My mother is recovering from #COVID19. Sick for over 3 weeks and a brief hospital stay. She caught it from my sister who lives with her. Mom hasn’t been out of the house since March. My sister can only have caught it while shopping for food or at the pharmacy. /1

My other sister, who also lives in South Carolina but with her husband and young children, also had #COVID19 but a more serious case. 2 weeks in hospital, a month afterwards at home breathing with oxygen. She’s officially “recovered” but has no energy. /2

I decided to share this not to scold people about masks, distancing etc. But just to say that the statistics about #COVID19 that surround us don’t really tell the full story. The number of new cases doesn’t capture how it feels to know your elderly mom has it and is scared. /3

Or that maybe the number of hospitalizations is lower - because patients, even those with higher risk factors, are told to stay home unless they absolutely can’t breathe. Despite news stories about treatments, the doctors couldn’t offer anything to help. /4

The statistics about recovered patients include those that are feeling better or those like my youngest sister who no longer are infected but basically cannot work or return to their previous lives for months. There’s just so much we don’t know about #COVID19 even now. /5

So 3 immediate family members with #COVID19: 1 mild case, 1 severe, and 1 moderately serious. Each one says they’ve never felt sicker in their lives and that they wouldn’t wish this on anyone. For your own sake and your loved ones, please take this seriously. /end