COVID Chronicles: Alone, she passed away

Editor’s Note: This was written as part of a COVID Chronicles Media Writing assignment submitted before February break.

Over these past few years, I have faced many challenges with COVID, like isolation and not being able to see my friends or some family members.

It has affected my family in every way you could think. My dad and mom both got COVID at the very beginning when we didn’t know much about it. I even got it over Thanksgiving break and wasn’t able to see my family on a day where everyone is supposed to come together and forget about the cracks in the world.

However, even after that, I always thought it could’ve been a lot worse. I’m not saying I didn’t feel the big impact of COVID because I did, but I never really felt so stricken by it until only a week ago.

I went from seeing my grandmother every day to seeing her a couple of times in these past few years. I would go to see her as much as I could. However, as I was leaving for college, she got sick with a cold and I wasn’t able to say goodbye.

My grandparents were old and I had been hanging out with my friends before leaving and I did not want to risk giving them COVID, just in case.

The months went on and COVID seemed to be leaving everyone’s minds. We still had to wear masks in school, but it didn’t seem as big as an issue to some people.

I thought maybe I could see my grandmother again on February break. Unfortunately, I get a call a week ago from my mom saying my grandmother, who I adored, had been hospitalized with a positive COVID case.

My heart broke. She went all this time and was super careful. I didn’t get to see her for practically two years and now she has COVID. I was going to rush home to Maine just to see her because I was told it would be the last time.

No.

Can’t do that.

No one, not even her husband or her children were allowed to see her.

Alone, she suffered through this horrible virus, wishing to see her family.

Alone, she worried about what would happen if she didn’t make it through this.

Alone, she passed away.

I never thought a year ago would be the last time I would see my grandmother. I wish I could’ve seen her one last time. COVID was new and scary two years ago, and it still very much is now.

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