I once wrote that COVID would get me. And throughout the past several years, I have been thoroughly surprised that COVID has not infected me. Unfortunately, that no longer is the case. After two Pfizer vaccines and two additional booster shots, COVID decided to knock upon my door. My experience is not unlike others. I will summarize my experience using Martha Snell Nicholson’s poem Guests snippet.
Pain knocked upon my door and said
That she had come to stay;
And though I would not welcome her
But bade her go away,
She entered in. Like my own shade
She followed after me,
And from her stabbing, stinging sword
No moment was I free.
COVID infection day 1 saw only a horse voice and scratchy throat. Days 2 and 3 saw severe muscle aches, joint pains, and abdominal pain, which no medication could counter. Every joint in the body was engulfed in pain. No position was comfortable. Sitting, standing, or lying brought no relief to the constant pain. It was debilitating. Extreme fatigue gifted more fatigue. I could hardly lift a glass of water.
Surprisingly, day 4 brought some relief. Finally, I was able to move around a bit. In fact, I managed to clean the apartment a little and thought maybe I had reached the height of the infection. I even watched the Cubs win, then lose. And a Cubbie loss seemed worse than COVID.
Day 5 COVID is striking back. My lungs feel heavy, and my voice is hoarse. Lung issues often fall into several illnesses, including asthma, COPD, infections, pulmonary embolism, pleuritis, and pneumothorax. Complications such as pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome or ARDS may occur in extreme conditions. Another possible complication of COVID-19 is Sepsis, from tissue damage or organ failure. Fortunately, the pulse oximeter indicates lung remains good with an average of 96–98% oxygen saturation.
My throat is a dry, barren desert, and my chest heaves a deep dry cough. It’s important to point out that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now lists just a ‘cough’ as one of the main symptoms of COVID-19. However, I have no fever, chills, or phlegm as of yet. My cough deep down. For now, monitoring oxygen levels with a pulse oximeter and seeking medical advice should oxygen levels dip below 94%.
I see this as something similar to Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Only this time, COVID Strikes Back.