Saturday, September 26, 2020

6 1/2 Months in the Coronaverse: Update

September 12 marked the 6 month mark since my first COVID symptoms.  I've had some good weeks, and I've even moved this summer - just across town, but still.  What I've been so grateful for are the weeks I've had the energy to do as much as I have.  One day during the move, I think I even had 14,000 steps.  I was feeling pretty close to normal, and then, the week before Labor Day, fatigue returned.  And some shortness of breath, which I thought had resolved in July.  And the achey place between my shoulders.  But most of all, my arch nemesis in this battle - fatigue.

Eating crab - and then a 2 hour nap!

I was particularly frustrated with this "relapse" because I was planning a Labor Day Weekend trip to GA to see my parents and celebrate their birthdays with my brother.  My dad turns 80 in October, and I thought a visit would be the best present I could provide - actually the steamed Chesapeake Bay blue crabs I brought with me were the best present, but my visit was also welcome.  We had a great time cracking crabs and catching up, and I even went on a very slow walk around the neighborhood with them.  Best of all was celebrating Communion with my family and going to pray with a dear friend of the family.  However, it appears I was too ambitious.  Two 10 hour drives in a weekend was too much.  While I was there I had to take long naps and even had to watch the Kentucky Derby lying down.  Fortunately on the driving days, I had the energy to get where I was going, but upon my return, I've had a set back lasting for weeks, feeling worse than I have since earlier in the summer.  

Mid-September I had a visit with my nurse practitioner.  Turns out I now have high blood pressure - high enough that starting medicine was a requirement.   Pre-Covid I didn't have an issue with high blood pressure.  So I'm monitoring it and taking medicine.  In my long-Covid group, a number of people have mentioned high or extreme fluctuating blood pressure.  I've been hoping that's the cause of my malaise because it's treatable, but I haven't been able to find a correlation.  

I've also learned that my fatigue is not about sleep.  It's really an inability to maintain an upright posture.  When I'm having a "wave," standing is hard, and even sitting upright drains me.  As soon as I'm horizontal, I'm better.  I can have an animated conversation, work on the computer, even lead a Zoom group, but I can't do it if I have to be upright.  I don't necessarily need to sleep - just lie down.  This isn't constant; I have days where I can stand and walk and even mow the lawn, vacuum or carry boxes up and down stairs.  But when the "wave" comes, I have to lie down. 

What surprised me on my trip to GA was walking into a gas station in South Carolina, and though a "Masks Required" sign was on the door, I could count on three fingers the number of people wearing masks besides me.  And they weren't employees!  I've also been surprised by how few people know about us long haulers.  There are 21,000 of us just in one FB group.  People don't realize that you don't have to be an elder or have underlying conditions to contract this virus.  They don't understand how many people have ongoing debilitating effects from it.  They don't know how many athletes have been affected and can't even exercise any more.  I find myself doing a lot of educating.  

Taking a spin in Dad's '65 Buick Skylark.  Chris and I both learned to drive in that car!

The long term effects of COVID-19 are still unknown.  We've passed 200,000 deaths in this country, and we're just entering fall.  For the first time in my life, I got a flu shot.  Can't risk getting anything else on top of this!  I worry, though, for our country and our health care system and for all the people on the front lines.  How many more will die?  How many more have long-term debilitating effects?  How long before we can stop social distancing?  How much will we have lost?  How much will we lose?

I do believe I will recover fully, but until then, I have to keep pacing, keep resting, and keep to the sidelines much more than I'm used to doing, hoping that it won't take 6 more months to return to full strength.  In the meantime, I'm so grateful for cooler weather, for the joy of a new home, and for all the support and love I've received in this time.

6 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing this, Lauren. It helps. I do hope you start having many more of those good days and will pray for full restoration of your health. It's been many years since I've seen you in person, but the pic of you with the crab reminds me of how your smile lit up the theater when I met you at GHP, and how infectious it still was during our time together at Sewanee. Love to you. -Becky

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    1. Thank you, Becky! It all feels so random, the good days and the bad days. Hopefully the bad will start fading away. Love to you...

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  2. I found your comment about the blood pressure very interesting What other symptoms did you have I have also been dealing with this blood pressure issue I hope your recovery continues

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    1. Several times over the summer when my blood pressure was taken, I noticed it was high, but I just figured I was nervous or something. When my NP told me I had to start medicine right away, I became more concerned. It's possible it's unrelated, but I'm not convinced. Did you have COVID?

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  3. I barely survived covid-- I was a perfectly healthy 28 year old before I got sick in March. I was given Last Rites in May and am just now walking and talking again. I would love to talk to you sometime. Look me up on FB if you want-- I'm wearing a black mantilla in my profile pic.

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    1. I'm so sorry to hear about your experience. Mine has been long but not nearly so severe. Wishing you all the best in continued recovery. Blessings...

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