My COVID Life
I'm exhausted so I don't know how this is going to go. Normally, I wouldn't write; I'd wait until a better day, a day when I was better rested or more in the mood. It's not really that I'm not in the mood. I'm simply too tired to even have a mood. Regardless, I feel I should write. Today. Now. There's nothing else to do except sleep and read and sleep and read. And I've done far too much of that in the last week. It's been a crazy week, though in far from the traditional sense of "crazy." That's what I feel I need to at least write a few words about.
Last Saturday, April 4, I finally acknowledged that my lungs were feeling "funny." I'd felt a little off - unable to take a deep breath - for a few days previous, and, while I thought maaaaybe it was the beginning of something (i.e. coronavirus), I was able to play it off as just my imagination or allergies, even though I'm not allergic to much of anything. The following day I couldn't seem to get my heart rate up during my workout. I told myself it was just my Garmin being an asshole, but by mid-morning at work, I found myself repeatedly out of breath. I left work early that day. I haven't been back since. I was put on an official 14 day COVID leave on Tuesday. I have not tested positive, but my symptoms are congruent with some form of the disease and I was told by a NP or PA-C (I can't remember which - I only spoke to her on the phone briefly as she would not let me in for my scheduled appointment) that I self-isolate and find a way to get myself tested.
And that's where the bullshit starts. There are no tests. Not in Las Vegas, Nevada, anyway. Maybe there are some where you live and maybe they are accessible to non-severe patients but that isn't true in Sin City. I imagine at the point that I was being admitted, a test kit would appear, but as I am fortunately far short of that, I sit here typing away unsure of what I have yet I'm 99% certain it's COVID. I don't have the telltale symptoms - fever, cough, splitting headache, body aches. I have sore lungs with incredibly diminished capacity and, as I stated at the outset, I'm exhausted. I've also had heart palpitations which are, in fact, a little known symptom.
So, that's where I am - lungs that feel like sh** and zero energy. Some - let me tell you EVERYONE turns into a medical expert when you announce on social media that you're sick - say it's not what I think it is. Allergies is a common suggestion. Living in the high desert for the first time is another. But you don't have a fever, Stacee. People with corona have a fever. Yeah, no they don't. Not all. Not me. I'm going to crunch a few numbers for you: I have NEVER had anything wrong with my lungs. Nothing. I don't have asthma. Never had bronchitis. I don't smoke. I have a strong cardiovascular system. And now there's a strange lung virus running amok and I have lung problems, but they are NOT caused by this strange virus? It's too big of a coincidence for me. Until a negative test tells me otherwise, I have COVID-19 and I am treating myself as if I do.
What does that treatment look like? If you check my credit card statement, it looks like A LOT of food and beverage delivery. I can't leave the house and I only have so much food. I also only have so much energy. Cooking is far more than I'm able to do most days but I apparently I can scroll through various delivery service apps with minimal struggle (Postmates and Uber Eats being my faves). Otherwise, it's rest, hydration, very, very light "exercise," and hours on FaceTime with my girlfriend (Truly there is no better medicine).
I monitor my symptoms like a hawk. I take my temp several times a day (It hasn't risen over 100 in the past week) and pay close attention to my breathing. It might be overkill and maybe I'm too cautious. However, I have never had an illness with no cure that kills people. Sure, few people like me - fit and healthy - die, but some do. And it's that "some" that keeps me vigilant. I do not want to end up a statistic. And given that I don't fit into any at-risk categories, if I show up at the ER with symptoms, there's a chance they may not take them seriously once they take a look at my runner's body. Don't agree? Women spent decades dying of un-diagnosed heart attacks because "women don't have heart attacks." COVID-19 is new and there is so much we don't yet know. I advise caution about taking what we think we know as gospel.
Funnest part of the week? Thursday when the Teladoc doc asked me how I think I'd been exposed. I was soooooooooo close to saying 'F***ers buying non-essential sh**." I tempered that urge by simply stating that I am an employee at an essential retail business and I dealt with hundreds (thousands?) of customers in the two previous to the onset of symptoms. His response? "Ah, yeah. Sounds reasonable." No sh**, buddy. Short of hugging someone who flew in from China in the early days of the outbreak or working directly with COVID patients, there's an extreme likelihood that I've been exposed. Unknowingly, of course. They may be f***ers and might be cavalier about my health and theirs, but I am certain that they were asymptomatic at the time and had no idea what they might be spreading. Few people are that Republican.
Regardless, here I am. Day 7 in isolation. Seven days to go. Minimum. I'll have to see how the symptoms go. I'm due back at work - among the f***ers - next Monday, but I will only go if I'm no longer showing symptoms and think I'm strong enough to work. My goals for the week - rest, order less from Uber Eats and Postmates, and do very, very light exercise every other day or so. My hope is that I don't get worse before I get better. That will require prudence. It's tightrope walk, the balance between pushing to get better and pushing too much. As an endurance athlete, I'm all about extending my comfort zone, seeing what my body can do. Holding that in check next week (and in the weeks that follow) is going to be a challenge. I have no choice but to rise to that challenge and walk the line before I run it.
My advice? Stay home. Stay healthy. At least until they come up with better testing, better tracing, better treatment, and maybe a vaccine. Oh, and just as important - Tip your delivery drivers. They're out in the world so you don't have to be.
Last Saturday, April 4, I finally acknowledged that my lungs were feeling "funny." I'd felt a little off - unable to take a deep breath - for a few days previous, and, while I thought maaaaybe it was the beginning of something (i.e. coronavirus), I was able to play it off as just my imagination or allergies, even though I'm not allergic to much of anything. The following day I couldn't seem to get my heart rate up during my workout. I told myself it was just my Garmin being an asshole, but by mid-morning at work, I found myself repeatedly out of breath. I left work early that day. I haven't been back since. I was put on an official 14 day COVID leave on Tuesday. I have not tested positive, but my symptoms are congruent with some form of the disease and I was told by a NP or PA-C (I can't remember which - I only spoke to her on the phone briefly as she would not let me in for my scheduled appointment) that I self-isolate and find a way to get myself tested.
And that's where the bullshit starts. There are no tests. Not in Las Vegas, Nevada, anyway. Maybe there are some where you live and maybe they are accessible to non-severe patients but that isn't true in Sin City. I imagine at the point that I was being admitted, a test kit would appear, but as I am fortunately far short of that, I sit here typing away unsure of what I have yet I'm 99% certain it's COVID. I don't have the telltale symptoms - fever, cough, splitting headache, body aches. I have sore lungs with incredibly diminished capacity and, as I stated at the outset, I'm exhausted. I've also had heart palpitations which are, in fact, a little known symptom.
So, that's where I am - lungs that feel like sh** and zero energy. Some - let me tell you EVERYONE turns into a medical expert when you announce on social media that you're sick - say it's not what I think it is. Allergies is a common suggestion. Living in the high desert for the first time is another. But you don't have a fever, Stacee. People with corona have a fever. Yeah, no they don't. Not all. Not me. I'm going to crunch a few numbers for you: I have NEVER had anything wrong with my lungs. Nothing. I don't have asthma. Never had bronchitis. I don't smoke. I have a strong cardiovascular system. And now there's a strange lung virus running amok and I have lung problems, but they are NOT caused by this strange virus? It's too big of a coincidence for me. Until a negative test tells me otherwise, I have COVID-19 and I am treating myself as if I do.
What does that treatment look like? If you check my credit card statement, it looks like A LOT of food and beverage delivery. I can't leave the house and I only have so much food. I also only have so much energy. Cooking is far more than I'm able to do most days but I apparently I can scroll through various delivery service apps with minimal struggle (Postmates and Uber Eats being my faves). Otherwise, it's rest, hydration, very, very light "exercise," and hours on FaceTime with my girlfriend (Truly there is no better medicine).
I monitor my symptoms like a hawk. I take my temp several times a day (It hasn't risen over 100 in the past week) and pay close attention to my breathing. It might be overkill and maybe I'm too cautious. However, I have never had an illness with no cure that kills people. Sure, few people like me - fit and healthy - die, but some do. And it's that "some" that keeps me vigilant. I do not want to end up a statistic. And given that I don't fit into any at-risk categories, if I show up at the ER with symptoms, there's a chance they may not take them seriously once they take a look at my runner's body. Don't agree? Women spent decades dying of un-diagnosed heart attacks because "women don't have heart attacks." COVID-19 is new and there is so much we don't yet know. I advise caution about taking what we think we know as gospel.
Funnest part of the week? Thursday when the Teladoc doc asked me how I think I'd been exposed. I was soooooooooo close to saying 'F***ers buying non-essential sh**." I tempered that urge by simply stating that I am an employee at an essential retail business and I dealt with hundreds (thousands?) of customers in the two previous to the onset of symptoms. His response? "Ah, yeah. Sounds reasonable." No sh**, buddy. Short of hugging someone who flew in from China in the early days of the outbreak or working directly with COVID patients, there's an extreme likelihood that I've been exposed. Unknowingly, of course. They may be f***ers and might be cavalier about my health and theirs, but I am certain that they were asymptomatic at the time and had no idea what they might be spreading. Few people are that Republican.
Regardless, here I am. Day 7 in isolation. Seven days to go. Minimum. I'll have to see how the symptoms go. I'm due back at work - among the f***ers - next Monday, but I will only go if I'm no longer showing symptoms and think I'm strong enough to work. My goals for the week - rest, order less from Uber Eats and Postmates, and do very, very light exercise every other day or so. My hope is that I don't get worse before I get better. That will require prudence. It's tightrope walk, the balance between pushing to get better and pushing too much. As an endurance athlete, I'm all about extending my comfort zone, seeing what my body can do. Holding that in check next week (and in the weeks that follow) is going to be a challenge. I have no choice but to rise to that challenge and walk the line before I run it.
My advice? Stay home. Stay healthy. At least until they come up with better testing, better tracing, better treatment, and maybe a vaccine. Oh, and just as important - Tip your delivery drivers. They're out in the world so you don't have to be.
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