Test Results Came Back Positive, Go Get Tested

Test+Results+Came+Back+Positive%2C+Go+Get+Tested

Test Results Came Back Positive, Go Get Tested

DISCLAIMER: This interview was conducted solely to ease students’ worries, raise awareness, and give those that contracted the virus a platform to share their struggles. This is not politically motivated and no one is permitted to harass or place blame on them for contracting the virus. Please read with an open mind and remember to be kind.

 


 

 

Back in the spring when we first went into quarantine and everyone was panicking and buying toilet paper out of stock, I remember we all freaked out because one teacher at our school had a spouse who might have been exposed to COVID. I was surprised and scared because it seemed like the virus had finally made its way to us.

Now, PA has a dramatically rising rate of cases and everyone knows someone with the virus, or they’ve gotten it themselves. Fortunately for me, none of my family nor myself have fallen ill, but I have had numerous friends test positive. It’s very unnerving and everyone still has lingering questions.

So many rumors have been spewed around about the deadly virus and its effects, leading to misinformation and confusion. Children can’t get it. Drinking a Corona beer will give you COVID. Drinking bleach helps. It’s fake. You can get face-mask exemption cards. It was deliberately caused and released. Buying things overseas will make you sick. It’s every Asian person’s fault.

And then to add onto all of this, what are the real symptoms? Since the virus was first exposed to us, many changes have been made in terms of what the true symptoms are and what to do once you get COVID. We used to use ventilators, now we don’t. We used to think you would definitely feel all of the symptoms if you got sick, but some people have just had a headache or sore throat.

Not to mention all of the politics that have been thrown in, dividing us further. If you wear a mask, you’re weak and living out of fear. If you go to gatherings, you’re selfish and a bad person. So what can we believe? I decided to interview people at our school who sadly got the virus so I could get an inside look on what it’s really like to have one of the world’s scariest sicknesses, as well as the emotional toll it surely takes on someone.

 


I first interviewed senior Tessa Gallagher

What were the first symptoms you started to show?

I started having really bad migraines and chest pains.

What were your emotions when you got your test results back?

I was really upset because I think this is very serious and I didn’t want to pass it to someone else.

What has been the hardest part, physically and emotionally?

I personally think the physical part has been the hardest. My body was so weak and I didn’t leave my bed for almost three days.

Are there any rumors you’ve heard about COVID that you can debunk?

I can definitely debunk that it’s just a common cold. I’ve had many colds and nothing compared to this. The weakness all over your body is like no other illness. I can also confirm that the virus is real and not a hoax like some people believe.

 

What kind of emotional/mental toll does having the virus take on you and your family?

Me having the virus definitely isn’t just affecting me. My entire house is out of work and activities. It sucks with the holidays coming up but I’m just grateful that I haven’t spread it to anyone else in my house.

 

 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Mask it or casket, literally.


The next interview I did was with another senior, Fiona O’Rorke, who thankfully is healthy now!

What were the first symptoms you started to show?

The first symptom that really came to me was the headache. It was the most painful headache I’ve ever had; it hurt to look at my phone or the TV. Then, I started to get body aches and chills.

What were your emotions when you got your test results back?

When I got my test results back, I wasn’t surprised that they came back positive. I was so sick, so it was no surprise. But, I will admit I did have some fear. It was scary not knowing what the next two weeks would hold for me.

What has been the hardest part, physically and emotionally?

Physically, the hardest part is trying to get my strength back. I became so weak from not being able to keep food down. All I wanted to do was lay in bed, but forcing myself to get up and be productive was a struggle. In fact, it’s still a struggle even now that I’m all better. Emotionally, the hardest part was not being able to have Thanksgiving with my parents and sister. We all had to spread out throughout the house, so I started to get super lonely.

Are there any rumors you’ve heard about COVID that you can debunk?

A rumor I can debunk is when people say, “it’s just like the flu.” Well…it’s not! It’s worse! It’s been three weeks and I still don’t have my taste or smell. This virus is no joke.

What kind of emotional/mental toll does having the virus take on you and your family?

The mental toll this virus has taken on my family and me has been a very hard one to process. Like I said, we all had to spread out. We all became lonely and my parents couldn’t work for two weeks in order to keep others safe. It was hard and stressful.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Please wear a mask, take it from someone who’s had it, it’s not fun. I had symptoms that I’ve never even heard of and even though I’m all better, I can’t walk up the stairs without feeling like I ran twenty miles. It’s so serious. Take your health and others into consideration.


I also interviewed a Knoch favorite: the one and only Krista West! Mrs. West and her family got COVID and I wanted people to know what it is like to be the parent of someone with the virus and have to take care of them while being sick yourself.

What were the first symptoms you started to show?

I felt like I had a sinus infection and I had some intermittent body aches.  I get a sinus infection every other month, so I was thinking, “Here I go again.”

What were your emotions when you got your test results back?

I wasn’t surprised, but I also wasn’t worried because eventually I started feeling like I had a low grade fever.

What has been the hardest part, physically and emotionally?

My symptoms were mild and I am actually glad that I got it because now I definitely know what it looks and feels like for me.  The virus that has been inundating my life in every way since last March lost some of its mystique.

Are there any rumors you’ve heard about having COVID that you can debunk?

Smell and taste loss are not a great litmus test for having it.  I did lose these things, but not until after about five days of symptoms.

What kind of emotional/mental toll does having the virus take on you and your family?

We were all just kind of waiting to see what would happen. Would it stay mild or would it ramp up? Now though, like I said I am grateful we had it. My son and I took a trip to Las Vegas after Christmas and it was great for our mental health to have a change of scenery and do something relatively normal.

What is it like having to care for a child with the virus?

My youngest was barely ill.  My middle school student was complaining because it was Thanksgiving and he couldn’t taste anything and had zero appetite.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

It is fairly common to get bronchitis after COVID. I was the only member of my family to get it. All in all between Covid and bronchitis, I was coughing intermittently for about six weeks.


Having the virus feels a bit like the “Scarlet Letter” I can imagine, a reference I’m sure Mrs. West will be proud that I made. So, I also talked to junior Caden Traggiai who contracted the virus while our school was cyber.

 

What were the first symptoms you started to show?

I just had a sore throat and a headache. It felt and looked the same as strep throat. The reason I got tested is because the doctors tested me for strep throat, the flu, and COVID.

What were your emotions when you got your test results back?

When we got the phone call saying  i was positive, I was just shocked and surprised. Like I said, we thought it was strep throat, so it was just surprising.

What has been the hardest part, physically and emotionally?

The hardest part was not being able to taste. Losing my sense of smell was manageable, but with no taste, eating was so boring. I was hungry but nothing sounded good to me. I wasn’t affected too badly emotionally other than the fact I saw everyone together on New Year’s Eve and I was laying in bed.

Are there any rumors you’ve heard about having COVID that you can debunk?

I don’t have much to debunk other than that the virus does affect people differently. My whole family had COVID, and we all were affected in different ways. Some of us had fevers and felt sick for a day, I am the healthiest in my family and I got the most sick, and my one brother was completely asymptomatic.

What kind of emotional/mental toll does having the virus take on you and your family?

The worst thing COVID has done for my family, was stop us from seeing my great grandparents. We are huge family people. We do everything with family. We put my great grandparents into Concordia back in the beginning of March and it is hard not being able to see them like we used to.

 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

The best thing I can add is to just wear your mask when around others. I hate wearing the masks and I feel that at some places it shouldn’t be as forced as they make it, but when around others, wear it. I wear mine in public and still ended up getting sick. Also, if you test positive and lose your sense of smell, don’t be alarmed if you can’t smell for a long time. It has been over two weeks and I still can not smell.

I want to thank everyone for being open and vulnerable about their struggles. I hope that we, as a community, can begin to take this virus more seriously and do all that we can to stop the spread. It’s clear that we are not only in a virus pandemic, but a mental health one as well. I can’t imagine how lonely this is for COVID victims, especially those near death that can’t see their loved ones before they pass.

Please remember, that although you may not have the Corona Virus, your feelings and mental state are still valid. It’s not easy being stuck at home all day, especially with the changing seasons that affect many of us with seasonal depression. I know we all want to see our friends and extended family again, but it’s important to limit our gatherings and wear a mask CORRECTLY (that means over the nose; not just the mouth). I have the utmost of confidence that we can get through this together and grow stronger and more united. While I haven’t gotten sick, if I’ve learned one thing from these hardships, it’s not to take anything for granted. Especially being a senior and sadly missing many “lasts.” If you are struggling mentally, do not hesitate to reach out to your favorite teacher, friends, parents, or even me personally. You have an entire support system to help you, I promise. The only way to get through this is together. We can do this.