Covid 19 a Time Line of Events

Watching, waiting, we know it’s coming. First Asia then the middle East, by early Spring Europe was being hit hard and now it has reached our shores. Even though we knew it would, nothing can really prepare you for the reality of it. The shock that ricochet through the UK on that Monday evening telling us we were in lockdown, only to go out once a day for exercise and for essentials supplies, It’s real; Covid 19 is here. 

It had been a turbulent couple of weeks on the lead up to lockdown, but I’d began to get my head around it and what we could do as a small business to keep afloat. We needed lots of interaction and sew-a-longs; things that I’d longed to do previously but never had time to commit to – 

What I hadn’t bargained on was contracting COVID-19 myself. Looking back at the experience I guess there’d been a couple of days with some tell-tale signs.

That realisation – I have it… do I have it …don’t be daft you can’t have, you’re just being paranoid and over dramatic; but deep down… you know. It lets you know it’s there, subtle taps at your chest wall, the unprecedented tiredness and aches throughout the body, that sharp stab to the right side of your lungs.

The worry swallows me up, how has this happened? Why has it happened? Such rigorous guidelines have been followed – washed hands, wiped surfaces, washed hands again, re-wiped surfaces. So many emotions. Guilt and shame are high up there; who have I seen? where have I contracted it from ? Have I passed it on? How do I protect my family? The unknown is always more terrifying. How bad will it get? Will I be left with long term health issues, will I end up in hospital alone, without family gasping for breath? Will I survive?

Wednesday

My birthday! One not to forget or remember in a hurry. Well I would if I could remember it. Waking again the uncontrollable tiredness, even though I know I’ve slept. The desire to keep my eyes open is unrelenting. The pains in my legs hurt so bad, and the chills are making my body shake, even though my skin is burning. The bath is running, I do a great old lady shuffle to the bathroom, being upright starts the coughing again. Lowering my body down into the steam, the hot water wraps itself around my limbs warming and soothing them. Just this small task of bathing puts me out for the count for a few more hours. I spend the day drifting in and out of sleep or consciousness TBH..  I am truly grateful that the fatigue takes over and chunks of time can pass.

It’s a long rough night, I just don’t know where to put myself–every move starts me coughing uncontrollably and I just can’t get comfy. I’m conscious of trying to cough away from my husband– I have a hand towel to cough into to try to prevent the projection of droplets.  I’m hot, then I’m shivering. My back is shot from being horizontal for so long, so I drag a large spare duvet from the airing cupboard and set up camp on the floor. It’s early hours and I just beg please please let me sleep– the ache in my back is as excruciating as I cough.

Thursday –

For days now I’ve not been able to face drinks other than hot boiled water and the occasional fresh honey and lemon drink. I’d read somewhere that this virus doesn’t like hot and that cold drink were a no-no. The feeling in and on my chest is relentless –there’s a pressure pushing down that seems to  reduce the ability to inhale deeply, it also  feels like I’ve swallowed some sharp object like wire and its stuck sideways–digging into me every convulsion of coughing.  The headache has set in well and truly today – burning down the back of my head and deep into my neck- I may as well be resting my head on a lump of concrete.

I contact my sister in Canada- just a quick message to say I think I’ve got it – she is a Dr in pathology- we move between sister and professional asking questions and providing information. She’s my big sis and I love her to bits; on a daily basis I’ve had recorded messages to cheer me up and nuggets of interesting case reports about respiratory therapy and  a daily message requesting progress updates.

Friday

Was hoping to feel a little better this morning but no chance, more coughing, more coughing, a walk to the bathroom, bath, flake out for a few hours.  I really feel like a shuffling zombie- the pain- the fatigue- the worry. 

Thank God for Vikki; she’s out of self-quarantine and bless her asking for the orders– she really wants to go to the shop and put the orders together – lock down getting to her ! she’s on strict orders ( not that she needs to because she’s on it ) to anti-bac everything down, wear gloves and keep washing. I manage to prop myself up in bed and email her the orders. I know it will all be in safe hands.

Today I’m also accused of being a money grabber just to make a fast quid! This really upset me as all I want to do is keep people’s hobbies going and fingers crossed the business. After waking up from a couple of hours nap this afternoon– somehow I feel much brighter. Oh yeah I’ve got this, perhaps I’m turning the corner and I’m able to get up and potter about the house,  cleaned the bathroom and wash the downstairs’ floor. I sit on the sofa, what normality. I pick up my crochet, manage one line. WHAM get back to bed. This evil creature drags my body back into the abyss of pain, fatigue and coughing. All I can do is curl up, hug my new hand towel comforter to cough into and drift.

Saturday

I’m sure by now you’ve got the gist of how debilitating and vicious this virus is, there aren’t any other words to describe how rotten I feel. As I got in the bath this morning, I looked in the mirror, how it has ravaged and leached upon my body. I stepped on the scales …8lb gone in 4 days, unsurprising when you’re down to one tiny meal a day. One of the hardest parts of this, is not being able to have a hug, a cuddle, desperate just to feel an arm around me,  telling me “ it’ll be alright”. I’m having to keep the family at a distance, as I’m terrified they will come down with it. The kids are only allowed inside the bedroom door, poor hubby gets kicked in the middle of the night to turn over and face wall.

“Oh boy great” – this is the virus that just keeps giving – I now have the shits! How the hell, when the most I manage is one meal a day?

Sunday

Dear God alive I’ve sunk low today. It feels like I’ve gone back 2 days, just when you think you should be turning a corner this animal mauls you. Spent the entire day in and out of consciousness. Coughing, aching, tiredness and more poo! Sorry my insides feel like they’ve been through the spin cycle.

Monday

I feel …more lucid in myself – even after the early hours coughing fit – I lie in a daze not able to move. Pretty wobbly today after the dip yesterday. And another 3lb off on the scales – I’ve got old lady flat bum! Hmm that’s something to work on over the next few months.

Tuesday

Breathing is still laboured, and movements are restricted to a slow pace but the fact I feel confident to stand in the shower – and even manage to stay downstairs a little longer today. On my potter I try to clean surfaces to ensure that the spread of the virus is minimised wherever possible.

Wednesday

So I plan to leave my experience here , as each day echos the last– my cough is ongoing and the discomfort still very much there but deep down I feel a little more positive and know I’m on the right road to recovery albeit a long slow one, I consider myself extremely lucky.

Please stay safe and don’t underestimate this virus, we see daily in the news how healthy individuals are taken by this killer virus.  There’s always that element of “it won’t happen to me” but IT CAN