A long weekend with a vacation and guess what, the flu hits. The season is changing and flu could be expected, but it is 2020 and that means even a sneeze makes everyone to freeze in their path. So let alone plan for a weekend. The main reason being it is the year of the pandemic and the year has come in with elements of fear.
Stay isolated was the first advice. So that meant settled in with typical medication, along with steaming, hot water, turmeric, lemon, ginger and other herbs while watching each day of the long weekend pass by. Staying in isolation is ideal to have self talk and plenty of it leads you to that area that has been pretty alert lately — fear of the unknown.
We have been masked for a while and the sanitizing gel is at hand’s reach yet the lingering concern. Three days pass by with the thought of the scary name of something larger than a flu with family and friends asking, “Can you taste and smell?” With so many rounds of questioning, the self doubts began. Boredom led to painting nails, and the question popped, “could I smell the polish?” While sniffing it and wondering, a thought in the head urged me to remember, “Your nose is blocked.”
Never noted before whether a nose block could prevent one from smelling the nail polish. Never was bothered to find out earlier. But now it is the focal point. What about taste? The mind responded again, “You have been drinking too many hot fluids and the taste buds are literally on a break.”
And that is when the doctor suggested, “Why take a chance? Why don’t you take a test at the airport?”
The suggestion moved into thought and soon the thought was materialising into action. Petrified of directions, a friend sent in the details on how to get there. Was happy to see the streetlights and decorations again, but the closer we got to the COVID-19 testing centre the butterflies in the stomach started to flutter their wings. Suddenly was unable to neither notice nor read sign boards. The friendly people at the parking said go to the drive through number one, sure enough lands up in drive through number 2, reverses back when the same man who was talking had reached number one and waved.
“I told you number one, there is another car there’’, he said. Yes the maroon car was there all the time and I replied, “Could not see the number.” The only thing that was on the mind was the swab test. How painful would it be?
Was lucky to have the gentlest of nurses and probably she could read eyes and mind from behind her mask and facial screen because she completed the procedure with great care compared to the last time (a few years ago when I had pneumonia) I was almost pricked in my nose. The nurse was just beginning her career and I was not a great patient.
The drive back was delightful again with the lights and decorations. The next day family and friends were anxious again, but I reminded them that it takes 24 hours. They corrected me, “within 24 hours not after 24 hours.”
So the website accessed and there was a flashback of waiting for high school results and university grades. The tests we have to go through in life!
Read the result again and again to understand what it meant, ‘not-detected’.
The relief is tremendous and made me realise the amount of anxiety each person goes through every time they sneeze and catch cold during the pandemic.
It just makes one wonder how important it might be to have help lines where health experts can guide the public. The anxiety and stress alone could cause much damage. Our fear of the unknown and the fear based on our previous experiences make us vulnerable.
Some health experts have pointed out that flu, influenza, an infectious disease caused by an influenza virus, have been trending low as there have been fewer cases and the reason could be the measures being practiced by everyone currently. Flu might have similar symptoms that can cause all the worry. The test removes the fear in the mind leading to stress. “But keep up the protocol’’, said family and friends.
Knowingly or unknowingly we have cultivated elements of fear during the last few months.
The best way forward is stay to masked and keep hands sanitized, until the days of normalcy come back — when we don’t jump to a sound of sneeze.
Lakshmi Kothaneth
lakshmiobserver@gmail.com
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