Like so many of you, I am “triple vaxxed” and grateful to have been able to roll up my sleeve each time. Fortunately, all these months later, Bruce and I had dodged the Covid bullet, although the rest of our nuclear family had not been as able to do so. But by and large, everyone has felt they rode the wave and Covid was in the rear-view mirror. Until this past week. The Omicron variant is touted as “nothing” by comparison to other variations of the Corona Virus, but in truth, for some, it is nasty, and for me, it meant a trip to the Emergency Room. I am feeling so much better now, but want to share my experience, since many of you also have vulnerable parts of your body, and Covid really knows where to kick those, and kick hard!
My interaction with Covid started with stuffiness and chills last week at lunchtime and I wound up in bed with a headache and low-grade fever. By nighttime, I whipped out my Covid home test and it was negative. Whew! But all night, I felt chilled and congested, my sinuses burned, my bronchiectasis (bronchial inflammation) was kicked off, and I was coughing. I knew I needed a PCR test, so next morning, Bruce took me to a neighboring town, and I had one as a walk-in. Here is important information: my left side began to pull, distention hit me hard, as if there was an adhesion, or worse, a blockage beginning. But I was more focused on getting my test to see if, in fact, this was Covid.
Our community also does rapid and PCR tests, so on the way home, we stopped by for another set of nasal swabbing, hoping the rapid would let me know if I did have Covid, which seemed to be rather obvious. Took those tests and got back into bed. Pain on my side now more pronounced.
Rapid came back negative, so now I felt pretty sure I had bronchitis, and NOT Covid. No news on the PCR front, so I began my antibiotic for the bronchitis and sinus infection. Pain was getting worse throughout the day. My pulmonologist was on board, and no sooner did he order my antibiotic when the Covid PCR results from the neighboring town came in, I was POSITIVE. Now this made sense. But why this awful distention on my left side, and incredible pain? Does Covid have that effect? And how confusing to have had some tests negative and a very important, positive one?
As the night progressed, I was close to crawling from pain, and in a weakened voice, I told Bruce he needed to drop me at the hospital Emergency Room. We are used to Emergency Rooms but he has always been my advocate. This time, I knew I was on my own, thank you, again, Covid!
Labs, hydration, a c-t scan later, another positive Covid test, and the ER doctor told me my pain was related to Covid, she has seen it before. My most vulnerable part of my body! Filled with relief that there was no blockage, no surgery, no admission, Bruce picked me up at 3:00 a.m. It took another four days for the pain to slowly subside.
Here are the numbers: I had 5 tests within 24 hours; two rapid and one PCR were negative; 2 positive PCRs. Confused? So am I, but after monoclonal antibodies and time, all of my symptoms are gone. I am, gratefully, back to myself. Buh bye, Covid, buh bye!
