In our world of uncertainty and misinformation, I wanted to let you know what happened to me when I contracted the COVID-19 virus. If you think that this virus is a hoax, is just a simple cold or flu, or you think you won’t get it, hopefully, my story may change your mind.

It All Started When…

I am not sure where I contracted the virus. I have a couple of ideas but that doesn’t really matter. COVID is everywhere now.

On Friday evening June 26, I felt a fever coming on and achy all over. I chalked it up to just the “achy” flu. It lasted through Saturday.

On Sunday I was feeling good when I woke up in the morning. I rested a bit throughout the day after having what I considered the “flu” and continued on with my life.

Things Changed Quickly

On Monday, June 29 I felt great. It was a brand new week and I had many things planned to get done. I was making progress with organizing and cleaning our home and was ready to get started after a cup of coffee.

I noticed when making the coffee, I could NOT smell it. Weird! Then after it was brewed, I could NOT taste it. It tasted like hot water! Hmmm. 🤔

Next, I was emptying the dishwasher and putting dishes into it when all of a sudden, I had no energy. I have never felt fatigued like this before. I went to our bedroom and told my husband, Micky, that I had to take a nap.

Being a nurse, Micky thought that things were pretty weird with me as far as my health was concerned and called the local hospital. After telling the nurse my symptoms, she told me to come in and get tested for COVID-19.

After getting my test I was told to quarantine myself until the test results came in (about 3-5 days).

I Was Feeling OK

It was really strange waiting in my room while waiting for my test results. I was feeling fine, mostly bored, and getting into a routine of TV watching during the wait. Call it a mini staycation.

Wednesday, July 1, my fever and fatigue came back. This was not good news.

I Tested Positive

Thursday, July 2, I received the phone call I was dreading. I tested positive for COVID-19. The Monument Health nurse told me to stay quarantined away from everyone at home, watch my temperatures, and use acetaminophen or ibuprofen as needed for the symptoms. Their COVID Care team would be calling me every morning to check on how I was doing, my symptoms, and to be available if I had questions. This COVID Care team was my lifeline through the whole virus infection.

10 Days of Hell

Over the next 10 days, my body went into fighting mode. All hands on deck to fight this foreign visitor that was not welcome. All of my systems seem to have shut down during this fight.

I had no appetite. I wasn’t thirsty. I had no urges to use the restroom. All I wanted to do was sleep off the fevers, achy muscles and joints, and I was tired all of the time. (Partly because my husband was loading me with vitamins and melatonin.) If there was any good news during this hell was that it never entered my lungs.

Right around the 8th of July was the most terrifying day for me. I had a skull-splitting headache (it felt like my brain was growing larger than my skull), no energy, dehydrated, and my psyche was scaring me. In my mind, I was planning my funeral. I was thinking of all of the things I needed to tell my loved ones. My body was starting to retreat from the fight and wave the white flag. The virus was winning.

I called my husband in for support; crying that I couldn’t take much more of this. He comforted me saying that everything is going to be OK and we were going to fight this.

Micky told me that I need to eat and get some liquids down so I have the calories and energy to fight the virus. I was out of gas. So, every time he came into the room he had some sort of food, Gatorade, and water for me to take in. I still didn’t have any smell or taste so everything tasted like cardboard and water.

About the 11th of July, I started to feel better. My fevers have gone down and leveled off for the past couple of days and my appetite and thirst were slowly coming back. Getting out of bed was difficult. Every couple of steps I had sharp pains of charlie-horse coursing through my calves. I made it outside to our deck for some fresh air (with my face covered) until the fatigue set in and I needed the rest.

On July 12, I was cleared from COVID Care and our Department of Health since my fever was gone for 72 hours without using medication. I came out to our living room and reclined in my chair. It was good to get out of our bedroom, look out of the windows, and praise God that I made it. Our sons were very shocked to see me and I was so thrilled to see them.

Still Effected

Even though the virus didn’t make it to my lungs during the worst of it, I have been coughing a dry cough since I have recovered (it is, as of this writing, July 26). I still do not have my full sense of taste or smell back. And it has taken me all this time to get my energy back. Many times I plan one or two things to do each day and the rest of the time is resting and recuperating. My nurse on the phone told me that every day you are down fighting a virus, plan on 5-7 days until you are back to normal activities. If you do the math, that is about 50-70 days until I am “back to normal”.

**Update** Just about one month recovered and my energy is back in full force.  I am still coughing, but not as much and still my smell and taste is not fully functioning yet.  I get glimpses of both every once in a while.  You definitely don’t know what you got ’till it’s gone.

This is the Devil Virus

I had a lot of time to think during my quarantine and fighting this virus and I have come to the conclusion that this virus was created by Satan himself and whispered to the people who created it. Just think about it:

• It is spread VERY easily.
• It shuts countries and economies down.
• Churches across the world were and continue to be shut down.
• It affects each individual person differently. My symptoms were different from someone who was in the hospital. Even my husband thinks that he may have had it when he had a headache and scratchy throat for 3 days.
• It separates loved ones. I had to be quarantined from my sons (my husband didn’t care if he contracted the virus, luckily for me). Many who are in critical condition with COVID-19 die without their loved ones near.
• It causes confusion and unrest; not only in our governments but in our medical communities as well.
• Immunity isn’t a guarantee.

Many Things to be Thankful for

This is a tough virus to fight. I don’t think I would have done well on my own. I am so thankful for my nurse husband, Micky who helped me when I needed him, pushed me to get better and was there for the support I needed.

I am thankful for the nurses at Monument COVID Care. They took the time to call me every morning to see how I was doing. I never felt rushed during the visits. They talked to me as long as I needed to, gave good advice, and cheered me on that we would be celebrating when this was over. Their kindness and support made all the difference in fighting this virus.

Take Care and Stay Safe

I was one of those who thought that I was doing pretty well staying safe from the virus (except I never wore a mask). I cleaned our house with bleach water, used hand sanitizer and washed my hands a lot, and for the most part, was social distancing. Please, for your family, wear a mask when you go out in public. Wash hands frequently. Follow the arrows on the floor in stores. And social distance yourself when you can (I know in grocery stores and Walmart it is difficult to do). ANYONE can get this virus!!

It has been a long fight since the shutdown in March, but we, as one of the greatest countries in the world, have to keep fighting, we have to keep going and be consistent so this virus is eradicated. It is not going away overnight.