From Isolation in Penang to the Worst Kind of Isolation in Chicago

Last Updated on July 3, 2024 by Kirsten Raccuia

It happened. I have Covid.

I went from being isolated in Penang to being isolated in Chicago. It’s all rather depressing since the only reason I came back was to be with family, and now I can’t be.

Let me walk it back a few days…

Last Thursday, my sinuses started acting up, which is a pretty regular occurrence for me. I lived my entire American life with regular seasonal sinus infections, especially at the change of the seasons. When we moved to Penang, I continued to have them, but they got worse, and the meds stopped working.

So, after 2 years of suffering, I had nasal surgery to clear and open my nasal passages.

The surgery worked, and I rarely get full-blown infections anymore.

However, I still get sinus irritation, and that’s what happened last Thursday. The weather changed from gorgeous and 70° to grey and 50° so of course, my sinuses started bothering me. However, I know exactly how to nip it in the bud before it gets to that ugly stage.

I started my Nasonex asap, and since sinus infections aren’t contagious, I went about my daily life.

In two days, all the pressure was gone, and I felt like a champ. In two more days, I realized my smell was a little off, but that is pretty normal when your sinuses are messed up. I also noticed my taste was weird. I could taste some things, but it wasn’t as sharp as usually was. Again, I chalked it up to my sinuses.

Finally, Tuesday morning, just before my mom was supposed to go to the dentist, I had a bit of an aha moment and thought I should get a test. Just in case. But mom and I were super-sure it was all due to my kooky sinuses, as per usual.

So, I ran out and bought a home test. They are all over here, $23 at any Walgreens, CVS, grocery stores or pharmacies. So, I came home, immediately took it, and waited 15 minutes for the results.

My mom and I were horrified when the results were positive. Utterly shocked.

This isn’t what covid looks like. I feel like a champ! No sinus pressure, no nothing. Covid has more flu-like symptoms. Shouldn’t I be achy? Have a fever? Overall feel like hell?

I’m just a little off in the tasted buds and smell-arena. This can’t be right.

I’ve been living with my mom in pretty close quarters and was incredibly worried about her. She just scheduled her booster for Oct 31st.

This can’t be happening.

Mom took the other rapid test, and after waiting out the longest 15 minutes ever, she came back negative. Thank God!

Mark had just driven to Connecticut and was staying with his 91-year-old dad.

Oh, God.

This can’t be happening.

FUCK!

He went out and immediately got tested. We white-knuckled it for a few hours waiting for his results, which thankfully also came back negative.

Massive relief, both Mark and Mom are negative. It’s just me. And now I’m scared. I fucking have covid! How? When? I’m so careful? Always wearing a mask! Constantly washing my hands!

But now what?

Well, as all Jewish families do, they call the doctor, who predictably is one of our family members. Every good Jewish family has a doc or two in their web.

We called my cousin, and after he talked me off the ledge (which is a reoccurring theme for me now), we made a plan of action.

Mom had to leave. Even though she’s been with me for the first five days, she’s gotta move out of HER home!

So, through a waterfall of our tears, she moved into my favorite (and not because he’s the only) superstar uncle’s home until further notice.

I immediately opened the windows (btw, it’s 50° here), donned an N95 mask and rubber gloves and started Lysol-ing all of our surroundings. Ya never realize how much you touch daily until you have to rid a home of your nasties. Nothing is sacred, from light switches and doorknobs to curtain and drawer pulls, and it all needs to be sterilized.

In between cleaning, I cried for 2 days. (Ok, maybe more. And maybe as I write this.)

The whole point of me being here is to spend time with family. And here I am, isolating in my mom’s condo, without my mom and her geriatric, but adorable dog.  

So here I am, alone, depressed, and now every time I cough, I freak out internally, thinking I’m going to get really sick. My cousin can only talk me off the ledge so many times a day, so I’m trying to stay positive, but it’s not easy. I’m pretty anxious when it comes to my health and apparently a bit neurotic. (Maybe that’s in my DNA?)  

There have been a lot of self-pep talks and a few atta-girls, but mostly a lot of tears.

I’m beyond grateful my mom and Mark are negative because that was my biggest fear.

Now we are just waiting out the 10 days that the CDC says it takes to no longer be contagious. My mom will move back into her apartment on Monday, so it’s going to be a long weekend until we are reunited.

I suppose I’ll spend most of it disinfecting my mom’s place. I’ve never used so much Lysol in my life.

I feel like the guy in My Big Fat Greek wedding who walks around spraying Windex everywhere. I’m that girl but with Lysol.

So, that’s my latest update. My big exciting news from America. I have no idea where or how I got it. But I’m thankful I’m ok, grateful my loved ones are healthy and I’m trying to stay busy and positive as best I can. It’ll all be over soon. But until then, send pics of happy things like kittens, puppies and my favorite, unicorns pooping glitter.

XO,
K

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