Covid-19 Positive, Day 270… Five Lessons Learned

“As a man in his last breath drops all he is carrying, each breath is a little death that can set us free.” -Mark Nepo, The Book of Awakening

February 1, 2021 marked the 40th day since I first tested Covid-19 positive. At age 67, I had always been the picture of good health — never spending even one day in the hospital, until catching Covid from a close friend, due to her workplace not following distancing protocol last December.

My Covid journey has been full of rude awakenings of which some, as a former smoker of over 20 years, have taken my breath away.

For example, I have needed oxygen to maintain somewhere-near normal functioning breathing. Even with the oxygen, taking a short walk to the bathroom or kitchen sends my heart racing and results in shortness of breath.

So lesson one: I appreciate my breath… it is what separates life and death.

At times over the last 40 days I have felt like a motorist on the side of the freeway broken down… watching the speeding traffic wiz by me. Feeling pretty helpless, yet making the choice to use this “down-time” to reflect upon my life rather than complain. To appreciate all of the good health and blessings enjoyed in life so far.