Wearing a mask is a beautiful thing!

Thoughts on 116 days of quarantine.

I have some very personal things to say about masks and COVID-19. In my journal I have taken the time to write about it because it is what has kept me awake at night. During the past month or so, my sister and her husband, both battled this terrible illness. They had to quarantined away from their son and my mom, thankfully, they both tested negative and are doing fine. 

What I find it very interesting is that my sister’s husband barely goes anywhere, besides work. The week before he started feeling sick, he had been traveling to four different states in extreme heat.  He started off feeling tired which is normal for the work he was doing. They thought maybe is just the flue. Then his temperature reached over 99 so this scared then a little so they went to the doctor. They tested him for COVID and four days later, we found out he was positive. 

We were chocked. You never think it will be you that needs to deal with this illness, next came my sister. It was a given since they are husband and wife. Men don’t do well with this illness. At the very end of his illness, which lasted about 2 weeks, he had 2 nights where he was feeling very miserable. It was a good thing my sister was with him. 

The day they got the results, is the day my sister started to feel sick. She had a fever around 101 and couldn't get out of bed, she lost the sense of taste and smell, and both had diarrhea. She felt nauseous and exhausted. They both had some rough days and nights but at least they were with each other. My mom and nephew were taken to a Hotel to wait for two weeks and that in of itself was a huge blessing. 

We had also let close friends and family know that they were suffering and I felt the prayers that were being offered on their behalf. Prayer is so powerful. We think that neither of them are contagious anymore but they are still being extremely careful. 

My reason for sharing this experience is this: Many people will have COVID before this is over. Many people will be exposed and if you don't know anyone personally at this point who has it or has had it, you will. Please be kind and compassionate to those who get sick. Do not act like they have the plague or that they have any control over what is happening to them, because they don't. 

Being deathly sick and having to deal with more stress isn't helpful. Offering to help or just pray for the person instead will make a huge difference. For the most part people have been amazing and understanding. How I wished we lived closer to deliver groceries and bring meals. That is the part I miss about being so far removed. 

Also to the topic of masks. Please just wear a mask. Until my family got this terrible illness, I wasn't a fan of masks. My reasoning was not political, is was that wearing one made me feel extremely claustrophobic but I look at things very differently now. 

Maybe you are okay with wearing one or you might be like many who feel that it is infringing on your constitutional rights, to be told to wear a mask. But after seeing my sister and brother in law suffering from this illness, I ask you to look at things differently. If wearing one could keep you or your family from enduring this awful illness and possibly one could keep you or your family from enduring this awful illness and possibly save your life, wouldn't you just be willing to wear one? I hope none of you ever have to go through that. For members in my family, it was a scary and awful but thankfully, I am happy to report that it is now a thing of the past. Thanks for your prayers. 

Con  amor,

Vero