The Year We Were Forced To Stay Home

The twin year's thirst

'My mothers ordeal'

I knew I had passed on for about 3 minutes before I was revived ,I was  face down on my bedroom floor. The nausea became worst and the pain in my stomach was so unbearable.  I tried crawling on my knees so I could get to the house phone. My cell was somewhere in my handbag which was hung on a nail above my bed. I didn't have the strength to get on the bed. I was too weak. My only hope was the house phone that was  sprawled out on the dressing table. Indistinguishable sounds were coming from my mouth as I snaked my way in that direction. I used the handle of the dresser to drag myself halfway up. A sharp pain shot up from my belly. I couldn't prevent the howls that escaped my lips. I  almost reached it. I swung my weak hand as best as I could and swiped it off the dressing table . I watched as  both parts fell to the ground. Thank God. I inhaled.
I started to dial the familiar number of my landlord. Mr Winston and his wife were Jamaicans too who had established themselves in the US over 30 years ago. They were one of the nicest couples that I had ever met. I had been a tenant here for almost three years. The phone rang twice without an answer. From the look on the clock it was after three in the morning.  Everyone was fast asleep. I decided to try again. I really needed help. I didn't want to think what would happen if I didn't get assistance before daybreak. I redialled  the number and it rang twice before the soft sleepy voice of my landlord's wife came on . I could hardly speak but eventually she was able to recognized that I needed help asap.
It had  not gone two minutes before I heard her coming down the stairs. My apartment was in the basement that was newly renovated and refurbished about three months ago. I dragged my self to the door to try and open it. Her hands covered her mouth in shock when she saw me. I could not get out the words fast enough before she ran to the kitchen to plug in my electric kettle. The only murmurs I could hear from her was ginger tea and she didn't knew I was sick from lastweek. She helped me to the couch and wrapped a blanket over my now trembling body. She didn't asked about calling the ambulance because she knew the hospital was not a place you wanted to be in a pandemic.  She fed me the tea and sat with me until I fell asleep again. I was feeling a little better.
A knock sounded on the door before the rattling of keys were heard being used to open it. The only one who had a key was my son. When he came to the bedroom door he was shocked  to see my appearance.He had taken the day off to sit with me but he didn't know the sickness was getting worst. I explained to him about visiting the urgent care facility two days ago where I was given antibiotics . They did not seem to be working as the pain and nausea  had increased and I was now having bad diarhoea. My son started to prepare an omelette with another cup of tea. I refused to eat it because my appetite was gone.I could see the distress on his face. I hadn't eaten a solid meal since last Friday.  It was now Saturday of the next week. The box of groceries my son had bought last week were all over the kitchen floors. There was just no vibe to eat anything. I had lost my taste.
I suggested to my son that I was going back to the urgent care. He shook his head against the idea. Too much was going on now. He spent the day assisting me  and left about 5 hrs later. When he left I really tried to withstand the pain but I was getting weaker. I started to pack my emergency bag before I called the ambulance. I couldn't bear it anymore. I shot him a quick text to let him know my intentions but he didn't pick up the message until later . He must have taken a nap after the long day he had with me.
The ambulance came in ten minutes. The paramedics asked about my symptoms and I weakly explained what I was feeling.  One suggested it was urinary tract infection  and they sped off to the hospital after putting an oxygen mask over my  nose.
I arrived at the hospital in the midst of the pandemic. 

The doctor began to draw blood samples to send off immediately to the lab. He then
attached an   IV bag to my arm because he stated I was dehydrated and then gave me some pain medicine. They all left and I was alone with my thoughts still groaning in pain. I fell asleep for awhile but woke up to the pain coming back in full force. I realized it was now night and it was very quiet where I was. I tried calling for help to get more pain meds but my cries fell on deaf ears. It took me almost five minutes to dragged myself to the  floor being careful not to pull the Iv from my arm.
As light as the stand was it was a burden to carry it while I went to seek help. It was the slowest and hardest walk I have ever done in my life.  I wanted so badly to remove the oxygen mask because it was really uncomfortable.  I dragged myself to the door using the I V stand for balance.  I could feel the tears pouring from my eyes as I silently cry. When I reached the door and pulled  it open their was no one in the hallway. I stated to sob loudly while I called for help.I couldnt go any further so I sat on the floor. I just knew this was my last moments on earth. A man came barreling pass me. He stopped when he heard my cries for help and beckoned to a nurse that was  walking briskly by to help me. She said she couldn't at the moment because she was dealing with another critically ill patient.  The man shook his head in silent apology before taking off. I was left alone with my cries and my pain. As my spittle began drying out of my mouth ,I started to reminisce on my life. My poor children would be so devastated . I will never see my four grandbabies again. How would my husband cope? What would be my friends reaction?Did I secure my finances ,so my children wouldnt be burdened with unpaid debts? I couldn't lend a helping hand to my daughter anymore. As the last of my spit dried out of my mouth. My sobs became weaker and weaker. I began to tell God to take me away from the pain. And as I closed my eyes he did just that on a Saturday night.