I am one of those long haul (30 days-plus) COVID-fighter people—10 weeks for me of a moderate case that got better at times, then worse, then better again. I am very glad to say that the last two weeks I have been feeling immensely better. (I waited to make sure sure it wasn’t just another blip before announcing it.) Now, I am somewhere back to my “normal” Chronic Fatigue self. The symptoms of CFIDS are so similar to COVID long-haul that it would be hard to tell the difference in general, but my sudden onset and severe symptoms of COVID that were different from CFIDS are gone.
Some of the weird things about having Covid-19:
• I never really had the fever or even problems breathing, just many of the other debilitating symptoms—many more than are listed or were even known to exist when I had them.
• I had been quarantined by myself for a month before I was exposed to the virus, and I was wearing a triple-layer mask and being very careful, breaking quarantine by going to a procedure at a pain clinic that had been planned since December. I had called ahead to make sure the office was following safe guidelines, but no one there was wearing a mask.
• I am often very foggy, forgetful, can’t think of words, but while having COVID, there were times I could not speak one regular sentence. My Facebook activity was mostly just liking/loving or sad/angering—unless I was in a temporary upswing and could type words.
• The first time in my illness that I seriously thought I needed to get myself to the ER was in Week 10. That was because of severe rib cage/heart/chest pain. (I thought I had gotten over it three times by that point.)
• I never once tested positive with the virology test (negative twice). Yet my doctor did diagnose me as having COVID from video and telephone appointments.
• Some people consider my case to be mild because I did not have to go to the hospital, and as fortunate as I feel that it wasn’t worse, I am seeing some people have flu-like symptoms for a week or even less and that is what I would call “mild.”
• Mild, moderate, serious, severe, extreme, death: You do not know which one of these you are passing on to someone else by not wearing a mask or keeping your distance—because you may be pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic.
• I had hoped that by the time my four-month quarantine was over, that y’all would have contained this and shut it down, but it is worse now.
• According to doctors and Tom Hanks, I might not even have antibodies, and even if I do, I might not have them for long.
• Someone like me may still have the virus or damage in internal organs, even though we test negative from nasal swab tests.
• So I will continue to not be in enclosed spaces with people, wear my mask, stay home as much as I can, keep my distance, disinfect everything—for your health as well as mine.
• I am so grateful for all my support crew. (You know who you are.) Thank you. I feel like it will soon be time for me to be paying it forward as this virus explodes.
• Melatonin, famotidine, selenium, zinc, vitamins C, A, D; soluble fiber, Pepto Bismol, Ricola throat drops, 15-plus kinds of probiotics, CBD oil, topical magnesium oil, constant fluids, low sugar-wheat-dairy diet, highly digestible green protein drinks, peanut butter, vegetables, oatmeal, fruit juices, antacids, Tylenol, Xanax. (Not all at one time! Do your research to see if they are right for you!) These are the things that helped me through. Good luck out there!
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