I was called by Centre for Health Protection (CHP) on Dec 10 before noon that I was preliminary positive covid-19 so I asked did it mean it’s a possibility? He said preliminary positive is usually positive. He asked all the details: the onset, my where about before and after my onset, my closed contacts details after the onset as they would called them for quarantine arrangement. Later in the afternoon somebody from Department of Health called that I would be sent to the hospital. It would be my first time to be hospitalized!
Now looking back. I got sore throat on Dec 4 morning so I took cough medicine as it’s usually a sign before getting coughing. My voice was heavier on Dec 7 afternoon so I started to take cold medicine even though no running nose. I re-scheduled my doctor appointment to Dec 9 instead of Dec 16 as Sr. Michelle would also go to Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital. The doctor suggested me to get covid-19 test for the sake of the sisters that live with me and also gave assurance for myself. I agreed to do it. After talking about something else, he suggested me again to take the test. I said yes again. After getting my next appointment for mid 2021 and the multivitamin, I picked up the Deep Throat Saliva (DTS) specimen bottle. The nurse said I could do it at that time or brought the bottle home and returned it the following day. I decided to return the bottle at that time. I participated on the Universal Community Testing Programme last September https://www.communitytest.gov.hk/en/
I was picked up by an ambulance in the evening to go to Asia World Expo Community Treatment Facility http://www32.ha.org.hk/covid/en/Ha-Service/Other-Facilities.html I need to wait at the ambulance until the nurse brought me to the Hall. There are many beds but it’s empty. I was registered at the first nurse stations and got the tag in my wrist at the second nurse station and then met the doctor at the third table. He said that I was positive covid-19 so I said the CHP said I was preliminary positive. The nurse said it’s positive because they got the result from the two samples. They gave me the paperwork for the chest X-ray and blood test.
A guy and I were accompanied by a nurse by a Caritas van to residence halls. They dropped the guy at men’s hall and then we went to Hall 1 for women. I heard from one of the patients that Hall 1 previously for both men and women. https://www.dimsumdaily.hk/hospital-authority-will-reopen-the-community-treatment-facilities-at-asiaworld-expo-this-wednesday-to-cope-with-increase-in-covid-19-cases/
I gave the paperwork to the nurse station and had blood test (3 bottles: red, green and purple) and then was sent to my cubicle with DTS specimen bottle, AWE CTF patients information and e-health card. There were logo of hospitals on the white board at nurse station including Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital. There are A-L sections and each section around 40 cubicles so total around 500 cubicles, three toilets, two common rooms each with two TV, double doors to go to temporary shower outside the Hall, three hair dryer stations, chest X-ray room, two e-health machines stations and WiFi. We are suggested to stay at our cubicles, wear masks, drink more water, exercise, enough rest, not take picture and not to smoke inside the hall. Three meals, snacks, drinks, hot water, and water bottles are available including vegetarian and Indian meals. Hospital gowns, jackets, bed sheets, pillow cases, blankets, towels are available as we are suggested to wear the hospital gowns besides no place to do laundry. Masks are distributed for each patient since Dec 19. We need to use our e-health card to login the e-health machine for the blood pressure, body temperature, oxygen saturation and heart beat three times a day.
 |
| First breakfast |
I had chest X-ray the following morning and in the afternoon, the doctor said my lung is clear and waiting for DTS and blood test result. He didn’t give any medicine so I continue to take my routine multivitamin and coughing syrup. My previous coughing was heavier than this time, my vital signs are always in good condition and never have fever.
I suggested the 6 persons that I met in 3 occasions on Nov 30 and Dec 3 to have covid-19 test. Six of them are in good condition and 5 had covid-19 test with negative result. 5 persons in that I met in 3 occasions on Dec 5 and 9 are also in good condition and 4 had covid-19 test with negative result including a couple who were sent to quarantine till Dec 19 midnight. Two sisters and one staff of our Chapel are also tested negative during their quarantine. Our Chapel (including the youth center and our convent) is closed for two weeks and disinfected on Dec 22.
Three patients talked in Indonesian language near my cubicle on the first morning so I greeted them. They assume I am a Hong Kong person (from my face and for sure, it's not the first time). Later in the afternoon, one of them asked me to look for job as her agency said her employer terminated her even though she could be discharged the following day. Her agency said she could get tourist visa but all the expense while looking for new employer will be under her account or go back to Indonesia to start the process from the beginning. She was distress because she still needs to pay her debt to the agency in preparing her to work in Hong Kong so for sure she didn’t want to go home as it will raise another debt. I asked two of the Indonesians Catholic Community about job opportunity and Ms. Joy gave me the whatsapp number of Mr. Erga of Indonesian Consulate General Staff. With his intervention, the agency allowed her stay in their boarding house upon discharging from the AWE CTF and helped to get the new employer the following day. Thanks be to God!
There are average ten Indonesians during my stay. Several of us usually go together to e-health machine, pick up meals and walk around the hall. Several of them were tested positive upon arriving at airport so their passport and luggage are still at airport. I gave away several of my shirts for their back up. Several of them were tested positive on the 3rd, 13th, or 14th days of their mandatory quarantine in hotel. Several of them were tested positive during their employment. Several of them are first arrivals in Hong Kong so they are not fluent in Cantonese nor English so I also help to be their translator when they get a call visit from the doctor and nurse outside our Hall or when they need to talk with the nurse at the hall. One of them was moved to hospital and her vital signs were checked every three hours but she didn’t get any medicine and moved back after three days. One of them asked me to pray for her next day tests and she was discharged the following evening. Thanks be to God!
On Dec 12, the doctor said that my blood test is fine but the DTS didn’t meet the standard yet. I didn’t have any test for two days.
I had chest X-ray on Dec 14 and 17 and my lungs are clear. I had blood test on Dec 14 (3 bottles) and 16 (4 bottles including antibody test). All are good and I have antibody on Dec 16 test. I submitted DTS specimen on Dec 15, 16, 18, 19 and 20 and the CT value of the last two days were 32 so on Dec 21 morning the doctor said I could be discharged. Thanks be to God! We need to have antibody and CT value above 30 to be discharged. After packing my belongings, I went to nurse station and then two nurses accompanied me to go to special door for discharging patient, checked my HKG ID and cut my wrist tag and asked me to wipe my bag and clothes with the wet tissue in the small room, not to enter again and a staff would meet me outside the small room (it’s in between the Hall 1 door and open hall door) to check my HKG ID. The staff at the open hall gave me the discharge slip, medical certificate, certificate of SARS-CoV-2 antibody, appointment slip for check up on Feb 2021 at Tuen Mun Hospital, hospital discharge advice and a brochure of FoC Chinese Medicine general consultations. I walked to the bus stop to go home and received package of a pink Santa Claus from Ms. Pinny upon arriving home.
I led the marriage preparation program on Dec 13 and 20 by asking them to watch the DVD “I do” from the Hong Kong Diocesan Pastoral Commission for Marriage and the Family, movie “Courageous” and short video about the Secret Life of Water by Masaro Emoto, which is part of the program and asked them to write their insight and sent it to my we chat and then share it among the participants. I also ask volunteers to prepare for the renewal of marriage vows at Holy Family Church on Dec 27 including ordering their gifts. I re-read the book “Jesus Today” https://www.academia.edu/1432073/Albert_Nolan_s_Spirituality_of_Radical_Freedom_ besides watching the Putonghua Mass online. I remember a quotation from the Spiritual Exercise of St. Ignatius of Loyola, “We should not prefer health to sickness, riches to poverty, honor to dishonor, a long life to a short life. . . . Our one desire and choice should be what is more conducive to the end for which we are created.” and Ecclesiastes 3 : Everything has its time. Due to the fourth wave outbreak of covid-19, there are no public Masses in Hong Kong starting Dec 2.
Mrs. Sylvia tried to send Chinese medicine and daily necessity on her way to send a family to airport but it was refused by the early morning security guard. Later I heard that one of the Indonesians received items from her employer during day time.
I am grateful for all the experiences during my 11 days at AWE CTF, to the doctors, nurses, staffs (laboratorium and cleaning service) for their dedication and hard work, to Maryknoll Sisters, Indonesian Catholic Community in Hong Kong, staffs of Yuen Long Caritas District Elderly Center, my family and friends for their prayers and support. The Elderly center was disinfected and closed for one day as I learned how to conduct the“知命乐天”session on Dec 3.
Hong Kong, Dec 22, 2020
Sr. Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.
Let’s control our shopping urges to support less waste living for a better world.
P.S.
Jan 29, 2021
I went to Tun Muen Hospital Authority Ambulatory Care Center to have blood taking test (no need fasting) as follow up of covid-19.
Feb 5, 2021
Thank God every things is normal, no need further follow up.
Mar 22, 2021
Got the first dose of Corminaty vaccine. I felt a little bit painful, hard and swollen on the first night but it's disappear on the second day except if I press it. By the forth day, it's fine.
April 17, 2021
Hospital Authority offered Special Chinese medicine Programme for Covid-19 In-patients so I went for my first consultation at Pok Oi Hospital - The Chinese University of Hong Kong Clinicial Centre for Teaching and Research in Chinese Medicine (Yuen Long) https://cmk.ha.org.hk/services/SpecialCMIPProg/SpecialCMIPProgEng/ and got free 10 packs of granular Chinese medicine for 5 days.
