Tag: Covid

Getting (And Losing) A Taste of COVID

“You can’t have COVID, Mom. Your drenching night sweat must have been a hot flash.” 

Those were my daughter’s words, spoken simultaneously as my in-home antigen test instantly turned positive. COVID-19, after we thought we had dodged a bullet when my husband tested positive a week and a half before. COVID-19, restarting the captivity clock after we were right about to be freed from quarantine. And worst of all, COVID-19, in my body and in my house — two days before Thanksgiving.

Like most people, contracting COVID had been something I proactively tried to avoid. Disinfectant wipes and a mask had become my trusty companions every time I left the house. In late September, I took a quantitative antibody test that showed a high level of protection, even four months after being fully vaccinated. As my husband suffered through a breakthrough case that mimicked the flu, my daughter and I locked him in a bedroom and did our best to stay away from the infection. On day 10, we declared premature victory, not knowing that one day later my nose would start to run a few hours before bedtime. It couldn’t be… or could it?

The worst of my symptoms hit quickly: chills, a runny nose, and sinus pressure that required medication to get rid of the throbbing headache. Heading down to the kitchen in the middle of the night gave me my lightbulb moment that Thanksgiving was about to be canceled. As I took a sip of orange juice and a handful of cereal to wash down the pills, I realized that I couldn’t taste anything — the telltale sign that I had COVID.

Eighteen hours later, my daughter’s symptoms began to appear. As per our usual, we tried to find the humor in what we were dealing with, joking that we could finally enjoy a bowl of canned soup because the high level of sodium was undetectable. Her senses of smell and taste would return quickly, but Thanksgiving was a tough day for me when I had no ability to take in any of the delicious scents in my house or to savor the turkey that looked so moist and juicy. We also had to settle for a FaceTime call with the family members who were supposed to be sharing our 15-pound turkey with us. It wasn’t ideal, but I felt grateful that technology allowed us to spend the holiday together in some form.

My husband posted to the masses on social media about his diagnosis, but my reaction was just the opposite. After almost two years of dealing with this virus as a country, I had a clear sense of who I wanted to share my news with. Those who had clocked in hours talking to me on the phone late into the night and the many who kept me company by texting during the days when we couldn’t safely venture out. For the first time in my life, I felt like I had a defined circle of close friends who would check on me because we were bonded and they genuinely cared.

I have written numerous articles about how important it is for me to help people. Reaching out has always come naturally to me, just as accepting help has not. Any time in the spotlight makes me uncomfortable, but under these circumstances, I had no choice but to engage with my friends and family who were consistently calling to see how we were. And, on those days when I felt particularly low, a friend delivering a meal, a thoughtful card, or a funny cartoon would come my way, and I would appreciate it so much I would get choked up by the authentic level of kindness. Having COVID gave me such an important gift in that it finally taught me how to receive. Who knew I could find an unexpected life lesson in the middle of a mild case of such a dreaded virus?

The days moved in a slow-motion time warp until we were finally deemed safe to re-enter society. Twenty straight days of staying home definitely depleted my stamina, but overall, I walked into the outside world feeling very lucky. We had all recovered without the need to see a doctor, and we were still on civil terms after an overkill of constant togetherness. I also remained grateful for the good people in my life who at times were more worried about my health than I was. Even as my worst symptoms improved, they were still checking in on the most important part of my recovery — my ability to enjoy a good piece of chocolate. However, I am sad to report that as I share the unforeseen benefits of getting a taste of COVID, I am still waiting for a taste of just about anything else.

Posted on by Shari Brauner 0

A Special Mask

Before we can fully move forward into a life outside of our pandemic-related boundaries, I feel like it’s going to be important for us to take stock in the people who have helped us get through the past year. In my personal experience, as my world grew smaller, I found myself getting closer to a handful of friends. I have one friend in particular who is someone I have been close to since we were 16 years old. Scott has fought anxiety issues for decades, so this past year was particularly difficult for him. We talked and saw each other more frequently than we had in a long time (either by phone or in a socially distanced setting). Even though there were times when he needed my support more than I needed his, I became extremely grateful to share some of the isolating quiet with him on a consistent basis.

After Scott received his first vaccine, he offered me something that I found to be extremely heartfelt. As I was preparing to travel to Florida to see my parents, he made a special trip to deliver one of his highly effective masks for me to wear on the plane. His investment in my safety spoke volumes and opened my eyes to a level of thoughtfulness that would be difficult to imagine before the pandemic.

The trip south went flawlessly. I felt safe staying with my vaccinated parents and was able to schedule my own vaccine upon returning to New Jersey. It all seemed like a win-win until I returned home and took a COVID test the day before my vaccine. The results were positive, but days later I would learn that I had received a false positive. Scott kept me distracted from the stress of moving out of my house and worrying that things could get even worse if I started to show any symptoms. Thankfully, I got a negative rapid test the following day and a negative PCR result a few days after that. Scott was right there with me, just as we had been for each other through a year of lockdown.

“The struggle that brought some of us closer could just as easily rip us apart now if we are suddenly on a different page from the friends and family we took this journey with.”

Two months later I am fully vaccinated and most parts of our country appear to be reopening. While I am thrilled, it is highly noticeable that everyone is having a different reaction to emerging from what life became over the past year. Some are taking it slow, others are diving headfirst, and many are struggling with intense anxiety and fear. The struggle that brought some of us closer could just as easily rip us apart now if we are suddenly on a different page from the friends and family we took this journey with. Just like the squares on a Zoom call, not everyone is ready to put their cameras on and fully engage on the next task at hand.

As we embark on a readjustment phase, I sincerely hope that empathy and kindness can lead the way forward. There are those who will remain unvaccinated, those who can’t handle the sudden social stimulation, and those who are just afraid that they will still get sick and die. The one thing we all have in common is that we got through the last year, but each story will remain an individual one. I still see friends suffering in different ways, and I am committed to trying to help them with whatever they need without inflicting judgment on how they find their way to feeling more comfortable in a less restricted environment.

Scott came to my house for the first time a few weeks ago and we ate dinner inside with the sliding glass door open behind us. Before he left, he gave me a new mask to travel with as I was about to get on a plane to bring my son home from college. Anxiety is still very much on his radar, but the fact that he continues to put my safety at the top of his priority list touches me in ways I have no words for. This kind of loyalty and true friendship is a gift that I treasure even more now. I can only hope that the difficulties of dealing with the past year have brought others to moments of meaningful perspective. We need to be good to each other and to acknowledge that the challenges of life in a pandemic somehow fostered many unforeseen ways to bring out the best in people.

Posted on by Shari Brauner 0

From ‘Fake Nurse’ to Hero

“Are you sure she’s a real nurse?” It was hard not to notice that my neighbor Christy, the operating-room nurse who saw many of the worst traumas imaginable, often seemed challenged by the simplest every-day medical predicaments. Tylenol or Advil? Does this wound need stitches? Do you have a Band-Aid? We would soon discover that our neighbor, whom we’d jokingly dubbed “the fake nurse,” had a much more impressive area of expertise.

My first glimpse of Christy in action occurred the day my daughter underwent a tonsillectomy. Christy never left my side during the surgery. She kept me distracted and displayed the kind of compassion that a nervous young mother never forgets.

After taking a 10-year professional detour, Christy returned to the OR in 2019. Life was good until COVID-19 hit Bergen County, New Jersey, like a nuclear bomb. As floors of Hackensack Hospital were converted to COVID units, all nurses were reassigned. Christy found herself on the front lines of a virus from which the rest of us were running scared. She jumped in wholeheartedly, once again witnessing horrific medical nightmares, but this time on a scale that no one had ever seen.

“She jumped in wholeheartedly, once again witnessing horrific medical nightmares, but this time on a scale that no one had ever seen.”

Somehow, in the middle of her long and challenging days, Christy took on the role of community angel. She began posting on local Facebook pages, imploring people to self-quarantine and follow the imposed guidelines. Responses quickly filled the pages, ranging from questions to supportive words that warmed my heart. Our community needed a face of hope, but this was not a one-sided endeavor.

Living next door, I started seeing people leaving things on Christy’s doorstep. Masks, hand sanitizer, and immunity-boosting supplements seemed to arrive daily. I made her homemade chicken soup, but nothing seemed like enough. Christy began offering to visit loved ones suffering alone in their hospital beds. She also volunteered to shop for vulnerable members of the community. I don’t know where she found the hours or the strength, but she rose to the occasion like a superhero.

As the weeks passed, Christy began posting numbers of patients being discharged or coming off ventilators. Her small glimmer of hope created much-needed optimism. Eventually, the online community rejoiced when she returned to her OR job and again when she was recognized as a superstar first responder on a local radio station. Always humble, Christy takes no credit, but the facts speak for themselves. She is a true hero.

Posted on by Shari Brauner 0