When you hear someone you love and think is smart and literate say Oh it’s no big deal if I catch the virus, say “I love you and you’re smart and literate, and please read this story, because you’re wrong about it not being a big deal.”

The virus is hidden inside of me. I feel its force and power. My body aches. Cold knots snarl in my calves and my thighs; my back feels frozen; shivers ripple up my arms. By the time I reach the birdbath, I’m sweating in the soft breeze. I close my eyes. The hardest part is taking the next breath. I must breathe very, very slowly, in a very specific way. Breathing has become like remaining steady on a balance beam over a dark pit.

Perfect example of save my life story-telling. (An essay by Heather Sellers)