The moment I had been dreading since mid-March 2020 finally hit. What began as a stuffy nose, which I initially thought was allergies, quickly turned into a feeling akin to being hit by a truck… which then decided to reverse and run me over a few more times.
Everything they warned us about was spot on. I dealt with a headache that lingered for days, body aches that made me realize just how many different ways I could hurt, and yes — I lost my sense of taste completely. But here’s the kicker: my COVID experience was relatively mild. Why? Because I was fully vaccinated. I never ended up in the hospital, and my biggest concerns were isolating, answering calls from contact tracers (trying my best to assist), and ordering groceries to keep my family fed.
As the days passed, some friends and family pointed out that COVID might not be so terrible after all since I seemed to be managing okay. Wait, what? Did they forget I was vaccinated? Cue my frustration.
My COVID Experience Didn’t Kill Me, But It’s Not Because It’s “Not That Bad”
Some unvaccinated family members were completely convinced that my survival meant COVID wasn’t really that serious. I wish I could chalk it up to naivety. Surely, if they had access to the same information I did, they’d understand that science backs up things like masking and social distancing — but they know. They’ve been living in a world turned upside down for almost two years and can’t ignore it.
What’s important to realize about those who cling to this flawed logic is that there’s often no changing their minds. Many rely on social media for news, convinced that the scientific community has some hidden agenda to control them. At the end of the day, you’ve got to focus on your own well-being. My kids are baffled as to why they don’t see their aunts and uncles more often; it’s challenging to explain their resistance to something we’ve accepted as routine.
The real irony? For every person who refuses to accept the science and appears unscathed, there’s someone else doing everything right and still catching COVID.
Even When You Do Everything Right, You Can Still Catch COVID — And That’s Okay
COVID is prevalent and, hopefully one day, will be similar to the flu. There’s no shame in catching the flu, so why did I feel that way about COVID? Our family took every precaution to protect ourselves and our community. We stayed home while others mingled, embraced masks, and even enjoyed a winter without a single sniffle — it was amazing. But despite doing everything we could, it still wasn’t enough. When speaking with contact tracers and discussing everyone we’d interacted with (other vaccinated family and kids at school), I felt that familiar wave of shame wash over me.
It felt like my fault that COVID entered our home. But in reality, it wasn’t my fault at all. Statistically, it was bound to happen. Thankfully, our experience with COVID was comparatively mild. I often hesitate to share our story because it seems to be twisted into an anti-vax argument that COVID isn’t serious. But let me be clear from my experience — that belief is simply not accurate.
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In summary, while my COVID experience was manageable due to vaccination, it’s crucial to understand that the illness is still serious and can affect anyone, regardless of precautions taken. Let’s not use personal experiences to undermine the importance of vaccination and public health measures.
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