I went on a great trip earlier this month — but it was just my luck that it would end with my potential exposure to a virus causing a pandemic around the world.

It started with a call from my editor with the news that someone at the conference I was at tested presumptive positive for the new coronavirus. She told me I needed to self-quarantine for 14 days.

It took me a second to register what she was saying, and while she was talking I started to laugh in shock.

I told myself I'll be fine because I didn't come in contact with this person. Conference organizers said the people who did would be notified. I was never notified, so I hunkered down in my apartment.

But then I started feeling a little off. Some nose congestion, nothing serious. I knew it may be a good idea to try and get tested but after reading the recommendations for testing, I felt like my symptoms weren't severe, so I put off calling the hospital.

Then the coughing began.

I go to the Phoenix Indian Medical Center for my health care. I grew up on the Navajo Nation and always use hospitals run by the Indian Health Service.

First, I called primary care but was soon transferred to the emergency room who then connected me with a triage nurse.

The nurse was pleasant, though also shocked they sent me to her. She told me not to come in because my symptoms weren't severe enough and testing is being conducted through the Arizona Department of Health. Confused and annoyed, I said "OK" and hung up.

A few hours later, I got a call from someone at PIMC asking when I was coming in so they could prepare. I mentioned how the triage nurse recommended I don't. That left all of us confused. The woman talking to me said they'll call me back later.

They never did.

Phone calls, face masks and swabs

Overnight, my breathing got shallow, and that scared me. I made the decision to go to the ER.

For many across Indian Country, hospitals run by the Indian Health Service (IHS) can either be good or bad. My past experience with IHS as a patient has never been so bad that I refuse to go back.

But, this was the first time I've ever had to be tested for a virus like this, so I didn't know what to expect.

As I was driving to the ER, a health supervisor called me. She asked me if I still wanted to come in. With my breathing still coming in shallow and my chest feeling tight, I said I was headed there now.

She met me outside the hospital, gave me a face mask before leading me into the emergency room. "I'm sorry you're feeling this way," she said and took me into a room toward the back.

After I got into my lovely hospital gown, I sat on the bed waiting for my nurse to come in to take my vitals. About 15 minutes later a nurse walked into my room wearing a full oxygen mask, gloves and a sterile gown to cover his scrubs. The air was being pumped into his mask by a little air compressor strapped to his lower back.

He took my vitals. Blood pressure, fine. Temperature, normal. Heartbeat and oxygen, lower than normal.

He then moved onto a short interview about COVID-19. The questions took maybe 10 minutes, and then he had me sign the paper to confirm my answers.

Afterward, he left. I could hear him consulting others outside my room. They asked about my exposure and if my symptoms were severe or if I even needed to be tested. They were also wondering how they were to dispose of their suits and gloves after visiting my room.

I sat on my bed, waiting. I couldn't lay down because my breathing was still so weak that it was too uncomfortable. Sitting up was the best position.

The doctor came in wearing exactly what the nurse wore. She took a look at the back of my throat and then listened to my breathing. She said I would get a breathing treatment, some pain medication to help with body aches and that they were going to test me for COVID-19.

They gave me my breathing treatment first. A nice older nurse came into my room wearing just a blue face mask, a clear plastic face protector and a sterile gown over her scrubs. She set up the breathing treatment and handed it to me. She just said to take as many deep breaths as I could until all the liquid was gone. We sat in silence for about 10 minutes until she told me it's all gone.

"You breathed it all in," she joked. That made me chuckle.

The nurse from earlier came back to test me for COVID-19. He wasn't wearing the full getup like before, just a blue face mask, a clear plastic face protector and a sterile gown over his scrubs.

His first visit, he only took three swabs. Two nasal and one throat. But, about 20 minutes later he came back in to tell me they wanted more swabs. He took two more, one nasal and one throat. There were five in total.

"I feel bad for doing this to you," he said.

Those swabs were terrible. They stick a long flexible cotton swab as far up your nose as possible, wiggle it and spin it several times before taking it out. The first nose swab was not so bad, the second one hurt the most, the third was just annoying. The throat swabs were just uncomfortable and made me cough.

I spent nearly five hours in the ER and interacted with five different health specialists while I was there. When I was discharged, the doctor told me that I do have a viral illness that can cause various symptoms and will work its way out of my system naturally.

She sent me home with some ibuprofen, something to help with nausea, acetaminophen for pain and an inhaler for my breathing. She recommended I self-quarantine while I wait for my results for the COVID-19 test.

The pain continues ... and the wait

I am feeling better. My breathing isn't shallow anymore, but I still get fatigued and I am still coughing. Sometimes I'll have such a bad coughing fit that my stomach will be sore afterward.

I got tested Friday.

I am writing this on Tuesday. I still haven't gotten results.

They told me it would take five to six days and it would be someone from the Arizona Department of Health contacting me if I do test positive. So, I wait.

The lack of human interaction and social gatherings is not the worst part for me. Waiting for my test results is the worst part. I can deal with being self-quarantined and the symptoms of my cold, but waiting for them to tell me if I have the virus or not gives me massive anxiety.

I live in a one-bed, one-bath apartment with my husband and dog. This means that if I do have it, my husband will most likely have it, and the fact that I have to wait so long to find out is frustrating.

He works at an Amazon warehouse, and as a precaution, he told his supervisors about my situation. They sent him home immediately, unpaid. Now, he can't return until he has been tested.

That creates its own set of problems for us financially because we need both our incomes to keeps us afloat. I am fortunate that my work has been understanding during this time and I have paid time off when it's needed.

My husband, unfortunately, does not have that at Amazon. The amount of paid time off provided to him each year doesn't even equal half of what I get.

Being in this situation does provide perspective into the fact that there are a lot of workers whose jobs are being impacted because of this pandemic, and it's going to affect their lives for weeks.

My husband did get fed up and just went to the ER at PIMC this week, but they refused to test him because he has no symptoms. He was sent home with a mask and some ibuprofen, which for many Native people familiar with IHS seems to be their cure for everything.

I worry about my own family now, especially because my parents are elders, part of a vulnerable population. The Navajo Nation currently has two confirmed cases in Navajo county, fortunately my family is a county over in Apache County.

But, that still worries me because it has now hit home. It has hit the Navajo Nation, which is likely one of the most rural places in Arizona. So, I have resorted to constantly texting or calling them just to see how they're doing.

That is the best I can do right now because I can't make the five-hour drive back home to the Navajo Nation to take care of them. It's too risky until I am out of quarantine and my test results come in.

I have been self-quarantined for seven days now, and I really hope people are taking precautions. Don't go out if you don't need to and make sure you're washing your hands. Take care of yourself.

I wasn't really expecting the amount of support I have received from co-workers, friends and family. I expected it from my family and a few close friends, but to get it from so many different people has been great and a little overwhelming. It's not something that I am used to, and it is really nice to know that people care.

Ahéhee' (thank you).

Reporter Shondiin Silversmith covers Indigenous people and communities in Arizona. Reach her at ssilversmi@arizonarepublic.com and follow her Twitter @DiinSilversmith.

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