It’s
September 26, 2021 and for the first time in 26 days, I feel comfortable. It’s
been a long time since I’ve felt this way. You see, on the final stretch of
August 2021, I was exposed to someone who turned out to be COVID-positive. A Reverse
Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) Test showed that I was finally
suffering from what I have been dreading for more than a year: I was
COVID-positive. It didn’t help that at the tail-end of the quarantine, I
developed severe asthma, which I’m still dealing with at the moment.
I’m
documenting my experience through this blog as a celebration of surviving this
infection, despite the fact that I have a co-morbidity (#asthmastories are
something you can definitely find in this blog). I also hope that by putting
this down on (digital) paper, I’ll be able to help someone like me in the
future.
Let’s get
this out of the way: VACCINES. WORK.. Prior to getting
infected, I had already completed my two doses of Sinovac[1]. Can
you get COVID-19 despite being vaccinated? Depends on the vaccine. I certainly
did. Nevertheless, the vaccine most likely saved my life. The Department of
Health relates that the Sinovac is 5-% effective in preventing mild symptoms,
78% effective against moderate symptoms, and 100% effective against severe
symptoms. What Sinovac decreases is the risk of developing more severe – and fatal
– COVID symptoms. As someone with asthma, this was what I was most afraid of. During
my stint as part of the statistic, I only suffered mild COVID symptoms: body pain
and headache were most persistent, some cough and colds, and fatigue, which, to
be honest was the most challenging part. Other vaccines have different
mechanisms of action, so check out what kind of protection you got… from
legitimate sources only, please.
Home quarantine
is effective if you and your family have the right mindset, the right facility,
and the right equipment. Fortunately,
I only experienced very mind symptoms (albeit it got a bit worse as the infection
progressed). I was advised to do home quarantine instead. Being the paranoid Registered
Nurse that I am, I was already doing self-quarantine that I was exposed to somebody
who turned out positive. Here are some realizations:
You need to speak to your family clearly,
coherently, and calmly about your status so that they can support you while you
are on isolation and protect themselves for the disease. I’m infinitely grateful
to my mom and my adopted brother who understood that I needed to physically
distance myself from them and that I could not leave my room for the duration
of the quarantine. They prepared all my meals and snacks, provided me with my daily
supply of water, asked about my condition several times a day (we talked
through FB messenger), and basically provided for all my basic needs. At the
same time, I took it upon myself to be compliant with all the medications I
needed to take, take my temperature and oxygen saturation religiously, and make
progress report of all my symptoms throughout the isolation period. I also regularly
contacted the contact tracer assigned to me regarding my symptoms.
It is important, however, to know that home
quarantine is actually a luxury. There are only 3 people in our house. My adopted
brother’s room is not even inside the main house. My mom and I had separate
rooms and we had two bathrooms. Plus, I had boxes of surgical masks, literally
liters of alcohol and hand sanitizers, several spray bottles Lysol, a pulse oximeter
(#SalamatShopee), a stethoscope, a thermometer, and the window in my room is
actually a sliding door which opens to a small lanai, so the ventilation is
pretty good. Not everyone has my kind of setup. Some families only have one-room
houses, making home isolation impossible. This is why more facilities conducive
for rest and recuperation should be available even to patients with mild cases
of COVID-19.
For a more clear-cut guideline of managing COVID-19
at home, check out this online brochure my Makati Medical Center: https://www.makatimed.net.ph/promos-and-events/event/home-quarantine-instructions-for-covid19-confirmed-patients-and-their-contacts
You have to
be your own health advocate. If you’ve
been following my journey, you’ll know that I’ve been in the health advocacy
since the early 2010s. My niche, of course, has always been sexual and
reproductive health and rights. Healthcare workers, especially nurses, are
expected to advocate for patients, but really the best advocate for the patient
is the patient. COVID-19’s symptoms may range from mild to severe and, if you’re
not lucky enough to dodge the bullet, you may be lucky enough to dodge more life-threatening
manifestations of the infection. Regardless of severity, the fact is that you
are still sick, and your body is doing its best to fight of an infection that
has killed millions worldwide. Help it, for goodness sakes. It’s important to rest,
eat well, monitor yourself, and generally put yourself first. If you’re in
government and you have COVID-19, please take note that you have the right to excused
absence for the duration of your quarantine and/or treatment. Note that excused
absence means “period
when government personnel are not required to report for work (required
quarantine and/or treatment, and work suspension), but are entitled to pay, as
declared by the President or the appropriate and competent authorities”[2]. If you’re in the private sector,
talk to your supervisor and/or your human resource officer regarding similar
mechanisms of support. There should be one instituted, and if there isn’t, it’s
time you lobby for such policy to exist.
I did not make use of my excused
leave. I was working from home even prior to the diagnosis. (Newsflash, by the
way: the only people who think that those who are working from home aren’t
working are most likely the ones aren’t working while they’re supposed to.) I
worked despite the headache, body pain, fatigue, and all other symptoms. I went
on overtime and did work on weekends. I powered through it. Two things: I was
not alone in this predicament and this was not something to be proud of. By the
end of my quarantine, which was September 14, 2021, I had developed severe asthma,
which I am still managing with an apothecary of medications administered
through half of my facial orifices.
If you think I was smart enough to
finally get some damn rest, then you over-estimate my intelligence, dear
reader. I only stopped to take care of my health when I was already gasping for
air while confined to my bed. That was stupid. Do not be like me. Self-care
comes first.
This year has been especially challenging:
My grand uncle passed away in April this year, while his family desperately
looked for a hospital that will admit him. We a close family friend to the
infection as well, and my godmother to Cancer.
We also lost almost all of our dogs this year:
Jamjam, Panda, Theo, Mocha, Chuchay, Burrito, Liit, Orange, Lenlen, and Choco. Theo,
Liit, and Choco’s deaths were the most devastating to me. Choco was the only
one I had with me physically during my isolation. Amidst physical and mental
anguish, Choco was the one I had, physically. I derived all my laughter and warmth
from him. He died a few days after I was “released” from quarantine, but I was
too sick with asthma at that point that I couldn’t even do anything for him. I’m
still dealing with the pain guilt, and hurt at this point. They say pets die to
save their hoomans from pain and suffering. My body may be healing, but I don’t
think my heart will.
I really appreciate the small gestures
of kindness: messages from my colleagues who were also sick with the virus, packages
of food and medicine from my sister-in-law and our other close family friends, requests
for updates from my best friends from different parts of the world,
understanding from my professional organization of my need to just step back,
and the many others who told me to get some rest and wished for me to get
better. To be honest, I was unable to respond well to these people, especially
after Choco’s death, because I was - and still am - physically and emotionally exhausted,
but these really did make a difference. If you’re reading this, thank you. You’ve
made this near-month-long ordeal a bit more bearable.
COVID-19, regardless of severity, affects
you physically and mentally. It takes a toll on your resources. It endangers
and adds additional burden to your loved ones. I hope no one else will have to
deal with this disease, but this is an unrealistic wish. We are far from controlling
this pandemic. The truth is, many more will get sick and many more will most likely
die. For you, who is reading this little rant, let us take care each other, but
take care of yourself more. Be kind to one another, but remember to be kind to
yourself more. I hope to see you on the other side.
[1]Department
of Health (n.d.) FAQs on CORONAVAC (SINOVAC) COVID-19 Vaccine- English.
Retrieved https://doh.gov.ph/node/29361
[2]Civil
Service Commission (2020). Memorandum Circular No. 08, s.2020. “Revised Interim
Guidelines on the Use of Leave Credits for Absences Due to Quarantine and/or
Treatment Relative to the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19)”. Retrieved: http://www.csc.gov.ph/phocadownload/MC2020/MC%20No.%2008,%20s.%202020.pdf
