Covid-19: My journey and the road to recovery (Part 2)
The lights are turned off, the blinds are shut, and the room is freezing. I quickly realize something isn’t right. I could tell that it was dark as night outside.
Oh shit! Diem! Who took care of the customers? Who covered me? The partners aren’t going to be happy about this. 😱
Almost immediately, I forgot everything about Diem. I was overwhelmed by the unrelenting cough. I was shivering, and yet I could swear I was burning up under the blankets. I remember thinking, “why are my shoulders aching?”. I wasn’t sure if it was the anxiety or just a general feeling of being unwell, but I could already tell this wouldn’t go well.
Unfortunately, I am not very good with words, nor am I articulate enough to describe exactly how I felt. Nausea, an unrelenting cough, fever, chills, and the beginning of aches were the symptoms I was now experiencing.
The rest of that night was pure discomfort until the Buckley’s night capsule kicked in. I was able to fall asleep, finally!
You see, I’ve always been terrible at sharing when I feel unwell. The last thing I want is to trouble my friends and family or burden my parents with information that I know will only worry them.
It got a little too ‘Real.’
My family realized something was definitely wrong. I don’t usually sleep past 10 am. Danyal brought the phone over; my brother (Adeel) wanted to talk to me. He is in medical school, doing his rotations in the states. He pushed and convinced me to go to the ER (he volunteered in the ER at Trillium for years).
If you’re having trouble breathing, then it is time to immediately get that checked before it gets any worse. You need to get tested!
Because Danyal already had Covid, he was safe to drive me to the ER. I was stopped at the entrance and questioned.
Attendant: “Why are you here at the ER?” (visitors are not allowed)
Me: “I have a fever and trouble breathing. My brother tested positive for Covid …” (I could hardly speak)
Attendant: “Covid? You need to go to another building.”
As I was walking towards the other building, I could see a lineup and a white tent. It was obviously just a testing center. To my surprise, I couldn’t find anyone around to speak with. I figured I’m going to have to suck it up and stand in line.
It was slightly windy. Although that slight cool breeze was refreshing, it was giving me the chills. And though I was double-masked, the coughing and shivering made me question if I should even be here. After all, I was quite confident I had Covid.
After 2 hours in the line, I was finally taken in to be tested. The lady began testing my vitals and temperature.
Temperature — ~38.4°C (Low-grade fever)
Vitals (heart-rate/blood pressure) — Normal
Oxygen Levels — Normal
“Self-Isolate, take Tylenol, drink lots of fluids, and rest!”
In the next several days, my condition only worsened. I was on a rollercoaster, fluctuating between 38.1°C and 39°C. At this point, I was chomping on Tylenol like a kid going through a bag of Halloween candy. The span of temporary relief was getting shorter and shorter day by day.
We get the news; my sister (Kiran) also tested positive. She had been showing symptoms for a few days. Luckily, my brother in law (Faisal) tested negative.
By Tuesday, I had lost the sense of taste and smell. After that, at times, I could swear I’d smell firewood smoke. It was quite bizarre. I also lost all my appetite. I was being forced to drink soup or juice, but the thought of eating made me sick to the stomach.
To make matters even worse, Faisal calls with bad news. Kiran had been admitted to the hospital. The next few days were hard for her — CT Scan, X-rays, IV-Antibiotics, and no one could visit. After that news, my parents believed it was time to get re-tested.
I was exhausted—both mentally and physically. I mean, I was now sleeping 14+ hours a day. My body felt weak, and I was tired. The nights were the absolute worse. It came in waves; that was the most exhausting thing. I’d feel better for a bit, then out of nowhere, punched in the face! 🤕
By Thursday, I couldn’t manage to get a word in between my cough. In fact, I was quite sure my throat was bruised from all the coughing. My body ached, especially my chest and legs. It was such a struggle to get out of bed. I desperately wanted to see a doctor, but I just knew I couldn’t sit and wait in that ER waiting room. When I woke up that afternoon, I was actually in tears. It was hard to breathe. I was out of breath just getting up to take that Tylenol.
“Hello, 911? we need an ambulance. My brother is having trouble breathing!”