Chaerin’s Quarantine Journal Entry

“When my mom’s hair salon closed down, my dad had to bear more the pressure of having to provide the family financially...”

It’s Just Unpredictable

As corona cases continue to rise, many businesses face more dreadful concerns for having to shut down and stop working. For a short period of time, I was glad that my mom had to close her hair salon. She was able to get some extra sleep, make the best breakfasts and dinners, and spend time with the family for once. However, as time went on, I realized that there was a much bigger problem behind the scene. 

My dad owns a trucking company located in Gardena, which is consisted of exporting and importing huge 200-pound packages from the airport to other companies. When my mom’s hair salon closed down, my dad had to bear more the pressure of having to provide the family financially. Unlike other businesses, he was able to work because his business was considered “essential” to Los Angeles. Although our family felt less of a burden, we were all still worried due to the coronavirus.

On Thursday, July 9, I received a call from my mom. She was breathing heavily, telling me she had an awful headache. When she came home, she had sweat all over her forehead and was feeling very dizzy, making it difficult for her to walk. My mom rushed to the sofa and laid down, preventing herself from getting dizzier.

She was feeling nauseous and had vomited a couple of times. When I felt her forehead, there was no sign of a fever, so I kept believing that it was not the coronavirus. I hurriedly grabbed my phone to search up her symptoms and the first thing that popped up was “coronavirus” and “stomach flu.”

Not knowing what her symptoms fully meant, we immediately admitted her to the emergency room. After waiting for several hours, the doctor told us that she had malignant hypertension, meaning that her blood pressure reached 200 over 128, and was on the verge of getting a stroke. Later on, the doctor prescribed her medication and we were free to go home.

For the longest time, I always recognized that my parents were unhealthy. Both of them have poor eating habits and do not spend a lot of time exercising. This whole experience made me realize not only to be aware of my parents’ health, but it also served as a wake-up call for all of us in the family. My dad and mom, both being owners of two businesses and parents of a son and daughter, go through so much at once: rent, utility bills, tuition, and more. I came to the realization that I needed to be grateful for all the things around me, and also focus on the present.