“No hugs, don’t touch me!” Then,a quick run to the laundry room to strip out of her scrubs and directly into the shower- were the first things our physician mother would do when she would get home from work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Covid-19 brought healthcare professionals to the forefront of the world, making headlines of being frontline heroes, but what the world missed was that they had families that needed them too. We didn’t just see our mom as a doctor. She was a single mom of four kids, and we were heavily relying on her to make it through the pandemic. Covid and its potential effects on our household were held in a very fragile balance.
While her job shifted to meet the demands of the pandemic, so did our lives at home. Classes were online; sports and activities were cancelled. Our grandparents came to stay with us and help out. We welcomed a new puppy into our family. We found ourselves spending a lot of time with our siblings, bonding as well as getting on each other’s nerves. For the first time, we were all going through the similar emotions at the same time.
FEAR: The fear of the unknown was our reality, with our parent facing the risk of the pandemic on a regular basis. Constant news updates and headlines regarding the pandemic and mask shortages only amplified this. Our mom’s biggest fear was bringing COVID home to us. We, on the other hand, had an underlying fear that she would become one of the patients she risked her own life to treat. Fear could have many outcomes, but it caused us to dig deep into our faith and unite as a family.
One by one, our extracurricular activities were canceled, leaving us at home to spend more time with our family. While our family was at high risk because of our mom’s close contact with COVID patients and having elderly grandparents in our home, we took many precautions to keep our family safe. We are so grateful for the time we got to spend with our grandparents. Following COVID, our grandfather developed Parkinson's disease, so the time spent in quarantine with him, while he was healthy and active, was time we otherwise wouldn’t have had. On top of it all, we had a new little puppy that brought so much joy (and work) during a fearful time.
SACRIFICE: Why did our mom have to put her health at risk to take care of someone else’s mom? What would happen to us if she succumbed to COVID? These were just some of the questions running through our heads. Healthcare workers were sacrificing their time and lives, but so were their families. During this period, we learned what sacrificial giving was. It was to selflessly putt the wellbeing of others above your own. We learned this by seeing it in action, and this formed a silent unspeakable bond with our mom. As a single parent, she was all we had. Our mom had four kids relying on her to not only make it home but also make it through the pandemic. Yet, we understood that the job our mom was doing was an important one, and sacrificing our time with her for the health and wellbeing of others was worthwhile. We remembered a conversation we had with her one day at the height of covid, and she discussed plans with us if she were to succumb to COVID. Even as a family navigating the new world of COVID together, there was much isolation when thinking of what could happen to us. What if to combat this pandemic, we had to sacrifice someone important to us? Would our mom’s job ultimately cost her life? These were potential risks for many families, not just ours. We knew of many families and friends in healthcare who were putting just as much, if not more, on the line by being in such a high-risk environment. However, we knew that this was an opportunity to support something way bigger than ourselves.
RESILIENCE: As the pandemic persisted, and the availability of PPE was diminishing, healthcare workers were left with less than adequate means of protection. Suddenly, we weren’t so sure if our mom’s best efforts would allow her to protect herself. Out of our rising concern for our mom and other frontline workers, we started a movement called ‘KeepThemSafe,’ which was a social media campaign targeted towards raising awareness for healthcare workers and the paucity of PPE equipment available to them. We connected remotely with other children of healthcare workers who shared this reality, and produced a video which we circulated on social media. We interviewed a state representative and a non-profit founder, which allowed us to see another side of the fight against covid. While quarantine left many susceptible to feelings of isolation, we were able to connect with those active in the response to COVID and share it on social media. This gave hope to those around us.
Isolation and quarantine had many drawbacks on society; however, it gave us an opportunity to unite with other kids who we shared similar experiences. It taught us invaluable principles of not taking people for granted, creating good out of bad situations, and forever establishing the concept of selfless generosity. We think back to that time and realize how fragile life can be; that health is wealth, family time is invaluable, and friends and community provide strength and solidarity.