COVID 19 is caused by an infectious disease called coronavirus. This is a deadly virus that kills many people in the world. Before, I never believed in Covid 19. I always said that every people who died was just said to be covid 19 to warn people about the virus. To make the people scared. I also thought that its only a virus created by human minds. That if you have normal cough and colds, they will call it Covid.

Now, there is what they called UK and African variants. The virus that is much deadly because of its ability to spread faster. The more it can kill people.

In the Philippines, almost all hospitals are full for covid patients. So it takes a lot of care because once you're affected, there is a big chance that you will not be admitted in the hospitals. Big chance of death.

There is no assurance on how long this pandemic will lasts but the only thing we could do is take a lot of care. We should take vitamin C, eat fruits, eat vegetables, drink a lot of water, exercise our body and avoid smoking or any unhealthy habits. Always wear face masks, face shield and always have physical distance with people. Always wash your hands and drink lots of water.

Everything happened so fast

April 26

It was the check up of my supermom that morning. My mom was very ok. It was just her cough that makes her difficult to breathe. Laboratory tests were done to her. CBC, urine and X-ray were done. We just noticed that her breathing was not usual compared before. But she said that she was just ok. She said that she doesn't feel any pain. But if you saw her, you know that she is NOT OK.

We waited for the laboratory results. I am praying for the good results for my mother. Because she was fine so I know everything was ok. My mother wants to go home because she doesn't wanna stay long in the hospital.

We waited a couple of hours of waiting, until we got the result. My mom has pneumonia. It seems that our world falls apart. My heart was crying when I found out the result. The doctor said that she should be admitted to the hospital for 7 days starting on that day but my brother insisted if we can just take care of her at home. The doctor agreed so we went home and my mother also knew the result and she really wants to go home prior to the result. We just bought all the medicines for my mother to take. By the way, my brother works in that hospital so almost everyone knows him in the hospital especially in the emergency room. The staffs assisted my mom well.

My mother is not also used to taking medicines. But this time, we should force her to drink because its for her. Antibiotics, Vitamin C, paracetamol and different medicines for her.

When we got home, my mother looks weak because of the result. I can see it in her movements. She has no appetite but we force her to eat before drinking her medicines. I can see it in her face that she does not want all the medicines that she is taking. Her breathing looks hard but whenever I asked her if its ok, if she has hard time breathing, she always said "I'm ok" but if you saw her, her breathing was worse. She always likes to lie down rather than sitting. She can't talk clearly. I told her not to lie down because lying down makes her body heavy.

I still go to work that night since I'm just at home and its better because I can monitor my supermom's condition especially her medicines. She gets mad whenever I got her temperature because she thought that she will take another medicine again. She can't sleep well also because we always wakes her up every 4 hours. My brother and I checked her temperature at night every hour.

April 27

That morning, after my shift, my supermom wakes up. She was very ok. She went to our store for the fresh air. She sits down and she was able to talk to her sister and my aunties about her condition using video call on. I slept well with no worries.

When I woke up in the afternoon, my mother was in the room. She doesn't look ok. She doesn't want to take the medicines. But I talked to her. I told her to eat first before taking medicines. That she needed it for her to recover fast and I always told her that its just for 7 days and everything will be ok. She just agreed. That afternoon, she ate her meal with fruits before taking her medicines. My sister-in-law was also helping us in taking care of our mother especially my eldest brother.

In the afternoon, I can see that my mother is getting weaker. Her breathing is harder but whenever I asked her if she is ok, she said that she is still ok. I can't stop crying in front of her seeing her condition. She was not like that. She is a very hardworking mother. A very strong one. Maybe its her pneumonia that makes her weak. Her temperature is ok. But she admitted that it is painful under her breasts. Maybe because of her cough. It is very dry so I know how hard it is to cough. She was able to stand up to go the bathroom.

At night, I told my sister-in-law that my mother looks pale. She called my brother through video chat. She saw my mom's condition. I was feeding her so she could take her medicines. She said she doesn't want to take it anymore. But I still forced her to eat. But she was already coughing hard when I was feeding her. So I panicked she might choke even when I was giving her water. I was crying again. My sister-in-law told me not to cry in front of her but I cannot control it. Seeing my mom in pain. We we're all wearing masks. My eldest sister also heard it while on call while feeding my mother because we were all telling her to eat.

At night, we decided to send her to the hospital. I knew my mom panicked more when she heard that. If she was breathing harder, it makes her breathing worse. She was running out of breath. We all panicked. We already called an ambulance to send her to the hospital. We also called my brother because he was currently in the hospital working.

When the ambulance came, my father and brother carried my supermom and you can feel that she doesn't want to leave because her body was so heavy unlike before. I tried carrying her to get out of the bed but you can feel that she doesn't want to be carried.

When she was outside, my brother in law and a neighbor helped in carrying her in the ambulance but it was also hard for them to lift her up. Until we finally got in the ambulance. I was holding her hands while in the car. I told her that we will go home after. That she needs to be strong.

She was hurriedly sent to a tent only in the hospital. Patients are not allowed ro go inside because she is PUI. The rest of us just waited near the parking area. My brother said that her oxygen level is too low but her blood pressure is too high. My mom panicked so much that oxygen is not enough for her so she needs to be intubated. That was advised by the doctors. Then my mother was sent to the emergency room. There were no available rooms for her so she stayed in the ER for the moment.

We were all shocked. We only saw in television how hard it is when a person is intubated due to covid. But we have nothing to do. Anything said by the doctor would be the best advise.

We just waited for my brother because he was the one who can go inside the emergency room. My mother was turned to sleep because she needs to rest for a while. I noticed she hasn't slept that day very well. When she woke up, my brother said that she was still panicking. She didn't know anyone when she opened her eyes. My brother was there but maybe she didn't notice him because of the face mask. But my brother said that when my supermom was sleeping and was intubated, her breathing looks very fine. But when she woke up, everything changed. She was moving uncontrollably. Then my brother also told us that due to panicking, she removed the tube that was attached to her nose and trying to stand up. So my brother called the nurses to help her control my mother. This is because she doesn't want to stay in the hospital. After a few minutes, my brother told us that my mom is positive from Covid. They received the result. It was supposed to be sent to my email, too but since I did not bring my phone. I did not checked it. Then after 5 minutes, my brother told us that my mom has no pulse at all. She was revived and my sister-in-law saw how it was done to her. It was so painful because a nurse with a heavy body is on top of her to revive her. I can't stand seeing it with all the machines connected to her body. I remember the same scenario with my sister who passed away due to accident. She was in ICU with many machines attached to her.

My mother was revived but her heart beat was very very low. She was in comatose. Until we finally decided not to revive her because only the medicines were supporting her. We all agreed. We all have to accept it. We already called my father, relatives about my mothers death.

We were still given the chance to say goodbye to her. I can't explain how I felt. I can't believe it. Everything was too fast. She was just ok in the morning but already gone in the evening.

Everyone was also surprised with what happened to my supermom. Some does not know about her death. Everything was fast.

Let us all be alarmed with Coronavirus. It is a silent killer. Let us not take that for granted.

I know my supermom is at peace now with my sister and her mother. She is now with her sisters who passed away. She is now free from pain and I just prayed that God forgives her already and she is now at heaven and happy.

God is good. He has reason for everything that's happening. He gave us this trial for us to be stronger and braver. We may be down at the moment but I know that tomorrow we will be in "ups".