I Was So Close To Taking It Off.......................

It became my real comfort to me. I used them for 9 months, my Brother encouraged me not to get carried away with it, he said, “Don’t use it,” My Husband said, “You don’t need it, it will give you health problems later on, with breathing difficulties,” So, instead of using it all the time I was at work, recently I have not been using it for about an hour at work! That length of time was a big deal for me.

So, I was on about my trusted mask, I wear it all the time when I am at work and when I go shopping. I seemed to have become obsessed with wearing it, and really wanted to wean myself off from using it every time I went out. Some of my colleagues who wear their masks many hours less than me, it has given them lots of spots! Thankfully I have not had any spots.

So, I was thinking yesterday, I would not wear my mask to work, but I wore it automatically, before I knew it, I was there. Then something terrible happened!

A lovely colleague came in after me, as she walked into the room, she burst into tears. At first, she was too upset to talk, then after a minute she said, “A very close relative of mine, has just passed away, she was young and had coronavirus!” I think I stopped breathing for a second or two as I processed that I was going to be working with her, now.

Soon, the others went home and it was just us two. My mask would definitely be staying on. I thought, why is she here? Shouldn’t she be at home? I had many questions, so after an hour I asked her, “When you last saw ……. Did you hug her?” Lois replied, “Yes,” I said, “And how was see?” Lois replied, “She looked fit and well, we talked about doing girlie things soon, like shopping hair and make-up,” I asked, “How long was she ill?” Lois said, “She suddenly found it difficult to breath, her temperature went sky high, she went into hospital and within four hours she was dead!” Flipping heck. I said to Lois, “I don’t think you should be in work today,” I was honestly been honest. She said, “I have been tested since I saw her and the results came back negative.” That did not fill me with comfort.

And because I really like her, I didn’t want her to know how I was feeling, STRESSED! I tried to keep my distance and used hand sanitizers and washed my hands a tad more. I did reason with myself, not everyone will know this info, and If I was one of them, it would just be another day at work. And the day before when I saw her, everything was just lovely.

It’s heart-breaking when a loved one passes away, and to have someone die of COVID-19, and SO quickly, is unthinkable. I asked Lois, “Will you be going to the funeral?” She said, “No, as only a very small number is allowed, we were not even allowed to visit her in hospital.” I said, “That is very sad.”

During the course of the day, Lois sometimes wore her mask, and I wore mine and importantly I did stay in the same room to eat and drink, whereas at the start of the pandemic I ate alone in a quiet office. I was so close to taking off my mask at work, but for now I will carry on wearing it.