Impumelelo: COVID-19 kabini, Vaxxed Amatyeli amathathu
Wonke umntu endithethe naye uthi i-COVID-19 ivakala ngathi luhlobo oluthile lokugula. Asikwazi ngqo ukubeka umnwe wethu ekubeni kutheni…ivakala ingaqhelekanga ngendlela embi kakhulu. Ndithe ndiqala ukuyifumana ndavuka ndinento erhabaxa emqaleni ndangathi nditshayiswe yibhasi. Yonke into yayibuhlungu kwaye ukugcina amehlo am evulekile kuthatha umlinganiselo wamandla afana nokunyuka intaba. Ngeli xesha, bendigonywe kabini kwaye ndaziva ndikhuselekile malunga nokuya kuluntu, ngaphandle kwesilumkiso seendaba malunga nalo mahluko mtsha we-delta. IHalloween yenye yeeholide zam endizithandayo kwaye ndaziva ndilungile ukuba ndiphume nebestie yam kwaye ndonwabe! Ngapha koko, bendiwagcina amanyathelo afanelekileyo okhuseleko: iimaski, isicoci sesandla kunye neqamza elitofotofo leenyawo ezintandathu lendawo yobuqu ngokuqinisekileyo laliza kundigcina “kwiklabhu engosulelwanga.” Malunga neentsuku ezimbini kamva yandibetha kakhulu. Ngoko nangoko, ndicwangcise uvavanyo lwe-COVID-19. Iimpawu zaqala ukuqhubela phambili ngelixa ndilindele iziphumo. Iqabane lam lalingekho edolophini, kwaye ndandisazi ukuba le yeyona nto ilungileyo. Akukho ngqondo yokuba silale sobabini kwi-sofa kwaye silusizi. Kwakubonakala ngathi yinto ekhethekileyo eyoyikekayo endingayinqweneli nakubani na. Ndifumene umyalezo wothusayo kwindawo ethile malunga nentsimbi ye-10:00 ebusuku kubusuku obulandelayo usithi eneneni ndine-COVID-19. Ndaziva ndiphakuzela, ndisoyika kwaye ndindedwa. Ndandiza kuyenza njani le nto ndedwa? Kwiintsuku ezimbini emva koko, umngane wam wathumela umyalezo kum echaza ukuba naye wosulelekile. Ayikokuba ibisenza ngcono ukwazi ukuba naye uyagula, kodwa bendinomntu wokundithuthuzela.
Iintloko ezibuhlungu, ukutyhafa, umqala obuhlungu, nokuxinana kwaqala. Emva koko yaba sisiyezi kunye nokulahlekelwa yincasa kunye nevumba. Izihlunu emilenzeni yam zaziva ngathi amathole am abambeke kwi-vice grip. Ukungabikho okucacileyo kweempawu zokuphefumula kwaphawulwa. Ndikhumbula ndilila efowunini nomhlobo wam osenyongweni malunga nombulelo endaba nawo ngokufumana ugonyo. Le nto ndandiyiva yayimanyumnyezi. Ndandisazi ukuba kwakunokuba kubi ngakumbi. Ngapha koko, oku kwaba ngunobangela wobhubhane wehlabathi. Ubutyala noloyiko nazo zazijinga entliziyweni yam. Ndandisoyika ukuba ndiyidlulisele kwabanye ngaphambi kokuba ndive iimpawu. Inokuba le ntsholongwane ye monster ingalimaza omnye umntu ngaphezulu kwale bendiyiva kuba bendifuna ukuba nabantu okokuqala enyakeni. Wacaphuka kwakhona. Umsindo ubujolise kubani endiyifumene kuye le ntsholongwane kwaye kum ngazo zonke iindlela ebendinokuthintela ngazo ukuba ingenzeki. Nangona kunjalo, ndandivuka yonke imihla kwaye ndakwazi ukuphefumla kwaye oko ndandinombulelo.
Ndazinyamezela ngokwam kwaye ngoncedo lwabahlobo abambalwa namalungu osapho awayenobubele ngokwaneleyo ukuba abeke izinto emnyango wam. Iimfuno ezisisiseko zahlangatyezwa nobunewunewu bokutya kunye nokuhanjiswa kwegrosari nako. Ngobunye ubusuku, emva kokuba ndihlambile ngeVicks vaporizer steamers, ndaqonda ukuba andinakungcamla okanye andinuki kwanto. Yayiyimvakalelo engaqhelekanga kakhulu kuba yayingathi ingqondo yam yayisebenza ixesha elongezelelekileyo izama ukundikhohlisa ukuba ndikhumbule ukuba isuphu inuka njani okanye amashiti asandul’ ukuhlanjwa. Emva kokutya ukutya okwahlukahlukeneyo, ukuze ndiqiniseke ukuba andinakungcamla nantoni na, ndanqwenela iibhiskithi. Ukuba andikwazi kungcamla kwanto kwaye ukutya bekungandonelisi kwaphela, kutheni ungatyi izinto zokwenziwa? Umhlobo wam wandenzela iibhiskithi zasekhaya waza wazibeka emnyango wam kwisithuba seyure. Ubume bokutya yayikuphela kwenxalenye yokutya eyanelisayo, ngeli xesha. Ngandlela ithile kwi-delirium yam, ndagqiba ekubeni ndibeke isipinatshi esikrwada kuyo yonke into kuquka i-oatmeal yam. Ngoba kutheni?
Iiveki ezimbini zokulala kunye nokubukela imiboniso bhanyabhanya yokwenyani engacwangciswanga kuvakala ngathi liphupha elibi elibi. Ndahamba inja yam ngeeyure ezingaqhelekanga ukuze ndiphephe abantu, xa ndikwazi. Iiveki ezimbini zonke yayingathi liphupha lomkhuhlane. Ubumnyama obonwabileyo beNetflix, ukutya kweziqhamo, iTylenol, kunye ne-naps.
Kwakamsinyane emva kokuba ndivunyiwe ukuba ndenze njalo ngugqirha wam, ndiye ndathatha i-covid-19 yam yokukhuthaza. Usokhemesti wandixelela ukuba emva kokuba ne-COVID-19 kwaye ufumane i-booster, "Ngokusisiseko kufuneka ube nembumbulu." Loo mazwi abetha iindlebe zam ngendlela engathandekiyo. Kwaziva kungakhathali ngokutyala ukutyala imbewu ukuba esi sixhasi sesithathu siya kuba litikiti lobukho obungenaxhala kwi-COVID-19. Ngokukodwa ukwazi ukuba iintlobo ezintsha zazisasazeka njengomlilo wasendle.
Ukukhawuleza ukuya phambili kwiinyanga ezintandathu. Khange ndihambe kwaye bendiselumkile kakhulu ngeendaba zokosuleleka okuthe kwasasazeka. Ndandizibekela amangomso ukuya kubona utatomkhulu wam owayeneminyaka engama-93 ubudala kuba wayengagonywanga. Naye wayengenanjongo yakwenza oko. Sathetha ngendlela ekungasekho ngayo ukunqongophala kwamayeza okugonya. Wayengayithathi ithamo komnye umntu owayeyifuna ngakumbi, yayisisingxengxezo sakhe esiphambili. Ndaqhubeka ndingafuni ukumtyelela eLas Vegas kuba ndandinoloyiko olusengqiqweni lokuba ndandiza kumbeka esichengeni ukuba ndingaya kumbona. Ndahlala ndinethemba lokuba siya kukwazi ukuya kwindawo apho kuya kuziva kukhuselekile ukukwazi ukutyelela. Ngelishwa, ekuqaleni kukaMeyi wasweleka ngokungalindelekanga, ngenxa yesifo sengqondo esiyingozi kunye nezinye iimeko zempilo. Sasincokola veki nganye ngeengokuhlwa zangeCawa ngoxa ndipheka isidlo sangokuhlwa yaye ngokufuthi wayethetha “ngeso sifo” sasibulala izigidi zabantu. Wayezikhethele yedwa ukusukela ngo-2020, eyayineseti yeengxaki zayo, ezinje ngoxinzelelo, i-agoraphobia kunye nokunxibelelana okulinganiselweyo nogqirha wakhe wokhathalelo oluphambili kukhathalelo lwempilo lothintelo. Ke, ngelixa kwandibulala ukuba ndingakwazi ukumbona kwakhona ukusukela ngo-2018, ndiziva ngathi ndenze ukhetho olunoxanduva nangona luza nokuzisola okunzulu.
Ndaphuma ndaya eLas Vegas nabazali bam ukuya kuncedisa ukubopha imicimbi katatomkhulu wam ekupheleni kukaMeyi. Saphuma saya eVasgas kwaye sathatha onke amanyathelo okhuseleko ayimfuneko ngeemaski kunye nokungena ekuhlaleni nangona ilizwe liphela lalibonakala likhululekile ngakumbi ngezi zinto. Nje ukuba sifike eVegas, kwabonakala ngathi i-COVID-19 ayikho. Abantu bebehambahamba kwizitrato ezixineneyo bengenamaski, bedlala oomatshini be-slot ngaphandle kokusebenzisa i-sanitizer yesandla, kwaye ngokuqinisekileyo bengenaxhala lokusasazeka kweentsholongwane. Abazali bam bacinga ukuba yinto engaqhelekanga ukuba ndale ukukhwela kwilifti nabani na ongomnye ngaphandle kwabo. Oku kwakungokwemvelo kungengabom. Ngokunyanisekileyo andizange ndiqaphele de bathethe into ngayo. Ekubeni imozulu yaseVegas ishushu kakhulu, kwakulula ukuyeka amanye amanyathelo okhuseleko aye agrunjwa kwiingqondo zethu kule minyaka mibini inesiqingatha idlulileyo.
Emva kokuba ndiseVegas usuku, ndafumana umnxeba ovela kwiqabane lam. Wayekhalaza ngomqala obuhlungu, ekhohlela, kwaye eziva ediniwe. Usebenza kwiivenkile kwaye usesichengeni kumakhulu abantu ngosuku, ke ingcinga yethu yokuqala yayikukuba kufuneka avavanywe. Ngokuqinisekileyo, wathatha uvavanyo lwasekhaya olwabonisa iziphumo ezilungileyo. Umsebenzi wakhe wawufuna uvavanyo lwe-PCR kwaye wabuya enethemba kwiintsuku ezimbalwa kamva. Kwakuza kufuneka asokole yedwa, njengokuba ndandiqala ukujikeleza. Nam, njengokuba wenzayo, ndandicaphukela ukwazi ukuba wayehamba yedwa kodwa ndaqonda ukuba inokuba yeyona nto ilungileyo. Ukuze ndigoduke ngokukhawuleza ukuze ndibuyele emsebenzini, ndagqiba ekubeni ndikhwele inqwelo-moya egodukayo ngoxa abazali bam babeza kubuyela ekhaya emva kweentsuku ezimbalwa. Ndadlula kwisikhululo seenqwelomoya, ndahlala kwinqwelomoya (enemaski) ndaza ndahamba ngeenqwelo moya ezimbini ngaphambi kokuba ndifike ekhaya. Nje ukuba ndifike ekhaya, ndenza uvavanyo lwe-COVID-19 ekhaya, nangona iqabane lam labulala iintsholongwane kwigumbi lethu kwaye laliqala ukuziva ngcono. Iimvavanyo zasekhaya bezibonisa ukuba akanayo. Saqonda ukuba nam ndikwi clear! “Hayi namhlanje i-COVID-19!,” besiya kuthetha siqhula omnye komnye.
Hayi ngokukhawuleza ... emva kweentsuku ezintathu ndisekhaya, umqala wam waqala ukubuhlungu. Intloko yam yayibuhlungu, ndandingakwazi nokuphakamisa intloko. Ndaphinda ndenza olunye uvavanyo. Ibi. Ndisebenza esibhedlele iintsuku ezimbini ngeveki, nto leyo efuna ukuba ndichaze iimpawu zomzimba phambi kokuba ndiye emsebenzini kwaye isebe labo lezempilo lafuna ukuba ndiye kuvavanyo lwe-PCR. Ngokuqinisekileyo emva kosuku, ndafumana iziphumo zovavanyo oluqinisekileyo. Ndahlala phantsi ndalila. Bendingazukuba ndedwa ngelixesha, bekumnandi ukwazi. Ndiyathemba ukuba eli xesha liza kuba lula, kwaye ubukhulu becala. Ngeli xesha bendineempawu zokuphefumla eziquka ukuqina kwesifuba sam kunye nokhohlokhohlo olunzulu esifubeni esibuhlungu. Iintloko bezimfamekisa. Ubuhlungu umqala ingathi ndiginye ikomityi yesanti eyomileyo. Kodwa andizange ndiyeke ukungcamla okanye ukujoja. Ndawa emhlabeni kangangeentsuku ezintlanu. Iintsuku zam zazibandakanya ukulala, ukuzinkcinkca ngokubukela amaxwebhu kunye nethemba nje lokufumana eyona nto imbi kakhulu. Ndixelelwa ukuba ezi ziimpawu ezithambileyo kodwa akukho nto malunga noku kuvakala kulungile.
Nje ukuba ndiqale ukuziva ndingcono kwaye ixesha lam lokuvalelwa liphelile, ndacinga ukuba yayikukuphela kwayo. Ndandikulungele ukubala uloyiso lwam kwaye ndiphinde ndibuyele ebomini. Nangona kunjalo, iimpawu ezinde zazisabonakala. Ndandisendidinwe kakhulu, kwaye iintloko zaziza kukhwela ngezona zihlandlo zibi kakhulu ukuba zindenze ndingabi namsebenzi, ubuncinci de iTylenol yakhaba. Sekudlule iinyanga ezimbalwa emva koko kwaye ndivakalelwa kukuba umzimba wam awufani. Ndinexhala malunga neziphumo ezingapheliyo, kwaye kukho amabali awoyikisayo awoneleyo aboniswe ezindabeni ezimalunga nabantu abangaphinde baphile ngokupheleleyo. Ngenye imini ndandiphiwe amazwi obulumko avela kumhlobo, “Funda yonke into de woyike, uze uqhubeke ufunda de ungabikho.”
Nangona ndikhe ndadibana nale ntsholongwane izihlandlo ezibini kwaye ndagonywa izihlandlo ezithathu, ndinethamsanqa kakhulu ukuba ndiphumelele ngale ndlela ndenze ngayo. Ngaba ndiziva ukuba ugonyo oluthathu lwenze umahluko? Ngokuqinisekileyo.
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