JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A local couple is hoping and praying for their COVID-19 tests to come back negative. Mark and Janet Baxter have been in isolation for about a month after both testing positive for the virus.
“We had no idea it would drag on for this long,” said Mark Baxter.
They’re getting used to this. Mark tested positive twice, then negative, then positive again. While his wife tested positive four times.
“I ended up going to the ER. I needed some fluids, I was getting dehydrated and the fever was getting me,” said Mark.
Baxter who is a missions pastor said back on March 10th, he flew to Brazil for a meeting. But, he cut the trip short because of everything that was going on. One day after he came home, he had a fever and a dry cough.
A few days later, Janet was feeling sick. “I had a fever. I started vomiting. And that went on for hours. My body ached,” she said.
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For about a month, the two have been stuck inside their home, trying to get better. They communicate with their family through social media, and sometimes they see their grandkids through a glass window. They say their faith is key. That, and people from their church checking in on them, bringing them food. They said that helped them get through it.
“We didn’t feel good, but we saw the goodness of God,” said Mark.
“We’ve gotten a little discouraged, but there have been so many people that have struggled a lot worse than us. This virus has certainly taught me that I’m not as in control as I think I am. That god is in control, that has helped me give me peace, as we get this repeat tests. Just being able to rest and know God’s got this. And I can trust him,” said Janet.
Mark and Janet are now waiting for their results of their 5th test. If it’s negative, they said they need to take one more and it needs to be negative, and then they will finally be cleared.