What a fun first Hive post. I'm sick. NOT April Fools.
Today's the first day I felt strong enough to type, let alone be awake for a few hours. Small victory. My eyes are sensitive to light, so this isn't pleasant.
For those who don't know me, I'm a trooper and can endure any type of physical pain. I've been hit in the face with a fastball and got right up. I've also been clobbered with baseballs hit from close range and played through the swelling and pain without missing a game. Knock on wood.
With that out of the way, I'm writing this between dry hacks because I'd like to share my virus experience so people can learn/protect/brace themselves.
While some people are asymptomatic, I wasn't.
For full disclosure, I haven't been tested, but the freight train with most of the textbook symptoms hit Monday AM, and I see no point. I'm not going to put myself at further risk or discomfort, or expose others, just to check a box.
When comparing COVID-19 to the standard flu, it's pretty obvious that I'm affected by the latter, as I'm missing many of the standard flu symptoms. If I don't have it, I guess it's some other super flu that makes breathing harder, everything laborious, and causes constant coughing.
To be honest, I can't even remember the last time I had a fever or the flu. It must've been at least 5+ years out. My immune system is rock solid, so while there was a hole in my armor, I know I'll conquer it as quickly as it can be conquered. I get sick less than once a year, but this is the exception, and I'm holed up in my apartment for at least 14 days IF things go smoothly.
For those making memes or expressing frustration/boredom about being stuck at home, thank God that you're healthy. Seriously. You don't want to spend days laying down with severe flu symptoms coughing with restricted airways wondering if it'll get worse. When lungs are involved, it's very unsettling. Thankfully I've been able to stay calm because I can't afford any panic or respiratory stress now.
As for other personal experience, my brother-in-law got demolished by the virus and has a nurse visit twice a day. After weeks, he's finally taking a turn for the better towards recovery, all while my sister and her two little kids are stuck living together in the same house under lockdown outside of the US. Imagine how my sister must feel while keeping everything afloat in that sensitive and dangerous environment, but she's brave.
My neighbor is also a nurse at a nearby hospital and she's shared vivid details. I hope I'm lucky enough to recover at home under manageable conditions because I do not want a hospital experience. No sir. No ma'am. That's my one wish aside from a healthy recovery.
Again, to those frustrated with the nuisance of being healthy and bored at home, get a grip and count your blessings. Don't take unnecessary chances unless you're willing to deal with the illness. I personally felt like I would get it eventually and tackle it, and the day has come sooner than expected.
For anyone else who's sick here, now we can bond over it!
How I Might've Gotten It:
For where I live, this was inevitable unless I didn't leave my apartment for months. My city is like pin-the-tail-on-the-coronavirus-donkey on the world map. To those that read this and know, please don't mention my location in the comments for privacy.
I'm not exactly sure how I got sick, but I was barely outside during the daytime (5-10 mins at most for post office/FedEx drops after hours with gloves). I was extremely careful and conscientious, outside almost solely to keep my home business running at half speed. I did take one short subway trip on vacant trains over a week ago I should've skipped, but kept maximum distance.
While people are getting laid off and unable to make money, I earned plenty in March and was proud of that. My cheat code of avoiding a corporate job for ~5 years was potentially pandemic-agnostic, but now I'm the bottleneck.
For sourcing, I did go outside a few nights to salvage recycling between 2:00-5:30AM when the streets were completely empty. The few things I handled were done so with great care. I was very selective and isolated any finds from further contact for several days once back. I obviously wore gloves and washed my hands about 10,000 times anyway. I even used my phone through a ziploc bag with gloves. My gut feel is that this was not the culprit, but who knows.
I have not worn a mask.
Perhaps the virus was on something I salvaged, but given the timing, I think I got it on a backup run for groceries when Trump caused a panic over something. I've only gotten groceries twice in recent weeks, both between 12:45-1:00 AM when only 2-4 customers were in the store. The timing sort of lines up. The catch is that the cashiers touch everything... stupid me. I didn't handle most of the food for a few days, and put the refrigerated stuff in a separate bag to be handled carefully, repeatedly washing my hands. Just a guess, but then again, no mask. As more info becomes available about the possibility of airborne transmission, even via the eyes, I guess I left room for error. Maybe I got it in the air at the grocery store or at the USPS. I don't remember anyone coughing or sneezing at all.
Whatever, can't go back now.
On the bright side, I think I'll be in really good shape after I get better with less to fear.
While I'm posting this under two Hive challenges, I don't have any other social media outlet to post this on outside of Facebook. To be honest, I don't want my family and friends knowing this yet, as Hive is completely insulated from their eyes now. I also don't have nice pictures to share, but took one for the end of the post. This entry is for awareness, not upvote % strength.
Priorities:
The main concern with me now is my asthma. My airways have been restricted and I've had no choice but to keep using a rescue inhaler. I also have a steroid inhaler on the way that should arrive tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to having that by my bed. I'm coughing a lot, but it does tend to subside after I sleep.
Stay home to not get anyone else sick.
Beg my friends not to bring me stuff, but two already have.
While I'm lucky in that I was nearly the best shape of my life before I got this (baseball was just around the corner), I'm still hit hard. While I hate medicine, it's a necessity now. Aside from the rescue inhaler, I'm done taking the expired cold & flu severe stuff someone bought for me a long time ago... 3 doses taken and hopefully no more needed. I want to beat this as naturally as possible, so I will continue to rest like crazy and take as many immune system boosting things as I can. Sleep has been effortless, so my body is cooperating, perhaps out of necessity.
Here's how the last few days have panned out:
Monday: (Level of sucking 9.5)
- Woke up early feeling uncomfortable, but went back to bed and didn't snooze well.
- Got up and ready to go to the USPS to ship a Land Rover part I found outside. Felt hot and was sweating, but thought I'd power through it. I didn't put the pieces together yet.
- At the USPS, I knew something wasn't right. I was still sweating and didn't feel too well.
- I walked the curbs on the way home to find packaging for a $745 curb-salvaged COPD medical device I just sold, boxed it up, and then ran out of gas. As a plus, that was a nice sale, found for free.
- I had to go to bed. No choice. Thankfully, I'd recently restocked up on groceries (*barring that's not where I got it), so I lined up Cran-Pomegranate juice, Gatorade, multi-vitamins, and passed out.
- I slept on and off for most of the day, but the chills, weakness, coughing, and asthma ramped up quickly, along with more sweating. Hello fever. I was too weak to find my thermometer up in my storage loft, and didn't find it necessary to confirm the obvious.
- Thankfully a stubborn friend bought me that Tylenol cold and flu severe ages ago (albeit expired), so I painfully did some internet research to make sure it was safe and took the first day dose. It really did help, even if not at full potency, but it was temporary.
- I barely left my bed unable to function much, nor wanting to. The mental battle to move was a war I didn't have the energy to fight. Rotations of chills/sweats continued each time I woke up, but I was super lucky that I was continuously able to fall back asleep. It was game time... sleep was the priority. I kept my heavy eyes closed to make sure I wake up all the way to be forced to lay in misery.
- On and off sleep overnight with lots of coughing. I think I forced myself to make tea with raw honey in the name of "I want to live," and had some extra B, C and D vitamins to complement my multi.
- I'm lucky I recently bought 2 pounds of high quality Puori protein powder that was intended to be a supplement during a lockdown. I had some of that too as it's good for the immune system. I never use protein powder, but am glad I had made the exception.
- I had to keep myself calm and not think worst case. I said a few prayers because I didn't know if I'd be better or worse the next day.
- I took one more day dose of the Tylenol stuff towards 6 AM while half asleep. It helped again.
- I didn't tell anyone yet.
- No loss of tase or smell. A small victory.
Tuesday: (Level of sucking 8.5)
- I slept on and off almost all day. I was only up and functional for about 3-3.5 hours.
- In some ways I felt like the fever symptoms eased up, but those pros were met with FAR more fatigue, body soreness, coughing and more fucking coughing. Thankfully, my lungs felt strong, but my asthma was really active.
- I had lots of tea, and despite begging them not to, a friend delivered food and tea they made outside my door, as well as other supplies. I really didn't want them to travel on the subway, or at all, but they refused to obey my wishes.
- I had that tea and half the food before being way too weak to finish it. I had to pass out.
- I took a shower in the evening to see if the steam would help with my airways, nope.
- My Mom started exhibiting remote Mom-radar that something was wrong, but I've only disclosed the asthma. I can't freak her out unless it's necessary.
- I called 3 close friends and made sure they had my address and health insurance info just in case something happened with my asthma and I had to send an emergency SOS text for them to get help. This may be silly, but it helped me feel a little better. It was hard to talk on the phone, so I kept my voice down. Damn asthma (I hope). This made me nervous.
- I went to bed at 11 PM, woke up around 2 AM, pounded a can of tuna and some vitamins, and played two games of online scrabble to wear my eyes down. I lost both games. No excuses.
- I took the PM dose of that Tylenol stuff to help me sleep better and it seemed to work.
- Still had smell and taste.
Wednesday: (Level of sucking 7)
- I slept in rock solid until 1:45 PM today and initially woke up feeling better. As the refreshed feeling wore off, I found myself weak as hell, achy and clammy. My biggest concern was that I was a little shorter of breath than in the previous two days, but not an extreme difference. I'm really hoping that this improves tomorrow.
- On the bright side, I didn't feel the need to sleep all day, so I've been up and trying to stay positive. I don't have much energy, and I'm afraid to exert myself with my breathing, but I don't want to sleep too much during the day and have a hard time sleeping tonight.
- Another friend insisted on dropping supplies today. Despite all objections and wishes for them not to expose themselves to any risk, they did anyway. While I hate getting help, the protein bars and kombucha were clutch today. I just hope their kindness isn't penalized.
- I didn't have much of an appetite, but I had protein-rich foods, tea, and liquids.
- I played a little online Scrabble just to keep my mind active and distracted.
- I'm going to post this and take another shower to see if that helps with anything.
- The fever/sweats seems to be subsiding, but I've still got all of the other ailments for now. We'll see how I sleep overnight.
In Closing:
My gut feel is that I'll be ok and stronger for it (hopefully temporarily immune after).
I'm clearly uneasy about the asthma element and need to get that under control. I'm trying not to exert myself at all, but the restricted airways and heaviness feeling in my chest is unavoidable as is. It creates an entirely unpredictable element to this for me which is life-threatening. I could sweat and shiver all day and not care, but respiratory issues are dangerous.
The rescue inhaler I have now only offers short-term relief and I can only take it every 6 hours. The steroid inhaler in the mail will be better ammunition to resolve it, and hopefully this can provide some much needed peace of mind that my lungs will be ok so I can crush the other elements of the this naturally.
Simple tasks also make me far more tired than they're supposed to, but I have to stay patient. It took me about an hour to convince myself to "get up" and get out of bed today. A simple eBay inventory task had me sweating and pretty damn tired. Seriously. For now, I'll just keep doing things to boost my immune system and rest. Writing about this was a pain in the ass, but it'll be good to reflect on later.
Here's to hoping tomorrow is better all around. Today was a wash. I also can't wait for my apartment buzzer to go off to let me know that my inhaler arrived. I'll have to sneak downstairs to get it with no other contacts here really. No choice.
Can't wait to play baseball... That's what I daydream about to stay motivated.
Thanks,
Matt