‘We ain’t afraid of no COVID’

That “Texas Tenacity” – or hard-headedness - that we are famous for has turned around and bitten us square in the butt. Whether we decided not to wear the masks and avoid crowds; or decided that nobody was gonna tell us we can’t go to Mamaws for Thanksgiving – we have failed to stay safe.

The latest numbers from the Joint Operations Center show that Cass County has added 30 new cases since November 20. That brings us to a total of 750 since testing began, and 35 fatalities.

The numbers in Bowie County are also grim – 49 new cases since November 20, bringing their total to 2,540 positives since testing began with 100 deaths.

Right now, all labs are currently backed up in the State of Texas. That means these numbers are lower than the actual number of positive cases. Let that sink in – ALL LABS IN TEXAS ARE BACKED UP.

The Texas Department of Human Health and Resources website (https:// txdshs.maps.arcgis.com) lists the data for the whole state. It’s obvious why those labs are backed up – so far over 10 million molecular tests have been given.

Texas alone has had 1,168,111 cases since this whole thing started. We have lost 21,357 people to this virus. We are reporting 10,714 DAILY new cases in the state, and 48 new deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

If you are one of those “smart with numbers” stubborn Texan, then go ahead and divide that figure into the total population and tell me what the percentage is and why it’s “no big deal.” Afterward I’m going to ask you to tell me what my personal probability is of brushing against one of those rare, infected people on my weekly run to Wal Mart. If you can tell me a sure-fire way to predict who has it and when I’ll catch it, then I’ll feel better about leaving the mask at home.

Texas is losing people at the rate of 48 deaths PER DAY right now. If that doesn’t convince you to be careful, you might just have a death wish.

Regrettably, I must confess my own hard-headedness gave me a close call this month. I am guilty of pulling my mask down to speak (or take a deep breath of fresh air) and not putting it back up. On Veteran’s Day I spoke at a large gathering maskless (I was positioned more than six feet from the crowd, but I should have been careful.)

I took an antibody test before a medical procedure the day after that event, and it came back negative – meaning I’ve never had the coronavirus and didn’t have it that day. Considering that I have multiple autoimmune issues and take an immunosuppressive, I have been extremely lucky all year.

That weekend we had our family Thanksgiving in Plano, located in Collin County – one of the top 10 hotspots for COVID, with 26,600 active cases. If you’re curious, Harris County (Houston) owns the top spot at 190,631 cases. Dallas is in second place with 126,006 cases.

The day after I left Plano, a family member started showing symptoms. He tested positive two days later. Within a week another family member also tested positive.

Since I was so close to those who got sick, I had to quarantine myself for two weeks. That’s nearly impossible for a social butterfly such as myself. My cat, Leo, is as sick of me as I am.

During that quarantine time, I developed a terrible headache and congestion. I didn’t lose my sense of taste. I kept testing it, though – running to the fridge or cabinet occasionally to pop something in my mouth just to make sure.

I finally took myself to the walk-in clinic at the hospital for a test. They came outside dressed in hazmat suits to stick really long Q-tips in both nostrils and in my throat. Within minutes my results came back: negative for COVID, flu and strep. I did have a wicked sinus infection, though.

Having a negative test didn’t completely clear me though. It was explained to me that the virus could very well be cooking in my system anyway, so I needed to stay at home a little longer.

A negative test does not always mean a negative diagnosis. Germs take time to grow. Just like any other virus, you won’t know how your body will react until you become infected. Could be nothing, could be something, could be deadly to you or the person you accidently exposed. You could potentially be exposed every single day you’re in public spaces and not know it so that’s why staying away from other people, covering your mouth AND NOSE, and washing your hands is so important.

My family members both reacted differently to the virus – one was miserable and couldn’t get out of bed, with lingering brain fog; the other is acting like absolutely nothing is wrong, So go figure. It affects everyone differently and so far, the CDC hasn’t decided why that is.

I read an article from Denmark about a study done there based on blood types. It said negative blood types had reacted worse than positive blood types. Another study stated that A and B types most often end up in ICU.

There are other studies based on gender, health, medications, environment, etc… But none of them have any definitive answers. That is what makes this thing so scary.

Let’s be stubborn about wearing those masks and being careful. I’ve been lucky so far, but I’ve had so many family and friends get it, and two friends have died. Why them? Why not me? What’s the deciding factor?

We are dealing with a virus that is indiscriminate – It’s playing God – deciding who lives and dies. I choose to treat it reverentially, with respect. I have too much living to do yet.

Besides, they are now making masks in so many patterns and colors you can match your wardrobe. I have a good friend that wears a sequined mask. If I can find one of those, I’ll snatch it up!