SHIKIMIKIE

Anyway, the local government unit of the city where I live launched a survey/pre-registration for free vaccine and I signed myself, and my whole family for it. My city is one of the few in the Philippines that was able to secure vaccines so hopefully I'd be chosen for it you know. OMG can you remember my story of how long it took the city to respond to my COVID situation? What if they're that slow again this time? BLESS THEIR HEARTS. I hope someone's already sorting that registration thing by now because the vaccines could/would come as early next month so you know! They'd be wasting it if they don't act fast! WHY do I feel like that's what's gonna happen? OH NO! I feel like they're gonna find vaccines that are wrongly stored and also those that are not viable anymore because of their lack of preparedness and all! Anyway, it’s for us to find out. 

Not so long ago, I talked to one of my best friends and yeah she told me that the company she works for would most likely get a hold of the vaccine and give it to the employees and stuff and she was like how about you? I mean, it’s kinda ironic because I am actually way higher on the priority list but because it doesn’t work like that in this country. There would be others who would get the shots first. I mean, I’m totally okay with my bestfriend getting the shot of course. Anyway, I pre registered so hopefully that works out for me. Oh she also told me that he company wouldn’t be getting SINOVAC for sure. I guess it’s somehow okay. If that’s the only thing I could get, so be it. They say that it’s only around 50% ish effective and yeah if that’s the only vaccine available for me to have, then so be it. Also, like I said, wouldn’t let my guard down.

One more thing, can I just share that I didn’t develop an antibody (IgG) against the virus. I don’t know if it’s because I was asymptomatic or you know, maybe I didn’t even have the virus in the first place. Well for reference, I tested positive on October 19 2020. I was planning to donate my plasma for the convalescent plasma thing but I guess with my non existent antibody, it would be useless. Or maybe I didn’t test soon enough for it to show. Anyway, who knows? That’s all folks! 

Thank God I’m alive. I can’t say I’m negative now because I do not know my status. It’s been 19 days since my alleged exposure and 16 days since I self-isolated. I already got a call from the local health department yesterday and they basically said that the data was only transmitted to them yesterday. Imagine the number of people I would have exposed from the virus if I went out which I basically could do because damn no one was watching me. Also, there was no guideline given by any department whatsoever. Imagine if I were not in the medical field. Or not just on the medical field because people in the medical field be violating quarantine protocols as well. Shady. Well just imagine if I didn’t know and follow the protocol and stuff. Imagine if I didn’t care about my neighbors, community, and country. But your girl knows better and believe it or not, I actually kinda care. So there’s that. Thank me later. 

 How could you possibly control the number of cases if you guys fail to trace and contain where it’s coming from. My opinion is that there are sources you can and cannot control. MINE YOU CAN CONTROL. So just make the most out of it you know. So yeah I basically explained to her that I already completed my quarantine in which she replied “SO RECOVERED NA PO KAYO?” I mean, I don’t know, wala akong machine dito. YOU TELL ME. Ano bang protocol niyo? So she was like, according po sa protocol recovered na kayo and hindi na po kailangan i-test ulit and mga kasama niyo. OKAY. She then thanked me for my cooperation and stuff. She also said that someone would follow up with my case. I actually don’t know if the call was meant as a reply to the e-mails I sent them or maybe just the data being transmitted. If they were that late, baka 2021 pa may mag reply sa e-mail ko. Char. I’m not hating. I know they’re doing whatever they could. But really? I mean? That 14 day isolation should have been the most crucial part of the contact tracing. Pang 18th day na kahapon, basically wala na kayong magagawa at that point. Yun lang naman. Not that we broke the quarantine protocol or anything. I’m just saying na what if sa iba yun? I’m so confused as to how the data transmission works to be honest. Sinong may kasalanan? Aren’t positive results given priority? The Malabon City contact tracers were pretty okay with all of these. I guess CALOOCAN should just do better. And for the people’s sake, whoever’s in charge, please only hire QUALIFIED CONTACT TRACERS.  I mean, even I could do better than this one. Tropa ba tayo? Char. 

Anyway, being the pakielamera that I am, I took the liberty of checking DOH’s website which I know is not the most accurate by any means but the day when my results came out, there were only 31 new cases in my city. Only 12 cases before that and just 26 the day after. I mean, how hard could it be to call 31 people? As I am now made aware that there are several people employed to do the job. May team leader pa nga. I bet they’re on a call center whatever. The more that there should be an effective system, right? Anyway, I may be wrong.   

So on a lighter note, I want to share with you what I did from when I found out I was positive until now. I’m not saying these would miraculously heal you or if it even works or anything but it’s just me. 

• Coffee with Virgin Coconut Oil. Second most disgusting thing ever. Basically because I’m not used to it but it’s kinda okay towards the end. I have it with coffee because goodness gracious bless me I can’t take it on its own. I should have taken a VCO pill instead but since we don’t have that here, we make use of what we have given we’re isolated.

• Vitamin C twice a day that I only religiously took since I knew I was COVID-19 positive. I take Vitamin C in the morning even before but sometimes I forget or I’m just lazy to take one so there’s that. We also didn’t have the one with zinc so I just drink the regular one. 

• Fruits! I had oranges, bananas, grapes, pineapples, lanzones, and mangoes. Only fruits that I like basically. 

• My mom who bravely took care of me despite the fact that she might be also infected or might get infected. I am so blessed to have her as a mother. It would have been a hard journey without her. She means the world to me. 

I actually didn’t have symptoms beside the cough that I had for a day or two. I didn’t develop fever and my oxygen saturation was normal all throughout. I think the lowest my oxygen saturation went to was 95% but yeah it would go up to 97% if I keep it for another minute. Beyond normal. So if that’s where we’re basing our TRIAGE from, we’re doomed. My goodness. I’m actually not the one to ask how to avoid the virus obviously. But yeah I’m actually struggling as to what to do differently. I know I’m safe for the next two months but after that, I’m scared to be honest. Like, if the precautions I took weren’t enough, I wonder what can I do to make it better. Oh well. I’m thinking of donating plasma for the treatment of those who were hit by the virus badly but I don’t know if my antibodies are enough to do the job. I’ve read that the more severe your symptoms are, the more antibodies you produce. It makes sense but yeah if there’s a facility near me, I’ll probably give it a try. 

We had a celebratory pizza on Monday to mark the end of our quarantine. I’m still in isolation and would probably be until Thursday just to be sure. That’s all! Since I’m already tagged as “recovered” no more COVID updates coming from me. 

Let me tell you a story. I went to the swabbing center on October 19th and was told that the result will be out in 3-5 days.To be fair, it was my boss who said that but I assume it was from someone inside as well. Anyway, it was actually a very decent place. It was a sports complex turned to a testing facility and yeah simply put, you wouldn’t be afraid to get tested there. It was actually a pleasant experience. 

Anyway, there have been a delay with the results because as of the moment, Red Cross pulled out from the whole equation because PhilHealth was then funding Red Cross and gracious goodness we all know what happened to PhilHealth. Or do we? It was then said that the results will be out in 5-7 days. On the 7th day mark, I got a call from a contact tracer and asked if I am (co-worker’s name) I said no. He apologized and dropped the call. One of my bosses told us that results are already available and to expect a call soon and so I waited. After about 5 co-workers posted their results, I tried to contact the contact tracer and was answered by the head nurse of the health center where my workplace is at. She said, we already referred your case to your local health center but since you asked, unfortunately, you tested positive. And I was so shocked. I remember telling everyone that I know I’m negative because I didn’t have a face-to-face encounter with that COVID-19 positive doctor. I told the nurse that and she was like very sympathetic about it. Whether it be fake or real sympathy, still! Thank you nurse. 

I tried to call and texted the dentist that I went to on Sunday, the day before I got tested. The dentist is the only person I had a direct-direct contact to given she had to do something inside my mouth. The only mistake I see that I’ve done is that I didn’t tell her right away that I got tested. But my stand is that I solemnly swear I didn’t know that time. I wasn’t even tested then. I didn’t even know about that there was all this commotion happening. 

Why was I tested? Sunday afternoon, we were told that a doctor tested positive and listed the clinic (as a whole) as close contact. So we all went for a swab on Monday and got the result 1 week after. Now, I don’t blame anyone for catching the virus. I took a bath before and after going to work. At work, I wore my PPE, I always had double mask on. I wore my face shield when I’m in front of a patient, I washed my hands after I remove my gloves or just before I wore another one, I was generous in spraying myself with alcohol when I have time, I disinfected my working area maybe every other hour, I washed my hands before and after lunch break, same thing when I go to the wash room, I didn’t use public transportation, I wore mask whilst I was out of the house, and you know, the list goes on. I don’t know where I lapsed to be honest. Maybe I should have been more careful. Or maybe that’s just how this virus works. NOW. Did I get the virus from the doctor? Maybe. Did I get it from the dentist that I went to on Sunday? Maybe. Did I get it from somewhere else? Maybe. Who knows? What can I tell you? The world isn’t perfect. 

It’s been 13 days since the alleged exposure and I’m on my 10th day of isolation. I’m generally feeling okay. Anyway, I can survive this. I know my body and I feel like I can survive this. I do cough here and there and I have a runny nose but I don’t have a fever and my oxygen saturation is top notch. I don’t have difficulty in breathing and I can smell and taste my food. If there’s anything that I am worried about, it’s my mom. ‘Coz she’s understandably worried about me and I guess with her being 52, it’s already hard for her to go up to the 4th floor (where I’m currently isolated) to bring me my food. I feel bad for her to be honest. I guess moms will be moms though but yeah. Stay safe people.