Under the baobab: When COVID comes calling — fear and anger as we join the millions

“ ... the infection was propagated insensibly, and by such persons as were not visibly infected, who neither knew who they infected or who they were infected by.” — Daniel Defoe, “A Journal of the Plague Year” (1722)

The Plague invaded our home. We don’t know who brought it.

We didn’t invite them. The curtains were drawn and we had turned out the lights. It didn’t matter. COVID-19 came in anyway. My wife and I both had two Moderna shots and the boosters. We wore masks, social distanced, and avoided gatherings. COVID came calling anyway and in the terrible tyranny of random selection selected one of us.

About a week or so ago my beloved wife lost her sense of smell. She developed a bad cough. We were tested. I was negative; she was not. Her cough got worse. One night, we stayed awake listening, praying, being very afraid. We are both immunocompromised.

We were able to reach our wonderful doctors, our primary care physician Dr. Qiu and our oncologist, Dr. Ajala. They were attentive and concerned. They were able to get her an appointment for monoclonal antibody treatment down in Hershey since it was not available locally. Then like millions of other people we were back on lockdown quarantine, focusing on prayer and meditation and each other. Many of you know it is terrifying being with a sick loved one and unable to do anything to alleviate their suffering.

Fortunately, we really enjoy being in each other’s company. There were lots of movies on TV. We are working on writing a couple of books, including one about our lives during this plague. Her cough got better. Her smell started to come back. We tested again last Friday. She was still positive.

We started adding up the number of family and friends who have gotten COVID. It is over 40 — nephews, nieces, cousins. A dozen dear ones have joined the ancestors including my oldest friend. Over 800,000 folks in our country have died. Over 2,000 more die each day. COVID is the worst pandemic in history. 675,000 Americans died during the Spanish flu pandemic, which was brought under control when everyone developed immunity or died. In the modern era we have vaccines that can arrest the spread of the disease. Some of our citizens have developed an incomprehensible resistance to taking it.

I muse on that absurdity as I watch my beloved in pain. It percolates my anger when I realize that her suffering could have been avoided if people would be moved to do the right thing. We do not live in the world alone. Even now, as a teacher her primary concern is for her students. She struggles to get their grades in so that they will have a less troubled holiday. It is the end of the semester. It is Christmas. They are headed home to what should be a joyous family time. Instead, after final exams, they must focus on other tests. The COVID testing center in the White Building was overflowing. Students wanted — no, needed — to get one more check-up before going home to presents, and trees, turkey and potentially COVID.

Can no one rid us of this scourge? Yes, brothers and sisters, someone can. We are the source of the promulgation of this pestilence and its purge. We need love, trust and a willingness to act to benefit others. I see that love in my beloved’s eyes as she grades another final.

Another test this Friday, still positive.

“We continued in these hopes for a new day. But it was but for a few. For the people were no more to be deceived thus, they searched the houses and found that the plague was really spread every way and that many died of it every day.” — Daniel Defoe