masks, distancing and reducing the risks as much as possible. Yet despite that a week later, on Christmas day, my husband started feeling tired and slept most of the day. That was as bad as it got for him. The following Monday we were all feeling ill and I was in the car line being tested, it was positive. On New Years Eve I went to the hospital by ambulance with my oxygen levels in the low 80's. I couldn't say goodbye to my four kids (two in college and two in high school) because I didn't want it to be a final goodbye. I spent ten days in the hospital. Thankfully the constant oxygen, medications and antibody therapies did their job and I didn't need to be intubated. However, the virus wreaked havok on my body. My eyes hurt and would not focus, my body and joints ached, my focus and cognitive function was shot. I struggled to find balance and felt like I weighted a thousand pounds (heavy, oppressive weight). I struggled for breath yet the oxygen took its toll as well leaving painful ulcers in my nasal cavity and after two months of oxygen, a hole in my sceptum. My sugar levels were dangerously high and difficult to regulate and I shifted from a daily pill to needing four shots of insulin a day. It has been eight months and my body still has not returned to any sense of normalcy. I still struggle with controlling my sugar levels. My cognitive recovery has been slow and things that would take an hour in the past now take three or four (like reading and analysing text). I struggle with exercise as my lungs still have not healed. Even walking up a flight of stairs leaves me in tears as I struggle for breath and feel like I'm drowning. I have to divy up my workable time because my body will only do so much before it gives out. I struggle with odd symptoms. I struggle to sleep and struggle to stay awake. I also struggle with depression and self worth. I now feel like a burden. No, I am not suicidal, but I would be lying if I didn't admit that there are so many times when I feel like my family (my spouse in truth), would be better off without this new version of me. They don't understand why I can't do what I did before and doesn't believe in COVID or vaccines or wearing a mask. It's all media propoganda meant to promote a socialist agenda. I only got this sick because I was overweight and had diabetes before COVID. It cuts like a knife when you hear things like that and when it feels like someone doesn't care enough to want to do what they can to protect the ones they say they love. Maybe that's my biggest takeaway from all of this. It's redefining who I am and how I percieve the people around me. The people I thought loved me the most, who I loved the most. It's opened my eyes to the divisions and the anger that run deeper than just the pandemic. But I've also seen the depth of human compassion and love. Friends who made sure my kids had food and whatever else they needed when they were quarantined. The staff at the hospital who ran themselves ragged caring for patients. My nurse practitioner who has been on this journey with me the past eight months and worked diligently to help me recover. The students I've worked with who adapted and were more accepting and flexible in all of this mess than their parents, as they learned new ways of learning. It gives me hope that while there is bad in this world, there is so much good.

2021-08-25T13:03

Going to the doctor during the pandemic

Me and my mother drove down to Dell Children's hospital as we always do for our PT. Wednesday are busy days for them, so we parked on the second floor of the parking garage. My knees were feeling bad that day so we took the elevator. A family of three were also taking the elevator, and since the max capacity was four people we had to wait. We walked into the medical center (fully masked of course) but before we could leave the entryway we had to have our temperatures taken (mine was 97.1, like always) and answer a few questions "Have you had any symptoms? Fever? Headache? Coughing? Sore throat? Is anybody in your house being currently tested for COVID?" and since all the answers "no" we could enter. I've had a few days where I felt fine enough to go but because I had a headache I couldn't. The waiting room wasn't packed by any sense of the word, but since we had to make sure to keep our distance from other people we couldn't sit down anywhere. My PT (Physical Therapist) called me in, and we exercised for an hour, fully masked, which makes it a lot more uncomfortable, also making sure to keep our distance from everybody else. I went out afterwards and my mom and I went in our car, put some hand sanitizer on, and left to repeat the process next week.

2020-04-17

Explore the Archives