Part 1 – Leading up to the day
A week like any other. I work from home and my wife and
daughter leave every morning, one for school and the other for work. Got my
hair cut, went to spirit Halloween, Drive in Movie to see Candyman, down to madeira
beach to have grouper and Dockside Dave’s. Unless I was in a crowded area, I had
no mask on. I wore it when I felt uncomfortable or in highly populated areas.
Labor Day was mostly staying at home not going anywhere. Tuesday after work
attended the Clw Threshers game with my fam. Again, wearing the mask only if I felt
uncomfortable. Had stuffy head but no different from normal for someone who has
constant allergies. I got the covid vaccines and in 2021 I always wore a mask
in public until recently.
Part 2 – The Day
Woke up and said yep, I got a sinus infection. I know the
signs. Been here many times before. The first hour I was up I kept thinking
this feels different then a normal sinus infection. Symptoms are different and,
in some cases, worse. My body does not normally ache like it does today. After
talking it out with others I agreed that it would be a good idea to get tested
for Covid so I proceeded to urgent clinic around 10am and got tested. As the
hours and minutes passed during the day, I was feeling worse and worse and
still waiting for the results. I was able to get some help expediting the results
and around 9pm across my patient portal there it was. Positive Covid-19 SARS. That
feeling of your whole body going flush, yea that was me. After a couple of bad words,
I went in and told my wife and daughter and we set up to formulate a plan.
Part 3 – Now What
Woke up drenched in sweat and chills all over. Starting to
support a fever higher than normal. Yep, million-dollar question, now what? Spent
the morning going over and discussing the treatment of Regeneron. Although I could
not get ahold of my doctor yet I decided to make an appointment at 1015 to get
it done. I went over to the Greek Orthodox church where they were giving the treatment.
Place was clean and well organized. I got back to the nurse that was verifying
all my information. Another nurse presented herself with 4 syringes. So, the process
is to put one in back of each arm and one in each side about 8 inches above
waist line. Then to make sure you do not have any reaction to the treatment
they keep you for 1 hour. So, when I got back home, I grabbed a bite to eat and
realized there was no flavor. Heard about this. My doctor had called in some
medicine so I ask my wife to pick it up after work. Before you know it, I was
out like a light. Woke up and felt like I just lost a 10-round fight with Mike
Tyson. Ok maybe 30 second fight. Worked a little then after medicining up back
to sleep. My medicine list was Nyquil, Dayquil, Antibiotic 10 days, Steroids, Nasal
spray, cough drops, and lots water.
Part 4 – Saturday
Woke up so drenched in sweat you would think someone poured
a bucket of water on me. So here comes
the dizziness, cough, fever. So as the day went on at first, I did not realize
but was feeling worse as it did. By 5pm my forehead temperature peaked a 104.7
my oral temp was 102.9. Oh yeah, my sense of smell – gone. Once the dizziness
slowed down, I decided to go take a shower to get my temp down. It worked good
enough. Forehead was between 102-103 and oral went to 102.0. Slept as much of
day as possible. Taste started to leave me but did not realize.
Part 5 – The next week
Sunday – Woke up again drenched in sweat, with chills. Got
that under control and cough, fever, still rolling along. Don’t remember much about
this day. Not a big surprise.
Monday – by now I feel like a stranger in my own house. Everyone
avoiding me at all costs and when they are not, they look like they are trying
to rob me (masks on). I know this is necessary for everyone’s best interest. No
morning sweats this time but no sense of Smell, taste, and fever still around.
Cough is setting up home don’t see it leaving anytime soon. Today was the day
that I was coughing so hard for so long I felt like I could not breath. Call it
a small panic attach or what, a Xanax helped fix that for now.
Tuesday – I got a dumb idea. Let’s work from home today! So not a partial day but a full one. What was
I thinking? So tired, weak, out of it. I was not being pressured to work, but
needed to feel wanted, I guess. Didn’t do that again. Slept hard and long that
night.
Wednesday – lets get smart…. Sleep equals quicker recovery.
No work…. Fever broke today !!! what I mean by broke it is below 100 and does
not go back up over 100 Oral and forehead. Fatigued and tired but doing ok.
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday – I group these days because
they mirror each other. No work, sleep and improved fever. Somewhere along the
way my voice is scratchy, still short of breath, cough, congestion. Stomach is
starting to approve. Yes, it’s been a problem all along but didn’t include
details.
Sunday – Day 10/11 of isolation. Makes me smile. I feel
relieved, but I am not back 100% yes. I need to realize that. I don’t want to
be anything but 100% now but that will still take weeks. So as of this Sunday I
still can’t taste anything, smell anything, or talk without the rasp yet, but I
can hug my daughter and wife.
Part 6 - Conclusion
I’m ending it here but its not over. I know that I am
fortunate that it could be so much worse, and yet it was bad. I could not have
done this without the support of my wife and daughter most of all. I scared the
hell out of them but they helped me with what I needed and there’s no paying
that back. My friends, coworkers, Facebook friends. These groups were always
checking on me. I can’t single out really any person more then another because
if they reached out only once meant so much, and the ones who reached out every
day I needed that too. Also, all between.
I learned not to follow the masses. I have spent most the
time since March 2020 wearing a mask when I go out, hand sanitizer, even after vaccination.
About 3 months ago I stopped wearing a mask as much as I should. I feel somewhere,
someone was a carrier and they and I did not know it and wala, I got it. I will
continue to wear a mask as overkill, and will get a booster shot when its available.
This is not any statement to say wear a mask. I decided to simply tell my story
and what actually, physically happened to me. So, if I back away if you’re not vaccinated,
or not wearing a mask don’t take it personally. I support your choice to not do
those things, so don’t hate what I do that is also my choice.
