Welp, We Have COVID
Two members of our family have come down with this dreaded virus. While we have made so many attempts to avoid this, sometimes things happen anyway. We have been fortunate in that my husband’s case has been mild, my oldest daughter (who has asthma) has remained stable and is steadily improving every day, and we are among the lucky ones who have dodged the hospital as we have been able to quarantine at home.
While this has been stressful, we also acknowledge that there are both blessings and lessons as we walk through the thick of it. Here’s what we’ve learned and what we hope you can take away from our experience, too:
WE DIDN’T REALLY THINK THIS WOULD HAPPEN TO US
WHAT WE’VE EXPERIENCED: I guess we always knew it was a possibility, but we admittedly didn’t think it would actually happen. While we tried hard to follow the CDC guidelines closely, we got comfortable under the false pretense that this happens to ‘other people’. We know people who have had it and who currently have it. We know how real this is and that no one is completely out of it’s miserable reach. I guess it’s just one of those things we thought we could skate past if we were careful enough. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Please take every precaution you can as this is very real and very concerning. Do every reasonable thing within your control to avoid it and to avoid giving it to others. Also, have grace for those who view this pandemic differently than you- especially if they are being more cautious than you feel is necessary. We’re all going through it in our own ways and, having had this invade our own home with two of us in the ‘high risk’ category, I can tell you that our own caution level will rise. So be supportive, kind, slow to anger and quick to protect yourself and those around you however you can.
WE HAVE GENUINELY FELT THE POWER OF PRAYER
WHAT WE’VE EXPERIENCED: Countless people have flooded Heaven with prayers of healing and protection for our family. We feel them so strongly and we are grateful for each and every one of them. We wholeheartedly believe that prayer is powerful and this experience has reinforced that belief in an indescribable way.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Please pray for those who have been effected by COVID whether specifically by name and/or for those in general whom you may have never met. Prayer is a necessity in their time of need. You can also pray for wisdom as you juggle convictions and choices in this very confusing time.
PEOPLE ARE KIND
WHAT WE’VE EXPERIENCED: The calls, the texts, the emails, the messages across social media, the offers for grocery drop offs, meal delivery, or a listening ear- each one has effectively lifted our spirits as we navigate this crazy train. The outpouring of love and support has been overwhelmingly beautiful and has filled our hearts to the point of overflowing. We are beyond grateful at the willingness of others to sacrifice their time, energy and resources to help get us through this. To say we cherish each of you who have wrapped your love around us is an understatement.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Look for opportunities to be proactively kind to others. You don’t have to limit your kindness to those who have COVID, this virus has effected each of us in some way be it physically, emotionally, financially. Show love however you can as often as you can! We truly are in this together.
WE ARE RESILIENT
WHAT WE’VE EXPERIENCED: Being forced into quarantine is not for the faint of heart! The same five people spending every moment of every day together (including two healthy little ones who each have more energy individually than the rest of us combined!) can get a bit, well, challenging. My husband is trying to help me without getting fatigued or exposing the two youngest, our oldest is trying to not lose her mind as she’s limited to only a few spaces in the house with super restricted contact to anyone inside our home and to her friends ‘on the outside’ whom she misses deeply, and I’m fighting some symptoms (even though I tested negative) while doing everything I can to keep everyone fed, bathed, clothed and alive without having a neurological episode. We’ve struggled a tad (ok, a lot!) BUT no one has attempted murder and we still don’t hate each other. We consider this a massive win, and we know we’ll be stronger as a family unit for having gone through yet another fire together :)
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Please practice an overabundance of patience. This world has started to feel like a confined space of it’s own and I know tensions are running high. You may not agree with certain things, you probably feel overwhelmed, you’re most likely suffering from ‘pandemic fatigue.’ Let’s love each other anyway.
GOD IS STILL GOOD
WHAT WE’VE EXPERIENCED: I’m not gonna lie, this has felt like a kick in the gut while we’re already down. I still have feelings of anxiety, frustration, and concern, but I have to remind myself that the God who has seen us through all of the other trials is the very same God who will see us through this one, too. In my devotions this morning, I read a verse that seemed super timely and fitting for our current situation: “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then, you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? “ (Luke 12:25-26)
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Keep the faith friends. I don’t know why we’re being dealt this blow, but there’s a reason. Whatever devastation this pandemic has caused you (or may cause in the future), it has meaning. It also comes with the exact measure of hope and endurance you need to walk through it. The Lord has a plan for each of us. We aren’t promised that it will be easy or that we will be given the answers in this lifetime, but we are promised that we won’t go it alone. We are under the grace of his mercy and love, that’s more than enough to cover our heartache.