My Covid Journey- 1 month later

 Hello!

 I wanted to write a final post about this journey with Covid. Again for everyone I meet that has had it, their story has different elements. Also, as a reminder I had a moderate case. I did not have any of the 4 symptoms that would alert you to go to the ER.

 I'll start with a celebration. Today marks 1 month since my positive Covid test results. What.A.Month! Thankfully my only lingering side effects are reduced energy and my savory taste buds are still off kilter a bit.

 I wanted to share some things that helped me on the path to feeling better. Some you can do now as we will enter cold and flu season, to strengthen your immune system. An ounce of precaution is worth a pound of cure.

Here is a list of all the meds and vitamins I took or still take-

*Vitamin C

*Elderberry gummies and capsules (Amazon)

*Vitamin D

*Motrin (or any fever reduction meds)

*Airborne

*Multivitamin (Costco)

*Tessalon Perles (prescribed by my doctor for cough)

*over the counter cough medicine (CF)

*Regular Aspirin ( doctor suggested this for 1 month after a positive COVID test, to reduce chance of blood clots)

Other recovery tips-

*HYDRATION especially water

*Toothbrushes ( I used a new toothbrush every few days, it felt cleaner than brushing with the same germs I was coughing up)

*Wash anything you think might be contaminated (clothes, bedding, I even washed all the rugs in my house)

*Start a very detailed cleaning regiment ( think about everywhere your hands touch often, think about the distance of the particles of a sneeze or cough....clean everything!) Remember good old bleach cleaning was good enough for our grandparents, and still works to this day.

*Get a good thermometer (thermometer covers were so helpful in keeping it sanitary between uses)

Surprises-

*I will not get TMI here, but as you listen and learn your body you know what is normal. I definitely had some abnormal signs that alerted me that I was ill. One was the mucus I was coughing up was brown! The first time I saw that I panicked and called Mel who called our nurse friends. It was a normal sign of infection, but man I was so scared.

*Just how much you will sleep when your body is sick. I am a go-getter, always liking to be busy, but man oh man, I spent days in bed.

* As I recovered I kept thinking about the critical cases. The type of pain you would have to be in to go to the ER. I was really humbled because I could have been another story in the news. Like I said, it has been quite the experience.

* Lastly, the best kind of surprise was the overwhelming love that was critical in my recovery. Just imagine not being able to go out and get anything you need. I live by myself, my parents and sister live in other cities, my boyfriend was sick. And yet, I was provided with every SINGLE thing I needed. I am a testament that God is faithful. My family, church and friends were his literal hands and feet as I recovered. 

As I look back on my sickness, I remember the worst night. It was 3am in the morning and I was burning up, then shivering and achy, and coughing so much. Tossing and turning and feeling like I was going to vomit. And I remembered the Scripture that if you call out to God he will hear you. And so that's what I did. I cried out that I felt so bad, and that I knew he could help me to feel better. I cried out in sickness, and some fear, and just in being so weary. A month later I know, I know with all my heart and spirit that he heard me that night, and he heard all of you that prayed and he delivered healing to my body. To God be the glory!

Psalm 34:17

New International Version

17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
    he delivers them from all their troubles.

Reflections on my COVID-19 experience

I am writing this down, one because I write to process, and two because there are so many COVID stories out there, and I want to share mine in hopes that someone might learn something that will help them if they experience this illness.

A few facts to start, I know who I got the virus from, and that person knows where they got it from. So at least that is a not a mystery. Also, this is day 9 since I got my official positive test results back, and I am feeling better, getting more energy daily, but still definitely not 100%.

I can't pinpoint the beginning. In all honesty I was worried about someone I love who was not feeling well so I don't think I noticed that I was feeling odd. I do remember my energy starting to lag, coughing, and feeling like I was burning up. I took my temp and it was 97 degrees so I told myself, I was just being crazy and feeling "sympathy illness". One day I also remember ordering pizza, and it looking SO delicious, but it tasted super salty. I remember that's all I could taste was salt, and thinking that was odd.

Well I started to cough more, get more and more tired and weak. I'm a talker but I was avoiding all phone calls because I didn't want to alarm anyone with a coughing fit. These were wet/mucus coughs so I started taking cough medicine.

Then it kind of all hit at once. Total exhaustion, sore throat, no smell or taste, yucky cough, nausea and diarrhea, body ache and chills. I went to get a COVID test. I had already started my quarantine because I knew something was wrong. I have general good health, so I knew this was the worst I had ever felt.

As I waited 3 days for my results the symptoms got worse, I finally told my family and close friends what was going on. After 2 nights of no sleep I called my doctor and I had to advocate for myself,to get some stronger cough medicine. At first they said to take over the counter meds but I had already done that. So I called back in my feverish anger and said, NO, I need something stronger, because I am not sleeping and not eating and I feel terrible.

I got my positive results back on a Saturday, and my parents, family and friends started getting me everything I needed. Soup though I could not taste, unsalted Saltines because even the little salt on Ritz was unbearable, vitamins, drinks, care packages, cleaning supplies, everything. I was so weak and tired, I'd be winded just bringing stuff in from the porch to the living room.

Here is one thing that I tell everyone. Make sure you have a thermometer that works! Mine was old and incorrect and so by the time I got a new one my fever was 101, but I know during those bad days it had to be higher.

So I stayed in, slept a lot, drank liquids because I was feeling so dehydrated, slept more and prayed, not just for me, but anyone at all who was dealing with COVID. Having it definitely increased my understanding and empathy. I will say I had a moderate case, I did not have the symptoms that required going to the hospital, but I definitely was sick.

I started to recover. As the fever left so did the nausea, and I could get some crackers and soup down. Still no taste, but I needed energy. The energy started to come back and I could actually walk to the laundry room without feeling depleted. I was able to talk on the phone more and text. This entire time, I had the most amazing network of loving family and friends, who dropped off everything I needed on the porch. Also, my mom and sister nursed me from afar. Ice cold ginger ale was my very best friend:)

So today is day 9 since my positive test. Almost all of my symptoms are gone or decreasing. I will be at 14 days of official quarantine this Saturday. I have made plans to get the 2 retests I will need to return to work.

I will never forget this situation. I will do another update once I feel all the way "normal" and return back to work etc. I am so grateful for my health and for the loving support that uplifted me when I could not uplift myself. If you start to have symptoms, do some online reputable research (CDC, your state Dept of Health) and go get a test if needed. Also, go ahead now and make sure you have cold/flu meds, a thermometer, and cleaning supplies.