Guest Blog: Rubi Ariadne on Surviving Covid-19

I often hear from Darkover fans around the world. There’s a large and enthusiastic group from Brazil. Some time ago I became friends with a Brazilian fan, Rubi Ariadne, who is now recovering from Covid-19. I asked her to share her experience of the virus. She wrote:

Fique doente desde o início de abril. Não contei para a maioria das pessoas porque não queria que meus amigos ficassem no pânico. Já estou melhor se comparar com o estado em que fiquei. 

I've been sick with Covid-19 since the beginning of April. I didn't tell most people because I didn't want my friends to panic. I'm already much better now compared to the state I was in.

Deborah: How did you acquire the infection?

Rubi: I believe I picked the virus up while shopping. Here we still didn't have the call to wear masks, and practically no one was taking any care until mid-April. Here from the beginning, we faced two serious problems: the virus, and the president [Bolsonaro] who acts against all health measures and disregards the disease. So there are a lot of people who still don't take the matter seriously today. As an example, today several people in the neighborhood are having a barbecue.

At first I didn't realize it was this disease because I have sinusitis and mild rhinitis. I thought it was an acute episode because those are frequent at this time of year and our climate contributes to respiratory problems. But I don't usually have acute episodes; in fact mine are so mild that I rarely notice them. That's why we got suspicious. I had a very high fever, which did not go away, I started to have difficulties in breathing, and then I completely lost my taste and smell. It was at that moment that we realized that this was more serious than just a rhinitis attack.

Deborah: What it’s like to have Covid-19?

Rubi: I hate being idle, “standing still,” and not feeling useful all the time. So, besides all the strong and insistent symptoms, what is really difficult for me is to rest. Even getting up quickly creates results in coughing and shortness of breath.

Deborah: Was it difficult to get health care while you were sick?

Rubi: In my city it is not difficult to find medical help because the governor and the mayor are working very well, despite the difficulties with the federal government. Here, fortunately, we are not short of beds yet. When the test is positive for Covid-19, we do not need to stay in the hospital. They follow each case daily by phone, e-mail, and Whatsapp. Here at home it's just me and my mom, so she was the one who took care of me.

Deborah: What advice would you offer to others, based on your experience?

Rubi: We all know the preventive measures against the coronavirus, but if I could give everyone a single piece of advice on how to avoid contagion, I would say just one thing: obey the measures recommended by the specialists. They are the people who really know what they are talking about, who study hours without rest to bring us real information.

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Rubi is also a talented amateur artist. You can follow her on Facebook here.