This is a raw blog. This is the reason for my hiatus. The plan was to work 12 days straight and spend the rest of the month in my hometown. Last month, I overworked myself. I worked for 12 days straight without any day off. On my 12th day, I was already feeling the fatigue, but I have to put my best game at work. After working for 12 days, I sailed home. I have to take the boat because air travel is costly and tremendous paperwork is at stake.
Each municipality or hometown in my province has a set of quarantine protocols. In my hometown, individuals coming outside the province should undergo a strict 6 days quarantine in the municipal facility before the swab test for Covid-19 detection. The Local Government Unit (LGU) prepared makeshift rooms for each individual. Accommodation, food, water, electricity, and hygiene kits are provided. Medical personnel conducts daily check-up for the individuals.
During my transit from Cebu to my hometown, I felt weird. My sense of smell and taste are gone. I panicked and of course, I googled it. My fatigue from work felt intense. I started to feel feverish. I doubled dose my vitamin C and drink a lot of water. I arrived on the 14th of March in the facility. I was fetched by the vehicle of the LGU on the pier. My swab test is scheduled for the 19th of March since that is my 6th day in the facility. I wasn’t feeling that well. I am not in my fully optimized and healthy version. I exercised for 30 minutes a day. My mom sent me fruits and vitamins so that I can boost my immune system. On the day of my swab test, I had a clogged nose and kept on sneezing. The next day my swab test result came out. It yielded that I am positive for COVID-19. I have been feeling disheartened, a little upset, and terrified all at the same time, but I know this is something I have to face headstrong. My stay in the facility extended for another 14 days. I need to heal and recuperate in the facility, before going home to my aging parents. My parents are in their 60’s. They have hypertension and diabetes. My father had a stroke last year. I cannot compromise their health by going home, unhealthy and infectious.
The medical personnel transferred me to an isolated facility. It is an octagon-shaped room with a bathroom and toilet. There are two rooms inside it. The other room is occupied. I cannot divulge the identity of my neighbor. I hide the identity with the name "Kim". Kim was tested positive four days ago and has to undergo a 14-day quarantine just like me. We talked about the steps Kim does to recuperate. Kim doesn't have any symptoms except for a clogged nose. On the other hand, my symptoms are clogged nose, runny nose, and a little difficulty with my asthma. They are all tolerable because I have been drinking my vitamins and have been eating home-cooked meals provided by the facility.
I can get out of my room everyday so that I can get an ample amount of sunshine.
I badly wanted to go home so I needed to have a negative result in the swab test and attain my optimum healthy self. Being a logical person, I usually set a goal and do steps to attain that goal. My neighbor Kim and other infected individuals have been doing a lot of things to recuperate. We can talk to each other because we are all allowed to get outside our rooms given that we practice all the minimum protocols---1.5 meters apart and wearing of face mask all the time. Some of them advised that I should do steam inhalation three times a day so that I can unclog my nose from the virus. They also told me to drink a glass of warm water before bedtime and upon waking up in the morning. The medical personnel advised us to get enough sunshine in the morning so that we can have the right amount of vitamin D in the morning. They also provided Vitamin C for us. I made a routine from all of the things they advised me to do.
This is the best spot to get my daily dose of Vitamin D from the sun.
Morning Routine
The first part of my routine is drinking a glass of warm water upon waking up. I boil my water since there was no dispenser provided. I relax a little and I start my warm-up. The warm-up I do was from my P. E. lessons in high school. I start with the usual breathing in and out. Then, I stretched my head and neck. It is then followed by shaking my arms and hands. I also bend my hips sideways and do a couple of lunges. I stretched my calves and shake my feet. When I am done with my warm-up, I would go to my favorite spot where the sun is all over the place. The heat is tolerable. I will stay in that spot from 7:30 to 8:30 in the morning while doing a this work-out from The Body Project. I also rest a little in between the work-out.
Supplements
By 9 A. M., I would return to my room to eat my breakfast. My mom sent me lots of fruits so that I can incorporate all of them into every meal. My granny told me that it is best to take my Vitamin C in the morning. I doubled dose my Vitamin C. My Vitamin C contains zinc because it helps for the stoppage of replication of the virus. I would drink two glasses of water after drinking them. I also drink a Vitamin D3 supplement. A colleague from work advised me to take 2 doses of it so that it can help my body absorb nutrients. All these supplements should be accompanied by a glass of water.
A life-saving concoction made from warm water, lemon and ginger.
Noontime Routine
After finishing my hygiene drill and doing laundry, I do my noon-time routine. My friend sent me a 1-liter electric water heater. I would fill it up and wait for the water to boil. I clean a few pieces of ginger and cut them up to small sizes. Then, I place them in my cup. I will add a slice of lemon and pour the boiled water into the cup. I would go out of my room carrying that 1-liter of electric heater and my glass of ginger and lemon. I feel the sunshine cut through the trees while I listen to the birds chirp. My next-door neighbor would also go out and chat with me. I slowly sip the concoction. My everyday aim is to finish a liter of warm water with lemon and ginger.
Filipinos have been practicing the burning of dried leaves and twigs during dusk.
Evening routine
Before dusk kicks in, people in rural areas practice the burning of dried leaves and twigs. These beliefs to ward off or eliminate mosquitoes. Our municipal quarantine facility is a camping site for the Girl Scouts. It is basically forest land. Dried leaves, twigs, and branches are everywhere. The leaves continue to fall in the ground every day. As a camper-slashed Covid-infected inhabitant, it is rightful and just to clean the surroundings and create a semi-bonfire. Sweeping the dried leaves and picking up the twigs could make me sweat a lot.
Steam Inhalation
I am no expert with steam inhalation so I did just follow the steps from Doc Willie Ong's YouTube channel. It is a five-step process. I tweak it a little by adding Vicks Vaporub and salt in the boiled water in the first step. Then, I usually end it with a warm cup of turmeric with ginger and lemongrass. A good friend suggested that powdered turmeric with ginger and lemongrass is an anti-inflammatory remedy. It prevented me from getting a sore throat and cough. Before drinking turmeric, I have been gargling betadine gargle twice a day. My supply didn't last during the quarantine so my family sent me turmeric instead.
Insights
Being infected by Covid-19 is life-changing. It is not only a physical struggle, but it is an emotional and psychological one. The support of my family and friends had been my greatest blessing during those times. They sent me all the things I needed. They constantly call and check on me. Moreover, the people in the facility had helped me non-stop. They prepared and gave our meals in advance so that we can eat them fresh. The doctor and nurses do their rounds daily to check our vital signs and symptoms. They frequently remind us to get proper exercise and an ample amount of sunshine. Most importantly, this pandemic brought me closer to the Almighty Father. At the end of every day in the isolation facility, I would pray to God to thank Him for these times because it made me appreciate my family, friends, and the strangers who became my friends. I also surrendered to Him the emotional and mental struggle which I have been battling inside. Before I sleep, I would remind myself with the verse from Psalm 23:4:
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
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