Thread by @BBCNaga

This from one of my friends who is recovering from being hit with Covid-19.
This is why it is important to take the new measures seriously.

It's a long thread - but if it makes you change your attitude for the better, it can save lives.
❤

Big shout. Do not mess about with the coronavirus.
As some of you know I tested positive. It is nothing short of horrible.
On Friday 13, I began to fall ill. By 4pm I had a persistent cough and a high temperature. I was feeling really dizzy.

That night I had a massive health anxiety attack. And without Jenny Couper I honestly don't know how I would have survived that first night. Just think about that.
Saturday and Sunday I was bed bound and getting worse.
I slept most of Monday.

But by that afternoon I knew it was still getting worse. I spoke to several medical professionals. And at 6PM the paramedics arrived and i was taken to hospital.
My oxygen levels were low and my temperature had reached very dangerous levels. 38.4.

I was connected to oxygen at 7PM. And tested at 1am on Tuesday. It was then that I found out that the virus had spread to my lungs and I had contracted viral pnuemonia - one of the more dangerous side effects of coronavirus.

The difference between viral and bacterial is the latter cam be treated by drugs the former totally depends on your immune system being strong enough.
At 7PM on Monday I was placed in an isolation room with no TV, a window looking out on to a brick wall.

I had no personal interaction for at least 22 hours a day with little to think about apart from the death rates. At that point the only people getting tested where the high risk people and only if they had got admitted to hospital.

I had no appetite and there was a massive battle to keep my oxygen levels up. And that was not looking good.
Wednesday was vaguely ok although that was the day I got confirmed with covid 19. My temperature was good, blood pressure was fine and the cough was gone.

I was told then there was a vague chance that I could get released on thursday and for 15 minutes they tried me without oxygen. Big mistake. I crashed and had my oxygen intake upped eight times in a desperate attempt to stabilise me.

During that time any thinking process was exhausting but I remembered that from when I had bacterial pneumonia.
That was the bleakest moment. Remember I was effectively in solitary confinement with nothing to think about but my deteriorating health.

I work for Amnesty and now i have a much better idea of what solitary confinement is like. It is mental torture.
The ward put me on two hour check ins and I was meeting the intensive care unit. At this point all I was thinking about was my mortality.

I was trying to recall all the good moments of my life and hoping my children would be able to survive without me.
I had lengthy conversations with a couple of great nurses trying to help me with health anxiety. I remember repeating over and over it has only been three days .

It was awful.
The oxygen tube also causes a huge problem. It damages the inside of your nose. The oxygen hurts the fabric and it starts bleeding and clotting - which ironically makes it more difficult to breathe. That too is horrible.

Finally on Friday I was moved to another ward. Again I was on my own but at least this had windows and TV. It was on Friday I finally managed to eat something.
My breathing was still bad but starting to improve.
On Friday they stopped the oxygen again. This time I coped.

My oxygen levels were borderline
My mental health though was shot - I had not a conversation with anyone for longer than five minutes for six days. I desperately needed to get home.
Meanwhile the number of people being admitted with coronavirus were soaring.

I was due to be discharged on Saturday morning but an emergency delayed my doctor.
I was later told that a bed with a sealed bag left the ward shortly after. A death almost certainly.
I was finally released at 6.30pm on Saturday.

My breathing is better.
However I have no strength. All my muscles have wasted away and I can't move without being given a helping hand.
It is horrible.

I have found impossible to respond to all the good wishes it is simply physically exhausting, but rest assured they were so very important.
The whole experience has been awful and I am not through it yet.

And remember of course, this all hit five weeks through my nine week chemotherapy course. For which I now have no idea when that will be completed.

My conclusion is:
Thanks to everyone.
I am pretty convinced I picked it up on a commuter train.
But mainly don't mess about with the government advice.
This is a horrible horrible virus.
Stay safe and love to everyone