i hestitated putting this out there because i am a person who desperately seeks validation from others (unfortunately)
my biggest fear was a whole bunch of people would be like “you don’t even know if you have it!”
and i just don’t have the spirit to deal with that right now
my biggest fear was a whole bunch of people would be like “you don’t even know if you have it!”
and i just don’t have the spirit to deal with that right now
but just in case there are people out there that will gain something from me sharing my experience, i felt a need to share my what’s been happening to me over the last 15 days
so here it goes
15 days in the life of a (presumed) covid 19 positive patient
so here it goes
15 days in the life of a (presumed) covid 19 positive patient
day 1 (of symptoms)
already self isolating
sudden fever spike and runny nose
fever in a matter of minutes went from 100 to 102
i thought the thermometer was broken
i took advil because i hadn’t learned you shouldn’t take nsaids yet
fever broke, i wrote it off as a cold
already self isolating
sudden fever spike and runny nose
fever in a matter of minutes went from 100 to 102
i thought the thermometer was broken
i took advil because i hadn’t learned you shouldn’t take nsaids yet
fever broke, i wrote it off as a cold
day 2-7
next morning and for the next five day i wake up & read everything i can about the virus
i see people i admire liking a post that we shouldn’t take nsaids
overall i feel fine, just little cold and barely any fever (100).. mostly reading to educate myself “just in case”
next morning and for the next five day i wake up & read everything i can about the virus
i see people i admire liking a post that we shouldn’t take nsaids
overall i feel fine, just little cold and barely any fever (100).. mostly reading to educate myself “just in case”
day 8
massive fever spike, i’m 102 and the tylenol i’m taking is not breaking it for hours
my heart is racing
i call my mom and dad they insist i get a test
i find the test hotline, wait 90 minutes on hold and when the rep answers i burst into tears
massive fever spike, i’m 102 and the tylenol i’m taking is not breaking it for hours
my heart is racing
i call my mom and dad they insist i get a test
i find the test hotline, wait 90 minutes on hold and when the rep answers i burst into tears
day 8 cont
they say i’ve been put on the list to get a test, and that someone will call me (“they don’t know when”) to schedule the appt
fever still not breaking, im sobbing
call my parents sit on the phone with them for hours
cry but still am able to sleep that night
they say i’ve been put on the list to get a test, and that someone will call me (“they don’t know when”) to schedule the appt
fever still not breaking, im sobbing
call my parents sit on the phone with them for hours
cry but still am able to sleep that night
day 9
fever magically breaks
no one ever calls to test me
i feel ill
extreme back pain/body aches, my lungs feel like they are filling up with water almost like im drowning
no fever (this made ma & pa hopeful)
& no cough (this made us think okay maybe its still not “it”)
fever magically breaks
no one ever calls to test me
i feel ill
extreme back pain/body aches, my lungs feel like they are filling up with water almost like im drowning
no fever (this made ma & pa hopeful)
& no cough (this made us think okay maybe its still not “it”)
day 10
wake up with the most extreme congestion i’ve ever had in my life
mom is not a nurse but she was mine and until someone proves me otherwise im convinced her logical calm approach saved my life
“you need a decongestant”
“what’s a decongestant”
mind you this is 2am
wake up with the most extreme congestion i’ve ever had in my life
mom is not a nurse but she was mine and until someone proves me otherwise im convinced her logical calm approach saved my life
“you need a decongestant”
“what’s a decongestant”
mind you this is 2am
day 10 continued
and i’m all alone.
i take dayquil
hour later & i can breathe again
mom, dad, older brother, ex bf of 15 years each insist on coming to get me
i refuse because i have to protect them
if this turns out to be “it” then “it” could kill them
and i’m all alone.
i take dayquil
hour later & i can breathe again
mom, dad, older brother, ex bf of 15 years each insist on coming to get me
i refuse because i have to protect them
if this turns out to be “it” then “it” could kill them
day 11
more and more congestion but this time it’s so scary i want to call 911
moms there again
“you need to spit it out katelyn nicole”
“mom i don’t know how to spit”
“gargle mint anything, toothpaste, mouthwash”
im finally able to spit up the pink blood and all shit
more and more congestion but this time it’s so scary i want to call 911
moms there again
“you need to spit it out katelyn nicole”
“mom i don’t know how to spit”
“gargle mint anything, toothpaste, mouthwash”
im finally able to spit up the pink blood and all shit
day 11 continued
it helped but wasn’t enough
i called 911
by the time they got here the mint had worked and i was able to spit up loads of what needed to come out
it was terrifying
the girls in the ambulance to me “you don’t want to go to the ER, it’s a warzone”
i dont
it helped but wasn’t enough
i called 911
by the time they got here the mint had worked and i was able to spit up loads of what needed to come out
it was terrifying
the girls in the ambulance to me “you don’t want to go to the ER, it’s a warzone”
i dont
day 11 continued
mom still on the phone (she was on even while i sat with girls in the ambulance)
dad wakes up
we all sit on the phone while i continue to spit up the scariest experience of my life
mom still on the phone (she was on even while i sat with girls in the ambulance)
dad wakes up
we all sit on the phone while i continue to spit up the scariest experience of my life
day 12
i wake up, my chest is tight, but i feel a little better
i take mucinex
drink tons and tons of water
“recovery” begins”
i wake up, my chest is tight, but i feel a little better
i take mucinex
drink tons and tons of water
“recovery” begins”
day 13-15
chest has been super duper tight and i am now (recommended by mom) heating water with mint daily to breathe in & clear out
my bpm is still 40 pts higher than my usual so i’m likely not totally out of the woods yet (sign i’m still likely fighting infection)
chest has been super duper tight and i am now (recommended by mom) heating water with mint daily to breathe in & clear out
my bpm is still 40 pts higher than my usual so i’m likely not totally out of the woods yet (sign i’m still likely fighting infection)
day 15
sudden runaway heartbeats throughout the day and night
i can feel my heart pounding in my chest
it’s so noticeable that even though i’m run down i feel like i have a lot of energy and it’s really hard to sleep
my hearts been like this for several days now
scary
sudden runaway heartbeats throughout the day and night
i can feel my heart pounding in my chest
it’s so noticeable that even though i’m run down i feel like i have a lot of energy and it’s really hard to sleep
my hearts been like this for several days now
scary
day 16
felt like crap when i woke up
focused on major hydration
vitamin c, electrolytes, water
felt better by afternoon
first day without runaway heart beats in a long time ❤️
felt like crap when i woke up
focused on major hydration
vitamin c, electrolytes, water
felt better by afternoon
first day without runaway heart beats in a long time ❤️
day 17 wrapping up
tons more water
more vitamin c
more electrolytes
really hard time breathing today
found this post and it was a total game changer
twitter is going to save so many lives
tons more water
more vitamin c
more electrolytes
really hard time breathing today
found this post and it was a total game changer
twitter is going to save so many lives
day 18 wrapping up
i feel good
breathing and respiratory rate is finally improving (i achieved this by laying on my belly for 16 hours)
no runaway heartbeats (bpms)
slept over 8 hours last night :)
❤️🙏🇺🇸🦠🏥
i feel good
breathing and respiratory rate is finally improving (i achieved this by laying on my belly for 16 hours)
no runaway heartbeats (bpms)
slept over 8 hours last night :)
❤️🙏🇺🇸🦠🏥
day 19 (yesterday)
my ring signaled i was spiking a fever
but my thermometer at home was not showing a fever
it worried me
i finally found a doctor who would care for me in person
doctor is now treating me for covid19 & a secondary infection
my thermometer was broken
my ring signaled i was spiking a fever
but my thermometer at home was not showing a fever
it worried me
i finally found a doctor who would care for me in person
doctor is now treating me for covid19 & a secondary infection
my thermometer was broken
day 20 (yesterday)
i’ve now been prescribed a zpack (antibiotic) for the secondary infection
still taking vitamin c
still taking electrolytes
my biggest concern is my bpm which has “windstorms” of up to 142
it hung out in the low 100s for a big part of the day yesterday
i’ve now been prescribed a zpack (antibiotic) for the secondary infection
still taking vitamin c
still taking electrolytes
my biggest concern is my bpm which has “windstorms” of up to 142
it hung out in the low 100s for a big part of the day yesterday
