Former Student Struggles With COVID-19 First Hand

COVID-19 has taken the lives of over 100,000 Americans ever since its arrival to the United States. America has confirmed 6.3 million cases and that number continues to grow. Alabama holds more than 2,000 deaths from the disease and the total confirmed cases are over 130,000. A former student of the school experienced COVID-19 first hand, testing positive July 1.

The anonymous source expressed to be an active and outside person, so staying home affected them extremely. They did not expect to have to stay at home as much as the pandemic has required. 

“I was very shocked because I never would have thought I would be going through a pandemic or end up with COVID-19,” the anonymous source said. 

Some COVID-19 symptoms include cough, fever and shortness of breath, but some people do not experience symptoms at all. That is not true for the source, they experienced uncomfortable symptoms that urged them to get tested. 

“The symptoms I had were vomiting and a headache,” the anonymous source said. “I also did not have any energy, I felt so drained and unmotivated.”  

When they received the test back, the entire family  was struck with fear. 

“I was scared because when I found out I tested positive for COVID-19 because people have died from it, I was almost worried that I could be next,” the anonymous source said.

Scared and then lonely, the anonymous sources’ parents could not physically take care of them. The source’s parents had to make sure they were not near the source and take all precautions to make sure they took care of their child while staying safe. The source also faced obstacles when moving around their house. 

“My parents had to bring everything to my door and they would knock when they left it at my door,” the anonymous source said. “I had to make sure everyone was in their room when I had to go to the bathroom.” 

The source only told three of their closest friends and their significant other. They were completely supportive of the source, but now the source needed to find a way to stay entertained since seeing the closest people in their lives was not an option anymore. 

“I was on my phone and I would walk outside,” the anonymous source said. “What entertained me most was Tik-Tok and YouTube.” 

While the CDC is still scrambling to find a cure, the source was at home doing what they could to cure themselves. 

“I would have to take vitamins, alkaline water, take Tylenol and jog around the neighborhood,” the anonymous source said. 

The source was not able to attend graduation, but their family made sure the source got their celebration. 

“I felt very sad that I could not walk, but I got over it,” the anonymous source said. “My family planned an at home family graduation and I enjoyed it.”

Although the source is not sure how they came in contact with the virus and took all the necessary precautions while out, they and their family were relieved when their test came back negative. 

“We were happy,” the anonymous source said. “The first thing I did was go outside of my room and I was not [nervous for the results] because I know God had a plan for me.”

There are naysayers when it comes to the virus. Some people believe it is a hoax or a scheme to enhance political agendas, but the anonymous source says the opposite. 

“You do not think it is bad until you have it,” the anonymous source said. “It is something you would not want to go through and I wish I never experienced.”