“I’m sharing this as I lay in bed alone, 48 hours after being released from the ER with the diagnosis of Covid-19.
This is going to be how most of my friends and family find out, which may seem impersonal. But there’s a sense of shame that comes with the invasiveness of the screening process that has made me feel judged and embarrassed.
How did this happen?
I was compliant. I stayed home. I self quarantined early out of precaution. I only went out three times within the last two weeks, all for essentials. I thought I followed the rules well enough.
I haven’t seen my husband or dog for days. I can barely walk to the bathroom. At times my fever makes me delirious. It’s hard to breathe. I’m so exhausted that I can’t even hold my phone up and instead am using text to talk.
I just keep thinking ‘people are dying from this’ as I see people online bragging about sneaking out to see their friends.
You might think you’re being safe, but I thought that too. Someone that I came in contact with wasn’t. That’s why I’m sick. Someone didn’t wash their hands or cover their mouth. They didn’t avoid public places. They carried on like normal.
So now I sit here wheezing, dehydrated, feeling worse by the hour, knowing there’s nothing more doctors can do for me. The only thing I can do is wait it out and hope my symptoms remain moderate.
You might think it won’t happen to you, and maybe you’re right. Maybe you’ll be lucky. But I wasn’t. Maybe now that it’s touched your lives by happening to someone you know, you will take it seriously. I really hope you do. I don’t wish this fear and illness onto anyone.”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Melinda Worsfold, and originally appeared here. Submit your own story here, and be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories.
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