Life as a COVID-19 Patient Under Home Isolation

Taina Naulivou Verekauta sits on her bed, warmly dressed, reading the Bible in the Master Bedroom.

Above her is the window, opposite is the bathroom and toilet and to her left is the door which has the ‘Warning’ cordoned off sign.

She has COVID-19. Her husband, a soldier and frontline worker, placed the tape there.

In the rest of the house, her two younger children, Year 13 and Year 3 are with her sister-in-law. Her husband is at work and sleeps in another bedroom. Except for Ms Verekauta, everyone else in their Lami home has tested negative.

The Assemblies of God (AOG) High School assistant principal is recovering after advice from health officials to self-isolate.

But even before she settled in, frontliners inspected the house and gave the greenlight to isolate in the room. She describes this period as one of the most difficult days of her life.

Ms Verekauta is not asthmatic, but when she contracted COVID-19, she experienced difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. “There were times I couldn’t breath and it was hard,” she said.

“I was taken to the hospital where my blood pressure and oxygen level was normal, but I was having breathing problems.

“I was not coughing, I did not have a headache, but I felt that my body was not feeling normal. “I cried when I received my positive result. My mind was already defeated and that was when panic crept in. I started to think of my family, my children, my work and my siblings.

“Someone who also tested positive then told me not to panic, because if I do then my symptoms would get worse. I am glad that he gave me that advice. He then showed me how to sit up straight, to breathe in and out slowly and to focus.”

Support is best

Ms Verekauta said a good support system was what a COVID patient needed the most.

Aside from being able to hear her family members’ voice, the only interaction she had with them was when they delivered her food at the door.

“I was further advised to eat even if I can’t taste or smell the food and to eat on time,” she said.

“Most importantly if I panicked, I could die from COVID,” she said.

“When I was told to isolate at home, I continued to do the breathing exercise because I felt better when I did it. I am glad that I had received my first dose of vaccine and am looking forward to receiving my second dose.

“I have four children; the other two are in England and Hong Kong. When my two older children heard that I was positive they made sure to call me every day,” Mrs Verekauta said.

“It is hard to hear the voices of my children outside the door. I can’t hug them which is so hard.”

You must not take COVID-19 lightly because I tested positive, and I know how bad it can be. Talei Naulivou Verekauta COVID-19 patient

Lessons and advice

“Do not panic when you are tested positive for COVID-19 because your symptoms might get worse if you do,” Ms Verekauta said. “You must not take COVID-19 lightly because I tested positive, and I know how bad it can be. “I was working as a frontliner at the Lami Command Centre and so did my husband before being called back to school.”

She thanked her family who had been there for her especially her husband who never left her side, her siblings for their prayers and her sister-in-law Siteri Verekauta.