By, Tami Webb
It’s been a long time since I’ve posted much on social media more than photos of the cutest grandkids on the planet or memes that I thought were funny. Today I decided to tell you my journey over the last 32 days.
Day 1, Wednesday, October 14, I was notified that I had come in close contact with someone with a friend who had tested positive for CoVid. This was our worst nightmare as it meant the kids had to stay home and Dan had to stop working. Also, all the help we receive for our severely autistic/blind son, Jason, would not be able to come to the house. (That’s approximately 45 hours a week of therapy and respite care.) I isolated in my bedroom immediately when I found out. This also meant that my son, Peter, his wife, Tori, and my adorable granddaughter, Esther, who all lived with us (between selling/buying homes) were also quarantined with us. (Here’s the ripple effect) My son’s business had to shut down as well as my husband’s business. Which affected another son, Lucas, who works with Dan, and my son’s family. Dan was basically looking at 24/7 Jason care. No one has ever done that by themselves for 3 weeks… ever!
Symptoms started that first day – cough, then low-grade fevers, painful muscle aches worse than I have ever felt and headaches. Day 2 I got a test and of course it came back positive. Here we go!
No one else in the house seemed sick and we were sooooo thankful for that! The blessing of having Peter and Tori in the house to help with meals and the teens and even give Dan a break by driving Jason around on the tractor was amazing!
My symptoms continued and grew worse by the day. I could barely get out of bed, I was struggling to breathe, my O2 was dropping into the 80’s, my eyes felt like they were being pierced through with needles from behind, and my hair was falling out. By Sunday evening, Day 5, I was on my way to Bronson ER. I got fluids and some anti nausea med for the dizziness and nausea. My O2 stabilized (92/93) They said there was nothing else they could do, THIS WAS COVID. So I went home and went back to bed. Over the next week my symptoms didn’t change much except that the worst of it began to cluster (painful, shallow breathing, temp spikes, my body went limp, couldn’t move). Day in/day out this was my life.
There were a few days that I was able, with help, to make it down the stairs and outside to breathe the fresh air. Dan even made a campfire for me to drink coffee by and feel like a person again. My family sat on the other side of the fire and we could chat.
Day 15 I was spiking fevers and the cough that had mostly subsided in week 2 came back bringing all sorts of stuff with it. The burning in my lungs was fierce, fatigue, difficulty breathing kept getting worse. I called the CoVid triage line on Day 19, November 1 (yeah, I waited too long). They got me into a CoVid Clinic right away. I got a zpack, steroids and an inhaler to treat my new lung infection. (seriously?)
At this point I want to state that I have always been a pretty healthy person. I had NONE of the pre existing conditions that would point to this severe of CoVid!
The coughing and mucus slowed as I got through the zpack but I found I needed to use the inhaler more and more. My breathing wasn’t getting better! I was averaging about 6 episodes lasting 10-20 min each a day. November 6, Day 24, I had 12 episodes in 3 hours. Dan was scared. I was scared. I begged him not to take me to the hospital. I cried because it’s awful to be alone in a hospital room when I felt so scared. I knew though, that the episodes were getting closer together. So off to the ER we went. Dan was really hoping that they would let him in as he wheeled me up to registration. Nope. They immediately took me to a triage room where I began to have the worst episode yet. They moved me to a room. I could barely breathe and yet I was shallow-breathing fast. I felt like I was working hard to breathe but never feeling that I was getting enough air. In the thick of the commotion, they took my blood for tests… what happened next is foggy. My feet, legs and hands went numb and I couldn’t talk. Pain radiated through my body, mostly in my chest and lungs, which unfortunately, Morphine couldn’t touch. The Morphine did, however, slow my breathing so I could begin to talk with the doctor. I found that I was retaining Co2 and that accounts for the weird numbness in my limbs. I called Dan and put him on speaker phone so that he could “be with me”. I really needed him to hear the doctor and reassure me that I was going to be okay. CT scan was next, to check for blood clots in the lungs. No clots, but what they found were Ground Glass Opacities, scar tissue where CoVid had already left its imprint in both of my lungs. This is what the pain was. Doc said (again), “There’s nothing more that we can do… this is CoVid.” Then he added, “You’re young and otherwise heathy, so you should come through this okay.” … he said I was young! (Smile)
“The Spirit of Yahweh will rest upon him,
the Spirit of Extraordinary Wisdom,
the Spirit of Perfect Understanding
the Spirit of Wise Strategy,
the Spirit of Mighty Power,
the Spirit of Revelation,
and the Spirit of the Fear of Yahweh.” Isaiah 11:2 TPT
Home again I went. I decided I needed a new approach, a new mindset. I was letting CoVid symptoms control me and bring fear to me. I needed to let God lead me to knowledge and wisdom. I needed to find out what was going on and what others were doing to lessen symptoms. I was connected with a friend from years ago who has had CoVid symptoms lingering since April. (7months!) This was an amazing blessing! She said what I have is called “Long CoVid” or “Long Haul CoVid”. She directed me to Facebook groups where people share their journeys and what worked for them. Joining this group showed me I’m not alone in my symptoms and that CoVid manifests in soooo many ways – different in every situation! Thousands who have had awful CoVid symptoms ranging from 1 – 8 months are sharing what works for them and encouraging others.
Jason and Michael were able to go back to school after the health department cleared them, the first week in November. Then… Day 22, November 4, two and a half days later, Jason’s principal called. They were going 100% remote. I was stunned! (insert tears here) Dan had been planning to finally go back to work, and get a much needed break from the difficult 24/7 Jason care. (One can only sing “Old McDonald has a Farm” so many times till your mind turns to mush.) After weeks of up every night with Jay, he was exhausted!
Today, Saturday, November 14, Day 32 I remain very weak, shaky, and in bed everyday. I’m still experiencing episodes everyday. My hair is still falling out and low grade fevers, painful fatigue, brain fog, ringing in my ears, swollen lymph nodes, and sore throat persists. I have started taking supplements for my immune system, heart, mitochondria, and pulmonary system. I’m doing what I learned.
Gratefulness…
In the beginning it was difficult to be grateful. I was worried about the teens, Jason, and ESPECIALLY Dan (as he is STILL taking care of Jason). But about a week or 2 in, I started seeing the good that God was bringing our way. Things like this:
- God loves me and is meeting our needs.
- Dan & Jason (especially) didn’t get it.
- The way the kids have blessed us.
- Facetime with the grandkids and family.
- Prayers of those who knew I was positive.
- People who brought food.
- My Pastor came to see me and prayed over me! (3 days without headaches)
- Family that lets me rest and heal.
- Encouraging texts from friends and family.
- So much grace.
- Friends sending me healing vitamins and fresh produce.
- Our help for Jason (therapist and respite) have returned! Thank you, Jesus!!!
So why did I want to tell you all this?
- So you know my journey and if you’re a praying person, you can pray for us and anyone you know with CoVid.
- Because I have learned that there are so many who still think CoVid isn’t real. (Mind blown) One in twenty people who are getting CoVid, get it as serious and worse than me with symptoms persisting for months. If I knew in October what I know now, I would have been more careful even with my close friends. I want to encourage you to be careful during this holiday season. You may not realize that you are carrying it. One of our children lost taste for a day the same week I tested positive and had a headache for a couple days. Honestly, we brushed it off because the symptoms were basically nothing! He still rode mini bikes every day and showed no fatigue or any sick-like symptoms. (He never drinks enough water, just give him ibuprofen.) He tested positive. The only other member of the family besides me to test positive. (We believe he got it the same day as me.)
So my journey continues. I will update again. Looking forward to someday reentering life.
If you made it this far, wow! Thanks for taking the time to read. I’m so thankful for all the love that has been poured out. I’m thankful to my family for the way you serve me every day I’m in bed. I love you! I’m thankful to Dan for the unimaginable sacrifice you have made and still make for your family. We feel so loved! And I am thankful that I have a Savior who loves me.
Journey with Tami... 