CoronaVirus Got Me. My Experience with Covid- 19..

One thing I have learnt whilst contracting the Coronavirus is that it is a different experience for everyone who goes through it……and this is the reason why we are facing these uncertain times, because nobody has one set experience.

It is so tricky to understand who has Coronavirus and who is going through a normal sickness period like the flu, or a common cold.

Everyone also experiences it in different forms, whilst some will be Covid Positive and go through their day without knowing, others have more dangerous effects like breathing issues, and convulsing coughs.

Yes. It struck me, and the whole family too, but we were lucky we got the mild form of Coronavirus, and we are all well on the way to recovery.

I have decided to do a 7 day diary, purely because its been such a tough time for everyone with the lock down and the constant anxiety and stress we have all been feeling, over getting Coronavirus and getting over it.

I appreciate that not everyone will go through it the same as me, for some it will be easier, for others it will be harder, but generally I want to emphasise that ‘We can get over it!‘ All the media seems to show is negatives, all everyone seems to talk about is deaths.

Well I am here and I am alive, and I am getting over this, as are my family.

I am in no way or form saying it was easy. It was tough! you will see exactly What I went through in the 7 days. But what I am saying is that it gets easier….

Coronavirus: Day One:

2o’clock in the afternoon I had a headache- a sudden headache. All I wanted to do was go to sleep.

I stretched myself out thinking it’s a migraine and finished off bits n bobs around the house before I could sleep (as we do).

It came to a point where I could not carry on, so I decided to switch the lights off, put the blanket on and get some sleep.

Usually when I have a migraine I can sleep pretty much straight away, here the force of the headache was so bad, I couldn’t sleep at all, I tossed and turned but just couldn’t sleep, and the headache was becoming severe, then all of a sudden I had a coughing fit and I threw up.

After this I slept for a little over 2 hours but I felt better.

I assumed that I felt this way because I stretched the migraine out. I told myself never to do this again. The hubby also was suffering from headaches, and slight fever- but he was up and about, so he decided to go to the walk in clinic to get tested. I decided not to….. As I just had a migraine right?

I managed to make dinner, I was feeling weak but assumed its because I stretched out my migraine and I just had to get over it.

The hubby settled for tea and toast- his throat was hurting him. I made fish, roast potatoes and vegetables for me and kids. The Kids ate well.

I remember taking a bite of the fish and not enjoying it, it smelt fishy, really bad fishy, overwhelmingly fishy (Is that even a thing?). I ate the vegetables only and binned the rest as I just couldn’t stomach it. The smell was overpowering. I’m sure its the same fish I buy all the time from Iceland…….. I Blamed the migraine again.

2 hours later like a blow to my head the pain in my head and eyes started. I couldn’t function. The hubby gave me paracetamol. (I knew I shouldn’t have taken it, I have a reaction to pain killers and waiting for my allergy testing which has been put on hold because of Covid).

15 minutes in and I threw this up along with my food intake. I was feeling weak. I was shaking. My head was aching, and I just wanted to close my eyes so I went upstairs to bed straight away.

All night I struggled to sleep, my headache was so severe and my body felt like someone had beaten me up. My legs were refusing to work with me, every turn and shift in bed was agonising. On top of that I threw up 2 more times, the last time a case of acid.

This was by far the worst migraine I Had ever had! . I Didn’t even realise Migraines could be so bad

Food intake in 24 hours– few vegetables which I eventually threw up.

Day Two:

The next morning at 8am the hubby touches my neck and says that I am roasting, like cooking, real bad.

I’m also sweating, I can’t open my eyes, my head is heavy, My body feels like a truck has run over me, and the right side of my leg feels heavier than the other. He calls 111…. Usual questions first regarding covid….. No coughing, and no out of breath. … Not covid.

I knew that. It’s a migraine…… But the lady on the other side said No it may be worse. You need to go into A&E now….. NOW!.

I really slowly and with aches and pains got into the car, and we headed off to A&E- which by the way is no longer A&E it’s just a small cubicle sitting outside A&E and has a socially distanced qué outside.

Their was only 2 people in front of me, so it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I stood in the que (no visitors allowed) but I was struggling standing. There were no seats around, I held on the railing and Evan contemplated sitting on floor. The lady in front saw my discomfort and offered me her place. I am forever grateful to this soul.

Inside the cubicle I got asked the same questions all over again.

The nurse checked my temperature, gave me a mask, and handed me a form. He told me I needed to go to another entrance in the hospital which can only be done whilst going on the outside of the hospital as all corridors inside are closed off and blocked. Luckily the hubby dearest was still outside and we drove round.

On entering the hospital- I knew straight away something was wrong, no visitors were allowed in, and it was eerie and empty. Just 2 ladies sat in reception, with full mask and gloves on, its only when I handed the form in to them that I noticed the form on the top said ‘Covid 19 Ward’.

One of the ladies grabbed me a chair and positioned me to sit down, I was glad she did, there was no way I was able to stand. Once again I got the million and one question whilst she tapped away at her computer screen, I asked the dreaded question “Am I in the Covid Ward?”

‘Yes’ She responded, ‘Just need to make sure we have all your details then we will take you in’

‘Im not covid, I have a headache, I have really bad migraine” I answered

‘I just do the form filling sweetie- once you go in, they will do the rest…”

“Im not going in” I answered, ” I need to see a doctor…. i’m not covid, i’m not coughing, I am not out of breath….i’m just tired, and weak”

She completely ignored me, and gave me another form and pointed to the door further down. “Thats the ward, they will look after you in there”

I hesitantly went to the door, a nurse opened up and told me to go in, I refused, gave her the form, and told her ‘Im not covid. this is a mistake,….” she heard me out and took me back to reception. She had a word with a doctor over the phone and then handed me a form and advised me to go see the doctor. Once again I went back in the car and we drove round to where the doctor was….

The doctor saw me within 15 minutes, “You need to go back to the Covid Ward, you are covid positive”. He said this just by looking at me. By this time I was tired, I was exhausted, I had just been passed from pillar to post, and I was getting upset. I went into the car and told my hubby “I am done, nobody wants to listen to me, I want to go home. Im not going to the Covid Ward – just take me home..”

We went home, on the way home, I got a call from the doctor asking me where I was, I explained to him that I decided to go home. He did tell me clearly that he thinks I should be in hospital and that my temp was at 39.5 which is dangerously high. I refused and told him that its due to the migraine. He advised me to get a test done, and to isolate until I get the results and gave me a direct number should I feel any worse to call and a ambulance would pick me up.

We left the conversation as that, I went home, went into bed and fell asleep.

Later that day my husband gets his results “Positive”………that means……, I must also be positive……

I looked at my husband in disbelief, It got us. We are Covid Positive. I had tears in my eyes at this point, I was feeling so weak, so awful, my head was pounding, and that damn doctor was right, and I had cussed him the whole way…

I stayed in bed til mid afternoon, then I decided I needed to get up. The struggle is unreal, every little millimetre of movement hurt, like an elephant had stamped on me, my body felt bruised and my skin was so hot, it was reflecting into myself like a heater. My head was pounding, I was forcing myself to keep the eyes open.

We started on our hot drinks (link here) but I couldnt have anything with milk in it, it felt heavy and generally the smell would make me throw up! (this is like pregnancy all over again), I probably stayed down stairs for 2 hours, before all I needed was to sleep. I went back upstairs and I slept…

Food intake: Vitamin C Tablet, One orange and 2 cups of water with Lemon

Day Three:

Another rough night, the body feels like its broken, the temperature not subsiding. The head is pounding. Emotions were running everywhere. My eldest son has started coughing, so now the 3 of us are unwell, just the youngest one left….

Today was all about more hot drinks, and honestly I dont really remember much apart from sleeping through it…

Food intake : Vitamin C tablet, nil by mouth, 3 cups of water with Lemon

Day Four:

Today the hubby suggested a shower- maybe I was smelling? I realised it had been 3 days since I last went. This coming from a women who needs a shower 2 times a day minimum, at 40 minutes each. Yes I am a water hogger and a proud one at that. The headaches were not so frequent, but the body still felt bruised, maybe the hot water would help?

The shortest shower in all of my life lived, I struggled with standing, and then the water ached on my body. The steam made me gag and ….. well i’ll wait a further 4 days before I try that again.

Although not 100percent the body was feeling so much more better, I could do bits and bobs for a couple of hours before the aches started up again, and I used my time wisely, whenever I felt I could do things, I got up and did them, the most simplest of things like emptying the dishwasher or putting a load of clothes in the washing machine, and just putting away socks and underwear. Being more fit and able we started steaming with black seed oil to clear up the airways and once again lived on lemon and water. (Click here for the drinks we had whilst ill, they helped in keeping the airways clear)

Food Intake: Vitamin C tablet, 4/5 lemon and water glasses, no food

Day Five:

Woke up with no headache at all. My body was healing but the right side of my leg was still aching, sharp pains running through. I spent most of the day downstairs. The eldest was coughing on and off, but generally keeping well. The youngest Boi had now come down with a temperature and body pain. We kept him on paracetamols every 4 hours. Its funny how when your child becomes ill, automatically you go into turbo-mode and try and get over your own feelings.

Food intake: Lemon and water throughout the day, and I managed a handfull of food today. Definately getting better..

Day Six:

The younger boy is doing well, as long as the paracetemol is kept up to date. Im going through burst in the day where I am fine for a little while and other times I just want to sleep. Small chores in the house are getting done, but all at the expense of a aching body afterwards.

Food intake: Lemon and water throughout day, with golden chai. For dinner I had soup and bread, and it stayed down!

Day Seven:

Headache? What headache? What temp? the only thing remaining now is the aching body on the right side. I’ve started doing alot around the house and even started making food! feeling generally better as a whole…. Is the worst over? I think it is

Food intake: Lemon and water throughout day, light lunch and light dinner.

It’s now day 13, and apart from a slight pain on my right leg, all other symptoms have gone. The same for hubby who has slight headaches and the boys have miraculously got over it completely.

The reality with covid is that nobody really knows what it is, and everyone goes through a different version of covid.

Generally speaking the main symptoms of covid are- new cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste and High temperature… From all of this I had only high temperature. I suffered from headaches, body aches, a heightened sense of smell, vomiting and nausea!? …. For obvious reason I was in denial that I had covid- I was waiting for all the wrong symptoms.

But am I glad it’s over. Since March we have been going through anxiety, every little ache and pain would make us doubt ourselves and what we experienced was nothing we had even imagined.

I just want to tell all the people who have anxieties over Covid that, yes there is a genuine reason, however it is curable, and we can get over it. Most of the challenge is a mental game, if you can keep mentally strong and try to push yourself, you can fight it. However I appreciate not everyone is the same, but I am hoping that my experience will help the ones who have anxiety to understand that its a battle that can be won, and that the media is something we really need to switch off too, especially because in all honesty I didnt even get any of the ‘normal’ symptoms of Covid yet I was Covid Positive.

Should any of you require any help, any advice, even if you would just like to talk, just send me a quick email, I will do my best to help you, even if it means to help you try and keep your anxieties at bay.

A Huge Thankyou to all my friends and Family, who were by my side (at the other side of the door) whilst we went through this. You made the whole process so much more easier for us. Forever grateful for this and also to the lady who gave up her position in A&E for me. I appreciate you were their for a reason, yet you thought of me before yourself, and I will never be able to repay you for this.

Onwards and Upwards.

Love and Regards

M11bna

Follow me on Insta? No?Why not? Follow me here.

Dont forget aquick ‘Like’, ‘Share’ and ‘Follow’ and pop your email address into the subscribe button to always be up to date with ‘A Cup Of Me’