In the interest of spreading sound knowledge/experience, I thought I would share my personal coronavirus story. Maybe it will help someone with their own bout, should they be so lucky.
Firstly, for disclosure, I don't do politics, I don't have an agenda, I am by profession a clinician, and have taken this seriously since March. I was the first in my area to go to curbside-only service in the interest of protecting my staff and clients. I believe masks help....you have to be willfully ignorant to think that they don't....but I've never believed that are a suit of armor. I wear them in public buildings, at church, on farm calls if the clients want me to, and inside any business that requests it without giving any static back to them. My wife and children do the same. All of my children have continued to attend public school, and wear them during class. Just want you to know where I'm coming from with this....just a recounting of my run-in with the disease.
A staff member of mine started feeling bad roughly two weeks ago after getting home from work. She and I had worked together quite a bit that day. I found out the next morning when she texted me early about having fever, so I had her stay home. Two days later was Sunday...I went to services that morning, as I felt perfectly normal. That afternoon I took a nap, and woke up feeling off. Low grade temp, so I stayed home from church that night. Didn't sleep well, still had fever on Monday morning, so I stayed home from work as a precaution for the staff. Fever up, but never got above 100.3. My head was pounding. I was able to get in the next day to get tested, and it came up positive. I'd been living on Tylenol for 2.5 days to get relief from the fever and headache. The fever abated relatively quickly, but my entire skull felt like it was on fire and I thought my eyes were going to bust out of my head. I was weak, but not terribly so. The headache lasted a solid 4 days without any relief, and finally began to fade on day five. No GI symptoms at all. Almost no congestion, no chest/lung issues or hypoxia. Lost ALL taste and smell on day 8, and it happened almost instantaneously (breakfast was fine, lunch was gone). It just began to come back yesterday (day 12). I stayed in my bedroom nearly the entire time by myself to avoid giving it to the family. If I left the room, I had on gloves and a mask to fix my meals. My kids have to stay home for 14 days, I had to stay home for 10, and my wife continued to work (she's essential) with twice-daily temp checks. None have shown any symptoms at all. Today is my first day back at work, and the fatigue is tough to describe. I'm nearly 48, never drank or smoke, always have great blood pressure, and I'm fairly slim. I have no preexisting conditions whatsoever.
I know I was lucky to have had a mild case, but that headache was extremely difficult to deal with...It was the most burning I've had in my skull that I can recall. I was as careful as anyone I know, aside from the hermits that haven't seen daylight since spring. I own my own business and have a TON of responsibilities outside of that, so I felt it was my duty to be that way. Three more staff members got sick with fever and/or GI, respiratory symptoms, but all three tested negative, one of them tested twice. None had headaches, none lost sensations...I just believe we had two different bugs simultaneously.
My 75 year old mother and 50 year old sister both tested positive back in the summer, and their disease path basically mimicked mine. They STILL battle fatigue at times that is over and above normal for them.
I believe this is a similar story to what most folks have/will experience(d). It's been YEARS since I had the flu...it was MUCH worse, but MUCH shorter. This stuff just slowly drags you along in misery, as opposed to slamming you in the face with a hammer. Take this for what it is.....just an FYI.
Firstly, for disclosure, I don't do politics, I don't have an agenda, I am by profession a clinician, and have taken this seriously since March. I was the first in my area to go to curbside-only service in the interest of protecting my staff and clients. I believe masks help....you have to be willfully ignorant to think that they don't....but I've never believed that are a suit of armor. I wear them in public buildings, at church, on farm calls if the clients want me to, and inside any business that requests it without giving any static back to them. My wife and children do the same. All of my children have continued to attend public school, and wear them during class. Just want you to know where I'm coming from with this....just a recounting of my run-in with the disease.
A staff member of mine started feeling bad roughly two weeks ago after getting home from work. She and I had worked together quite a bit that day. I found out the next morning when she texted me early about having fever, so I had her stay home. Two days later was Sunday...I went to services that morning, as I felt perfectly normal. That afternoon I took a nap, and woke up feeling off. Low grade temp, so I stayed home from church that night. Didn't sleep well, still had fever on Monday morning, so I stayed home from work as a precaution for the staff. Fever up, but never got above 100.3. My head was pounding. I was able to get in the next day to get tested, and it came up positive. I'd been living on Tylenol for 2.5 days to get relief from the fever and headache. The fever abated relatively quickly, but my entire skull felt like it was on fire and I thought my eyes were going to bust out of my head. I was weak, but not terribly so. The headache lasted a solid 4 days without any relief, and finally began to fade on day five. No GI symptoms at all. Almost no congestion, no chest/lung issues or hypoxia. Lost ALL taste and smell on day 8, and it happened almost instantaneously (breakfast was fine, lunch was gone). It just began to come back yesterday (day 12). I stayed in my bedroom nearly the entire time by myself to avoid giving it to the family. If I left the room, I had on gloves and a mask to fix my meals. My kids have to stay home for 14 days, I had to stay home for 10, and my wife continued to work (she's essential) with twice-daily temp checks. None have shown any symptoms at all. Today is my first day back at work, and the fatigue is tough to describe. I'm nearly 48, never drank or smoke, always have great blood pressure, and I'm fairly slim. I have no preexisting conditions whatsoever.
I know I was lucky to have had a mild case, but that headache was extremely difficult to deal with...It was the most burning I've had in my skull that I can recall. I was as careful as anyone I know, aside from the hermits that haven't seen daylight since spring. I own my own business and have a TON of responsibilities outside of that, so I felt it was my duty to be that way. Three more staff members got sick with fever and/or GI, respiratory symptoms, but all three tested negative, one of them tested twice. None had headaches, none lost sensations...I just believe we had two different bugs simultaneously.
My 75 year old mother and 50 year old sister both tested positive back in the summer, and their disease path basically mimicked mine. They STILL battle fatigue at times that is over and above normal for them.
I believe this is a similar story to what most folks have/will experience(d). It's been YEARS since I had the flu...it was MUCH worse, but MUCH shorter. This stuff just slowly drags you along in misery, as opposed to slamming you in the face with a hammer. Take this for what it is.....just an FYI.
