Craving Human Connection Story by EMMA KENNER Layout by EMMA KENNER Photo by LAURA NAVARRO
H
uman touch can be taken for granted. A handshake when greeting a friend, the accidental brush of two hands together, a gentle kiss on the lips. For some, COVID-19 has prevented even the slightest of touches. For others, through cleanliness practices, touch has been less-
toms. On July 31st, Eva’s husband Greg made the decision to test for COVID-19. That same day, Eva went to work and then to a prayer meeting. “During this season of life, it’s been very important to us to be at prayer and to fight the good fight of faith,” she said. At the church, everyone wore masks, social-distanced, and avoided contact. Everyone but Eva’s grandson who managed to sneak in a hug for his grandmother. On August 1steverything changed. While running errands, her body
“Suddenly she felt the comforting touch of a cold latex hand on her shoulder. She turned and asked the doctor, ‘Am I dying?’ ” ened but not eradicated. Eva Dingwall has always been aware of how much contact means to her. For her, hugging her daughter, shaking hands with her pastor, and kissing her husband is as natural as breathing. In June, as she sat with her feet in a rushing stream as the sun baked over her, Eva had never considered what it would be like to live without human contact. In July, she was wondering if she would ever experience it again. In March 2020, COVID-19 arrived in the United States and it seemed the world came to a halt. Jobs, friends and family members were lost. For Eva, she was one of the lucky few to remain relatively untouched. Eva is an Administrative Associate at Tech and Greg Dingwall, Eva’s husband, is a band director in Livingston. The couple quietly finished the school year online and spent their summer together. Through the summer, Eva and her family enjoyed church youth groups and summer band camps. During one of the camps, Eva’s daughter Sarah encountered a student who wasn’t feeling well but quickly explained away all the symp-
8 | Eagle Eye
started shaking, racking her with stomach cramps. As her body was pouring sweat, she urgently called her daughter and asked for help. Eva quickly made it her daughter’s house. When her body finally relented its attack, she felt relief until she looked down. The smell of iron hit her nose instantly and all she could see was blood. In the moment, it was easy to assume something she ate. Making her way home, she insisted everyone keep their distance. Exhausted, she knew she needed rest. As her conditions worsened, a trip to a local urgent care was in order, and on Sunday Aug. 2nd, Eva and her husband entered quarantine. She wondered how this would impact her day to day. She asked herself, “This thing is basically just the flu, right?” The next day the results of her COVID-19 test came back positive, and on the following day her taste was fading and her fever dreams began. This is when the struggle for breath began. Knowing this was more than just the flu, Greg quickly
