Last Monday, I heard the most dreaded words from Alycia. Her best friend was tested positive for Covid-19 and Alycia was in close contact with her! They hung out a week ago on Monday and had meals together. Towards the end of the week, her best friend felt unwell and on Monday (7 days later), was tested positive for Covid-19.
When Alycia said “mummy, where can I do a PCR test in Taman xxxx? ABC is Covid positive and I met her last Monday”, my heart dropped.
I zoomed to the only clinic at our hood that performs Covid tests (the same clinic that I brought Cass to after Haru bit her) and waited anxiously for the PCR test to be performed on Alycia. Alycia was both overwhelmed and terrified of the procedure. Who wouldn’t be? You’re about to have something shoved up your nose and another swab slid deep into your throat. Well, except for Cass who had gone through a PCR test twice and could still laugh after the procedures were over.
If Alycia was tested positive, it would have an impact on every single occupant at home and the chain reaction is going to be dreadful. I tried to be positive, though it’s hard. I don’t always have a good relationship with hope.
Prayer was my only hope and somehow, I was quite certain that the result would be negative.
The next 24 hours or so was tough for Alycia and me as we were both consumed by anticipatory anxiety. This is when our thoughts and bodies are consumed with worst-case scenarios, dread and fear for what might come.
The worst case scenario was Alycia would be quarantined in her room for 7 days. And all of us would be rounded up to the clinic for a swab test too. That would cause a damage of RM200 x 5 = RM1,000 for the PCR tests for the remaining five of us! Or we could just save the money and not have the tests done but just lock ourselves up at home and not step out for the next 7 days? I kept disconnecting from the negative thoughts, and I knew I had to be positive that Alycia would be negative 🥴
Words cannot describe our relief when the result was finally released. Hubs bought my favorite cakes from Nutmeg to celebrate 😅
But I wasn’t 100% relieved yet. Alycia had to quarantine herself for 5 days and there was still a possibility that she could still be positive. I tested Alycia’s temperature and did a pulse oximeter check on her every day. On Friday when she was out of quarantine, she did another Covid test using a self-test kit.
The waiting part is now over and everyone at home is super relieved. But Covid is still lurking around at every corner. How can we be sure that we will not get infected by Covid? I can only remind the girls (and sound like a naggy long-winded grandmother) of the Covid SOPs and not to share food or drinks with their friends when they’re in school and campus, no matter how close their friends are to them and how tempting it would be to be sharing and eating from the same bowl or plate of food.
In essence, good nutrition, regular exercise, being physically active, get enough sleep (at least 7 hours), have a healthy psychological and emotional wellbeing can benefit our immune system to strengthen it.
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
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