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2020 MEDICAL YEAR
IN REVIEW

lot of support and prayers, I was cleared after
ten days to go back to work. The fatigue and
shortness of breath continued for weeks after
going back to work.
Meanwhile, as I was going through this,
my sister Cindy and her family were just
about to get started with this nightmare.

Cindy’s story

It was Sunday June 14 when I got the call
from Patricia that she had tested positive. She
let all of us know and we were in shock. So,
the whole family avoided being around my to the doctor. My youngest one was wheezing smell was gone and I had lost my appetite,
sister as well as to my parents’ home. But it and, when we got the results of the test, they but I still had some taste.
was too late. both tested positive. I was told that the whole I used all of my son’s inhaler and that
The next day, Monday, I had my sons family should use masks and keep our dis- seemed to help a little. I was really scared
tested with their pediatrician. The doctor had tance in our home. When I got back, I had with everything that I had heard on the news.
them sit outside in the back of the office everyone distance from each other and quar- My husband had all the symptoms but never
where the nurse came to do a nasal swab and antine. I washed all the clothes and bedding. got tested. He said he didn’t feel the need to
checked their lungs. All was clear. Wednesday I had them all clean/sanitize everything, in- if I had already tested positive; he was sure he
we got the news all the boys were negative. I cluding door handles. I sprayed down the also had it. Because he worked by himself
was very relieved. couches and mattresses with Lysol and then outside, he just kept working. He would
I decided to get checked too by my continued to spray down everything else. I come home and just sleep. In the evenings, he
mother’s doctor on Wednesday. After a week, washed dishes as soon as they were used. I would tell me to walk and get moving so I
I received the results - negative. Again re- washed the bedding every other day. My two wouldn’t just be in bed. I would walk about
lieved, we let our guard down. But it turned oldest sons stayed in their room, since they half-a-block and I couldn’t take it. I felt so
out we made the same mistake many have didn’t present any symptoms. tired and out of breath.
made; we got tested too soon after exposure. I had started walking almost every day in Finally, my fever broke and the wheezing
We are supposed to wait eight days after ex- the summer heat to get myself in better stopped, my chest felt so sore. My employer
posure to be tested. The symptoms started health. I noticed by body was hot but I helped me get an appointment to get tested
when one of my young boys started with a thought it was because of the outside heat in again to go back to work. The test results
low-grade fever, body aches and head hurt- June. But it turns out I had started with a low were negative for COVID. I hoped that
ing. I just thought it was the flu or something fever. Then one day I was just tired, my body meant everything would be back to normal,
else, not COVID. ached and my fever started getting a little but it took week s for my sister and I, walking
I had the mentality of “it won’t happen to higher. My husband walked in from work in the evenings, to build our strength back.
us”. Then I noticed my 14-year-old sleeping looking tired; he said his body ached. He did- We both struggled with our breathing. For
more, being tired and developing black eyes. n’t want to eat and said his nose “burned”. several weeks I couldn’t catch my breath.
He was on the couch, tired. I cut up some The next day I called my mom’s doctor’s of- Now I’m doing much better, breathing
pineapple for him and he got up to get some. fice to get tested again. By then my boy’s “normal”. All six of us in my family still don’t
He asked me if I could taste the pineapple, symptoms had gone away. For my boys, it have our full sense of smell and taste back.
and I said yes, it’s sweet. He couldn’t taste or lasted about a week and they were back to My faith in God is what got us through it;
smell it. That’s when I started to get really “normal”. But I struggled for about 2 weeks praying and believing we would all get better.
worried. with fever, tightness in my chest and I was We still take all the necessary precautions in-
The next morning, I called the kids’ pedi- wheezing. I also had a dry cough that would cluding masks when we’re out and we use
atrician again for them to get tested and the act up at night. My husband would ask me if hand sanitizer. We hope we don’t ever get
doctor’s office scheduled them in right away. I was ok. He wanted to take me the hospital, COVID again.
This time I only took the two youngest boys but I didn’t want to go. I noticed my sense of

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