COVID messed with me
Paxlovid packet
Paxlovid packet
This has been a lost week to me. Last Monday, October 9, I had a mild sore throat and I was getting a ton of post nasal drip at night. That same day my son, who had visited in my home the day before, tested positive for COVID. And let the fun begin.
Things I learned about COVID and myself this week.
1. It starts out subtle and insignificant. The sore throat was not much to think about, but that amount of snot was! I was thinking that I can deal with this, no problem, except that clearing that snot took a lot of coughing and gagging.
2. It took a full day of symptoms before I tested positive with the quick at home testing kit. That’s why there is more than one test in a kit.
3. Being sick and being alone combined is horrible. I haven’t been sick for years, but whenever I was, Mike was there for me and would get me whatever I needed. So my raggedy ass could stay in bed and sleep all day if I needed to. He was so giving and kind to me that way. No wonder I loved him so much. But, I was on my own mostly. My youngest son also had COVID and had given it to me…and my oldest son sure as heck did not want to catch it. And I don’t blame him. So he didn’t come around except to drop off needed items on my doorstep.
4. I had to put mind over matter. I was a pasty, weak, feverish, aching, coughing, snotty nosed. sputum producing machine. It took me a while to muster up the energy and strength to get up to the bathroom or kitchen or to let Stanley, my shih tzu, out. I held onto walls and took my time, and I did it. I had to..no choice. Maybe COVID turned me into a real adult, responsible for myself.
5. Although I did not avoid getting this crud forever, I truly believe that my enthusiastic acceptance of the vaccines and then Paxlovid for treatment has helped me to avoid a very serious case of COVID. Even though I was very sick, my case would be considered “mild” by COVID standards. That mostly means that I did NOT need to be hospitalized or put in ICU on a ventilator. And Thank GOD for that. I am at high risk for serious COVID because of my age (OLD) and my weight (NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS).
6. Speaking of Paxlovid…..it is vile. It is packaged in a bubble pack…meaning a days worth of pills are all divided out and you punch them out through foil. You take 3 pills ( a combination of anti viral medicines) each morning and each night for 5 days. Sounds easy, and it is. But holy crap, it makes your mouth taste like the inside of an galvanized tub. The metallic flavor in your mouth is disgusting. It is certainly nothing I want to get use to. Basically all you can do about that is drink a lot of water and other liquids, which is very important anyway during this sickness, and try to cover it up with food flavors. Also brushing your teeth helps. It works for a few seconds. I have been foraging my kitchen anyway…no ambition to cook anything. My sense of taste is altered too, so I don’t care so much about food right now. My favorite Great Grains cereal tasted like mushy newspaper, and I threw it out. So, I eat little bits of whatever I can tolerate all day long. The most important thing is to drink tons and keep those secretions thin and clear.
7. Ibuprofen is your friend. It helps with fever, aches and pains. I live on the stuff anyway for my arthritis, but I was not bashful about taking more doses than I generally do. When my fever rose to 102 on the third day, I began to take it regularly. That nasty fever and then sweats only lasted a day or 2, so I was very fortunate. At nighttime I took Tylenol PM…because it also helps with fever and has a dose of Benadryl in it to help dry me up some for sleep.
8. Pulse Oxymetry is a simple test to see how well you are oxygenating. You clip this little clothespin type device onto the tip of your forefinger and push the button. It reads out in a few seconds. Mine dropped to 93% a few times, normal being 95 to 100%. I checked my nail beds and they were pink (not blue or grey like with low oxygen levels), and I wasn’t having difficulty breathing, so I just rechecked it again in an hour or so , or after moving around some. It always rebounded to 95 or higher. So, I learned to not test so often, and to not panic if it goes a little under 95%.
9. Shih tzus are scaredy cats. My poor Stanley is a paranoid mess with me being sick. He is frightened of loud sudden noises. Coughing and sneezing qualify. That poor little guy has spent hours hiding behind my tv stand during the daytime. At night, for some reason, he stays with me on the bed…maybe the noise is less frightening than the dark? The only time he got down all week (and I didn’t even hear him) he pooped on the bedroom carpet. He very rarely makes a mistake, so I didn’t scold him about it. By the way, I didn’t smell that poop because my sense of smell is gone for now. He has been a real trooper through our recent trials, and the loss of my husband.
Speaking of smelling, I hadn’t showered for days. I debated about taking a shower, because I was pretty weak. I only had myself to worry about and I can’t smell anyway! Nobody was here to smell me if I stunk. But, I was pasty and gross and decided it would be a fine thing to do. I cleaned myself up and washed myself out. I’m still not sure it was necessary…that ONE shower I took all this past week.
Wait, maybe Stanley could smell me and that was part of why he was keeping his distance.
10. Kids will turn to you even if you have covid, if they need help! My son decided he felt well enough to go get a few groceries. He was 5 days in with the virus and so he wore a mask and avoided being close to others…and went to the store. When he got back to his car it wouldn’t start. He called me. I was his natural choice because we are both infected, and he didn’t want to infect anyone else. My other son didn’t want this virus, and he is smart enough to avoid us. So, I dragged my sorry self to the store to pick him up. We left before the tow truck arrived for his car. So after he left my home with my truck, he got a call that they jump started his car and it worked. So, he came back to get me to go back to the store to pick up my truck…he’d left it there to come pick me up in his now running car. Nobody else was exposed to our grossness…we were very careful. I wasn’t ready for all of that running around, but Moms do that stuff.
I’m on the healing end of COVID and I am very happy and relieved to be saying that. My son has returned to work, but he has to wear a mask. He might still be contagious. He came by to see me yesterday and brought beef stew and biscuits. My other son is in touch all day, and offering to drop things off. Thank goodness for them…and I’ll never be truly alone because of them.
Don’t mess with COVID. It is here to stay. I got the new vaccine about 2 weeks before I caught it. I have to wonder how sick I would have been without getting vaccinated. It is a frightening thought. Also, regardless of the metallic grossness of Paxlovid, it seems to be doing the trick of shortening my bout with the virus. Take advantage of the known science, even with its imperfections.
Thanks to my friends who offered to bring stuff by while I’m sick, and, well, just for caring about me.
