Well it was bound to happen I guess. My wife and I finally got COVID. I am just going to ramble about my family COVID Experience. Keeping in mind we are both vaccinated, no booster.
COVID Shot or Not?
I am of the belief that if you want the COVID shot (It’s NOT a vaccine) get it, if you do not, then don’t. Just do not force people to get it through illegal mandates, laws or ridiculous videos with moronic acting “Tik Tok influencers“. The video of the TikToker or whatever the F they are called was so painful to watch I stopped about halfway through.
So it begins
It all started on December 10. My wife said she was not feeling well, I felt fine. She took a home COVID test on December 12 which came back positive. She started going downhill with coughing, trouble breathing and a fever of 101.7. Mind you she also has diabetes which I guess didn’t help. She was spraying down everything but did not isolate in our bedroom. Of course I did not ask her to. I just wanted to help any way I could.
Took a COVID home test on December 13, came back negative. I felt fine at this point except a bit of coughing. She went to the Dr for the COVID PCR test to confirm the home results, the rapid test came back negative. 24hrs later the PCR test came back positive. Soooooo I took another home test on December 14, and it took all of 10 seconds to show positive. At this point I was feeling a fatigued, little bit of a headache and a fever. The fever went away after a day but my headache got worse, it was sinus pressure headache which was not pleasant.
Time for the hospital
On December 17 my wife was in really rough shape, so off to the ER we went. Of course I could not stay. It took about 3hrs to been seen. It’s not a huge hospital as the city we live in is not very big, maybe 140K people. What concerned me is that they had her sit in the waiting room along with everyone else in the ER. Did they not have space to isolate her from possibly infecting other people? It was really concerning.
Once she was seen, they immediately put her on oxygen as her levels were in the low 80s. Also, anything she ate went straight through her, so they were giving her shots in her stomach of steroids. Blood sugar levels went through the roof. Blood sugar levels for a diabetic should be around 90, hers jumped to over 250. The hospital’s answer was a shot of insulin. She informed them that she takes Metformin to control blood sugar levels but they would not give it to her. This one baffles me. Also she developed COVID related Pneumonia. The only upside is her temp came back to normal.
Sent Home
On December 22 the hospital sent her home. They provided a home oxygen machine to keep her O2 levels up. When I picked her up, mind you I had COVID at this point, she looked miserable as they wheeled her out. In addition to the O2 machine they provided a steroid prescription and one to help keep her food in.
When we got home and she was settled in a little, she wanted to take a shower. That did not go well at all. After she got out, she was saying she thought her body was going into shock. I had to help her to the bed as she could barely walk. I said we should go back to the hospital, she did not want to and just rested in bed for a while. Eventually her body calmed down and she felt a little better. I have to say I was extremely nervous and pissed at the hospital for sending her home. After texting with relatives who were in the medical field, they stated it might be better to be home than in a place where everyone is sick.
Home Care Continues
Over the next several days, while I was still sick, I was doing anything and everything I could to make her feel more comfortable. Of course it did not seem like enough. I cooked 3 meals a day for her, which helped me as well. Normally I do not eat the way I should so it worked out.
Take the dam picture already 
I’m not kidding, hurry up! 
Come on lets go I’m cold
One of the roughest parts was having to take our dog out for her walks to go potty. It’s freezing cold which made it really tough for me. Being at a high altitude and having a medical condition that makes breathing in cold weather a little tougher, it was not fun. However our baby needed to get out and was confused when I did not take long walks with her and not go the usual route where she could greet people in the happy go lucky manner she is accustomed to.
We started running out of some food items and fortunately I have amazing friends that offered to help. My Army buddy’s wife went to the store and got a bunch of food from a list I provided, on Christmas Eve no less. I am one not to really ask for help for myself but since this was my wife I did not hesitate. She (friend’s wife) offered to come over and clean, cook and even help my wife shower. This woman is AMAZING! She said we are family and would do anything. No words can express the gratitude I have for them.
My blushing bride over the next several days was still coughing a lot and was fatigued. The coughing was becoming a problem as it appeared she had fluid in her left lung and with the all the coughing her left side was really hurting. She probably pulled a muscle or maybe bruised a rib from all the coughing. We put a lidocaine patch on the left side of her chest, which seemed to mildly help.
Wife is feeling guilty
Through all of this my wife kept apologizing for getting sick and getting me sick. Claiming that she let her guard down by eating at a place that was basically a huge dinging room with long bench tables where you sit where you can find a seat. It was at a ski resort (No she was not skiing, took her son, my stepson out who was visiting). I told her of course, it was not her fault and to put it out of her mind and focus on getting better.
Finally around Christmas Eve, I started feeling better. Took a home test that was negative. Not having complete faith in these home tests, I took another on December 27, negative as well. So I called the Dr to get a PCR test to confirm the results so I could go back to work. Now I would love to get back to work but taking care of my wife is the only priority.
Cabin Fever
As I mentioned I would like to get back to work as I have no sick time or vacation, only been at the job for 3 months. Fortunately I was informed that I would be paid for time missed based on hours I worked the previous 7 weeks. Also, when I spoke to work, I told them I was well enough to return once I got my negative PCR test but my wife was still in rough shape and I could not leave her. A few hours after that conversation I my boss called and said to call HR as I might be eligible for Caregiver Leave in which I would still be paid. So I need to do that if I she is still in rough shape over the next few days.
December 28 my wife had a phone call visit with a Nurse Practitioner as our regular provider was booked till after the first of the year. Overall the call went well. She will be getting some inhalers and a cough suppressant which she should of been send home with in the first place. Granted they gave her emergency inhalers to take home but she needed a daily one.
Relief in sight
Here we are in the New Year and I am doing fine, still have very slight remnants of a sinus infection. I am going on 1 week waiting for my PCR test results so I can go back to work. It’s a bit frustrating but with all the sheep wanting to get tested for a cough or stuffy nose, I am not surprised.
Thankfully my wife is doing MUCH better. Not coughing nearly as much. Taking a shower takes a little out of her but she is able to do it by herself. I can see her energy levels coming back to normal. I have to admit, when she was able to sit in the living room and watch some TV with me, it was a great feeling. Her face does not have that defeated and beaten down look. Cooking her own meals if she wants is a joy to see. No more oxygen as her levels are back to normal. The big lingering problem is her ribs hurt a lot. All the coughing she was doing really put a strain on her ribs or the muscles around them. I can still see the look of anguish when she is about to cough.
I am still guarded as to how much she exerts herself. We are all guilty of when we start feeling better, we do too much and have a set back. So it might seem mean that I tell her no she cannot come when I walk the dog. In reality I am just watching out for her.
I cannot wait to walk the dog with her again. Going out to eat and doing things outdoors is something we both are really looking forward to. Looking into the rear view mirror of this exhausting experience is a great feeling and not something either of us want to go through again.
Update:
January 2. 2022. We went out to lunch. She wanted to ear Mexican food at her favorite place. The wait was 45 minutes so she wanted Chili’s as a backup. Smiling ear to ear as we we out and driving from one restaurant to another. After we ate, the grocery store was next. After we got home she was a little tired but thoroughly enjoyed getting back out. The only issue left is the rib pain from all the coughing but that is getting better.
I will not live in fear going forward
Yes, this was an awful experience that I do not care to repeat. With that said, I will not allow myself to be fearful anytime I go out. Hiding at home is not an option. I do believe that COVID can really do some damage to people with pre existing conditions, like my wife. This can be very scary, it was for me watching what she was going through. However, I think a majority of people themselves so scared because of all the media hype, a govt that changes the story about COVID almost daily. Like now, look at the shortage of homes test kits, people lining the streets to get test for a cough, sneeze or other minor symptom.
In the end, we will all get through this and the ONLY ones that will come out ahead is the pharmaceutical companies. Look at their profits over the last 2 years. Yes I am a bit cynical when it comes to Big Pharma.
So, that was my family COVID experience
One thought on “My Family COVID Experience”