Last week I contracted Covid for the first time. On Tuesday I was talking with my siblings about taking our mother to the ER. She had gotten her second booster six days before, and we thought she was having a bad reaction to the shot. Her first booster had been pretty rough, so we figured this was a similar reaction, only worse. At 90 years young we didn’t want to take a chance, so I volunteered to take her to MarinHealth, formerly known as Marin General Hospital.
There were few mistakes we didn’t make that day. I picked up my mother and her caregiver and together we drove to the hospital. When we got to there, we realized she didn’t have her hearing aids, so we turned around and went back home. Staying in a hospital is traumatic enough, not being able to hear would have compounded the trauma.
We arrived back in the hospital parking lot around lunch and I figured my mom would be admitted soon. She hadn’t eaten yet, which was our next mistake. By the time I left at 4pm, my brother relieved me, she was still in a room at the ER and hadn’t eaten. Even worse, she also hadn’t taken her meds that morning and her AFIB was really kicking all afternoon. As she lay down hooked up to a machine that measured her vitals, I watched her heartbeat jumping between 95-130 Bpm, and I wondered how her body was able to manage the strain.
The admitting nurse had asked if she had Covid when I brought her in and of course I said ‘no’. When my brother Fred relieved me she still hadn’t been tested for Covid, but the test was on the way. Not too long after I left they finally tested her for Covid, and she was positive. Fred was advised to leave straight away. Had I known I never would have called me brother in to relieve me, which was another mistake. Fortunately, he didn’t get it.
The caregiver had stayed in the car with our mother’s dog the entire time we were in the ER. I drove them home, only to find out the next day that the caregiver also had Covid. One day later, I tested positive for Covid too. Had I known what I was getting into, I would have called an ambulance instead of taking them. Then again, it was good to be with my mom during this very difficult time.
Fortunately, my mother received the care she needed including Paxlovid medication to combat the Covid. She could have gone home the next day, however the caregiver was still sick and unable to care for anyone but herself. My mother ended up staying three nights and as of this writing she continues along the road to recovery.
I ended up pretty sick for about three days with a bad cough and low-grade fever. As of this writing it’s Day 8 and I still have a lingering cough and some congestion, but at least I can see the clearing beyond these woods. Since the positive test I have only had virtual time with clients, and I’m looking forward to getting back in front of people. Even if it means continuing to wear a mask.