Covid-19 hit the United States hard in 2020. It shut down businesses, made toilet paper a prized and hoarded item, and killed a lot of people. Many of my near and dear contracted it; a few didn’t survive. It was devastating.
The vaccine became available in 2021 for us, and as I was most grateful to have escaped the virus, I happily was inoculated. I continued my shots and boosters through 2023 and in fact, was due for my next poke in November.
You know what happens when you skate around disaster for a long time – like four years? You get just a little cocky. People I knew still got Covid and I felt for them, but I hadn’t gotten it! Despite going to weddings, church services, parties, and restaurants, I never got the virus.
Even being exposed to people who had it, I escaped. I grew complacent. I assumed it wouldn’t happen to me. It had been four years, I was healthy, and this just wasn’t going to be in my garden.
Until it was.
Both my husband and I contracted Covid – who knows where? Could have been that high school reunion (so many people came in on airplanes, hugging and squeezing…). Could have been church (communion and sharing of the peace simply do not mix, and that’s a rant for another day). Could have been going to the grocery store (people coughing all over the place there). Could have been me going back to work for a week (was supposed to be longer, but, you know…Covid). We’ll never know how we got it, but got it we did.
I was about a day behind my husband, and even then I thought I would escape, but that was not in the cards.
It hit me later, and unfortunately, a bit harder than my husband. I am now on day 13 of congestion and coughing, which is better than day 2’s fever, headache, and coughing. Most of my symptoms are gone; I’m just left with the terrible sinus congestion. Hubby seems to be on the mend and nearly well!
So while I’m pretty ticked off that I did not, in fact, escape the virus, I am grateful for many things.
I’m grateful that my husband and I are going to survive. That’s pretty huge, because we lost several dear ones to this disease and I did not want to be in that group!
I’m grateful for family and friends who dropped food off on our porch (yummy food and much of it!).
I’m grateful that while I can’t breathe easily through my nose, I can still taste and smell, so that food is even more appreciated!
I’m grateful that while I have to sleep sitting upright, I can sleep.
I’m grateful my husband is getting better and doesn’t seem to mind taking care of me – including watching Hallmark movies!
I’m grateful the headache left after two days and I can read and do jigsaw puzzles.
I’m grateful to be alive and recovering and hope that this makes me more empathetic to folks who are ill when I have the chance.
Yep, it stinks to be sick, but there’s still a lot of room for thanks and praise! Amen.