‘I’m immunocompromised. Now I’m kinda lonely.’
Mikhaela Houston has multiple sclerosis and diabetes, and has stayed home since the state of emergency was declared in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Coronavirus is affecting everyday life — even for those who have not been infected. We are sharing stories of its impact on local people. To share your own, please submit this form or email us at [email protected]. This story was told by Mikhaela E. Houston from West Roxbury, and has been transcribed and edited from a conversation with Madelaine Millar.My name is Mikhaela Houston. I just turned 50, and I am immunocompromised. In addition to having multiple sclerosis, I also have diabetes. I don’t have a bladder anymore. I’m kind of prone to pneumonia, too.Every six to nine months, I get a chemotherapy drug called rituximab to treat my MS — I’m having this treatment on Wednesday. As with any type of chemotherapy, it wipes out certain white blood cells, and I just have to wait for them to come back. I usually stay home for a week or two after these treatments, just so I can get my immune system back on track.
When coronavirus isn’t a concern, I don’t usually take time off of my work as an executive assistant for a Big Four accounting firm before treatments. I wasn’t as anxious about the virus until the state of emergency was announced. This was my cue to stay home. I decided that I need to be “healthy” enough for that treatment. Some people might think of it as self-quarantining, but I’m not really quarantining. I’m just removing myself from the population.
We’re all in this together. I’m hearing of more friends who have to self-quarantine. I think this is a time when we have to realize that our own little communities are very, very important to help support us, especially those like me that are immunocompromised and feeling a little bit left out from society.
I am doing most of the same work remotely, but at this point, I feel a little bit isolated. I still have Skype to talk to my co-workers. I’m still hearing from my co-workers every day and the partners that I work for. It’s just very quiet here.
I’m taking other precautions, too. I am going to have as much delivered as possible. I’m planning to spend the money and use Uber if I need to go out, rather than taking the bus. And of course, I’m making sure I wash my hands.
I’m thankful for my doctors. I know I’m in good hands. If I even give a hint to the possibility of coming down with anything, my doctors are right on it.
Social media is a good thing in this case, because I can just put a post on Facebook saying, “You know what? Kinda lonely!” and friends are saying, ‘yeah, you should be home. And don’t worry.’ And then I get pictures of cats.
Maybe I’ll sit out on my balcony for a little bit and realize that I am still part of the world. I think that’s the best way to describe it: We’re still part of the world. As immunocompromised people, we’ve just gotta take care of ourselves and self-contain and make sure that we are healthy.
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