First Person Covid-19 stories

[Hoosierdood]

Mother in law started feeling bad a few days before Thanksgiving. My wife and kids had gone shopping with her the Saturday before. Wednesday night, mother-in-law gets a positive rapid test. Thanksgiving canceled.

Wife starts feeling bad Thanksgiving day, as does my son. We manage an ad hoc family dinner, just the four of us. That night I start feeling feverish and achy. I'm supposed to work on Friday, so I called our COVID hotline to see what they wanted me to do. They have me come in for a rapid test, while my wife heads to our county health department. We both test positive.

My wife's symptoms are mostly respiratory, coughing and congestion, whereas I mostly just ache in my joints. Monday, I thought I was bouncing back, but my fever spiked hard Monday night, up to around 103. The weird thing is, the fever seems to come mostly in the afternoon and evening; I feel okay during the day. This morning I feel pretty good, but we'll see what happens tonight ...

My wife was exactly the opposite. She would start feeling better in the evening, and making comments that she might go to work the next day. Then the next morning her fever would spike, body aches, no strength. She would gather the energy to get out of bed around noon and move to the couch. By the time I got home from work around 5:30, she was up and moving around. Then it would all start over the next morning.

 

[frenchiectfd2203]

Started 3 days ago with a cough and sore throat. Two days ago I cracked open a beer at home and couldn’t taste it. It actually tasted like water. I shoved a container of vicks vapo under my nose, no smell. Woke up the next morning with chest pain(severe enough I got a little worried). Went to test that morning after a video chat with dr. I’m on day 4 waking up with headaches, I’m really tired most of the day. Still have slight cough muscle soreness.

 

[Ballstater98]

Thursday, 12/3- update on FIL.

BIL was able to visit today and FIL is sitting up with his eyes open a bit more. He’s attempting to talk a little more too. Still no known cause of fevers the past couple days. His temp was good overnight and then slightly elevated again this morning.

According to BIL, he may be moving from the ICU to the regular room soon. Physical therapy will continue to work with him. He’s been able to move (with assistance) from the bed to the chair to sit up and today they will work on him standing. He will also continue to work with the speech team as swallowing is still an issue.

Out of ICU is definitely encouraging. Slow and steady.

 

[churchmouse]

Thursday, 12/3- update on FIL.

BIL was able to visit today and FIL is sitting up with his eyes open a bit more. He’s attempting to talk a little more too. Still no known cause of fevers the past couple days. His temp was good overnight and then slightly elevated again this morning.

According to BIL, he may be moving from the ICU to the regular room soon. Physical therapy will continue to work with him. He’s been able to move (with assistance) from the bed to the chair to sit up and today they will work on him standing. He will also continue to work with the speech team as swallowing is still an issue.

Out of ICU is definitely encouraging. Slow and steady.

 

[dusty88]

Started 3 days ago with a cough and sore throat. Two days ago I cracked open a beer at home and couldn’t taste it. It actually tasted like water. I shoved a container of vicks vapo under my nose, no smell. Woke up the next morning with chest pain(severe enough I got a little worried). Went to test that morning after a video chat with dr. I’m on day 4 waking up with headaches, I’m really tired most of the day. Still have slight cough muscle soreness.

Do you have a pulse oximeter? If not you can usually get one quickly on Amazon. My understanding (and you can verify with your doc obviously) is that if your oxygen saturation drops below 94, it's time to go to the hospital. People are finding themselves feeling pretty good sometimes and not realizing their O2 has dropped. Hence the term "happy hypoxic"

 

[KittySlayer]

So low grade fever started Saturday and I am six days in and unable to shake the fever. Generally 99.0 to 100.2 with occasional spikes to 101.0, mostly in the evenings. Took my COVID test Monday afternoon and was negative. No other symptoms other than an occasional cough, nothing regular. Avoiding people and waiting on the fever to go away.

Thoroughly frustrating. Been doing all the recommend crap: masks, sanitizer, social distance. Glad it’s not worse but this sucks.

 

[johntheplinker]

Do you have a pulse oximeter? If not you can usually get one quickly on Amazon. My understanding (and you can verify with your doc obviously) is that if your oxygen saturation drops below 94, it's time to go to the hospital. People are finding themselves feeling pretty good sometimes and not realizing their O2 has dropped. Hence the term "happy hypoxic"

I was kinda out of it at the time but Dr. told me (actually The Boss) if it dropped under 85, go to ER tout suite. Mine was bouncing around from 87 to 94 for about 3 weeks so thankfully no trips to ER.

 

[WhitleyStu]

Veterinarian my wife works for called Saturday and said he tested positive last Wednesday. Wife called her doctor Monday and got tested. Test came back positive so I called my doctor and was tested Wednesday which came back positive. Wife has no sense of taste, but that is all. I have a very slight cough when I first get up in morning. Doctor wants me to go in for an infusion.

We both had very bad "flu" last week of December 2019 and first week of January this year. Never was so sick. Saw a news article that some blood donors that were sick in mid December 2019 have the COVID antibody. We are wondering if we had a strain of COVID last December/January even though COVID was not thought to be here till later in the year.

 

[dusty88]

I was kinda out of it at the time but Dr. told me (actually The Boss) if it dropped under 85, go to ER tout suite. Mine was bouncing around from 87 to 94 for about 3 weeks so thankfully no trips to ER.

Again..i could be wrong but i think there are cases where are having an oxygen saturation below 94 could benefit from having a home oxygen Administration, which could be the result of that trip to the hospital rather than putting you in the hospital if that makes sense.

 

[churchmouse]

Veterinarian my wife works for called Saturday and said he tested positive last Wednesday. Wife called her doctor Monday and got tested. Test came back positive so I called my doctor and was tested Wednesday which came back positive. Wife has no sense of taste, but that is all. I have a very slight cough when I first get up in morning. Doctor wants me to go in for an infusion.

We both had very bad "flu" last week of December 2019 and first week of January this year. Never was so sick. Saw a news article that some blood donors that were sick in mid December 2019 have the COVID antibody. We are wondering if we had a strain of COVID last December/January even though COVID was not thought to be here till later in the year.

This is what happened to me. I was seriously sick but I have been that sick before as my immune system is compromised. The same time frame as you. No idea what it was and nobody else around me got sick. Spouse/daughter or the terrorists and we were all close as it was the holidays and I see the kids every day. They live next door. Go figure.
Found the anti body's later when I had other issues.

 

[churchmouse]

Again..i could be wrong but i think there are cases where are having an oxygen saturation below 94 could benefit from having a home oxygen Administration, which could be the result of that trip to the hospital rather than putting you in the hospital if that makes sense.

Are you referring to being "ON" oxygen...????

 

[dusty88]

Are you referring to being "ON" oxygen...????

Sorry, poorly worded sentence.

I'm saying if your oxygen saturation is low (per a pulse oximeter reading) and you go to the doc, they might be able to help you without hospitalizing you. Some people are prescribed oxygen to administer at home.

Start with the phone call first obviously to avoid exposing anyone at the ER unnecessarily.

 

[frenchiectfd2203]

Do you have a pulse oximeter? If not you can usually get one quickly on Amazon. My understanding (and you can verify with your doc obviously) is that if your oxygen saturation drops below 94, it's time to go to the hospital. People are finding themselves feeling pretty good sometimes and not realizing their O2 has dropped. Hence the term "happy hypoxic"

Dusty, I you make a very precise point with hypoxia. I have been in the medical field for 15 years so I’m no stranger to hypoxia. However being in this field also gives you a false confidence because you think you know your body better than most including yourself. With that, if anyone happens to find themselves in this crap please be aware of your body and don’t try to be a hard ass.. ego eats brains.

 

[jsharmon7]

Wife has had some minor flu-like symptoms this week. Results came back today: positive. I guess that means I have it as well.

 

[frenchiectfd2203]

Wife has had some minor flu-like symptoms this week. Results came back today: positive. I guess that means I have it as well.

Not necessarily, however to caution on the side of error I would imply that you do and live life together for the next 14 days.!! My wife has not been tested yet but she is not showing any symptoms. They said if she’s not showing not to test, only to watch and stay inside.

 

[HoughMade]

I know of 2 married couple where one of them got it with symptoms and the other never did...well, not yet.

 

[OneBadV8]

I know of 2 married couple where one of them got it with symptoms and the other never did...well, not yet.

Do you know if the one that didn’t was type O blood? Lots of theories and data out there saying type O is more resistant.

my mom got it, and my dad never did. He’s also type O

 

[jsharmon7]

Do you know if the one that didn’t was type O blood? Lots of theories and data out there saying type O is more resistant.

my mom got it, and my dad never did. He’s also type O

She started feeling off on Monday. I’m O+ and feel fine so far.

 

[HoughMade]

Do you know if the one that didn’t was type O blood? Lots of theories and data out there saying type O is more resistant.

my mom got it, and my dad never did. He’s also type O

I don't know. Sorry.

 

[Wolfhound]

I had it and my wife did not catch it. I am O+ not sure what her blood type is.