Life Lessons
Reflections from My Wife’s Covid Situation
We completed mandatory isolation requirements teaching me valuable life lessons
Context
Two weeks ago, my partner tested positive for the Covid-19 virus showing symptoms even though she was vaccinated and in an optimal health state. The initial symptoms were typical.
Unexpected and intense neck pain was the reason for her getting tested. However, after 24 hours, she had severe neurological symptoms such as confusion, memory loss, and even total freeze.
I have been researching the neurological effects of the virus. I posted an article reflecting preliminary findings to inform my readers.
In this post, I’d like to share my experience and perspectives during the recent mandatory isolation government authorities required.
Highlights from My 14-Day Journal
As soon as my partner tested positive, the immediate family members received text messages confirming isolation with clear guidance from the government. It shows that our records are linked to the government systems, proving how connected we are.
The first day was normal. We kept my partner in a separate room and communicated with her using our masks and keeping recommended distance. However, the second day created a shock for us when we observed a dramatic change in her behavior.
I noticed the neurological changes and called my family doctor, who said he wouldn’t be able to help. I tried six different clinics that night, and all refrained from giving advice and gave me an emergency support phone number. Unfortunately, the person who answered the phone couldn’t help either. She advised calling an ambulance.
We called an ambulance that arrived in 11 minutes, which we were impressed with. Two paramedics performed initial tests and made a quick decision to take her to the hospital. The lead paramedic called several hospitals, which were full at the time. He finally found a hospital that could accept my partner.
The moment they moved my partner to the ambulance created an intense emotional burst in family members and neighbors. The lead paramedic said: “This is a serious situation. You better say goodbye to your patient, as she might be away for a while”. This brief remark brought sudden tears to the people around the ambulance. A lovely neighbor started crying very loudly, breaking the silence. It caused several others to cry when the ambulance started the sirens.
Even though I had internal tears, I had to stay calm and composed to keep family members and neighbors integral. I always remember the wise words of the legendary Marcus Aurelius: “Stay calm and serene regardless of what life throws at you” in challenging times.
Some might have thought I had no emotions in this dramatic scene, but admittedly I had. However, I accepted the situation and kept it in the proper perspective with the power of mindfulness that I developed over the years. I believed that crying for me would not serve the purpose at that moment.
After 24 minutes, we received a confirmation from the hospital. It was her primary doctor. He said my partner’s fever was very high, and she lacked oxygen, so they started the emergency process in intensive care. He thanked us for our decision to send her in an ambulance. He confirmed that this decision was absolutely essential.
We felt the departure of my partner at home instantly. Something was missing at the spiritual level. We all felt it deep down. Even though I heard horror stories about the impact of the virus in our country and news from many other countries, I kept my optimism and tried to communicate to all family members calmly, emphasizing hope. Everyone started praying.
Since my partner is actively engaged in community activities as a socially active person, our phone did not stop ringing for several days. It was inspiring but also overwhelming to listen to crying people on the phone. I was grateful for their support. I also received many emails and messages from people who knew her, including many WhatsApp calls overseas at odd hours. The keyword in all messages was “prayer”.
Even though I read a lot about the impact of praying on mental health, I haven’t come across the use of the word so frequently in my personal communications before. However, this situation proved that prayer was an essential coping mechanism in dealing with difficult situations.
On the second day, we ran out of fresh food. Since the government made a strict rule, none of us was allowed to go shopping. This restriction affected me at the psychological level. First time in my life, I was restricted to do my own shopping. I was on long-term fasting during this event; however, other family members needed fresh food.
Several neighbors offered to do the grocery shopping for us. I was grateful for their support. The next day, it was rubbish collection day, so I wanted to remove the bin to the outside for the truck to pick it up. When I opened the door, I got a sudden shock.
We have a terrace in front of our house. The entire area was covered with colorful plates full of gourmet food. Each dish had get-well-soon notes on them repeating the word “prayer”. This act of kindness touched my heart and brought tears to some family members.
Even though I never get bored in my own company as I always have interesting activities in my life, I felt the emotional effect of isolation. Walking to our local shops and strolling around the parks and lakes were my daily movement, but I was not able to do these activities with freedom. I continued my movement in my garden and did my usual barefoot walk on the grass.
I also have a home gym that other family members could use. However, no one was in the mood to exercise. Even though I was not in the mood either, I challenged myself. After a few minutes, I felt an excellent sense of calm. Exercise helps my body and the brain. Hopping on the trampoline for a few minutes always create wonders for me.
We were fortunate to talk with the healthcare professionals in the hospital. Unfortunately, the only issue for the family members was not being able to speak with my partner. In addition, the doctors and nurses were very brief in their updates. We knew they were swamped dealing with hundreds of patients.
After a week, they allowed my partner to talk with us. However, she only responded with yes or no, which concerned the family members. I told them to be grateful as at least we could hear her voice and knew that she was alive.
As expected, after the 12th day, she started talking in her usual fluency and tone. Doctors confirmed that her fever had disappeared, and she did not need oxygen support on the 14th day. So as soon as the virus left the body, symptoms and complications disappeared.
They sent her home on the afternoon of the 14th day, which was yesterday. We all got our tests and received our results negative. My partner is still weak because of the wound virus caused to her lungs, but we are very grateful she is now resting at home. She still does not talk much, but her existence at home changed the entire atmosphere to a positive outlook.
Takeaways
The biggest lesson for the family and me is that this virus can get to anyone with no warning. Three weeks ago, my partner was in optimal health. She was the most careful in the family, wearing double masks and gloves at work. She was also vaccinated.
Despite all precautions, she got the virus in an office environment following stringent health rules. And as soon as she got the virus, regardless of her optimal health, she got severely impacted.
Another important lesson is that this virus is not something minor as some may perceive. It can make a very healthy person very sick in no time. Some people keep talking mainly about flu-like symptoms and undermine them on social media, but this virus also causes neurological complications for some of us. Therefore, we need to be cautious about this potential problem too.
I had my first walk outside today, which made me grateful for the blessings in my life. I reminded myself once more that life is valuable and fragile. Everything is transient and ephemeral around us. So I repeated the wise words to Marcus internally, “Do every act of your life as though it were the very last act of your life,” which brought a deep sense of gratefulness to my blessed moments.
Thank you for reading my story. I wish you and your loved ones a happy and healthy life.
2022 Update: Finally, Covid found me too. Here is my story.
Here’s How I Recovered from the Covid Virus Quickly with Five Lifestyle Steps
Besides increasing the hormonal intelligence of my readers and writing about neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, GABA, and acetylcholine, one of my goals as a writer is to raise awareness about the causes and risk factors of prevalent diseases that can lead to suffering and death for a large portion of the population.
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About the Author
I am a technologist, postdoctoral researcher in cognitive science, author of several books, editor of publications, and digital marketing strategist with four decades of industry experience.
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