Let’s cut to the chase. Covid-19 came as a surprise to everyone. I know for sure it surprised me when I heard that school was cancelled because we had our exams the next day. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I was quite relieved when I heard that we wouldn’t be taking our exams at that moment. But what I didn’t expect was that I wouldn’t be returning to school at all. I think I speak for everyone when I say that this pandemic has been both a pain in the neck and a blessing in disguise.
When my family and I first got the official reports of the virus and a potential lockdown, we were undoubtedly afraid. My dad bought face shields, face masks, rubbing alcohol, and hand sanitisers, and we even stocked up on groceries to avoid going out. To be very honest, I had no idea what was going on anymore. Since the pandemic, I had no idea what day it was, and I felt so bored at home.
Finally, after what felt like forever (it was actually about eight months), my family and I went out. The thing is, my dad already felt sick at that time, but he tested negative the week before, so we disregarded the fact that he wasn’t feeling well and thought it was the common cold. A few days after we went out, my dad said that he couldn’t sleep well nor taste food properly. My mom also felt quite feverish, and my elder sister had on-and-off fevers that would skyrocket to 40°C and return to around 37°C. So, my dad got tested again, and this time, he was positive, so we all had to get tested.
After a few days, the results came out. My mom was Covid-positive, both of my sisters were negative, and I was reactive and asymptomatic. My parents and I were sent to a facility a day later, and my sisters were left at home. At the facility, my parents shared a room while I stayed in another room, but that wasn’t even the climax of what happened.
My dad was later sent to the hospital because he had trouble breathing. Meanwhile, my elder sister was tested again because of her fevers. It turned out that she did have Covid-19, and it was a more serious case as she was sent to a hospital right away. Our youngest had to stay at home, but thankfully, my dad was officially allowed to go home a day after my sister was admitted.
It felt real. I mean, yes, the pandemic was always real, and it is horrifying. Still, you never truly understand how something feels until it happens to you. I also felt sad for my mom during those times. She couldn’t sleep at night because she would think about my dad, who couldn’t breathe in one hospital. Her mind was also with my elder sister, who was all alone in another hospital. And, of course, there was my younger sister, who was at home on her own and probably scared of everything that was happening.
Thankfully, we all recovered, and our family was reunited. Life continued, and my parents enrolled me and my younger sister in Bridgeway, a homeschooling program. It was hard to adjust at first, but I got used to it along the way.
Just like attending homeschool for the first time, the pandemic was an undeniably difficult stage in my and my family’s lives. We went through a rollercoaster of emotions and just felt tired most of the time. But if the pandemic taught us anything, it would be to appreciate the small things in life that were always taken for granted. I don’t worry about my family leaving me because they are my core, and they are always the centre of my world. I never thought of what would happen if I didn’t have my family, but Covid-19 really put my mind to work (sometimes at 3 am). So even if they know that I love them, I think I should express it more because no one knows what could happen in the future. Now, we also have a new member of the family, our dog Kimchi!
Although Covid-19 brought all kinds of pain to my family, we were able to further connect and appreciate each other more. So yes, Covid-19 has been such a pain in the neck, but it was also a blessing in disguise. And to anyone reading this, I hope you don’t get discouraged because your blessing is there, whether you know it or not.
