Gone viral

When Lorrie Ludwick found out she contracted the novel coronavirus, she joked the only good thing that might come out of it would be if she became the first person to have it in Jasper County.

Well…

If there is one thing she realized from living in self-isolation at her Lynnville home for the past few weeks, in an attempt to quarantine herself from the population, it’s that being first “isn’t always the best thing in the world.”

Ludwick publicly announced her illness on Facebook a few days after visiting the emergency room. While sitting in a Grinnell hospital room and wearing a yellow facial mask, Ludwick looked directly into her cellphone’s camera lens and snapped a selfie surrounded by complicated medical equipment. Some time after, the county health department announced its first case.

“The virus is real,” she said in the post. “My test came back positive.”

Indeed, Ludwick contracted the novel coronavirus and was instructed to stay at home. She told her friends on Facebook she was probably contagious beginning March 15. Symptoms occurred three days later; a fever, fatigue and a dry cough. She and her husband, Larry, have been under strict quarantine ever since. Ludwick urged her friends to stay home.

Ludwick’s Facebook post, which was made public, generated more than 480 shares and 200-plus comments. Ludwick was initially hesitant to share the news this way, not knowing exactly how folks would react. So far, nearly all of the interactions have been positive, she said. Several folks even sent well wishes to the couple.

“I have a very strong rationale and I was very willing to accept any consequences that came from it,” she said. “You know there are people that don’t believe in this disease. They don’t think anything of it because they don’t know anybody. So I wanted it to be known.”

She also thought of her daughter, who had a double mastectomy almost three years ago. Ludwick likened her charismatic daughter’s experience of going public with the news and her battle with breast cancer. The frank truth offered insight and education. Ludwick, too, wanted to let doubters know the virus exists and can affect loved ones’ lives.

“She told people about it,” Ludwick recalled. “Within three weeks, 20-some people who were aware of that went and had mammograms. Of those 20-some mammograms, three of those women were diagnosed with cancer. And all three of them live today. We, as parents, are supposed to set examples for our children. This is a situation where my child set an example for me.”

Ludwick, a retired IT worker, has lived in Lynnville for the past 25 years, but she was born and raised in Chicago. Staying confined to the farm has been difficult for the Midwestern traveller. Prior to the pandemic, Ludwick said it would have been unusual for her to stay at home for more than two weeks straight. Since contracting the virus, that is what she has had to do.

"I can't go anywhere," Ludwick said.

To this day, it is unknown where she contracted the virus. Since Ludwick travels extensively, one could presume where it started. Public health officials have identified travel history — as well as the aforementioned symptoms — as a pivotal indicator during the early stages of the pandemic. Although she can’t prove it, Ludwick doesn’t think she contracted it overseas.

Regardless, Ludwick is on the mend and her health has greatly improved.

The symptoms are gone, but Ludwick plans to remain quarantined until the end of April. She said it is the right thing for her and her husband — who is presumptive positive — to do right now. Friends and family members have been in constant communication with the Ludwicks, and have kindly volunteered to drop off groceries to their property when needed.

She has added the gesture to her growing list of positive things that have come out of her illness. Ludwick realized people do want to help in any way they can, even in very difficult circumstances. Because of that, she has grown closer to her three adult children, who have frequently called her for updates on her health. Much to her surprise, she received greeting cards in the mail, too.

Today, Ludwick is filled with joy, but it wasn’t easy. Keeping a positive outlook has been almost as difficult as willingly confining herself and her husband to their rural Lynnville farm, maybe even more so.

Yet, she prevails. Because in addition to practicing social distancing and good hygiene, the 73-year-old has chosen to “practice joy.” She chooses how to respond to this pandemic, encouraging others to do the same. Fear and anger, she says, are emotions people have the capacity to control, to an extent, especially at a time where there is very little the public has control of.

"On the 'other side' of this pandemic, you will discover that worry and fear did not change the outcome, and you were miserable in that state of mind," Ludwick said to Newton News. "Instead, celebrate the joy you see, the good deeds, the beauty. It won't change the outcome either, but it will be kinder to your health than anger or worry or fear."

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com