Covid Diaries: Love in the time of Covid

Day 15 - Covid Positive

"I'll be ok", said George as he was whisked into the hospital. His wife, Sandra stood watching helpless as her husband walked away. It would be the last time she'd see him. George had tested positive for Covid-19 and there was little Sandra could do. He had a fever and dry cough for 3 days straight and had decided to come into to the hospital to get tested. When his results came back, Sandra was told that she couldn't see him. After 20 years of sharing their lives together, she wouldn't be there with him when her husband needed her most.

George lost consciousness soon after and woke up lying in a hospital bed. His breath scraped his lungs and he felt a sharp pain each time he took a breath. He tried not to breathe too deep and relax. The calmer he was, the easier he could breathe. A nurse came in daily to check on him.

"Can I call my wife?", he asked the nurse.

"I'm sorry Mr. Phillips, you need to rest", she responded in a no-nonsense tone of voice.

George closed his eyes and wished he could be at home with his wife. George had just turned 61 and Sandra was 58. Luckily, he hadn't given the virus to his wife, she wasn't experiencing any symptoms and her test had come back negative.

Feeling alone and fearful, he tried to keep his mind on positive thoughts. George fortunately had never stayed in a hospital for a prolonged period of time. The doctor hadn't given him a definitive period of time for his stay. He closed his eyes and tried to rest. The neon lights in the room wasn't calming. He shared the room with another patient, he knew it was an older woman who was also a Covid patient.

The food arrived early morning, nothing looked appetizing on the tray. George thought about his wife's flavourful cooking. Sandra loved cooking spicy Thai food ranging from curries to stir-fry noodles. He'd usually pair it with an ice, cold beer.

A few days later, George was feeling better. His fever had subsided and he could breathe easier. He hadn't seen his wife since he arrived at the hospital but he had hope.