I contracted Covid-19 and am now recovered.
Thankfully my case was mild and it didn't go severe. Even though I had it mild it takes a major toll on the body. I am in my 20s. I didn't want to be over confidant because I am young. I was scared because I have underlying conditions and am also a minority. Thankfully I did not have the fevers, cough or shortness of breath. It didn't get to my lungs.
I've was in quarantine for about 6 weeks. It's only been the last few weeks I've been able to leave my house. It is strange that I am no longer a hazard to society and contributing to the Herd Immunity.
Even with my recovery I have lost 80% of my sense of smell. My taste has returned but it is slightly hindered because I cannot smell fully.
I 'm not a germaphobe but just cautious and aware. Crazy thing is I am always careful. I started wearing a mask right before the CDC recommended wearing one. I wipe my cart with clorox wipes, sanitize my hands when I go into the car. Even before the pandemic I only like to go to the grocery store when itsnot busy like at night, and also try to be in and out as quickly as possible. I hate being in the store for long periods of time
Back in May I had to go out of town because my bank card wasn't working. I couldn't wait 7-10 business days since I had to pay rent. So I went to Albuquerque, NM, which is a hotspot in my state. I got it by community spread because I have no idea where I got it or been in any known contact with any infected person. My guess is I got it from touching half the atms in my town, or the bank, or the grocery store I went to.
Honestly I believe wearing a mask saved my life and shielded me from getting Covid-19 severely. The CDC is saying part of the formula is how long exposed and how high the concentration of the virus.
Wherever I was exposed at it wasn't for a very long time. I was appalled when I went to the bank more than half of the people did not have a mask on despite the area being a hot zone. And this was a military bank.
It took 12 days for symptoms to appear for me. It started with a ever so slight loss of taste and then gradually over that week I lost my taste completely along with my sense of smell. At first I was in denial and thought I was being paranoid. I tested the theory by smelling my trash can, I could not smell any funk. The test that was the eye-opener was eating a sandwich with chopped garlic 4 times the usual amount. I could not smell or taste the garlic, except the tingling sensation of eating too much garlic.
For sure something was wrong.
During the incubation time I had migraines, muscle pain, MASSIVE fatigue, brain fog. I kind of dismissed this as part of my auto-immune disease but I was uncertain because those are Covid symptoms as well.
On day 6 was the day that made me want to go get a covid test. I woke up that morning with a slight sore throat and that was the thing that freaked me out. Unfortunately it was a holiday weekend and I had to wait a few extra days to go get tested.
Day 9 was the day I got the test. It was frustrating because I had to call 3 different places and no one knew what the dafuq to do. I understand people say they have symptoms when they don't. But I was dead serious.I tried to follow the guidelines for the CDC where they mention call your primary doctor first. I called my primary and they only did tests once a week by appointment only. The next available was the week after and I feared if I waited too long my test wouldn't come up positive.
I was persistent with the receptionist if the hospital was the same, and she gave me advice on what to say to be seen quicker.
I called the local hospital twice. First time there was some kind of mix up and they hung up on me! Then I called again and they referred me to the ER. Where the receptionist told me to get a quicker test I would have to admit myself to the ER.
Honestly I have past trauma going to the ER. I was terrified if I was admitted I wouldn't be able or allowed to go home. I went to the ER in the past and my emergency contact and nearest relative was indifferent to my traumatic experience and even told me nasty things. A gaslighter will tell you that your medical conditions are all made up and such even what you have going on is real.
Anyway it took me an hour after the phone call to actually go to the hospital, which is around the corner from my house. Like the stages of grief by the time I decided that I was going to get a test I accepted the fact I was infected with covid-19...but I still bawled my eyes out. I figured I'll cry all the tears I had so I wouldn't cry when I got to the hospital. Nope. That tactic did not help, still cried at the hospital.
When I got to the hospital they give temperature checks and testing is prioritized if you have symptoms. My local hospital does not let you into the building if you have symptoms. You are directed into an outside tent, where you call a number on a slip of paper and check in with the ER.
The nurse who tended to me was an angel in a PPE uniform. After all my frustrations she made my experience pleasant. She helped me to calm down. One of the things I remember her saying was that its scary with the news with everything going on and 80% of the cases are mild and can be treated and managed with at home care. Drink plenty of fluids and take tylenol for pain and fevers. Do not take any cold medicines, there have been studies but not enough where it can make things worse by helping the virus grow.
Everyone always asks me about the test. I had the swab test that goes up your nose. The pain level is a 4. To this day I wonder if I was distracted because I was bawling my eyes out that I did or did not feel the swab entirely. It was weird because after she said it was done I felt the sensation of the swab in my nose still. I kind of knew what to expect, a few days before I went in I saw Andrew Cuomo get a test on tv. It is quick and easy. Like any kind of test it depends on the hands of the nurse if its painful or not.
The last thing the nurse told me when I left was remember to do something good for yourself. I told her I bought chocolate cake earlier but unfortunately I could not taste it, but I knew its still cake. Since then I had to go to the hospital for other things and haven't ran into that nurse. I really want to thank her for everything she did.
It took 3 days for someone to call me back about my results. It was positive. I joked with the nurse that called that honestly I would've been more surprised if my test came out negative. We had a nice chat, I didn't freak out because I already accepted my fate. She also called about contact tracing. It simple and easy for me, since March the only places I go to is the store and the athletic park around the corner from my house. I haven't seen my friends in person since we all take social distancing seriously. Unless it is at the store or park.
The people I was worried about was a 2 of my friends during the 2 week incubation, we ran into each
at the park and walked around for about an hour. The park is the only place I won't wear a mask, and my friends were not wearing one. I was concerned 1 of my friends was also considered at risk. She ended up getting a test before going into surgery and hers was negative. Thank God. It feels shitty enough as it is to realize you yourself are sick but I can only imagine being sick and spreading the virus to someone you love or care for would be devastating.
Just because you are young doesn't mean you are invincible or it lessens your chance of getting Covid. Even
Rudy Gobert who is my age still can't smell and his Doctor told him that it possibly would take a year for him to recover.
-To be continued in Part 2! -
Please be careful, safe and take care everyone.
Songs I've been listening to
