Let’s Talk About November
I’ve had a rough month.
It started November 1, before the sun rose, driving to the airport way earlier than I am comfortable waking & then saying goodbye to my Mom & brother-in-law who so graciously drove us to the airport so incredibly early.
My hubs & I had just spent about a month with our families in the States, cautious & careful to social distance, wear masks, & not go out to socialize/shop as much as we’re used to, all in the name of healthy precaution.
Arriving Back in Japan
After a grueling, sleepless 24-hour journey from my parents’ home back to Japan, we had to go through COVID screening at immigration in Japan. We were herded like cattle through different COVID immigration checkpoints & then asked to go stand in a booth similar to that of a voting booth & spit a specific amount of saliva into a test tube type thing.
Then came a sit-down with immigration to cover where we had been & where we planned to go within Japan (with details about how we planned to get there, aka NOT public transportation.) Jamie handled most of that, with me answering questions as I was asked.
Restlessly Settling In
We received emails that our tests were negative, meaning we were cleared to take the shuttle to the military base there in Tokyo, where we would be taken directly to our quarantine room. It was much like a hotel room, except as a small apartment, with a tv, basic amenities, & a kitchen.
We spent Monday night through Wednesday morning in our Tokyo base quarantine room, ordering takeout online for every meal, as we had little else to choose from, trying to pass the time away as sanely as possible with our growing “cabin fever.”
Finally Heading Home
Then came the Wednesday morning bus from Tokyo to Misawa. We had to order food beforehand because for this 10+ hour bus ride, we were not permitted to exit the bus for any reason. There was a surprisingly large bathroom on the bus (think ferry boat bathroom versus the tiny airplane bathroom we were expecting). The bus was crammed full of people coming from who knows where outside of Japan. Our hopes for avoiding COVID were teetering.
Once we arrived in Misawa, we were divided & directed to smaller vehicles, depending on where we all lived, ours being the off-base van.
When we got home on Wednesday night, we knew the drill… no leaving our house or coming into contact with any other person, for any reason, for the rest of our 14-day quarantine upon arriving in Japan.
The Symptoms Began
Thursday, a mild sore throat began.
Friday, my symptoms multiplied. I had a mild fever of 100.3 & had chills, a headache, fatigue, aches, minor nausea, diarrhea (sorry, for too much information? (tmi)), & a mild dry cough.
I tried to convince myself that it was just my body adjusting from all the travel as well as the sudden drop in temperature upon stepping off the bus in Misawa after sun fall.
But somewhere deep down, something didn’t feel right.
Monitor & Wait…
Don’t worry, we responsibly called the COVID response line & reported it. But because my symptoms were pretty mild & my fever was low & short-lived, coupled with the fact that I was in quarantine already & would be tested in less than a week anyway, I was told to monitor my condition until my test & to report in again if it worsened to any of the more serious symptoms.
Fortunately, it didn’t get more serious & I got better, with only a lingering minor headache, fatigue, & mild diarrhea (sorry, again) remaining. I was hopeful.
But then, I completely lost my sense of smell, a telltale symptom of COVID-19… & I mean COMPLETELY. I tested it with essential oils &… NOTHING.
Getting the Test… Getting the Results… I’m Positive
On day 10 of quarantine, we drove on base to get tested, instructed never to open our windows or get out of our car for any reason, except the slight lowering of the window for the test specifically.
We were hopeful. Just a few short days until life, as normal, resumes!
Day 11 of quarantine, we got the call. I had COVID.
The Rush of Instructions & Contact-Tracing Calls Began
We were instructed that I should pack a bag & be ready to leave my house in the next few hours to be taken into isolation. We later found out that Jamie was also required to do the same, separate from me, as well as everyone who was on that bus into Misawa.
Because they didn’t want any human in our home before it could be thoroughly decontaminated, the positive was them allowing me to bring my kitty as a companion during this isolation.
I was scared. I was nervous. I didn’t want to go. I had no idea what lay ahead of me in terms of isolation & I didn’t want to do it alone. I wanted my husband, Jamie, to come with me & help me know how to navigate the unknown.
In my preparations to move into isolation, I would intermittently stop prepping & cry into a pillow, wishing it was all just a bad dream. This information I had received also meant I would be spending my birthday alone, in an isolation room away from home. I was so grieved by it all. I wanted to stay home.
The Isolation Began
Moving into my new, temporary, empty apartment, things only got worse… No kitchen supplies, no TV, a rock-hard mattress, & carpets covered with all kinds of stains (one of which appeared to be old dog urine that never got cleaned up & was crusted into the carpet).
I felt despair wash over me upon seeing my new “home” & I cried as Jamie stepped out of my room after helping me bring in my bags.
The isolation began.
The Sleepless First Night Alone
That night, alone & cold & on the hardest mattress I have ever “slept” on (& I typically prefer firmer mattresses!), I felt so sad & if it weren’t for the gross carpets, would have dropped to my knees & let the sadness envelope me.
I didn’t sleep that first night, after a night of tossing & turning, where the hard mattress left me sorer with every passing hour.
In Comes the Cavalry!
To my delight, a friendly acquaintance (AKA Absolute HERO) offered me a spare mattress topper the next day & church friends were quick to bring food, paper products, plasticware, soap, pots, pans, water, etc., coming to the quick rescue with so much generous support & encouragement. (Someone even brought me a tv to use!)
I felt overwhelmed by all the love pouring in from unexpected places!
Living in Isolation
Over the next several days, with no symptoms, I was visited twice daily for vitals checks by various nurses.
I spent the days doing puzzles, playing Minecraft, reading, talking to Jamie on video chat, & being soothed by a cute cat snuggled alongside me.
Since it was my birthday week, I made one of my favorite meals, called Creamy Cheesy Chicken (think creamed parmesan cheese, garlic, & cream cheese over chicken & broccoli, with rice—YUM) to help cheer me up.
The Gift of Friendship
My friends were so generous with gifts & words of kindness flooded in from unexpected people who just wanted me to know I had their support if I needed it.
I will tell you, you don’t realize how blessed you are until you are in great need & HAVE to ask for help. They were all so generous with their time & efforts, even treating us to meals occasionally or bringing me cheerful birthday gifts of things to help me pass the time like puzzles, books, bath stuff, nail stuff, coloring supplies, etc. I was blown away by their kind generosity.
Anticipating My “Guaranteed” Release!
With COVID-19, apparently you are only contagious 10 days after symptoms begin & the COVID team/Misawa base decided to play it safe & have me stay an added few days. I would be free soon enough.
November 18 was my birthday & while I dreaded the idea of a lonely birthday locked away in my tower, I asked God to help me enjoy it & that’s exactly what He did. I had my favorite foods, spent a lot of time video-chatting my family & Jamie, played with some of the stuff generously brought by friends, & even was brought candles & a lighter for my brownies, with sparkling cider. It was a pretty okay day.
The next day was packing day. I would be released the next day. It was a lot of work, but I got everything washed & cleaned up & loaded in my bags & all my bags were ready & waiting for my authorization guaranteed to come the next day.
Except it didn’t.
The Deliberation
Bright & early I received a call from the COVID response team telling me my release was being debated. Even though I had had absolutely no symptoms for about a week & because it had been 2 weeks since the start of my symptoms, I was no longer contagious… they weren’t sure about releasing me because they never took my temperature or saw my symptoms for themselves (AKA they had no proof) & because I was not asked to be tested when the symptoms began, they weren’t sure they could count my word.
I sat & waited anxiously all day for the deliberation to come to a conclusion. Bags by the door, I was ready to go.
Finally, that evening of the 20th, I got the call from an authority in public health.
My release was declined. I would be locked in for another week.
As the Despair Settled Over Me…
I went through the motions of trying to be polite & express my understanding of their answer while my head swirled in bewilderment. I had been guaranteed I was okay to leave today… & yet, I wasn’t. I didn’t understand how a “guaranteed release” could turn into another WEEK here…!
When I finally was able to hang up, I let my hand & phone drop to my lap as I stared at the wall in front of me.
And then I just cried.
Together Again
I knew my husband would be slightly excited because that meant we could finally be reunited. He had tested positive several days after our arrival in isolation & would have to stay even longer, but now that I could not leave, their rule of us staying separate was no longer a requirement. (Before I got word of my weeklong extension, when Jamie tested positive, COVID authority said that even though we were BOTH positive, we could not isolate together because I would have to stay the additional 1.5 weeks with him if I did? We never understood why.)
But even though I was glad to see my husband again, I was supposed to be going home & now I was just moving across the hall for my FOURTH week of quarantine.
Defeated
The first day was spent in a daze. DEFEATED was the word that described how I felt. I didn’t want to hope for anything anymore because I couldn’t handle any more disappointment.
We spent Thanksgiving in our little apartment, with our cat, celebrating with a mounded plate of delicious food, thanks to those same wonderful church friends who had been taking such good care of us through all of this isolation & frustration.
1.5 Weeks Later…
It was a rough month, but today, right now, I am writing to you from my couch in my living room in my house… & I am thinking THANK YOU, GOD.
But maybe not for the reason you may be thinking right now.
Not just Thank You, God for being HOME FINALLY, (but that is definitely part of it—I almost was beginning to think they meant never to let us leave), but also because of all the many blessings He has brought me during this rough month of November.
ALL HE HAS PROVIDED!
He provided someone willing to rush over a mattress topper to give me comfortable sleep.
He provided friends who rushed to fulfill our every need when we couldn’t take care of it ourselves.
He gave me a birthday filled with love from friends & even unexpected people.
He provided generous friends who brought us a bountiful Thanksgiving meal & even a centerpiece to liven up the place.
He provided us a 9th floor view of amazing sunsets over Misawa.
He provided approval to have my cat as my companion, where he normally sleeps in his own space, he spent every night cuddled against my legs on the bed & every day snuggled next to me on the couch.
He provided video calls/technology to help me stay connected when I was all alone.
He provided PEACE when I felt peace was ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE.
God PROVIDES.
Memories Better Than Expected
Was it fun? Nope. Would I repeat it? No.
But I will leave it behind me with much fonder memories than I ever expected I could. Memories of kindness, generosity, unexpected love, & a peace that made absolutely no sense in the midst of some very tough days.
And on those days when I was so upset & anxious & frustrated & alone & tired & aching & sleepless, when I cried out to God… He showed up EVERY time by filling me with HIS PEACE, letting me know He’s got me & He’s got everything under control.
Take Those Cries to God
My call to you is this: Maybe you didn’t miss out on the entire month of November, get COVID, or get isolated from even your husband, or maybe your month has been EVEN WORSE… but whatever the case, take those cries to God.
Because, when things seem impossible… things such as peace & HOPE… God is master of the impossible. He is King of kings, Lord of lords, Creator, Redeemer, Beginning, & the End, All-Knowing, All-Present, All-Understanding, All-Wise, Sovereign, LOVING GOD.
CRY. OUT. TO. HIM.
He is worth it every freakin’ time!
Shine HOPE by turning to Him when all seems hopeless & lost, letting Him be the hope that fills your heart when you feel you have none.
He’s got you, babe. He’s got you.
Now… it’s time for me to go sigh a HUGE sigh of relief, because you know what? I’m HOME! Praise God!
Coming Next Week
Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.
As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.
Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.
A Note from Michelle:
This blog/website has been running for over TWO years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3
If you would like to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3
Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox, along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!
Fashion as a Force for GOOD:
Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Radiant Necklace Set
On-trend set of 3 layered necklaces (only ONE shown) that can be worn together or separately, featuring a labradorite stone, hammered discs, & a *blue topaz crystal drop*.
Artisan Information:
In India, poverty is rampant & fair working conditions are hard to find. Every purchase provides women with income, access to healthcare, education for their children, & care for elderly family members. Many of these artisans have been exploited by sweatshops in the past but are now receiving fair wages as artisans in safe & caring fair-trade workshops.
Purchase this piece & empower a woman in India!
How You Can Help:
SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michellehyde.tradesofhope@gmail.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!
