We have two daughters Lisa & Victoria that go to the same private bilingual school. As Covid was spreading its wings at the beginning of last year, all schools were closed as a precautionary measure in March 2020 due to the pandemic threat. Online classes started within a week from closure. Additional laptops had to be arranged and we were forced for the first time to know and understand more about Microsoft Teams. The online experience was new, for both parents and children. It was a challenge initially, but we learned a lot. The teachers did a great job. The online school continued for the remainder of the academic year and the children were deprived of the excitement the end of school year brings. This included not saying goodbyes and wishing each other in person and not sharing secret summer vacation places and plans. We all knew that this was going to be a different summer, a summer that our current generation never experienced before. Borders were cordoned off and international and domestic flights suspended. Swimming, a much-anticipated summer activity was out of bounds as pools were closed and almost all outdoor activities were restricted. At this point in time, Slovakia was in the top tier of countries in Europe doing well as compared to the other nations in the region and the rest of the world. We as a family navigated this strange summer well. Indoor games and long walks in the forest made sure we stayed out of the clutches of Covid. We were successful, but not for long. You will find out as you read further.
The summer ended and with Covid still not under complete control, like many other parents, we were skeptical if regular school for the new academic year would start in September 2020. But it did start for primary students and both my daughters started attending regular school with many precautionary measures put in place. The first few months went well, and it was a normal feeling for us as in previous years. However, with the onset of autumn, the prediction of a strong second wave by experts came true. It was on December 11, 2020, that the school announced that it was moving online as one of the schoolteachers tested positive for Covid. Again, the children were left stranded as all planned Christmas activities flew out of the window. On December 17, 2020, my youngest daughter Victoria showed some signs of unease with a high temperature. We were suggested to undergo Covid tests, and she tested positive while the rest of us tested negative. On hearing that only she tested positive, Victoria was devastated and started crying immediately. Her only reason for crying was that she and not the rest of us were positive. Obviously, we were advised to quarantine her for 10 days. How do you do that to a 7-year-old child just a week before Christmas? How do you explain to her that this year she could not help us in putting up the Christmas tree and that there would not be many presents, as all shopping malls were closed? Also, there would be no grandparents visiting us and vice versa and that meant even fewer gifts to open. It was a crisis for her that she never really understood. In as much as we tried to keep her isolated, it was difficult. Needless to say, in a few days my wife Sonia was infected, and then Lisa and by December 22, in less than a week, we all tested positive. Imagine all 4 of us- Covid positive! Victoria felt at ease as she now counted us like her, and it was a big relief.
“Life has many ways of testing a person’s will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen all at once”-Paulo Coelho
With 3 days to go before Christmas eve, we knew this was going to be a Christmas like no other before. The very thing that we so successfully avoided all these months finally had cornered us. We kept the Covid test results to ourselves and that was a wise decision. This avoided any possible panic in the extended family on both sides. TEAM FERNANDES now had to fight this together. We could not isolate ourselves separately as we live in an apartment block in the city with two bedrooms. Moreover, all of us were positive. Thanks to google and other media sources, as parents, we had read all the possible symptoms and the medications used by others. The only challenge was now to stuff the kitchen with essentials. None of us could move out to get groceries. Help came from a source that we never expected. The security guard at my office called me the same day that I had a parcel from Slovak Post. It was a new modem that I had ordered a week ago. I told him that I cannot come to pick it up because of the latest situation and that he could collect it and sign on my behalf. He took it and called me back and asked us if all was ok and even offered that he would get cooked food as his partner was a professional cook and with restaurants being closed, she would love to do that for us. He even said that they will bring us essentials like water, fruits, tea, and some over-the-counter pills like paracetamol from the local chemist. In about 8 hours, we had 4 big, packed container vessels each of different delicious homemade food and a big bowl of Slovak Sauerkraut Christmas Soup called ‘Kapustnica’ placed at the entrance door of the apartment building. I believed that angels exist but could never fathom them taking the guise of a security guard and his partner.
“When we live in the ego, we are human. When we live in the awareness of oneness, we are Human Angels.”-We are Human Angels -the book
What was our experience as a family fighting Covid?
Our experience was manifold. As a family we did the following:
- We RALLIED & GELLED together.
Each member showed signs of high fever and discomfort at different times. While one was down, the others made sure that proper care and attention were given. The fever would subside after a few hours of taking medication (paracetamol only) and then the cycle would continue after every 6 hours. Regular temperature measurements were the order of the day. Drinking lots of liquids, eating fruits, and taking Vitamins at appointed times was routinely followed for the next 5-6 days. Each showing concern and care for the other. Victoria was the first to come of this cycle and she would act as a doctor or a nurse and advice and entertain the rest of us.
“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”- Helen Keller
2. We LAUGHED together
Cards, Chess, Guessing Games, Dumb Charades, Painting, Singing, Dancing were some of the indoor activities that we regularly undertook to keep our focus away from the infection. It was a wonderful time. We laughed a lot and had fun. Humor is the essence of life and all good things surround it.
“If you could choose one characteristic that would get you through life, choose a sense of humor.”- Jennifer Jones
3. We PRAYED together
Even before the virus infected all of us, it was a regular nighttime prayer as a family to pray for Covid victims. This time we prayed for ourselves that we would recover quickly and that all would be well. We felt the presence of God through love, care, and joy even in these difficult times. We kept our faith, believing that this too shall pass, and we will come out stronger on the other side. There was absolutely no fear.
“The Family that prays together stays together.”- Pope John Paul II
4. We RESTED WELL together
This was a great bonus. When all is normal, we tend to get busy with many activities of life. With forced circumstances like we found ourselves in, it was indeed different. During this period, we would get up at 11.00 a.m. at times, having slept almost 13 hours. This was a blessing as our bodies were able to fight the virus with much-needed rest. We could experience the freshness in the physical after a good rest.
“Rest is not idle, is not wasteful. Sometimes rest is the most productive thing you can do for body and soul.”-Erica Layne
5. We kept a POSITIVE MINDSET together.
This was crucial. As we were all together in the same boat, we never let our minds wander into the negative. Movies like ‘Moana’, ‘Ratatouille’ and many other popular local fairy tales shown on television during this time of the year kept our minds occupied and in good spirits. Covid coverage in the media was completed avoided as we did not want that to influence us and affect our attitude. We were locked in physically but refused to be bogged down mentally.
“A strong positive attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug.” – Patricia Neal
6. We OVERCAME together.
After about 2 weeks our bodies (and mind) started to feel good, and we were able to experience life as before. There was no sign of fever and other symptoms associated with Covid. As I write this article, we all are Covid free since Jan 31, 2021. What could have otherwise be termed a calamity was actually a blessing in disguise. We experienced first-hand the importance and value of being together, united, and fighting all the challenges life throws at us and will in the future. We then started telling our family members that we had tested positive and recovered and encouraged them to stay positive and not be a victim of fear, something they previously had in mind by exposing themselves to the media.
“Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.”- Joshua J. Marine
Conclusion
I had read somewhere that the COVID virus has a vibration of 5.5 Hz and cannot exist above 25.5 Hz. For people with a higher vibration, the viral infection is a small irritant that will soon vanish just as common influenza (Flu) attack. That is exactly what we experienced. We fought off this virus infection with love, gratitude, tolerance, understanding, care, joy, positive thinking, and humor all producing vibrations of 150 Hz and more. The vibration of prayer alone goes from 120 to 350 Hz. When you are vibrating at a higher level, you feel lighter, happier, and more at ease, whereas lower vibrations feel heavy, dark, and confused. I am not underestimating the devastation Covid has done. Lives have been lost and each family may have a different experience. All I am saying is that we fought it as a team, and we may need to fight this pandemic collectively as a human race, yet individually taking responsibility for our actions, behaviors, and mindset.
The lockdown in our country has become more severe. Slovakia has sunk to the bottom among nations struggling to fight the pandemic. Numerous measures to curtail the spread have not shown the desired results. Hospitals are at full capacity, and medical staff is overwhelmed. Dozens of people are succumbing to death every day. So, why not spread the word to build up immunity in fighting this viral invasion through raising our level of vibration individually and collectively by showing love, care, and generosity? At the same time let us trust and believe that the medical industry will fight it their own way and let us encourage and support them too! The battle must be won at all costs!
Big Challenges require Big Efforts. Big Efforts are a cumulative collection of Small Efforts of many!
Dr. Owen Fernandes MBA, Ph.D.
