Have you entered my Pat McGrath giveaway here? It ends at midnight tonight!
When the news started trickling in about Coronavirus at the beginning of the year, I really didn't think that we, as a world, would still be talking about it all these months later. I definitely didn't expect that I would be sharing my story 6 months on, but here we are....
I previously spoke about my Covid story here and here and thought I'd offer an update as I'll be taking regular blogging breaks until I recover. As many of you will know, I already have Chronic Lyme as I did a series of posts about it back in February, this put me very much in the at risk category and I, unfortunately, contracted Covid. I will never forget the day that I first contracted it for as long as I live. I know that for many, they experience mild symptoms and some are asymptomatic, but I can tell you the exact time that I contracted it, pretty much to the minute, as it hit me like a tonne of bricks. I know my body very well at this stage after being ill for so long and I honestly felt like I might die. My GP saved my life that day, there is no doubt about it, and he has been very kind and attentive towards me ever since. For some people, they will get over Covid within a week to 10 days, just with rest and some paracetamol, others need to be intubated without delay. I fall somewhere in between. My GP has wanted to send me to hospital a few times but I've refused because every single time that I've been in hospital previously, I've come out worse.
I have been on medication since February 22nd - sometimes tweaked, sometimes doses have been increased, new medications added, but they have been a constant in my life for the last 193 days and I still have another month on my prescription, which will most likely be renewed for another 3 months at that stage. The reason I say this, is that I really am not much better. I have pain in places I didn't think possible - baby fingers, eyeballs, forearms, the bones in my bum (don't know the official name!), around my diaphragm, legs, back, head, neck - basically everywhere fro head to toe. It's bone pain but also inflammation and muscle pain (as though I've done a strenuous workout - I wish!).
I still get breathless, I sleep a lot and have to nap daily for at least 2-3 hours, my hair is falling out, my sight has been affected, I don't have much of an appetite but my meds are hard on my stomach so my husband is making sure I eat good food every day (although I've been told that I am having difficulty with absorbing nutrients). I have brain fog, I get dizzy a lot and bang into things so I have bruises galore.
But, you know, other than those things I'm grand! Ha ha!
I know that my case is more complicated because I have Chronic Lyme but there are so many others out there who are still not feeling well months after contracting Covid, so please have compassion for them because it's certainly not a choice.
I get very angry when I see packed beaches, packed bars, people not wearing masks, people not social distancing etc. I know that people almost have Covid fatigue at this stage but ignoring it doesn't mean it isn't there and you're really playing Russian Roulette, not just with your health but with those around you - at home, work, in shops, or anywhere you go. I don't really understand why bars are allowed to open, or restaurants for that matter, because you aren't keeping a 2 metre distance when in them - maybe from the table next to you but chances are, you are meeting friends and you will all be at one table (not 2 metres apart from one another), so how is that social distancing? What annoyed me a lot recently, were several bloggers/instagrammers/influencers - whatever you want to call them, wearing their masks to meet up, then taking them off to drink and to take selfies, where you obviously have to be in very close proximity to one another, yet every other day they're on stories, telling people to follow the rules! EVERYBODY needs to follow the rules or we will never be rid of this virus as I doubt there will be a 100% uptake on the vaccine, whenever one is finally produced.
Also, to those who believe that getting Covid gives you immunity - there is no definitive proof of that so people need to act on the assumption that they have it - wear masks, wash hands, use hand sanitiser where possible, cough/sneeze into your elbow and if you have ANY of these symptoms, self-isolate. If not for you, for those around you. If you think full lockdown was bad earlier in the year, imagine it in the winter months. With the way the numbers are going, it seems almost inevitable.
If you have made it this far, thank you. In short, I'm still feeling shit! This is a really horrible virus that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, but I keep in mind that I could be a lot worse - so many people have lost their lives but I'm still here fighting. My GP has faith that I WILL get there but it will just take a bit (lot) longer - I just need to be patient, which isn't one of my greatest qualities but determination, tenacity and my belief in myself have always been my best qualities so I will overcome this! It is what it is..... for now.
I'm not angry at Covid, in some ways, it was the wake up call that so many people needed - I don't feel I needed a wake up call because 20 years of illness certainly gives you perspective but for so many others, they needed to know the world wouldn't end if life was at a slower pace. Material things aren't really important (and believe me, I'm partial to some designer bags etc but I'd trade the all in a heartbeat, to feel better even just for one day), and most importantly, your health is your wealth. People say that all of the time without actually realising that it is the biggest truth in life. They have a brief scare or an illness that lasts a few weeks and then roll that statement out, only to go back to normal life. Maybe, just maybe, Covid and 2020 will actually have drilled that fact into people's brains and they won't take it for granted. Maybe 2020 is the re-set button that so many people needed
I previously spoke about my Covid story here and here and thought I'd offer an update as I'll be taking regular blogging breaks until I recover. As many of you will know, I already have Chronic Lyme as I did a series of posts about it back in February, this put me very much in the at risk category and I, unfortunately, contracted Covid. I will never forget the day that I first contracted it for as long as I live. I know that for many, they experience mild symptoms and some are asymptomatic, but I can tell you the exact time that I contracted it, pretty much to the minute, as it hit me like a tonne of bricks. I know my body very well at this stage after being ill for so long and I honestly felt like I might die. My GP saved my life that day, there is no doubt about it, and he has been very kind and attentive towards me ever since. For some people, they will get over Covid within a week to 10 days, just with rest and some paracetamol, others need to be intubated without delay. I fall somewhere in between. My GP has wanted to send me to hospital a few times but I've refused because every single time that I've been in hospital previously, I've come out worse.
I have been on medication since February 22nd - sometimes tweaked, sometimes doses have been increased, new medications added, but they have been a constant in my life for the last 193 days and I still have another month on my prescription, which will most likely be renewed for another 3 months at that stage. The reason I say this, is that I really am not much better. I have pain in places I didn't think possible - baby fingers, eyeballs, forearms, the bones in my bum (don't know the official name!), around my diaphragm, legs, back, head, neck - basically everywhere fro head to toe. It's bone pain but also inflammation and muscle pain (as though I've done a strenuous workout - I wish!).
I still get breathless, I sleep a lot and have to nap daily for at least 2-3 hours, my hair is falling out, my sight has been affected, I don't have much of an appetite but my meds are hard on my stomach so my husband is making sure I eat good food every day (although I've been told that I am having difficulty with absorbing nutrients). I have brain fog, I get dizzy a lot and bang into things so I have bruises galore.
But, you know, other than those things I'm grand! Ha ha!
I know that my case is more complicated because I have Chronic Lyme but there are so many others out there who are still not feeling well months after contracting Covid, so please have compassion for them because it's certainly not a choice.
I get very angry when I see packed beaches, packed bars, people not wearing masks, people not social distancing etc. I know that people almost have Covid fatigue at this stage but ignoring it doesn't mean it isn't there and you're really playing Russian Roulette, not just with your health but with those around you - at home, work, in shops, or anywhere you go. I don't really understand why bars are allowed to open, or restaurants for that matter, because you aren't keeping a 2 metre distance when in them - maybe from the table next to you but chances are, you are meeting friends and you will all be at one table (not 2 metres apart from one another), so how is that social distancing? What annoyed me a lot recently, were several bloggers/instagrammers/influencers - whatever you want to call them, wearing their masks to meet up, then taking them off to drink and to take selfies, where you obviously have to be in very close proximity to one another, yet every other day they're on stories, telling people to follow the rules! EVERYBODY needs to follow the rules or we will never be rid of this virus as I doubt there will be a 100% uptake on the vaccine, whenever one is finally produced.
Also, to those who believe that getting Covid gives you immunity - there is no definitive proof of that so people need to act on the assumption that they have it - wear masks, wash hands, use hand sanitiser where possible, cough/sneeze into your elbow and if you have ANY of these symptoms, self-isolate. If not for you, for those around you. If you think full lockdown was bad earlier in the year, imagine it in the winter months. With the way the numbers are going, it seems almost inevitable.
If you have made it this far, thank you. In short, I'm still feeling shit! This is a really horrible virus that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, but I keep in mind that I could be a lot worse - so many people have lost their lives but I'm still here fighting. My GP has faith that I WILL get there but it will just take a bit (lot) longer - I just need to be patient, which isn't one of my greatest qualities but determination, tenacity and my belief in myself have always been my best qualities so I will overcome this! It is what it is..... for now.
I'm not angry at Covid, in some ways, it was the wake up call that so many people needed - I don't feel I needed a wake up call because 20 years of illness certainly gives you perspective but for so many others, they needed to know the world wouldn't end if life was at a slower pace. Material things aren't really important (and believe me, I'm partial to some designer bags etc but I'd trade the all in a heartbeat, to feel better even just for one day), and most importantly, your health is your wealth. People say that all of the time without actually realising that it is the biggest truth in life. They have a brief scare or an illness that lasts a few weeks and then roll that statement out, only to go back to normal life. Maybe, just maybe, Covid and 2020 will actually have drilled that fact into people's brains and they won't take it for granted. Maybe 2020 is the re-set button that so many people needed
There won't be any posts from me next week as my husband has some annual leave and I don't want to distracted by the blog so we can make the most of our quality time together. I also think it's time for another break due to my ill-health. I want to keep blogging as it offers a distraction from my pain but have to balance what I do without my health suffering further.
Thanks for reading!
No comments
Post a Comment
I really love to read your comments & appreciate all of them!