Omicron 2022

So we got it…. it’s our 8th day in isolation today following the first positive test in the family, Ia - who showed symptoms first last Saturday.  She usually has hay fever so we didn’t think much about it but as her temperature started to rise, we decided to do the rapid antigen test (RAT).  Good thing, @Tin had an extra one from her previous test with her daughter who tested negative. Waiting for the lines to show gave me a pregnancy test feeling, but the reverse. When the solid line quickly showed up under the T, I knew that was it, even when Ronnel kept on saying to wait until the test time finishes. Once a solid line shows, I doubt it would disappear after 15 minutes.  And so the isolation started. Ia stayed in her room while the rest of the family stayed away. I was the primary contact, delivering food, medicine and entertainment. Axle and Aqui FaceTimed their sister and made sure she didn’t get bored. I was pleasantly surprised how Ia held up, especially when she had to sleep in her room by herself. I was contemplating sleeping with her but she told us promptly she was sleeping on her own as per isolation rules. A proud mother moment for me there. I guess if anyone was gonna be first, Ia was best placed - she was resilient all throughout. We did our night prayers via FaceTime and I did my periodic check ins and she was good through the night. I could tell she mustered all her courage sleeping alone in the semi-dark room. Her fever had subsided and the other symptoms came out, vomiting, cough and colds and tummy ache, albeit sequentially so she was able to go through them in a few days. On day 3, as per guidelines, the rest of the family did their RAT.  Aqui, Axle and I tested positive while Ronnel stayed negative. Ronnel attributed this to his super human abilities (haha) — nah, it’s because he’s cooped up in the room the whole time.   With the four of us positive now, the lounge became our headquarters - we stayed there most of the time and slept together at night, while Ronnel stayed by his lonesome in the room.  I wasn’t surprised that we got it, I was expecting it — what I didn’t expect was how it hit me hard. Thankfully, Aqui and Axle’s symptoms were mild. A slight fever, cough, blocked nose and a bit of tiredness, all subsided after two days.  I was optimistic as I had a colleague who tested positive and didn’t feel much, just a slight cold and that’s it.  I knew it wasn’t like that for me when I didn’t have the energy to watch my asian dramas. I even renewed my Viki pass when Ia turned positive, intending to watch as I lay down with a fever. Nope, didn’t work out like that. My head was throbbing so I couldn’t even think, let alone read subtitles. I told work that I was only gonna be off for two days, hoping to time-box covid and move it to done after two days. Nope, not Agile enough. They say only complete rest can help you recover fast, that doesn’t work if you have a family to feed. My sinuses were all clogged up and I lost my sense of smell and taste. I now know the feeling of Jang Geum in that episode trying to cook food, relying on memory to guess the taste. Family hasn’t complained and everyone pulled their weight as much as they can, covering for my lowered SLAs.  When Ronnel finally tested positive on Friday, the kids were dismayed because this would reset our isolation days — so it was great that it was cut down to 7 days now. All throughout, our second line support were pouring in — texts and offers of help on grocery, food etc.  Soon, we’ll be regaining freedom and always, in these things, I see it as God’s teachable moments… and these are the top 3 things our family has learnt so far: 

1. It’s different for everyone - it’s not a race. I often fall into this trap, competitive as I am,  thinking that if others were able to get through this quickly, then it would be the same for us.  No matter how much I tell myself ‘harden up, it’s just a cold, you’ve been boostered - so no excuse for the weak’, the hammering in my head didn’t allow this message to sink in. As soon as I’ve surrendered, the faster I got better.  Instead of getting annoyed with the mess at home, I just closed my eyes and slept. When the kids started to whine, I shut off. If they get too noisy, I do all caps in our family chat group. When Ronnel’s temperature peaked at 38.7, announcing he broke our records — Ia’s thoughtful comment was, “Why is it the two of you, who had the most vaccines in our family, still got it the worst? I think Covid is really bad for old people.”  Good conclusion, Ia.  
2. Productivity is how you define it.  Ronnel would tell me off for always being ‘on’, that I cannot just have any time doing nothing. I’m definitely Martha, and these few days I’ve had no choice but to be Mary. With the head-throbbing, the only thing that could make me forget it was Fr. Mike’s voice in his BibleInAYear podcast. I wholeheartedly listen to it but fall asleep midway… at one point, I was already at day 60 and woke up day 98. Somehow, despite me skipping me many days, God’s message always gets through. This time it was the story of King Saul’s sin of vanity - not about his appearance (because apparently he is handsome and tall) but vanity as his inordinate concern for what others think. And I suffer this sin. I worry that if I take another day off, work will think I’m weak or playing hooky. Or if I don’t prepare the best foods for the kids during this time of sickness, what kind of mother am I? So I woke up, still feeling ill, made instant noodles and forgave myself. The kids loved it.  With Ronnel getting sick,  I still catch myself asking what’s the point of me sitting beside him when I can’t do anything? And he reminds me again.  
3. No (wo)man is an island. It’s a blessing to have good friends around us. If we were in the Philippines, family would be the default support. Overseas, we have friends who are our default family. For us here, our default family is the CFC community and my Team TAE.  Text offers to help with the grocery or food run came, checking on how we were, even an offer for a Viki pass account :-) @ArnelNDorothy.   By week 2, our stock of lemons, veggies and other fruit dwindled and I took up offers. Thank you Team TAE for doing our grocery top ups. I know that should the time come that they get this too (But I hope they don’t!) they can rely on me to do the same and more.  Other texts of comfort, that they’ve had it too and that it will pass, came through — checking up on us, sending us love and prayers. Amidst all these of course are the motherly checkups from Nanay overseas.  A mother never really stops being a mother no matter how old your child gets.

At the time of writing this, the rules have changed already. I believe the new rules now are as long as we don’t have symptoms, even when we test positive, and as long as it’s past 7 days, we can go out of isolation. We are not too fussed though — as we originally targeted ‘outing day’ on my birthday.  And in the greater scheme of things, we are good. We haven’t added on to the hospital system. We are being checked regularly by our Medical Centre. And most of all, we have learned a lot and became closer as a family during this period. A few more days and — say it with me a la Mel Gibson —‘Freedom!!!”.