***Please note I wrote this blog on Sunday, and not today. Everything I talk about is as it was on Sunday. Towards the end of writing the blog, I was just too ill to continue. But I thought it would be a shame just to delete it. So here it is a couple of days later, now finished and ready to share.
Covid has finally got me! But before I talk about it, I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year! I hope you’ve all had a wonderful Christmas. I had the best Christmas ever! Honestly, I do not know how any future Christmases is going to beat this one! New York at Christmas is one of the most magical places to be!
We spent Christmas Day morning ice skating in the famous Wollman Ring in Central Park. In the afternoon we watched an incredible performance by the Rockettes at Radio City. We then went up to the Top of the Rock for sunset. To finish the day we had a potter around 5th and 6th ave seeing all the Christmas window displays. It was perfect!
Here’s the fairytale of New York in pics:
The Dreaded Covid
After avoiding it for 2 years, it’s finally hit me!
It all started the week leading up to Christmas. Alex came down with what we thought was a bad head cold. He tested himself, he was negative. So we thought nothing more of it and continued with our lives. That week we saw family, celebrating Christmas, with us not being here for Christmas Day.
Later on in the week, I received a message from one of my family members saying they had tested positive for covid. I had woken up full of cold so I did a test just to be safe. It was negative. I thought great, I’ve caught Alex’s cold in time for Christmas! Not what I wanted!
The following morning I flew out to New York. First time standing in an airport and not wanting to get on that flight. I felt shocking! I was wishing I was staying at home for Christmas! Anyone who knows me well, I would never wish that! Any opportunity I have to travel, I take it! That was how ill I was feeling!
I Lived Off Adrenaline!
Over Christmas Day and Boxing Day, I continued to get worse. Still, I just thought I had one really bad cold! I honestly do not know how I got through each day! I was running off lots of painkillers, decongestions, and adrenaline from being in New York! I nearly passed out at the 9/11 memorial, I was nearly sick watching the Rockettes. I tried raiding Wallgreens for some stronger painkillers, but they didn’t have much to offer! But despite how ill I felt, I just kept going. I smiled on all the photos, I ice skated around the ring, and I walked miles around the city. Looking back at the content we created, nothing would show how ill I was, yet I felt so poorly! I was completely running off adrenaline! I guess it probably also helps that I am used to suffering from fatigue and pain, and just getting on with life. But still, I question how I actually got through those few days doing what I did!
The day after I arrived home, I was on my way to work, still fighting what I thought was this nasty cold, my mom messaged me to say she had tested positive. I knew she had been suffering similar symptoms to me. She had tested herself before like I did and it was negative, but now it was positive. I thought I better test myself again, just to double-check it’s not Covid.
Alex and I both tested, and both were positive!
We had both been walking around New York with Covid!
I Feel So Bad!
Honestly, knowing this has upset me so much! Knowing I might have infected many people out there! I did a test before I went, it was negative. I honestly thought it was just a bad cold and nothing more! But I guess this is the thing about Covid, LFTs aren’t fully reliable, and it’s hard to tell between a cold and Covid.
Treatment
A day later, the adrenaline from New York had completely worn off, and that was it, I was knocked for six! I realised how poorly I was actually feeling, and how I wasn’t improving at all!
On Friday, a medical clinician rang me to access how I was doing. He referred me to the CMDU unit as he thinks I may need some infusions to help with my recovery. So now I am just waiting for a doctor from CMDU to ring me! It’s such a slow process! Considering you meant to get this medication into you as quickly as you can, it’s probably all too late now!
My Asthma
In my previous blog, I talked about how my asthma was bad and the nasty attack I had. I went to see my GP on Monday morning. She prescribed me Montelukast. What a difference it made after just a few days of taking it!
Now my chest is bad again due to Covid cannot win! It only started affecting my chest a couple of days ago. I have to keep an eye on my oxygen levels. Currently at 96%. I’ve been told if it goes below 95%, I must give 111 a call. I’m really hoping this is the worst, and tomorrow I start seeing improvement!
That’s it from me this week! I’ve got three medical appointments next week so I’m hoping I start testing negative in time!
Until next week,
Goodbye for now
Emma
xox
P.S. Alex was only unwell for a couple of days with what was like a cold and is absolutely fine now. All before New York! He happily tested negative the day after his positive test.
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