CoViD-19 is real guys and it’s still around. I cannot stress this enough. My little family and I have a very active lifestyle, and on top of that, we have secured vaccines for ourselves.
My husband Jadon and I got fully vaccinated on July 30, and our kids were vaccinated with both the flu vaccine and pneumococcal in September.
Yet, we still got the coronavirus.
Having been vaccinated does not mean we are totally spared from the virus but it CAN and WILL PROTECT us from going through severe symptoms. My family and I can very well attest to that now in our current and ongoing predicament.
So I’d like to share a few things that we have realized, and which may come in handy for you just in case (let’s hope not) you get CoViD inevitably.
1. Do not be in denial. It’s always better to assume the worst than be complacent and deny the symptoms.
I know a number of people who chose to shrug off their circumstance as common cold which may be true…but what if not? Two of my friends died recently due to CoViD, and sadly, were not vaccinated.
If you confront yourself with it, you become aware and responsible of your next actions, especially isolating yourself. Shrugging it off, and going to the beach (as what my friend advised me) will only make you a spreader.
2. Get a test kit, or get swabbed. You would rather be sure and be aware of what you are fighting against. This unseen virus can take your life in a split second. Confirming if you actually have it will convince you to seek professional medical assistance.
3. Do not self-medicate. This, for me, is the biggest mistake of the many I know who unnecessarily succumbed to CoViD. Medical doctors exist in our community for a reason, and that is to help cure/treat us. They are definitely more capable than the references online. They spit facts they have carefully studied for years.
Also, online references might not always work for your kind of body and severity, and are definitely not 100 percent reliable.
I would rather bet my life on a real medical doctor who knows what he/she is doing than take a floating advice online.
When Jadon experienced the onset of symptoms, we thought of it as common cold since we recently traveled down south to surf for three straight days, and drove 120 kms. away, so our circumstance could reasonably be alibied to fatigue.
So he took Bioflu and Solmux to alleviate the symptoms. Yet, three days later, there was no improvement. His cough even got worse, and his fever continued.
The following day, I started feeling unwell, too. I was experiencing body malaise, cough, and headache.
Subsequently, we both lost our sense of smell and taste! So we decided to get ourselves tested, bought an antigen test from our friend Ian Alcantara who was quick to accommodate us. (You may contact him at 0917-314-1737 for supplies.)
So yes, we tested positive for CoViD-19, and decided to seek help from a professional doctor online. We were lucky to be accommodated by Dr. Johanna Lei Bandoy, a resident at SUMC.
My husband and I cannot thank her enough for the kindness and efforts she extended us by coming all the way to our house, and personally checking up on us.
She’s also been monitoring our oxygen level stats remotely, via the Messenger app, and has successfully helped us manage our symptoms with the medications she prescribed us.
Regular medications like Solmux or Bioflu won’t work against this virulent virus. At least, those didn’t work for us. Because we aren’t just fighting against a typical flu, we are fighting CoViD-19. And there are medications that could fight the virus, and that’s why doctors exist for that matter, too.
4. Most importantly, get vaccinated now. There’s no time anymore. CoViD truly hits hard, and if you’re not equipped against it, you will either suffer the long-haul or succumb to it.
Jadon and I are both asthmatic, a little cough can trigger our asthma, and we could not have, in any other way, handled these symptoms had we not been vaccinated.
We did not suffer any shortness of breath but sweeping the floor or simply washing the dishes made us palpitate here and there, even with just minimal physical movement. That’s how you realize your body’s worn out inside by the unseen virus.
But one thing is for sure: we managed all these symptoms because we are fully-vaccinated. We had Sinovac. Any vaccine will work. Just get the jab done.
And although my kids are CoViD-positive, they have remained active, and did not manifest any of the symptoms.
We may not have suffered severe symptoms initially but we were instructed by our doctor to be vigilant since secondary infection is most likely to happen in the crucial days between the 7th to 10th day.
If we pass those days without fever or shortness of breath, then we likely fought CoViD successfully. Secondary infection is what’s scary — which might trigger or indicate pneumonia.
Jadon is currently on his 10th day, while I’m on my 7th.
We have been instructed to sleep 16 hours in prone position, to initiate maximum breathing, and enhance O2 intake.
We have never taken vitamins as religiously as we are now, and have been eating fruits and home-cooked food provided by friends and family.
I know for sure that the vaccine saved our lives. I know for sure how it saved us from experiencing the severity of the CoViD symptoms. I know now for sure that the best way to beat CoViD is done together with family and friends.
I believe CoViD was not meant to be fought alone or worse, silently. It’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to inform others — it’s the most responsible thing to do. And you give others the chance to be vulnerable to help you.
Vaccines gave us confidence. Anxiety was done away because we trusted what we knew could best fight CoViD. Vaccines are heaven-sent. We are confident it will safeguard us and our family.
It’s amazing how our pantry has never been this full until we got CoViD.
We are overwhelmed by the love and concern from friends and family. It was easier to feel and get better. Although isolated, we have not felt alone. We are emotionally, mentally, and spiritually boosted by the various kind words and thoughtfulness. Let it be that way, it’s easier to recuperate with love and kindness.
Times like this prove that the Heavenly Father is alive. He exists and He lives. I have never felt His grace more tangible as it is now. I know we are surviving every trial because of Him and His Son Jesus Christ. As we look back, we realize we were experiencing miracle after miracle, proving His matchless power over us, and divine promise that all will work out for good.
P.S. So my family and I got swabbed the other day, and I have to say it’s pretty disappointing when you get to the swabbing center at the barangay Batinguel gym as people simply race to the front for “their turn”.
We drove by ourselves all the way there, as instructed by the barangay health emergency response team. No problem; we just made sure we drove with our windows closed.
But as soon as we got to the gym, there was NO system nor any sense of organization of who gets swabbed first. They were not even giving priority to those who were already CoViD-positive.
Be forewarned that we who had already clearly developed CoViD symptoms were simply mixed there with those who were not positive.
We found it alarming that although we made sure we informed the people there that we were positive – so we could be given priority, leave right away, and not expose any other – it was to no avail. Nobody budged to listen, instead people continued racing to the front for their turn.
My husband wanted to walk out since our kids were with us – and who knows how many more positive patients were in there, or what severe symptoms others there had that could worsen us, too.
But we stayed, because we needed to get our swabs done. Mind you, we were experiencing palpitations while waiting for our turn; the heat in the gym was aggravating our situation.
I think the complacency there is dangerous for those who do not know. Although the gym is an open air space, the chances of getting the virus is still very high considering we (positive of the virus) were breathing the same air there.
For those of us who are clearly ill and positive, being lumped there with all others was not ideal. At least, the positive could have been segregated from those who were not. Madahan sagulon ra. Madahan magtabi ra mo.
We can’t leave it all out to the Healthcare workers. They are worn out already. They just want to get it done, too. I really appreciate the health care workers as it was so hot that day, and I could see their hands getting soaked up inside the disposable gloves, much more inside their PPEs; yet they managed to keep going.
But really, something has to be done with how the patients are organized at the swabbing center.
Lujana Ciarra Romero-Herrenauw
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