Dealing with our grandparents COVID-19 diagnosis

* We aren’t writing this most for attention or for people to feel bad for us. We aren’t seeking sympathy from others. Just simply sharing our lives and hopefully we can relate to some of you all :) *

It was a Wednesday night when my dad received a phone call from his brother in India informing us that his dad had been rushed to the ER. In a second our household went from giggles and smiles to shock and fear of the unknown. “Was my dada gonna survive? Would I be able to see him again? What is happening to him?” My heart broke when my dad told us that my grandpa had contracted COVID-19. It didn't even register. I heard my uncle again and it felt like my whole body just gave in.

At that moment, I could only think about his previous underlying health conditions and his slim chance of surviving the deadly pandemic. I sat in my bed crying and just begging for an answer. I just wanted one last message from my grandpa. One last sign that he would survive. When those words fell from my uncles lips I thought about my grandma. The chance of my grandmother not contracting the virus was low, it was almost guaranteed that she would test positive too. I sat with my sisters, in tears, and asked “will we lose our grandparents?”

Our current COVID-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented impact on the world. Older adults and those with underlying medical issues are at a higher risk of developing complications and possibly dying. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), eight out of ten deaths in the United States have been of those 65 and older, and about 40% of the United States population could be infected with the virus. More than one million Americans will lose a parent, and more than two million will lose a grandparent.

The next morning, my grandma had officially tested positive for COVID-19. Because of her previous breathing and oxygen level conditions, it was best for her to be admitted to the hospital immediately (a different one from my grandpa though). My heart hurt for my dad. Both his parents are at risk of death. The most gut-wrenching decision my dad faced was that night, the same day of the phone call, should he travel to see his sick and immunocompromised mom and dad?

When I received text messages with photos and a video taken at the hospital and seeing my grandparents smile hidden behind several layers of personal protective equipment, I realized that this pandemic is threatening. Although my grandparents follow the CDC guidelines, they were still able to contract the virus.

When i’m writing this, I still don’t know if my grandparents are gonna be okay. I don’t know how they contracted it or how many more people I know will suffer from corona. But, things are looking up for the both of them. All we can do is wait and pray that they’ll be the 20% of elders who make it out this “hell on earth.”

I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. As the pandemic stretches on, many of us will lose someone we love, from COVID-19 or something else, and grapple with what it is to grieve in this new world.

It seems we’re all afraid at this moment; it’s hard not to be. I’m afraid of so many things, especially the suffering of people I love and a world without my grandparents. I can’t predict with confidence the next time we will see each other. It’s devastating to know that this is happening to them, but they are so STRONG!

It’s a story that has now been repeated over and over, in state after state. We’re luckier than a lot of other families in that position; a couple days in and my grandparents don’t have any deadly symptoms. But like the rest of the families, however hopeful we may be, there’s nothing we can do now except wait. All I can do is call them and tell them how much I love them and just wait for them to be healthy again.

I hope my grandparents' story encourages people to take this pandemic seriously. Wear a face mask and continue socially distancing. Tell the people you’re closest to you, that you love them (personally struggle with this one). I’m hopeful that I will be able to have more time with my ba and dada. They still have an extremely long and hard journey ahead of them, but hopefully the worst part is over.

stay safe,

xoxo

*we will do our best to keep you updated. thank you! *