Quarantine Chronicles Days 10-12

YOU ARE AMAZING. If you’re reading this RIGHT NOW, I have to say thank you so much for being here with me.

Seriously. All of the iMessage, WeChat & WhatsApp messages, and social media comments have been refreshing and consolatory to say the least.

You’ve really become my travel bestie. ??

I’ve been doing my best to stay positive and keep up with the details of my day so I can share them with you.

Here it goes…

Sunday 1.17.21 (QD10) – Trying to stay positive

Today was a really relaxed day.

I feel good in my body but I am really battling mentally.

Things I miss…

Daylight.

Do you know I haven’t seen sunlight? I haven’t seen daylight in several days. If it wasn’t for my electronic devices, I honestly wouldn’t know what day it is, nor the time of day.

I see easy it is for people to lose their minds in solitary confinement.

And although this is a different type of solitary confinement since it’s not in a jail cell or prison, the restrictions? Pfft! The restrictions are just about the same.

Friend, I miss simple things that we often take for granted. Simple things like the daylight and sunshine. One thing that most people do not know about me is that I love to sleep near big windows where the sun can easily hit my face first thing in the morning.

I often joke and say that I’m awakened by the kisses of the sun (even if it is burning my face at times).

And I miss seeing people. I can’t people-watch from the window of a hotel in here. The only people I see here are the hazmats. I don’t even know what they really look like because they’re so covered up from head to toe! ?

I only get visitors twice a day (when the cleaning lady comes to my room to sanitize and take out the trash), and when the nurse comes in to test me.

That’s it. There are nurses who deliver supplies and takeout through the little transfer window 4 times a day but other than that, nada.

No one. No sunlight. Nothing.

And I don’t mean to sound all doom and gloom on you, friend, but this is my current living condition. I have to remind myself that this is only temporary. It’s not forever. I have to hold it together because soon – hopefully very soon – I will be released and I will say like the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Free at last. Free at last. Thank God Almighty, I’m free at last.”

I hope that day comes soon.

Monday 1.18.21 (QD 11) – Now this is a good day!

I can’t believe I’ve been in China for 11 days already. ? Like seriously, where has the time gone? Even though all of my time has been spent in quarantine and the majority of it has been in this isolation chamber, it just seems like time is zipping by.

Symptoms? ?

In spite of feeling ill, today was an extremely productive day and my spirits were high.

I’m often asked, “are you having any symptoms?” And I don’t know if what’s happening in my body can be defined as a COVID symptom. What I’ve been experiencing since last Saturday has been extreme exhaustion, heated respiration (meaning, when I exhale through my nostrils, the air hot), and intermittent congestion but I’m not sure if the last one is just my sinuses being defiant.

Random: One thing that I find interesting is that I never had sinus issues before my thirties and moving to China. Ever.

Another thing I’ve noticed today is that it feels as though the temperature has significantly dropped because I’ve been freezing all day. I don’t think being cold is a symptom, is it? ?

When I feel my face, it feels warm but I think that’s because my hands feel like ice blocks. As far as exhaustion is concerned, I tried to lie down for a little bit and close my eyes, but it didn’t help.

Also, I don’t know what type of COVID is causing people to lose their taste buds and sense of smell but I didn’t lose any of that. Not one bit.

One of the nurses contacted me and asked if I wanted to try some of the Chinese herbal medicine that they are going to start giving the other patients. I’m guessing this is a different level of medicinal treatment, because it is only given after being here for a certain amount of time.

I asked a few questions about it. I was explained that it’s basically soup that should be prepared with warm to hot water.

I figured that I didn’t have anything to lose, so why not? And in the meantime, I’ll continue with the other medicine and keep puffing on my nebulizer juice.

A Productive Day

In the spirit of keeping myself busy and distracted with positive things, I started updating my YouTube channels. Since rebranding last year, I’ve been slowly doing a complete makeover with all of the brands and this week, I’m focusing on YouTube.

I am not a graphics designer; not by trade. I was a Creative Media Director for 9 years and during that time, I had the pleasure of leading a team that was comprised of some of the most innovative design creatives in the world! I’ve also worked with other new artists in different countries that I’ve been fortunate to meet along the way.

So, again, I say with respect to their craft that I am not a graphics designer.

However, the designs that I created today and whatever you see from me on social media are all my original designs.

I’m in love.

The thing about creating YouTube channel art is that you have to make sure the dimensions are perfect for 4 devices – TV, computer screen, tablet, and mobile phones. The only part of the design you will see on your computer screen, tablet/iPad, and smartphone will be the middle banner, but the entire design is what shows up on your TV.

I started working on the designs around noon and the next thing I knew, it was almost 8p! HOW?!

It was then that I realized my medicinal soup hadn’t arrived so I contacted the nurse and she sent it up.

The medicinal soup

The soup.

It came in this little packet and when I asked the nurse for a cup, she said that the hospital doesn’t provide cups and I’d have to buy my own. Thankfully, I still had a Starbucks cup from the convenience store that I was able to use.

Friend. ?

THIS. IS. NASTY.

This smells like Vicks Vapor Rub, tastes like discouragement, and looks like poop juice. ?

Needless to say, I didn’t drink all of it, but I did drink about 90% of it. That remaining 10%???

Nah bruh.

Couldn’t do it.

Nope. I don’t even want to drink it tomorrow but I will give a try one more day. If it still tastes nasty, then I will let the nurse know that I’ll skip the medicinal soup.

These CDC agents are the GOAT!

Not actual goats.

I mean the “greatest of all time.”

Earlier this afternoon, agents from the CDC went to the quarantine hotel to get my belongings. We’re all in a WeChat group where they sent recorded videos from start to finish.

Friiiiiiiend…? seeing liquid residue sprayed all over my things and the desk where I had my tech gear gave me an instant anxiety attack and I was heated. ?

Required by law, the hotel had to go in and disinfect the room where I stayed and where all my things were.

But did they have to spray my tech gear?

Wouldn’t it have been wiser to simply wipe those things with disposable disinfectant wipes?

Seeing this not infuriated me, but it just reminded me of the unfortunate predicament I’m in. For a few short hours, I was able to get lost in designing graphics for my brands but those videos served as reality checks.

And the current reality was and is that I’m locked up in an isolation ward, with no windows, no mirrors, taking meds, puffing on the nebulizer, and having to drink Vicks-vapor-rub-poop-juice-soup.

And since this is my personal space, I can be honest and say that this reality sucks.

There’s no prolific way to say it other than, THIS SUCKS.

I had to remind myself that this is a unique situation and that everyone involved really is doing the best they can to make sure that I get better and that my belongings arrive to me as soon as possible.

Even still, THIS. SUCKS.

I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.

My university is going above and beyond to not only reimburse all expenses incurred as a result of this, but they’re accommodating me, regularly checking to make sure that I haven’t done anything to get kicked out of the country ? and quite simply, just being there for me.

Since I’m the first staff member in our department to return during this, I’ve been reporting everything so they can know what not to do (like leave your belongings when told you’ll be gone for only 1-2 days). ?

I don’t care if somebody tells you that you’ll be back in 30 minutes…always take your things with you as a precaution!

After the CDC finished, everything was boxed up and sent off to be shipped to me by the postal company.

I’ll let you know when my belongings arrive and if my tech still works. ?

Tuesday 1.19.21 (QD12) – My Delivery Gave Me An Anxiety Attack

My things finally arrived this afternoon. The on-call nurse recommended that I leave everything downstairs and not open the boxes.

Uhhhhhh…Come again? ?

Clearly, that wasn’t going to work. I need to make sure my things are fine. Besides, I didn’t come to China with 8 big boxes and I’m not walking around with them either.

I was so excited that they were here until the cleaning lady rolled into the room with several large boxes with yellow bags over them.

Instant anxiety.

I came here with 1 large suitcase, 1 medium, and 1 small suitcase and a duffel bag (not including my backpack).

Why does it look like these boxes are full of small furniture items?!

Friend…I can’t open them.

I’m serious. I can’t deal with this today. I need to be in a more positive frame of mind before I unbox them.

I’ll wait until tomorrow.

Conclusion

I want to say thank you, once again, to all the new subscribers who signed up to receive email updates from this blog. You are precious to me.

I was blown away by how many people signed up to become my travel bestie! My travel besties get all the latest updates sent directly to their emails so that they know when I’ve shared a new experience.

I’m grateful that you even like the content that I produce and in my writing style. I don’t always feel like writing like an academic professional…especially not while blogging my personal experiences.

Nah. I gotta be the relaxed version of myself and that’s exactly what you get when you go on the adventures of Doctora the Explorer.

So thank you for appreciating my unique writing technique and storytelling style.

Staying as positive as I can…

Your travel bestie ♥️ ?