Dealing with COVID-19 brings opportunity for reflection
The Coronavirus. A new word. An unknown. A threat. A reality. It was the end of the first week in March. I started by feeling feverish, developed a racking cough, wanted to sleep a lot and could not eat. That was on a Friday. I called my primary care doctor, Robert Salinas, and he had me come into the office for a flu test. I tested negative.
The Coronavirus was being mentioned, but test kits were not available to the general public, so I just attributed it to a bronchial infection. I stayed home, saw no one, rested, drank a lot of water and after about six days, I began to feel better and my friend Gene Rainbolt decided he could come for a visit.
A week and a half later, Gene tested positive to the Coronavirus and was admitted to the hospital, where he spent 23 days.
Since I'd been with him and therefore exposed, doctors were certain I would contract Covid19. I did not. Two antibody tests later were administered.
I tested positive for both.
I'd survived a mild case of the virus. Gene was not so lucky.
While he was in the hospital, those of us on the outside were self-quarantining. Gene's daughter Leslie stocked our freezers with food, brought gloves, masks, disinfectant wipes, a large jug of hand sanitizer and a large jar of Vitamin C gummies!
I took several walks a day in my neighborhood, FaceTimed throughout the day with Gene and zoomed and chatted with children and grandchildren in New York City, Houston, Minneapolis, Austin and Fort Worth.
I discovered I had time to clean three closets. Out went all those good things we accumulate over the years, but never use. Out they went to someone who could.
Gene has been out of the hospital for four weeks now and is progressing much more quickly than anyone expected. We have decided this summer will be a time of resting, relaxing, regular exercise and recovery.
It is also a time of reflection. How do we want to live on the next part of our journey?