Here’s my journal of our journey with Covid, we understand that everyone’s case is different and we are beyond grateful that our cases seem to be mild and we stayed out of the hospital. Even with Walter and I, we had different symptoms, I lost sense of smell and taste for 6 days, he only lost his for 2 days. I have a nasty cough and he doesn’t. So each person is different. I hope this account helps you understand what the initial symptoms are if you too wonder if it's simply a cold or the flu or the dreaded Coronavirus.
Please note, we have no idea how we caught the virus. The kids and I were literally in our house without going anywhere for close to 90 days when our symptoms started. Walter has still been working, so chances are he picked it up somewhere and brought it home.
We are still resting and recovering, so I’ll add to this as time goes, but here’s the initial 14 day account. The first couple days, I wasn’t sure if I should count them or not as it truly felt like a sore throat from overworking and stress, but I’ve included them just in case. (You'll note some days I wrote more than others, evidence of the moments I was feeling better.)
Day 1: Thursday, June 4
Getting a sore throat, but I think it’s from all the webinars I’ve been doing back to back, my voice is tired.
Day 2: Friday, June 5
Throat still hurts, but I’ve been working too much and am overly tired. Brought the nanny home early today because it’s going to storm.
Day 3: Saturday, June 6
Thank God it’s finally Saturday. What a long week. Today was a family day, played with kids, made pancakes, we all went swimming. I worked out in the morning with the kids on the patio, and it felt good.
I even drank a Tequila and Sprite this afternoon, a typical Saturday during Quarantine. Before bed, we were all antsy, so we went for a walk and put the kids in the stroller with their masks on.
On our walk back home, I noticed my stomach was in a lot of pain and my back too. That’s strange, must be from my workouts or something.
Pain is getting worse at home. Walter puts kids to bed. I take a bath and go to bed, everything hurts.
Day 4: Sunday, June 7
I woke up in a lot of pain and with a fever. Not extremely high but 100.4 fever. My whole body hurts. My throat is still hurting too. I spent most of the day in/out of bed or couch. Even eating hurts, I think I may have the flu, I hope it's not covid.
It's also 90 degrees out and I took a 2 hour nap with no fan, no A/C and covered with blankets. I can't seem to warm up today. I'm freezing.
Day 5: Monday, June 8
I have a 3 hour webinar I have to give. How does our sick policy work? I need help. Fine, I’ll just do it.
I get on at 9am, by the time it’s noon I’ve soaked through my entire outfit and can’t stop sweating while I’m freezing. I guess I still have a fever.
I’m going to ask for help for the other sessions, I found people to cover my other 6 hours of webinars.
I spent the day in and out of bed, while also being a mom. Walter is feeling sick too.
Day 6: Tuesday, June 9
I think I feel better. Or do I have no choice but to feel better? We have no help with the kids this week.
Walter can’t get out of bed today. I still have a cough with lots of phlegm, but maybe I’m fine. It was all in my head.
I worked today. But cancelled two training sessions. Seriously, why do I have 9 hours of webinars on my calendar?
Day 7: Wednesday, June 10 (day we got tested)
Ok, I can’t do another day like yesterday with Walter in bed all day and me doing webinars and working. Netflix can only parent so much this week.
All 4 of us drove to the lab at 7:30 so Walter and I could get our Covid tests. The lab opened at 7:30. Apparently a lot of people need to get tests. We got ticket number 65 in line. They said it’d be about a 45 minute wait. It was closer to 2 1/2 hours. Thankfully, Netflix came in handy again as my phone worked wonders to keep our kids occupied for 3 hours in a parked vehicle. They both also had to use the bathroom, so they peed in a parking lot. Making memories.
The test itself is super fast. They asked us a few questions about symptoms then we waited in chairs 2 meters apart to get called into a mobile testing center. Two nurses who looked like they were playing “dress-up” in NASA astronaut suits welcomed me in. They opened two packages. One stick went up both my nostrils farther than you thought was humanly possible. It was uncomfortable, but giving birth was way worse. My eyes watered automatically, I couldn’t help it. Then another stick went in my throat and I had to stick my tongue out and say “ahh”. Of course I coughed all over their uniforms, but I guess it’s probably par for the course.
We got home from the test at 10:50am. We were starving but feeling better, like at least we had peace of mind that we took the test.
I had messages from work saying I needed to get on a webinar. I literally had zero time to shower or eat and jumped on a 90 minute webinar as if life was normal and I hadn’t just spent my morning waiting in line wondering if I was going to die.
I did a couple other webinars that day, but had such a bad cough attack in one that I literally had to turn off the camera and microphone because I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
Walter is still feeling horrible today and I’m holding down the fort, how long is this going to last?
Day 8: Thursday, June 11
Now Walter thinks he has dengue. He is convinced of it. He went to a lab with his mask and used precautions to get testing done. He said it was nearly impossible to get inside and everyone was wearing the equivalent of space suits at the lab. It took another 4 hours out of the day, so that means I kept the kids alive on my own. With Netflix, lots of imaginary play and oh yeah, they pretended to give me a haircut. Apparently Mommy doesn’t look great after being in bed so many days straight.
He does not have dengue but he miraculously feels better. I do not. I cancelled all my meetings. My body hurts, my head hurts. I LOST MY SENSE OF SMELL today. Literally, I stuck my face in a bag of coffee beans, nothing. I opened up the box of dishwasher detergent tablets that I usually despise and complain about how strong they smell. I stuck my nose in the box and I can’t smell them. Someone told me vinegar, nope, nada. Finally I grabbed a bottle of peppermint essential oil and placed a drop on my hand, I can feel it at the back of my throat when I breathe in but I can’t smell anything.
My loss of appetite this week just increased immensely today. Do you know how boring it is to eat food when you can’t taste it?
Ugh, I still managed to cook dinner and get the kids playing and coloring. But I crashed around 6pm, taking a hot bath and going to bed. Walter must've put the kids to bed at some point.
Day 9: Friday, June 12
Everything hurts. I don’t want to get out of bed. I only got out three times that I remember. Everything is a bit foggy. Once to get the kids milk for breakfast. A second time around noon to get an apple. I’m starving but nothing tastes good. How awful not to be able to taste or smell anything. And a third time in the afternoon to use the bathroom, make some tea and eat some saltine crackers.
I couldn’t find people to cover my work session today and I had to cancel on the school today.
I spent the rest of the day in bed drifting in and out of sleep. Wrote a text that I simply copied/pasted for people asking about us “Walter is thankfully feeling better. I've lost sense of smell and taste and can't seem to get the energy to get out of bed. So I am resting and so grateful Walter can watch kids. We get covid results tmrw. It's been a long and hard week. Thanks for asking”
Day 10: Saturday, June 13 (Test Results)
Max came in at 5am, I sent him back to bed 13 times before 6am came around. At 6, he went down and got some cereal and watched Saturday cartoons. I was feeling a bit better and went downstairs. Actually made some coffee today, still can’t smell it. First time I’m ever drinking my coffee black and can’t tell a difference, so I guess that’s a positive? My head is pounding a lot this morning, but I think I’m feeling better?
I got toys out for the kids and laid on the couch, once Walter came down I told him I just needed to lay down a bit. I ended up sleeping for over 2 hours, not sure why I’m so tired all the time.
Justin and Angela sent us food today, the kids and Walter loved it. I still can’t taste anything, but I made sure to eat something.
Today’s message I sent out to people who were asking: Have a bit more energy today, but still no smell or taste.
And then in the evening we opened up our test results, and I sent the following message out to those asking “We are both positive. Hoping we are through the worst of it.”
Thankfully, my boss now told me to not worry about work next week and take some days to rest and recover. The relief I felt was tangible.
Day 11: Sunday, June 14
A new routine is forming, Walter usually ends up sleeping in Zoe’s bed as she needs someone with her and we don’t have the energy to sleep train her these days. So Max comes into my room multiple times between 5-6 am waiting for the clock to turn to 6. I actually was able to make my way downstairs with him this morning and sat on the couch drinking black coffee, it just tastes hot.
And as he was watching cartoons, which is usually reserved for Saturdays only, he looked at me “Umm, Mommy, is today Saturday again?” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. It’s pretty much been Saturday every day this week as far as the TV goes. But seriously what else can you do when Mom and Dad are in bed all day long and not functioning 100%?
Walter seems to be on the mend and has more energy. He got his appetite back in full force today and is able to keep up with the kids more. Thank God.
We ordered groceries today. When they arrived, I started disinfecting them as we've been doing for over 90 days. And then I had the realization, "Wait a minute, there's no point at disinfecting groceries. We already have Covid." It provided some silver lining to our situation.
I feel slow, but have enough energy to move around the house now. I finally posted something on Social Media today about our positive test results and our week of being sick. We are overwhelmed with the love, support and community near and far praying for us, buying us food and checking in from all corners of the world.
I cried a few times today. Not because I feel like I’m dying any more, more because it’s such a gift to be alive and to be surrounded with so much love and support. To know that people who don’t even know us are praying for us and sending good thoughts our way.
The world is such a broken place. We’ve seen so much hurt over the last few months around the world. Yet in moments of personal brokenness when we don’t know what will happen and worry about our health, about our kids, and what will happen, we’ve felt so embraced from around the world. It’s almost overwhelming to have so many people rooting for you.
And it reminds me, showing up, helping and loving is always worth it.
The day passed quite slowly today, my lingering symptom is a nasty cough with lots of phlegm that I can’t seem to cough up. I know that’s gross, but it’s the sort of cough you wish you could just get it all out and it doesn’t seem to happen.
We enjoyed a meal thanks to Jen and Mike today and La Chata, the kids were over the moon for the arrachera and pozole, and especially the milk shakes. Just another example of people showing up for us.
Kids were asleep by 7:30 and I think we were asleep by 7:45. We've never been so tired.
Day 12: Monday, June 15
Got up with the kids again. Made coffee and oatmeal. Started making the cheap coffee and not the good stuff since I can’t taste it anyways. Today is the first day my head isn’t pounding in over 9 days. I think I may be getting better. I still can’t smell or taste anything. I have a cough with lots of phlegm and I just wish I could cough it all up but it seems to be stuck in my chest and throat.
My head started hurting again around 1pm today and I had to go lay down. I was laying down and resting most of the afternoon again today. Just got up to answer the door with a lovely lunch delivery thanks to our community. It’s such a blessing having people love us and help right now giving food for the kids.
We had another surprise drop-off from Afoma with electrolytes and fruit. Seriously, we are so blessed.
By the time bed time rolled around 7:30, we were all exhausted and fell asleep. I’m feeling anxious again as symptoms still linger. It’s crazy how much sleep we need these days. Something woke me up at 8:30pm and I looked out the window and saw a rainbow. It was an instant encouragement and helped ease my anxiety.
Day 13: Tuesday, June 16
I woke up on my own today, no Max waking me up at 5am asking if it’s time to go downstairs yet. It almost felt like old times. My head doesn’t hurt and I feel hungry. Haven’t felt that in a long time. I am making coffee now and I think my sense of smell may be returning!! I caught a whiff of coffee grounds that I haven’t smelled in 6 days.
I made breakfast and coffee for first time in six days and actually enjoyed breakfast. I cried. And then I smiled the entire time I ate eggs and drank coffee that I can actually savor and taste. Such a blessing to smell and taste again.
A surprise package arrived today for the kids, with playdough, cookies and new coloring books. We actually tried to make our usual homemade play dough one day last week and since we had no salt at our house it turned out quite goopy and gross. I cried again when the doorbell rang with stuff for the kids. Seriously, the little things really are the big things right now.
Today seemed overall better, I still took a two hour nap and was asleep by 8:30pm (been sleeping 10-11 hours a night and still taking naps) but I think that’s what my body is asking me for. I am still coughing up phlegm, but it feels good to get it out.
Walter seems to have recovered now as well.
Day 14: Wednesday, June 17
As you can tell, I'm starting to feel better. The fact that I can drink my coffee and finish this post this today means we are on the mend. We're so grateful.
Covid was the one thing we were so desperately trying to avoid for 97 days. And it turns out it's highly contagious and we don't know where or how we got it. We are just thankful that our cases have been mild and that our kids (ages 2 and 5) have been happy and healthy while Mommy and Daddy spend most days resting in bed or laying on the couch.
Today is Walter's birthday. We didn't imagine his 38th birthday would be spent in quarantine, let alone, recovering from the novel Coronavirus. But we are grateful for another trip around the sun together as a family, hopefully strong and healthy as the days continue to pass.
The kids are ready to blow up some balloons and hang up their surprise signs for Daddy, and now that Mommy has enough energy, you bet I'm gonna help them.
Update:
We are still taking each day slowly, Walter's headache came back yesterday so we are taking turns taking naps and watching the kids.
Through this all we are so thankful that our kids have remained healthy. We have not tested them as testing is not super easy or affordable here, but are watching them for symptoms.