Some things I don’t mind the long haul. Vacation. A shopping trip. A fun day home with my babies. Covid is NOT one of these things. But alas, in true Alex fashion, here I am over three months later, still covid-ing it up. I shouldn’t be surprised. I’m the queen of “not your textbook case” when it comes to my health. Not many people can say they were diagnosed with the West Nile virus two months before their wedding or they spent three months of their pregnancy itching all over their body due to cholestasis. I should have known that I wouldn’t be lucky enough to have a mild case.
So many people have asked about my covid journey? Illness? Spell? Awfulness? Experience? Whatever you want to call it…so I figured I’d wrap it all up in a blog post. Plus, I’ve been super intentional about saving things for my kids to look back on one day when they’re older. 2020/21 is one for the record books and I want my kids to have authentic knowledge and memorabilia to look at and recollect their memories when telling their children and grandchildren about the craziness that is the corona virus pandemic. So, this blog post can go in the archives.
Midafternoon on Christmas Day, we were opening gifts at my parents’ house and I lost my voice. It was out of nowhere. I felt fine, just couldn’t speak. I chalked it up to having a draining few days with hosting Christmas Eve dinner and tidying up last minute Christmas details. The next day, I woke up with a scratchy throat and a small headache. My parents have dogs and a cat, both of which I’m allergic to, so it wasn’t out of the ordinary for me to feel like complete garbage while staying at their house. I also started feeling jittery and couldn’t sit still. My legs were restless and I had a high heart rate. I had just started a new thyroid medication and my mom (who’s a nurse) said it was probably too high of a dose and encouraged me to call my doctor on Monday. That day and the next, I continued to not feel great with a headache, extremely sore throat, congestion and the jitters. But I trucked through. Again, thinking it was allergies, new medication and exhaustion.
We went home on Sunday, December 27th and it became apparent that it wasn’t just allergies. I was completely exhausted and my symptoms had gotten progressively worse. Those that know me personally know that I can’t go to bed with a messy house. My OCD just won’t allow it. The night we got home, I literally dumped our luggage at the door, got out what we needed for the night, and went to bed. Christmas gifts, laundry, toys and luggage were strung around the house and I didn’t lose a minute of sleep over it.
The next morning, I started running a temp, and everyone encouraged me to go get tested. Thankfully our health department was doing rapid tests at that time. I went in, and 15 minutes later had a call. As I took the call, I noticed I couldn’t taste my throat drop, so I pretty must expected the results…
I spent the next 7 – 10 days in bed, running a 104+ fever with severe body aches, sore throat, cough and congestion. I lost my sense of taste and smell, which in turn took my appetite. But the headaches. When I tell you, it was the worse my head has ever felt, I am not exaggerating. It hurt to blink my eyes. I didn’t look at my phone. I barely watched tv. It hurt to do anything. My only saving grace was my amazingly generous and thoughtful friend, Jackie, sent me a face mask that you can put in the freezer. That week is a blurry haze of Tylenol, water, my husband checking on me and snuggles with my kids.
On January 9th, it was clear that I needed more than rest and Tylenol. I had severe chest pains and could barely speak without losing my breath. I remember reading my kids a book and barely being able to make it through. I did a tele-health appointment through our insurance and was prescribed an inhaler, oral steroids and an inhaled steroid. However, by Monday, I was worse. I then met with my primary doctor who diagnosed me with pneumonia. He straight up told me that if I wasn’t in the shape I was pre-covid, there’s a good chance he would be admitting me to the hospital. I guess all those burpees were good for something! Another longer round of stronger steroids helped me over the hump, but I still was far from normal.
I went back to work full time on January 19th. I still was in a lot of pain in my chest and barely had the energy to make it through the day. I slowly and steadily increased my movement each day.
My taste and smell didn’t come back for weeks. When they did finally come back at the end of February, they were very faint and dulled, maybe 50% of what they normally would be. About 2 weeks after I got them back, my smell changed again and all I could smell was the faint scent of cigarette smoke. I remember sitting at my desk and sniffing my hair, wondering if I had been around someone that smoked without realizing it. That lasted until this past weekend, April 2nd. Now my smell is gone again, except for any strong scents, but instead of their normal scents, it smells like burning hair or what I would imagine burning flesh to smell like. It. Is. Not. Pleasant. I realized it when my parents were making coffee. I kept asking what that awful smell was and no one else could smell it. Turns out it was my once beloved coffee. I’ve also noticed it applies to scented soaps and lotions or other things with stronger scents. The worst part? Coffee tastes terrible. I would rather have NO taste than this. I can stomach the coffee my husband makes me, but that’s it. I’m hoping it changes soon because the thought of a life without coffee makes me want to cry.
I’m now classified a covid “long-hauler”. My immune system has totally been in the tank since having covid. I have an autoimmune disorder, so it’s never been great, but the past three months have set a record. I have had a head cold every other week and had the stomach flu. Plus, I had two rounds of hives, as well as a staph infection on my forehead. I know, I’m super lucky...don’t be too jealous.
My chest still bothers me on a daily basis and I find I can’t exhale as deeply as I could before. I’m prepping for a half marathon and my endurance and stamina just isn’t where it used to be. I also have a hard time catching my breath when laughing hysterically, which is pretty dreadful since I surround myself with pretty humorous individuals.
I’m now fully vaccinated, but had to experience most of these symptoms again, albeit for only 24 hours this time. And please spare me the third degree if you disagree with the vaccines. I’m an educated woman with a biology degree and I made the best decision for me and my family. You do you, I’ll do me.
The physical symptoms were terrible, but the mental mind game of guilt and anxiety were equally as taxing, but I’ll save that for another day….
It bothers me when people say covid isn’t real or not that big of a deal. To some? Sure. My dad, sister and brother-in-law all got it and it wasn’t a big deal for them. They recovered and have moved on. But for me, it’s been much more. It’s crazy because I’m the one in the best shape (sorry guys, you know it’s true). Covid apparently doesn’t have any rhyme or reason.
Do I think the whole thing has been politicized and used for greed? 100%. But please don’t tell me it isn’t real.