Her mom on coronavirus testing front lines
“My mother works for the county. She’s been at Stallworth Stadium several weeks now, where they’re testing people for coronavirus. They’re open every day, and she only gets one day off. So it’s been physically and emotionally exhausting for her.
“They’re testing about 250 a day, and just hearing the stories of people makes for some very hard days. The first week, a woman who tested positive was really worried and scared. Not only because she had coronavirus, but because her mother was dying. Since she had the illness, she wasn’t going to be able to see her mother. My mom said her heart was just breaking for this lady, so she started praying with her. Then there was a 12-month-old who tested positive. The test is pretty uncomfortable because they have to stick a cotton swab down your nasal passage. So you can imagine how incredibly tough that is for someone so young. There are many more stories like that.
“When my mother comes home each day, she’s so tired. Her back hurts really bad from standing on the concrete all day.
“Me and my siblings have been extremely careful, making sure we practice social distancing, because we know whose life we’re risking when we don’t follow what the CDC asks of us. It’s our mom, you know? As soon as she gets home, she takes a shower and makes sure she’s all clean. She doesn’t even touch us because she’s scared of possibly infecting us.
“It’s been pretty stressful. But I admire my mother a lot. She has such a great heart, and she has really stepped up to help. I know that the people who stop by to be tested are getting the best care possible with her.
“But I won’t lie. It is worrisome that any day we could get a call from her saying, ‘I’m sorry, but I can’t be with y’all now because I have coronavirus.’ That’s pretty scary to think about.”
— Kaelyn Anaya
Kaelyn’s mother, Kimberly Anaya, is a senior client specialist with Harris County Public Health.
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