Page 34 - FDCC Pandemic Book

Living in a Pandemic: A Collection of Stories on Coping, Resilience & Hope
On Wednesday, July 8, my friend called to say that her 2 kids had tested positive for COVID. We hit panic and drove an hour north of Atlanta to get tested. After waiting in line for over an hour, we were told they were out of tests and sent home. So, we frantically looked for another test. At this point, it was virtually impossible to be tested in Atlanta as all the testing facilities were out of tests. We finally found one that we had to pay $150 each to take and went to be tested the next day. Sure enough, my girls and I were positive. Somehow my husband was spared. When I found out, I ordered 2 weeks of food on Instacart, and the minute it was delivered, we headed back to the lake and stayed there for another 2 weeks, leaving my husband home alone to hold down the fort.
My girls had hardly any symptoms, so they were able to enjoy the lake. I had flu-like symptoms for about a week and then felt better. We were re-tested on our way back into town and were negative! Although it is never fun to be sick, there was a sense of relief that our cases were mild, and in having the COVID diagnosis behind us.
My girls headed back to “school” in August, but it was still virtual. While they are not physically going to the school building, there was much more structure than there had been in the spring. They had to get up and actually attend classes every day via Zoom. But they could go to class in their PJs, and half the time are in their beds. (We made a deal that they could attend their elective classes from the bed as long as they had A’s in all classes.)
Almost one year after they were given the 2-week “break” for COVID, my girls finally returned to in-person school on February 16. It could not have come soon enough. Just the previous day I walked into my 16-year old’s room while she was in her virtual geometry class, and she was watching The Bachelor TV show on her phone! I am almost certain this wasn’t part of the assigned curriculum. Clearly, they need to be in a real classroom!
Even with all the challenges, quarantine was a welcome respite for all of us. We had been running at full speed with school, work, sports, and other activities. We needed the break, but hadn’t realized it. It was so nice to not have to go anywhere, to not have to be anywhere, to not have to worry about the everyday running around and deadlines.
Our life slowed down, and it was a welcome and needed change. Although there was so much lost during COVID, the quarantine time with my teens has ultimately been such a gift, and it really made us all grateful for the everyday things we take for granted. While I’m certainly ready for things to get back to normal, I think we will look back on this time as a bit of an adventure, and like all adventures, this had the good and bad ... but mostly good.
29