By Allison Jonergin
I wasn’t worried about catching the coronavirus. I haven’t been around a lot of people, so I figured the risk of me passing the virus onto someone else was low.
In the beginning, this respite from work was a blessing in disguise. My pain levels lowered, and I was able to catch up on much needed rest. That lasted for about a month.
I’ve been sick now for 28 days. The first two and a half weeks were the worst. Since then, my symptoms have come in waves, with some symptoms still continuing to linger. Early on, I tested negative for COVID-19. Unsure of what else it could be, and fearing a false negative, I continued to self-isolate for more than a week after my fever disappeared. I even went so far as to get an antibodies test. After all, my symptoms have mirrored that of coronavirus patients with relatively mild cases, including a cough, headache, fever, chest pain, shortness of breath, body aches, diarrhea, nausea, lightheadedness and fatigue.
My chronic illnesses still need tending to, even when it seems the whole world has come to a screeching halt. This means making trips to the pharmacy and the dispensary. It means videoconferencing doctors for appointments. It means going to the post office to check my box for medicine from my mail-order pharmacy. Now add in two more trips to get tested. All of these things became exceedingly difficult while trying to fight an acute illness on top of already draining chronic conditions.
Yesterday, the results from my antibodies test came back negative. This should be good news! But what else could it be? Pneumonia, perhaps? I’m getting better, so it doesn’t really matter, I suppose. It’s definitely not worth paying the co-pay for another video conference appointment with my doctor, which would likely result in her ordering a chest X-ray. Another co-pay, another trip into town to another potential hotspot for the virus.
Now I do feel nervous about the possibility of catching the coronavirus, seeing as how my immune system is compromised, and my lungs are recovering from an upper respiratory infection of some kind. Not to mention, I already have asthma.
I’ve been thankful for the ability to ride out the worst of this pandemic from the comfort of my home, and for each and every essential worker who is keeping the world turning while the rest of us hunker down.
That being said, the North Country has been cleared to begin Phase I of its reopening, and my own job will be included in Phase II, which could begin before the end of the month.
Nevertheless, this madness is far from over. So stay home, wash your hands, wear a clean mask when you need to go out, and be sure to let your loved ones know how much you appreciate them. They’re what make this all worth it.
Allison Jonergin is a SUNY Plattsburgh alumna and North Country native. She suffers from multiple chronic illnesses including fibromyalgia, CFS/ME, endometriosis, irritable bowel syndrome and degenerative disc disease. She also has post-concussion syndrome, anxiety, depression and PTSD.