Being Sick During a Pandemic

Having a sick day is normal for everyone and it is an unavoidable experience. Flu season has
finally come and it is going around. However, having a flu this time during a pandemic is a whole ‘nother
experience.

Having the flu now is alarming and there was that niggling feeling in the back of my head even
with the assurance of a negative test result that I may have contracted the virus and might pass it onto
my family. Being sick during this pandemic with the same symptoms as that of the common symptoms
of the virus is mentally draining. I was exhausted with worrying and thinking I may have had the COVID
and after the test came back negative, I was also exhausted from making sure I didn’t pass the flu to my
family members. I can barely eat but I still made sure I ate so that I can take my medicine. Aside from
medicine I took to natural remedies to boost recovery.

Being able to see the horrors that COVID 19 patients go through and the lengths our healthcare
workers and front liners go through made me worry. Their woes and how the COVID 19 patients who
passed the virus to their more vulnerable family members were beating themselves over it. How
expensive being hospitalized is especially when one has no health insurance to carry the brunt of the
bills. And even then, you are lucky if you are able to get admitted into a hospital near you with the influx
of COVID 19 critical patients and other patients needing hospitalization. Hospitals are full that most of
them has set up tents and beds outside the hospital to maximize space and accommodate more patients
especially for emergencies. There is even a line of ambulance outside with patients waiting to get in the
hospital. It is a pretty morose picture I am painting but this is the reality in my country at the moment.

Because there was still that awful doubt in my mind, I still isolated myself from my family and
disinfected every surface I have touched. I was admittedly paranoid looking back but I felt better doing
everything so that no one in my family gets the flu from me and that comforted me. Making sure my
family is as healthy as can be will always be a priority.