I Got Infected Covid-19: Life Lessons I Learned

I got infected covid-19 and here are how and the life lessons I learned from it 

Covid-19 has been around for years, and millions of people have been infected from around the world. Some are lucky enough to be not infected and some have to be the part of millions of people around the world to experience covid-19.

For the first time, the government has tried so hard to prevent the outbreak by closing public places for days or even months. Therefore, the economy has to be recovered and we have to do activities like before. But in the end, we will face the second, the third, the fourth wave, and beyond. When will the covid pandemic end?

Covid-19 cases in Jakarta reached its peak in July 2021. I have a brother who lives next door, we are still going outside to work in the PPKM Darurat—which means quarantine in the Indonesian version—the company still doesn’t allow us to work from home. Among millions of people, we are one of them. But my brother was the first. He was positive.

My first PCR test has shown it is negative. But a week later, I got the most common symptoms of Covid-19; high fever, cough, sore throat, chest pain, tiredness, and difficulty breathing. Then I did an Anti-gent test, you know? It was my turn. I got infected Covid-19 and did self-quarantine for weeks at home.

I was thinking to rent a house for a month to keep my parents safe during my quarantine. But, my mom doesn’t let me out. I did self-quarantine in the upstairs, I cooked, and did everything upstairs by myself. It was so depressing.

In January 2022 is the third wave of omicron covid-19. I got infected Covid-19, again. Yet, it is not only me who got it, me and my whole family. Unlike the last moment, we faced it like a normal life. As if we weren’t infected by Covid-19. Perhaps, it’s because we are all infected. Then, we take care of and support each other, and don’t feel harmful or ostracized.

During that hard times, I learn a lot not only the importance to keep a healthy life. But, I learned a lot about life in general. About how to see life and how to live life, I am going to mention things I have learned below.

1. Expect Nothing

When the first time I took that covid test I didn’t expect anything from the results. I accept everything the result is either it’s positive or negative.

I took the test because I had a fever, just to know whether I am infected or not. If the result is positive then, it’s good for me. After all, I can get a permit to take a rest from my office, that’s all I needed it. Then, if the result is negative it’s good for me too. Because I’m healthy and no need to worry about it.

That was maybe the first time I put no expectation on a certain test. Then I understand that I should do the same thing towards everything. I shouldn’t be hoping for a result. Just do my part and I will get what I deserve.

Everything you will get is something you deserve, and that’s the best for you.

Sometimes, we are afraid to try something new just because we worry to fail it. We should try it, without any expectation at times make us dare to take action.

If we believe that then we will be open to every opportunity in life and feel less disappointed when things do not turn out as we expected. because we didn’t expect anything in the first place. Since we don’t know what the best for us. Just believe that everything that God gave to us is the best for us.

This reminds me to venture to take the IELTS test, which I have always delayed for years. Just because a loser reason; fear.

2. Be prepared for death

In the early days, I get infected, I feel any form of pain inside my body. I feel multiple symptoms and it’s hard and painful.

Experiencing covid is painful and at this point, death might be better because some people can’t take it anymore like me. When I am off to bed, I just imagine myself falling asleep and waking up in the afterlife. That was the most fear than experiencing this painful covid.

Then I remember, am I ready for death? I still do a lot of sins, and I haven’t enough asked forgiveness from Allah for bad things I’ve done. I might go straight to hell and be tortured eternally there. Then I realize this covid is bearable than being tortured in hell and it’s better this way.

But the one thing that sure is we’re all gonna die sooner or later. And it’s better to dying and knowing when we are going to die Like dying because of sickness than dying because of an accident. We can prepare for our death such as giving words to the family. and cleaning up the mess you had. because you don’t wanna be remembered as a bad person when you die. and you don’t wanna your family to find out bad things you did after you die and find out that you’re not as good as they think because it will make them sad.

and we shouldn’t be afraid of death because it will be coming for us, the one who is afraid of death is the only one who does bad things in life and sees death as a punishment. those who do good in life will not be afraid of death because they will receive more benefits from their good actions in life. and for those who do good in life, the afterlife will be better than this world.

That’s why we have to do good in life and be prepared for our death because we can face your death anytime. Those who died in a traffic accident, did he ever think that they will face their death that soon?

3. Every pain is bearable

The most painful thing to do while I got infected covid-19 is the journey to the bathroom. when I got covid the only acceptable position is only laying in bed, besides that it felt like hell. When you sit you will have a painful cough like all your organs going to come out from your mouth. if sitting feels like hell then imagine standing and walking to the bathroom.

When I had to defecate I had to go to the bathroom and it feels horrible because I cough myself all the way to the bathroom and the longer I sit in the toilet while I defecate the longer I experience the cough.

I think to myself every pain is bearable including this, I had to take this pain because I need to empty my stomach and it needs to be done. after defecating I back to my bed and lay on the bed feeling better.

What I learned from that experience is every pain is bearable and temporary. Just remember hard times will be passed. and you will experience pure pleasure after you passed the worst part. you will be able to appreciate a small thing if you ever experience a horrible thing.

4. Cherish every moment

I remember the good days I had before I get infected, and I miss every single moment of it. Then, I realize small things like that are priceless if we can appreciate that.

Small moments like accompanying my mom to watch her favorite Indian series, doing bedroom karaoke all night long, having coffee with brothers and talking about everything that matters, playing dates with my nephews, teaching art lessons to my student course, and having sleepovers with friends.

And my motivation to be recovered from this sickness is to experience those things again. because moments like that sometimes are just passed, like another activity without we can appreciate it. Turns out when good small things like that are taken away from us it makes us realize how precious they were. to be together with people we love and do what we love.

5. Celebrate small thing

Covid taught me to appreciate small achievements because we will be happy if we can appreciate what we have done even it’s a small thing. because sometimes we’re being too hard on ourselves and never appreciate the small achievements we made in life.

I just lay in my bed looking at the ceiling while holding my pain. just waiting for this time to pass. Day and night make no difference. And all day I just wait for the night to come so I can have a good sleep when the lamp is already turned off.

so I eat as well as I can and I consume all my medicine so I can get out of that place as soon as possible. Then, when the day came my PCR swab test result has shown it is negative. I feel extremely happy and I celebrate it by eating instant noodles. something usual but I enjoyed it a lot because I was able to appreciate it.

A small celebration like that is needed in life. Because sometimes we push ourselves too hard to achieve big things in life, we’re only eyeing for a big achievement. The thing is big achievement is hard to achieve and in some cases. We will achieve it in years, or in a bad case, we will never achieve it.

When we push ourselves too hard we barely enjoy things in life and get stressed about that achievement. In our heads, we will be happy only if we achieve it. What if we achieve that in years? We will never be happy for years. What If we never achieve that? We will never be happy at all.

Don’t be hard on yourself, it’s good to have a big goal but just focus on a small quest and celebrate it when you get it done. Your success doesn’t define by have you achieved that big main goal, but how many small quests you have done. Every small quest is a checkpoint and it’s precious as the main goal itself.

6. Remember who always be there for you

When we’re on top when we’re happy we feel that we have a lot of friends beside us. But when hard time comes, who will still check up on you? who still asks for your condition and sends you support morally and materially?

Those kinds of person, who always be there for you when things are good in bad is the one you should keep in life. The one you should help when they need and you should support. Because they’re the people I can count on, and you should be able to be counted on to them.

Keep your circle small as always and take care of your circle because that’s the one you really need. To have a small circle is better than having many meaningless friendships.

Build a meaningful friendship with your circle, a circle that has similar interests with you. Who have fun the same way with you and who share the same value with you. Take care of them and be grateful to have them.