My Experience with COVID

September 15, 2020

“You just sneezed all over me.” As those words were coming out of my husband’s mouth, I looked around and realized that I managed to spray the entire car dash, part of the steering wheel, and most of my husband with what was the result of a giant sneeze complete with a swab still hanging out of my nose.

Yes, it was that gross.

Let me backup and share my story with you from the beginning.

Here is My Story

Monday June 29, 2020 – My husband and his partner were called out of town that day for work. His work trip was a quick 24-hour turnaround that included a flight to New Mexico and extensive time spent in the car while there.

Wednesday July 1, 2020 – My husband receives a call from his partner. A call that, during these times, you don’t necessarily want to receive. “I am really sick,” his partner said. “And I may have exposed you,” he continued. My husband got off the phone and shared the news with me and as I listened a knot began to form in the pit of my stomach. So now what??

Friday July 3, 2020 – Two days later my husband woke up with a fever and terrible body aches. “No way was this COVID-19,” I thought to myself. We were careful not to go out (other than for essentials). We had our ‘COVID kits’ complete with hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes in every car along with ample supply throughout our home. Surely this had to be something else. Unfortunately, he nor his partner wore masks while in the car during their trip to New Mexico.

Nonetheless, my husband quarantined himself in our bedroom. He slept for the next 36 hours except to use the restroom or for another dose of medicine. His fever finally broke on Sunday and he was able to get around the house. For the next two weeks, he would experience extreme fatigue, concentration problems, and severe headaches.

Tuesday July 7, 2020 – The dreaded day! My husband went to his scheduled COVID test at a local drive-up clinic. Meanwhile, I noticed that while I was on work-related video chats, I started feeling the need to continually clear my throat and was coughing quite a bit. I didn’t think too much about it until later that day when I started feeling extremely tired. By Wednesday morning, I, too, was sick.

Wednesday July 8, 2020 – Wednesday morning, I knew I had contracted whatever this illness was that my husband had. We were also certain at that point that this “mystery illness” was most likely COVID and it would now be only a matter of time before our kids would also get sick.

Saturday July 11, 2020 – My husband broke out in huge hives all over his body. He went to urgent care, received a chest x-ray, and was told he had walking pneumonia in both lungs. After 3 days, the hives finally disappeared. We both lost our taste and smell too. This lasted about 2 weeks before we fully recovered.

Does This Happen to Other People or is it Just Me?

Sunday July 12, 2020 – As I shared earlier, my husband got tested for COVID on Tuesday July 7th. His experience was pretty straight forward. He scheduled his appointment online, went through the drive-up clinic, swabbed his own nose, dropped the sample in the designated red box, and was finished. Simple enough.

My experience was not exactly the same…..

Since I was going to the same clinic that my husband went to and knowing I would have to ‘touch my brain’ with a swab, he offered to come with me for moral support.

At the time of my appointment I drove up to the window and was handed a kit to swab my own nose.

“Swab the most congested nostril first, followed by the other nostril and make sure you move the swab around.” directed the assistant. Up the swab went in my right nostril as far as it could go. After a little wiggle, I removed the swab.

Success.

Now for the other nostril. Once again, I put the swab up my nose and proceeded to move it around. In an instant, my eyes began to water and the unthinkable happened.

There was no time to be courteous and cover my nose and mouth in the elbow crease of my arm. And there was NO way I was going to re-swab my nose. That sneeze was quick.

Facing my husband with the swab still up my nose, I sneezed – on him, on the entire dash, and on part of the steering wheel.

My husband did not move. He sat there…… holding the plastic bag that my sample was to be returned in. Still trying to process what just transpired, he said, “You just sneezed all over me.” My eyes teared up as I burst out laughing!

I looked over at the assistant in the window who was also laughing while giving me two big thumbs up. I shrugged my shoulders with a big smile, returned my sample in the plastic bag, and dropped it in the red box.

12 days later my test came back positive for COVID-19.

So, What About the Kids?

On July 9th, our 12-year-old daughter complained of a scratchy throat, followed by a fever later that evening. The next day her fever was gone. Her throat still bothered her for a few days but really that was about it.

Our 13-year-old son followed shortly thereafter. He never came down with a fever but did get a scratchy throat with some mild congestion.

The kids were tested on Wednesday July 15th and their results came back positive for COVID, 22 days later. 22 DAYS LATER!!! Long after their symptoms were gone and they were feeling better!

It took my husband and me a few weeks to completely recover. While we experienced the “typical symptoms” of COVID-19 such as body aches, headaches, fever, brain fog, loss of smell, shortness of breath, and fatigue, we were very fortunate that none of us had to be admitted to the hospital.

Our mild cases of COVID were still scary and left us feeling anxious at times. I can’t imagine if our cases were worse. Our deepest appreciation goes out to all the healthcare workers that sacrifice their own safety day in and day out during this pandemic. Our hearts are heavy for those families who have lost loved ones. John Lynch & Associates wishes health and safety to all of the front-line workers that continue to go above and beyond to serve others during this time.