The Virus

As COVID-19 ravages the United States, I worry about the illness and how it spreads.

Due to my PTSD, I have a lot of trouble with wearing a mask. My hot breath hovering around my face within the mask triggers horrible memories of my abuse and I panic. I can't wear a mask very long, and therefore have a lot of trouble in public.

I still wear a mask, and I have made myself several with a crochet structure and lined with two layers of cotton fabric. I have two different fabrics to use for my linings, and I enjoy using them.

Each mask takes me about four hours from beginning to end, and they're fun to make. I'm struggling with the nosepiece, and I've had to replace the lining on one mask due to a faulty nose piece in the one I originally made.

Making my own masks helps with the necessity of wearing one because they're fun to make and wear. I would probably have less trouble with hot breath in a medical mask, but I have more fun with the homemade ones.

I made a mask for a friend and shipped it to him recently. He hasn't received it yet, so I'm not sure how he likes it. I enjoyed making it for him, and I hope he likes it as much as I like my own.

As careful as I've been, there's still a chance of catching the virus.

My mom is a medical professional as an acupuncturist, and she has continued to practice during the pandemic. Despite following all precautions at work and in public, she caught COVID.

When I got the news, I panicked. While my mom is fairly healthy with no preexisting conditions, my stepfather would be very vulnerable to complications. Thankfully, my mom's symptoms were very mild, and she only felt symptoms for three or four days. My stepfather's test came back negative, but they both quarantined anyway. Symptoms never developed with him, and my mom recovered quickly.

Though COVID-19 has touched my family, we were very lucky. It was frightening for me, especially with the anxiety I experience, but I have been greatly relieved in the mildness of the experience.

If any of you have been touched by the virus, I hope your experiences were not severe. Stay safe out there.

Photo Credit duron123 via freedigitalphotos.net