On Christmas Eve, which also happens to be my birthday, I picked up my kids for a little celebration. Being Jewish and in the midst of a global pandemic, our plans were modest: just a visit to my elderly relatives, both of whom are immunocompromised. The bagel brunch they prepared for us was delightful; in these times, every gathering feels precious, no matter how small. They went all out with lox, tapenade, and an array of fruits and veggies.
After our breakfast, we opted for a relaxed day at home, saving our energy for the next day’s plans at a friend’s house for a more secular Christmas celebration. We were looking forward to indulging in food and films together, keeping it low-key since the host was just recovering from breast cancer and also immunocompromised. Throughout the pandemic, we had leaned on each other for support, with me helping her with her son.
However, around 3 PM, my ex-husband called to inform me he had a fever the previous night. Thankfully, we hadn’t ventured to our friends’ house yet. I promptly let my friends know we’d be staying home, even though we had been looking forward to it. The risk simply wasn’t worth it.
By December 27th, my ex confirmed he had COVID. I felt terrible having to notify my relatives about our exposure. Fortunately, they took it well, and we all began our quarantine.
We spent three and a half days isolating before scheduling a drive-by PCR test. Luckily, I had purchased at-home tests a few weeks prior, so I had a bit of reassurance about our health. I decided to test my daughter, who showed no symptoms, while my son, who had developed a cough and sniffles, received a full panel test to rule out anything serious.
On December 29th, my daughter’s results came back negative, while my son tested negative for COVID but positive for rhinovirus. The relief was immense; a cold was manageable. We updated my relatives, who continued to receive negative results, and we stayed home until the CDC’s recommended ten-day quarantine was over. On day eleven, we finally ventured out for BBQ.
However, the next morning, my daughter started showing signs of a sore throat, similar to what my son had experienced days earlier. I suspected she was catching the rhinovirus. To keep the kids healthy and prevent further spread, I decided to resume quarantine for the last three days before they returned to their dad’s.
The day before the kids were set to go back, I took them to a school-authorized COVID testing site. They were due back at school the following week, and I wanted to ease the burden on my ex, who had just recovered from COVID but wasn’t fully back to normal.
On the fourteenth day since my kids last saw their dad, we received notice that my daughter had tested positive for COVID. They were already on their way back to my ex, and we decided it was best for them to stay there since he was the only one who had contracted the virus so far. This way, exposure risks would be minimized, especially since the kids tend to co-sleep at my house.
That was two days ago, and since then, my son’s school test has also come back positive. In total, COVID has been around our home for at least sixteen days. Three of us have tested positive, with me being the only one to avoid it thus far. Thankfully, those affected are only experiencing mild symptoms.
Having two separate homes has provided some relief during this chaotic time. My ex and I are fortunate to work from home, allowing for minimal professional disruptions. However, this may change next week when the kids transition to virtual learning. We’ll see how that goes.
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Summary:
This article recounts a family’s experience of co-parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the challenges of exposure, isolation, and testing. It emphasizes the importance of communication and safety precautions while navigating family dynamics during uncertain times.