MY COVID-19 EXPERIENCE!

COVID-19 IS REAL AND LASG IS DOING ITS BEST TO ENSURE LAGOS IS SAFE.

MY #COVID19 EXPERIENCE.

#Fiction

Only now that I sat to write this experience did it dawn on me that I made a very terrible mistake that could have put my mum at risk of contracting the virus.

PLEASE if you have either or all of the symptoms of #COVID19, isolate yourself by yourself and call 08000CORONA.

080097000010

or

Lagos State Government provided emergency numbers:

08033565529

08052817243

08023169485.

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It all began after seeing the IV to the wedding of my "ex", someone who just broke-up with me less than a month ago. "Ah ah! Just three weeks and she's about to get married in 2 months' time?" My head couldn't settle the reality at hand with the "she's a lovely faithful Christian girl" illusion I held sacred while we're still dating.

I settled to eat something for the night even though it has gone past my normal dinner time. If I had known, I would have just taken a sedative to enable me harken to doctors' "Don't eat late" advice.

I made yam flour, microwaved the vegetable soup that's stayed more than three weeks now. Aunty actually cooked that soup before her village people used 5G to gain access to her brain and took control of her reasoning. I ate the "Pounded yam" at about 8:30 pm and then went straight to my system, trying to cause a distraction for myself. I still couldn't take my mind off it, so I went to bed. Only for me to be woken by the pressing need to visit that sacred room where a person lets-go of all that bothers the stomach -the toilet. And, easier than it would the sins of a dying man to come-out of his mouth if his making heaven depended on him confessing, the poisonous substances in my stomach came out my anus like water from a running tap. That was how the six-times-within-an-hour diarrhoea that made me lose strength started.

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It must have sounded like a joke to them when I sent, "I'm feeling sick o. Someone should check on me in the morning. Please don't touch my phone or any other property in the house without wearing gloves. It may be that I have contracted #COVID19." as message to my family WhatsApp group before I managed to sleep by 1:00 am that day, after some feverish signs and weakness that resulted from the one hour diarrhoea.

At about 4:50 am, my sleep was disturbed again by the need to visit that sacred room. This time, I had to support myself to the toilet, using the wall. After passing out lots of bomb-like gasses and blood-like substances, I decided to shower so as to gain strength; I had lost every bit of it in me. Only after the shower did I remember that the bright light that illuminated my room was from the torch of my phone. Thanks to the DISCOs that are on oath to always disappoint their customers and never give them what they paid for -electricity.

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I got out of the toilet, picked up my phone and realised I had unread WhatsApp messages. I managed to go through the messages -only to discover it was from my siblings. "You wey never fit travel go common Cotonou, how you want take get #COVID19? Abeg stop this midnight joke make we sleep." was one of the messages in the family WhatsApp group. I got strengthened to type "I no dey joke o. I no know how e dey do me o. Make someone check on me sha."

Man was scared to die and decompose without anyone knowing. Can you blame me, everyone wants to be buried.

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By this time I was already coughing and sneezing. I ensured I did all that into my bent elbow and cleaned the phlegm with my duvet. I had decided it would be burnt.

Before 8:30 am, mum was already at my house on the Island. Only God can tell how she made it that early, all the way from Ado-odo LGA, Ogun State despite the #LockDownNigeria. Mothers love and the desire to protect their offspring are natural instincts that can't be explained with words; best understood in the act.

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I was already struggling for breath before she arrived. It was like I was choking and my ribs were been squeezed; it seemed like Mr. Death was about to break into my life but my ribs were acting as a burglar-proof. At this point I thought I would die. Confusion and discomfort became my companion until mum came.

I don't have travel record. I don't think I have had contact with anyone who is positive of #COVID19.

"How could I have gotten this virus?" I asked myself aloud.

"If only I had called the emergency numbers given by NCDC and LASG as they have instructed; maybe I would have been at one of the isolation centers receiving treatment by now." was what I told myself before it seemed like Mr. Death had succeeded to penetrate into my life.

I felt someone was about to carry me; it must be Death wanting to take me away, I thought.

I managed to open my eyes so I could see the face of Death before I die. It was mum. She reached the finish-line before Mr. Death.

"Don't touch me..I..I.eh eh" I stuttered.

I left all of my doors open, including the main gate; so don't ask me how my mum gained access without anyone opening for her.

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Oh, mothers love! She carried me from the ground even though I was trying to tell her not to touch me. "Shut up! Who told you I can sit doing nothing and watch you in pains?" She asked. After mum did some local therapy(Massaged my body using "Aboniki" and hot water), she decided a hospital was the next place to visit.

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Long story cut short; after two private hospitals rejected to admit me(would you blame them? they aren't well equipped to combat the deadly #COVID19), the third one mum rushed me to had a well enlightened doctor. The doctor was polite enough to let me know he can't take me into the ward. He attended to me at the supposed security post, told me he was coming back; it took about an hour before he did. He came questioning me again, but I wasn't responding; I was in pains. Thirty minutes later, I heard the sound from the siren of an approaching ambulance, only then it dawned on me; doctor had contacted NCDC and am about to be taken to an isolation center.

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The professional manner at which I was attended-to made me wonder if I was truly in Nigeria where public health officials are known for their lackluster approach to even emergencies. This isn't an intended slur on them, though. But the seriousness and swiftness of response at this pandemic are enough to make one wish #COVID19 never ends.

The result showed I tested negative(-) to #COVID19 when it came. Another was done to ensure it wasn't a mistake; I had all the symptoms of the dreaded #COVID19. It came out NEGATIVE(-) again. I was discharged and told to treat malaria and typhoid, and that it could be that I'm asthmatic. "Ah, asthma at this age! How is that possible?" I asked. "Asthma has nothing to do with age, one can get it at any age. Go and get treated." replied the doctor attending to me.

As I left the isolation center, mum and I were disinfected. But a question struck my mind as we left; "why do people say the Lagos State Government was just increasing the numbers of #COVID19 cases so they can get money from FG?" If it were true, them taking advantage of my own situation wouldn't have raised any question been that I had all the symptoms. But look at me, I'm on my way home because my result came out negative(-).

#COVID19 is real and not a death sentence. LASG is doing all in their power to contain the spread. Help them by complying to the directives given.

!!! A NEW BEGINNING !!!

When dissatisfaction starts to set in, its a reminder to start a new beginning.A NEW BEGINNING

To start a new beginning, one must do the following:

1. FORGET THE PAST: whatever you were doing or have done that has brought about the present state of dissatisfaction, should be forgotten; but the lessons that came with it should not be forgotten. The reason for seeing the break of dawn is for you to be able to start again. Every new day presents you with the opportunity to become better.

2. TAKE A STAND/STANCE: You should decide what to do and what Ideas/Philosophies/Beliefs would serve as compass for you to navigate through this sea called "Life".

3. SET A VISION: Once a stance has been taken, you should set that which you intend to achieve with whatever it is you have set your mind to do. That which is set to be achieved is called 'VISION'. Remember: Until you see it before you see it, you'll never see it .

4. BEGIN THE JOURNEY: Just start with whatever plan you have been able to scheme out. Even in war where lives are at stake, there is always a plan 'B' and 'C' as back up cuz 'A' isn't expected to be perfect.
Never has there been a perfect plan and, so long as the only constant thing in life is change, there will never be.
Begin and grow in it; the best way to find fulfillment and get personal development is in the process. If Apple didn't start with their first ever iPhone, there still wouldn't have been an iPhone 'X MAX' by now. Dangote will concur with me; had he not started when he started, 'Dangote Group' would still be looking for the perfect plan to start BIG.

5. NEVER STOP LEARNING: The world around you is controlled by the activities of men, and the beauty of it(the world) is in our diversities. Tony Robbins was said to always say, "All personal breakthrough begins with a change in beliefs." I have also come to realize that one's belief/religion isn't the constitution of the world neither is the foundation of the world built on one's ideas. Just keep learning, unlearning and relearning, it helps you know when and how to position yourself for a worthy adventure; just like sailors adjust sails to align with the waves and tides for a smooth sail on a rough sea.
That said, there are some values/laws that can/will never change; they're the laws of nature. They're universal, and produce same results wherever they are applied. KNOW and HOLD on to them.

6. LIVE NOT IN YOUR ILLUSIONS: Though, as believers, it's beautiful to always confess/pronounce things as good, it's worst to throw a deaf ear to the alarm meant to wake us up, and devilish to form, like it's said in the military; "NOT seeing" to the glaring signs that shine so bright like the fire in the burning bush which Moses couldn't stare at. See things as they are in your head, it helps to have a direction of purpose, but never wish away the reality; work to see that which is in your head and when the need be, change or adjust your plans.

7. NEVER FORGET THE VISION: when the going becomes so SMOOTH and BEAUTIFUL or ROUGH and TOUGH, it becomes easy to forget the vision as you might get carried away with whatever the reality is, be it ROUGH and TOUGH or SMOOTH and BEAUTIFUL. No matter what it seems, never lose touch with the set VISION for the beauty of a vision is in the process, NOT the destination.

8. HAVE HOPE AND NEVER LOSE IT: "Hope" they say, "is like the sun; you NOT seeing it, does NOT mean it's NOT out there." This saying is as real as the fact that you need a new beginning. If hope is as hot as melting iron, please hold on to it until the gain kills the pain. "There is light at the end of the tunnel." is an old saying that keeps hope alive but I tell you, so long as "you are the light of the world"; hope will make you light up the tunnel, not just wait for that at the end of it. Hope should be to you what petrol is to fire; make you want to burn more.

9. HAVE FAITH: At the hearing of this word-FAITH, religion comes to mind, and that has made many atheist say it's NOT a word for them as they don't believe in God. I end up laughing at them for their ignorance. How did FAITH suddenly become a religious word? The fact that the first place you heard the word was in your religious centers doesn't mean it's a religious word. If Abraham didn't have "Firmness About Invisible Things Happening", Israel wouldn't have been.
I so so agree with Dr. Harry Paul Benjamin who "racronymized" FAITH to mean: FIRMNESS ABOUT INVISIBLE THINGS HAPPENING. When you have "Firmness About Invisible Things Happening", even when things seem not as you have seen it in your spirit, the power of your positive mindset keeps kicking you ahead like footballers do the ball when searching for a goal.

MAY YOUR EVERY POSITIVE MOVE YIELD FRUITS AND BRING YOU PEACE OF MIND. 🙏AMEN!🙏

THAT GREAT LIFE IS ACHIEVABLE, NEVER YOU GIVE UP!

UKHUEDUAN STANLEY .A. ©️2020