Covid Happened

Introduction

Have you ever felt an anxiety or stress reaction? Who am I kidding? Of course you have because you are human. So, whether you know it or not, you have. Maybe you got into some bad trouble or got caught doing something you should not. Or maybe you've been in a life taking or lifesaving situation. Maybe you just have a good old-fashioned phobia. Anyway, you know what I am talking about. Your hands start shaking and your stomach lurches into your throat. You breathe a little heavier and your heart starts to race, which you know because you can feel it beating in your head and pulsing through your body. You get nauseous and feel the familiar bubbles in your tummy that usually signify a bad case of diarrhea coming on. There is sometimes feelings of dread and uncertainty, of fear and panic. Some people might start to cry or to yell, or both. You might start chewing on your fingernails or bouncing a leg up and down because your nervous system is preparing you for a "fight or flight" response. I'm sure you are all familiar with that state of being. When the sympathetic nervous system detects a stressor, such as the perception of something frightening or threatening, it triggers an acute stress response that prepares the body to stay and prepare to fight or to just leave the situation behind and run away. These are all normal reactions to stressors.

Some people experience mild symptoms when put in, let us call it, an intense situation, and others, like myself, experience more severe symptoms. It has taken me years to write this account, when realistically, it should have only taken a fraction of that time. The events that I write about here had such a severe impact on my mental and emotional state that I would have to take frequent breaks in writing. These breaks lasted anywhere from hours to literal months. Then after a break, no matter how long, that nervous feeling of dread would return. Sometimes I would have to stop because my tears were falling on the keyboard. Sometimes I had to stop because panic attacks would ensue. It really is a miracle that I finished this book at all.

It would be honest to say that the emotional taxation of this project was immense. I'd like to think that once you get good and into my story, you will understand. And you might understand only a little, while some people might understand a whole lot. But if you didn't live it, if you didn't experience the horrific events that I did, you can't completely appreciate the feelings it brings forth. Perhaps I am wrong, and if so, I do apologize. Insulting anyone's intelligence is not what I intended to do.

I forewarn you that I am not an acclaimed writer. What you're getting is my personal thoughts and experiences, from my point of view, in the best words that I can muster. Pure raw emotion. Without further ado...

Hello, my name is Kristy! And I am a survivor!

Wow! I must admit that it felt damn good to say that. I think I'll say it again.

I'M A SURVIVOR!

Yesssss! Instant endorphins!

As I was saying, my name is Kristy, and I am honored that you have chosen to read this narrative when you could have chosen anything at all to read. Although I will not get to know anything about you, dear reader, I hope that you will learn a little something about me when all is said and done. Maybe you will have a better appreciation for life. All life, not just your own. And hopefully you will look at the world a little more compassionately.