I have been sequestered in my bedroom for three-and-a-half days. This all started with a slight fever on Wednesday, November 11th. My body was speaking to me in a small voice, telling me something was off balance. In the meantime Mike made sure to sleep in the guest bedroom for fear of the coronavirus. The following day I called our health provider for a directive, and, just as I suspected, a COVID-19 test was recommended.
The Test
The last thing I wanted to do was to get out of bed and get tested. This was a drive-through test held in the parking lot of the Anaheim Convention Center. I went online and filled out all the required information; I signed up for the last spot of the day, 5:30-6:00 p.m. I left the house an hour and a half earlier just in case of any glitches.
The Screening
Since this was my first time for testing, I had no idea what to expect. The first screener came to my car, and I rolled down the window to speak to her. She quickly signaled for me to roll up the window.”Please keep your window up!” She pointed to her clipboard and asked for my ID and a confirmation number. I showed her both, but for some reason she kept pointing to the confirmation number. I was showing her my appointment that I had conveniently screen shot. I could see the frustration in her face when she told me to go into lane #2. I knew this was the lane for stupid people. She placed a note on my windshield, and off I went. I was flustered, and all I could think about was getting this test completed. I called my friend Cindy and asked her to pray for me.
The Revelation
While I was waiting in the stupid line, the Lord instructed me to pull up the registration form. Thank God everything was saved, including the insurance information. It turns out that I had inadvertently forgotten to send the last part of the form. As the second screener was walking toward my vehicle, the confirmation number popped up on my phone. With my window rolled down I was handed the COVID-19 kit. I waited another 20 minutes, then drove to the underground garage to take the test. I was greeted by two well-informed male assistants dressed in what looked like HAZMAT suits. With their instructions I gave myself the test. My temperature was taken, then I was instructed to place the tube/vile in the trash can on my way out. Yes, it was a trash can! Of course, as in most cases, my car was too far to reach the can. At no time are you to leave your vehicle, but my arms were way too short to toss it in the trash can. I had to back up, with other cars behind me, to get within reach. I was told that within two to three days I would either receive a text message or email informing me of the results.
Meanwhile Back At Home
Dr. Mike (my husband) instructed me to stay in our room; he would bring me all my meals and anything else I needed. Mike asked me to try not to use the handrails when going down stairs, and to not touch anything in the kitchen. I wanted a small snack, so I touched almost everything in the kitchen. I tried to disinfect my tracks with Clorox wipes, but I’m sure I left some bacteria behind.
When I got back from the test, Mike solemnly stated, “We need to talk about Thanksgiving.” I rolled my eyes and answered, “We’ll talk when the results come in.”
I was supposed to pick up my grandkids from school on Thursday but the coronavirus symptoms quickly put a stop to that. “We don’t want the boys to be exposed,” their parents cried. On Friday our daughter-in-law Jenny stepped up and picked up the kids from school.
I know my body, and this felt like the common cold that I get every flu season. I stayed in bed and prayed for the outcome of the presidential election. I watched EWTN (a global Catholic Network) and several Hallmark movies, praying for the results to come in.
The Results
The results arrived on Saturday at 11:56 a.m. My heart was stilled with a quick prayer, and then again I needed the stupid confirmation number! Thank You, Jesus, that my date of birth was another option. Yes, coronavirus is the new drama queen, acting worse than a teenager not getting her way. I had a cold but, because of all these political requirements, I was put through Hell. I tested negative! Praise be to God!
Isaiah 33:2
O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, and our salvation in the time of trouble.
My Prayer
Dear Lord, I pray for all who died due to COVID-19. Comfort the hearts of their loved ones and bring them peace. Lord, remove all fear that this pandemic is causing. Help us to trust in You for all of our needs. Father God, guide us to approach prayer with more reverence and humility. Heal our nation and eradicate COVID-19 from this earth. Amen.
In closing I would like to thank the professional efforts of Fulgent Genetics for conducting the test and Healthvana.com for the rapid results. God bless the work of your hands.
