Covid Chronicles

 When I thought about how we'd spend this holiday season as a family, making memories, soaking up the last bit of being together, I did not consider that we could be housebound, isolating - and yet, here we are. 

Andel felt ill first, but tested negative on Friday, and was wearing his mask everywhere - including in bed at night. Then on Saturday afternoon, after feeling fine all day, Zac suddenly started complaining of headaches, and later ran a fever. We tested him, and got the positive result not long after. Resigned to the fact that we would all have to isolate - or at least quarantine - we cancelled Christmas plans (for the second year running), and tried to separate Zac from everyone else. Since then though, a few more of us have joined the pandemic party. 

I guess it was inevitable. Just prior to Zac feeling ill, he and I had taken a drive and gotten some ice cream for our monthly date. Sunday morning I was still ok, but by lunch time I was overcome with debilitating body aches, and nonstop sneezing and nose blowing. Then yesterday Sam, who usually shares a room with Zac, started coughing and complaining about a tummy ache, and this morning began throwing up. So far Bayley remains unaffected. The jury is still out on whether she would require more of our energy and attention healthy or sick.

On this, Day 4 of isolation, here are a couple things we have learnt already:

* Covid sucks. Even though it's likely that we have the kinder Omicron variant, we have still felt pretty sick. There is no guarantee that you will have "mild, flu-like symptoms that disappear after a day", and I hate that people have used that very phrase to downplay what people are going through, or justify irresponsible behaviour.

* You can be so careful, and still become infected. We don't know where we got it from. We did not have close contact with any positive case, and have purposefully opted to stay home to avoid being sick.

* You can be how sick, when your kids are ill, they come first. I have never experienced incessant pain like I have the last couple days, but I would gladly take it if it means that my kids don't have to.

* There is always a silver lining; something to be thankful for. Had Zac become infected while at school, I think we would have been freaking out. Knowing that he's had it here, with us, and been ok, is very comforting. 

* This is the second year running that we not having a "traditional" family Christmas. Last year my parents were very sick with Covid, and we ended up doing our family celebration mid January. The first Christmas was pretty simple, and I feel like we are being reminded of that, even now. Who knows: it may become a new tradition for us. 

So for the next week at least, we try to heal and get some much needed rest. There is, after all, wisdom and peace in surrender.