Masked Portrait - Twila K.

How to summarize my Covid experience? Well, it was one of the best experiences of my life and one of the scariest both at the same time.

The Best: At the end of March 2020, I was furloughed from my job of 7+ years. To be honest, I wasn’t happy at this job, but it paid my bills. The “powers that be” said they hoped to bring us back within 13 weeks. We got unemployment benefits and even the extra Covid unemployment benefit. I could’ve just sat around waiting to hear from my employer, but I didn’t want to do that. The day I got furloughed I called an old boss turned friend who owns her own company and asked if she had any part time or volunteer work that I could do while waiting around for my old job. After some discussion, she asked if I would consider full time? That was an unequivocal YES! She ended up creating a position for me within her company. So I quit my job and joined her team. I LOVE what I do! I truly feel like I am where I am supposed to be now, and it wouldn’t have happened without Covid.

The Scariest: At the beginning of October 2020, I. Got. COVID. This was my worst fear!! You see I have asthma and overall crappy lungs. I was of the mind that IF I got Covid I would for sure end up in the hospital and maybe not survive. The 10-12 days I lived with symptoms from Covid were ROUGH! I was super sick and alone, well except for my 25lb four-legged child who wasn’t much help. Luckily, my angel of a mother still took care of me from afar by doing door drops almost daily. She brought food, medicine, and little “pick me ups”. She talked to me on the phone every day and tried to keep my spirits up when they were very low. I somehow stayed out of the hospital, but barely. I know I am lucky!

Because of my lung issues wearing a mask is not easy for me. It’s almost impossible to get enough air to breathe correctly and it’s super uncomfortable. HOWEVER, I have worn a mask from DAY 1 and will continue to do so when around groups of people if it means that I can protect just ONE person from having my Covid health experience. It’s not too much to ask, because MASKS SAVE LIVES!