My First Time Through a Pandemic:

How Kumari Was Able to Survive the Coronavirus with Her Family While Pregnant.

Story By: Kumari Regmi
Edited By: Spencer Collins, Hayley Ross, Naz Hussein, and Dainelis Rodriguez

Kumari was born in Bhutan. She later spent 17 years in a Nepalese refugee camp. She arrived in the U.S in January of 2009. She works as a nurse practitioner of OPTUM/United Healthcare and as an adjunct professor at SUNY POLY, Utica. Kumari strives to promote equality in health care and aid fellow refugees. The American Red Cross has recognized her work by awarding her The Red Cross Real Hero Award of 2017. She was also the recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award and Ellen P. Coher Award for Academic Excellence in Healthcare.

Kumari now lives with her husband and two daughters. She and her husband, Bikash, established a scholarship program for high school and college students willing to go into the medical field. They believe the scholarship will help individuals become good citizens and provide compassionate care to their patients.

Like most people, I hadn’t experienced a pandemic before Covid-19. In early December 2019, the coronavirus was reported as spreading throughout China’s Yuan. According to the news, in the first week of March 2020, the coronavirus appeared in a nursing home in Washington, USA. As the problem of Covid-19 escalated day-by-day, the greatest outbreak was in New York, a state in which I live. As we have heard in the news, nursing homes were the hardest hit by the virus. The nursing home I work at could not escape the virus, and we fell victim like so many others.

With each passing day, new cases of Covid-19 grew. During their treatment, I managed to save the lives of many people. Despite my best efforts, I could not save everyone. Children were eager to see their parents, but visiting the nursing home was banned due to the uncontrolled transmission of the virus. I called daily to comfort the patient’s family: at that time there was no vaccine and hope!

One day, an elderly mother was hit by Covid-19. The family had the opportunity to talk to her through FaceTime. The next day, she died. The family cried so much over the phone that they could not see their mother one last time. Although they did not see her physically, they thanked me for letting them see her face a day before she passed, even if it was through the phone. This is just one of the examples of the positive impact that I have made in the lives of people and families.

One day, a tragic incident took place at my workplace in which 5–6 of my Covid-19 infected patients died within 24 hours. I cried a lot remembering my two daughters at home and those elderly residents and families. I was adding a positive outlook in people’s lives but in the meantime, I was worried about myself and my family. I had a lot of questions such as what if I or my husband tested positive with Covid-19? How do we take care of our daughters?

Kumari with her husband and daughters during the Coronavirus. Photo Credit: Kumari Regmi

Unfortunately, On November 23, I was 15 weeks pregnant when my husband and I tested positive for Covid-19. It was impossible to isolate ourselves from our two little daughters who were 2 and 4 years old. We started wearing masks and quarantined our house. Our eldest daughter slightly understood the importance of wearing a mask, but our little one struggled to keep it on. “I cannot see mommy’s and daddy’s face,” she would repeat. We didn’t have an easy answer to explain to them. I started getting bad headaches that Tylenol could not alleviate. I developed additional symptoms each day, including nausea with vomiting, body aches, chills, headaches, and a stuffy nose.

Kumari alongside her two daughters during the Coronavirus. Photo Credit: Kumari Regmi

On November 28th, my headache was so excruciating that I told my husband to call an ambulance. At that point, I was able to keep some food, hot water with ginger, and lemonade down. I kept sipping as I laid sick on the couch. My eldest daughter kept a warm washcloth compress on my forehead, and it helped. My husband massaged me with Vicks VapoRub on my temples and forehead. That brought so much relief! I took Tylenol and went to bed that night. The next morning, I had some relief from my severe headache.

As health care workers, we feel the need to spread health and awareness during such a pandemic. My husband and I broadcasted live on the Bhutanese Community in Syracuse Facebook page on March 27 to raise awareness. We also did a podcast on Covid-19. I feel so rewarded and satisfied to make a difference in people’s lives and to educate the community. It feels great to see my patients smile despite their pain and suffering.

Kumari alongside her two daughters while pregnant. Photo Credit: Kumari Regmi

The coronavirus pandemic has an enormous impact on the entire world, including pregnant mothers. I am so grateful that it did not take a significant toll on my family’s health and well-being. Despite the fear and anxiety about the well-being of the baby growing inside me, I am so thankful that I defeated the virus without being hospitalized. There is not much research on how the virus affects pregnancy and its long-term effects. I am so thankful that my baby boy came out on May 10th: perfect and healthy.

Currently, I am on maternity leave and staying home with my newborn and my two daughters. ​Fear and uncertainty still exist despite the vaccine. During the pandemic, things like kids’ bedtime schedules, exercise, and family dinners have changed. I am glad to be back to a somewhat normal schedule even though I still avoid going out in crowds with my kids. I am hopeful the vaccine for children will be available soon. I want to tell everyone that the vaccine is here. I encourage everyone to get vaccinated and continue to follow Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines.

Kumari with her husband and daughters laughing. Photo Credit: Kumari Regmi

Kumari was a member of the Spring 2021 cohort of the New American Speakers Program. She just completed the program this June. To learn more about her journey to America and to hear some of her stories from the program, visit our YouTube channel and watch some of the videos below.

Food Makes Me Feel Like Home by Kumari Regmi

Check out how Kumari remembers her home country of Bhutan through food.

On Point for College — Bikash and Kumari’s Story

Kumari and her husband, Bikash, speaking about their experience with the On Point for College program which helped them achieve their dreams of higher education and meaningful careers.

Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of WeaveTales and its employees.

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