My Daughter Tested Positive for COVID-19. Here's How We Took Care of Her.

Coronavirus Chronicles is a new series from The Mighty sharing the human stories behind the pandemic. In this installation, a mom shares how she and her husband cared for her 21-year-old daughter, who tested positive for COVID-19.

Written by Lisa Lurie. This story originally appeared on Cancer Be Glammed.

In March, my 21-old-daughter Gillian tested positive for the coronavirus. We immediately quarantined her in our home. My husband Brian and I went into isolation as we struggled with the urgent problem of how to care for Gillian while continuing to keep ourselves well. We were up-to-date regarding the spread of the coronavirus and its symptoms, but now found ourselves struggling to find practical advice about how to take care of someone who became ill.

Together Brian and I devised a game plan that we hoped would limit our exposure while providing our daughter with much-needed symptom relief, nutrition, love and care. These are our personal tips — they have not been medically approved or come with a “you won’t get sick too” guarantee. These are simply our lessons learned, shared in the hopes of helping the countless other people mired and overwhelmed in a situation like ours.

The first thing we did was quarantine Gillian in her bedroom and give her exclusive use of a bathroom nearby. Preparing for the long haul, 14 days of quarantine and isolation at a minimum, we knew we had to put some safe caregiving practices in place. Here’s what we did.

Communicating and Connecting

It is emotionally and physically difficult to care for someone you love from a distance. We relied on our cell phones and computers to bridge the gap. As tela-caregivers and tela-parents, we resorted to Facetime calls to comfort Gilly, assess her condition, respond to her needs and most importantly, to stay connected. The phone and the computer became our lifeline, literally.

Medical Care: Symptom Tracking

From the start we knew it was important to stay on top of Gillian’s illness as it progressed. We had multiple conversations with her doctor who often needed to know the length and severity of her symptoms. We kept a daily digital diary on our cellphones with input from Gilly. In addition, we noted her temperature and when she took over-the-counter medications for symptom relief. These details are important whether you track them electronically or opt for the low-tech solution, pen and paper.

Quarantine Central: Gilly’s Bedroom

To keep Gillian isolated yet with some degree of independence, we stocked-piled her room with self-care items. Supplies included boxes of tissues, a roll of paper towels, hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, disposable gloves and masks, a large pitcher for water (hydration is a must!) and garbage bags. In addition, we gave her a small hand bell that we had in the house. If she was too tired to call us or coughing very hard, we wanted her to be able to quickly let us know that she needed us.

Room Service: Meals and Medicine

To avoid having to go into Gillian’s room to serve her, we set up a small end table in front of her door. We placed her meals on the table and went downstairs. Gilly opened the door when we weren’t nearby. She brought the food into her room and closed the door. Wearing a mask and gloves, Brian or I would wipe down the table and the doorknob to her room with disinfectant following each meal.

To further minimize potential viral exposure from Gillian’s dishes, we served her on disposable paper plates, with paper cups and plastic utensils. After she was done eating, Gilly could throw them away in the trash bag in her room. When the bag was full, she would tightly close it and place it outside her door. Gloved and masked, we would grab it and carry it outside immediately to our trash bin.

Stay Healthy: Wash Your Hands Often or Use Hand Sanitizer

Most people already know that hand washing is a key defense against the coronavirus. Brian and I took this recommendation to heart (you should too!) To be effective, the CDC Guidelines say to wash hands with clean water, apply soap, create a lather, then scrub them together for at least 20 seconds before rinsing. Don’t forget to clean between your fingers and under your nails. While it is tempting to be lazy at times and skip doing it, please don’t. Brian and I keep each other honest, constantly asking, “Did you wash your hands?!” We credit diligent hand washing for helping us to stay healthy.

I am thrilled to say that Gillian has made a full recovery! We knew that she had turned the corner when we heard loud music coming from her room and she started ignoring our texts. What sweet relief! We were able to spring Gilly from quarantine or “house arrest,” as we jokingly called it, in time to celebrate (from a distance) her 21st birthday. We knew that we were a strong and resilient family, but the coronavirus challenged us to be problem solvers and caregivers in the face of tremendous stress and uncertainty. We hope that we don’t have to repeat this experience — this is one lesson we never want to relearn.