SUBMITTED PHOTO
Left: While battling
the COVID-19 virus,
Josh Thomas
was surprised with
an 18th Birthday
drive-thru party.
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COVID-19 HITS CLOSE TO HOME
Through all of this uncertainty,
I never dreamed I would end up
getting sick. I am a healthy teenager
who runs cross country and rarely
suffers from the common cold. I
quickly learned, this illness was
affecting everyone. I had developed
pneumonia and for a while there, I
felt pretty horrible. I had a terrible
cough and breathing was painful.
I even lost my sense of taste and
smell.
On April 9, 2020 I not only
found out I was being treated for
COVID-19, but I also celebrated my
18th birthday. Another milestone
disrupted by this pandemic.
My mom went to great lengths
to make it special by having my
friends send birthday messages. She
printed off their pictures and placed
them on balloons around the dining
room table along with their birthday
greetings. She had found a way to
put together a special celebration in
the midst of this crisis.
Later that evening, my friends
drove past my house honking
their horns and shouting
birthday wishes. Through all of
this I’ve learned not to let these
circumstances consume me. I
am making the most out of this
unfortunate situation. I am savoring
this time I am able to spend with
my mom before I am off to college, I
am staying in touch with my friends
through social media, and I am
learning to appreciate the fact that I
am living through history.
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June 2020 In Touch with Southern Kentucky • 9