We all have different stories and opinions before COVID-19 started. Different things have happened to everyone and the ones we love. It seems to range from people who are unable to work or if they were/are diagnosed with COVID-19. We have all had some struggles. As much as we have had struggles, we also have to look at the positives. There might not be much for people, but there are some positives. For instance, spending time with your family or at least realizing how much others and things mean to you.

I am nervous for my family. Both of my parents are still working and people in my family have medical problems. My parents work in environments where they have to be around people for their workday. My dad works for a major grocery store chain. He has to order food for the store, help stock shelves, and check venders in. He’s around lots of people every day, but my mother has it a little different. My mother is around a lot less people because she works with kids of first responders and healthcare workers. Being around less people doesn’t completely lower her risk of getting COVID-19 because she has asthma and a compromised immune system. My mother is the only person in my immediate family that has a compromised immune system. I have an uncle who has diabetes, an aunt who had COVID-19, and my grandfather has cancer. When COVID-19 started spreading worldwide, my grandfather was diagnosed with stage 1 cancer and he started chemotherapy treatments. Lately he has not been receiving treatments because he had a double blood infection, surgery, and cardiac side effects. Plus, he could get COVID-19 whenever he goes to the hospital to get his treatments.

I have lost a family member during this time, but luckily it was not from COVID-19. My grandmother passed away in early April due to old age and Parkinson’s. Luckily the Senior Living Complex allowed my family and my aunt’s family to see my grandmother before she passed away. Due to COVID-19, there were some restrictions. We had to take our temperature, frequently wash our hands, and always wear a mask every time we entered the Complex. That part was not that bad, but only 1 to 2 people could go in and see my grandmother before she passed away. We all had to take turns sitting with her and say our goodbyes. Also, earlier in the year we received news that my great uncle passed away, but I didn’t know him very well. With all of this, it was harder on some of us than others. It was especially hard for one of my great aunts because she is eight years older than my grandmother, and my great uncle was the youngest of all three siblings.

This whole situation has made me realize what I would like to do when I am finished with school. Before COVID-19 I had no idea what I wanted to do. I had some ideas, but none of them really stood out until now: I realized that I want to help people. I don’t know what exactly I want to do, but I want to work in the medical field, whether it will be a nurse, a doctor, a paramedic, etc. My parents also helped inspire what I want to do because my father was on the police reserve for 16 years and my mother was a nurse for more than 12 years. This kind of encouraged it for me. They helped people and I want to continue it.

There are so many other good things that have or are going to happen, but of course there have or will be bad things too. We all have gone through something and they might not compare to how bad it is to others. Let’s just hope that the good times will outweigh the bad times.

—Brenna

Share your own story here. Sharing stories is a powerful way to connect with other people. Be part of the Teen Health & Wellness Personal Story Project—like Brenna did above—and share your story about successfully dealing with or overcoming a challenge.