I Started a Support Group for Covid-19 Survivors and Caretakers
I needed a space where I could vent and feel validated by others
When my city in New York became a hot spot for the coronavirus, I wasn’t nervous at first. I thought it was a mild viral infection, and that if I ever became infected I could shake it off — no problem. I live in a predominantly Black neighborhood in an apartment building that has many elderly people. Social distancing was slowly becoming the standard. I was doing errands, leaving food and groceries outside doors, while helping folks on my block as much as I could, and at that early stage, we weren’t provided with much information regarding the virus and had little information on how to protect ourselves.
I’ve been battling with Covid-19 for five weeks now.
My initial symptoms started on March 20 with what I thought was heartburn in the middle of my chest. It was actually the beginning of a nightmare. I told my friends and family I might have been exposed and that I was experiencing similar symptoms to what Covid-19 patients have. They all responded with support and told me to keep them updated.
On March 23 I did a 10-minute painful walk to the nearest emergency testing site. My partner, who is a teacher, had to work. It was the first week of her new…
