No ordinary virus

This is a post I have debated making.  I feel like it is rather vulnerable, which is some of the reason that I am choosing to write it here.

Just over seven weeks ago, on May 18th, I went shopping first thing in the morning.  When I came home I was just absolutely exhausted.  I crashed on the couch and slept for 2 hours.  I also developed a low fever and my throat was sore.  I wasn't too worried until the next day when I realized I couldn't smell anything.  My taste also seemed off.  I was able to schedule a Covid 19 test for a few days later.  As you can probably guess, I tested positive.  Mercifully, none of my family contracted it.

The worst things about those first two weeks were the chest pain and the absolute panic and terror I felt at night for no good reason.  Usually chest pain was at night and I was so terrified that it could be a heart attack.  It took at least a good week to not panic every time it happened.  The other big struggle was the panic and terror that just seemed to come on at night.  I have never felt anxiety and panic like that.  I would have to just focus so much on breathing and I would often listen to whale sounds on our Alexa just to get me calmed down, all while everyone else slept.  I know I could have woken Greg, but I hated to disturb him.  My fever broke after 12 days and three days later both my doctor and the health department said I could go out again, but since I didn't self isolate, my family had to stay home 2 more weeks.  I still didn't go out much and I definitely wasn't all better.

From the beginning of my illness I had had headaches intermittently, but by about day 10 the headaches were constant.  I also developed a very stiff neck.  I found it hard to concentrate on anything.  And there was the fatigue.  I also continued to have chest pain.  After 4 weeks (since the onset of symptoms) I went to see my doctor.  Before this we had had one telemed call.  She felt like it was now safe for me to come in.  She listened and asked a lot of questions.  She was up front in saying there is still not a lot they know about the virus.  She wanted me to see a cardiologist and Physical Therapist.  The PT has helped with the stiff neck, but not the headaches.  The cardiologist said I have pericarditis and pleuritis, but didn't really do any testing.  He did say we could do more testing if I wanted to.  It is now 7 and a half weeks out so I am going to do that.  I revisited my doc this week and here is a list I brought her of all the crazy symptoms I have had:

Here is a list of symptoms I have experienced over the last 7 weeks:

Consistent symptoms:

Headache

Chest Pain

Fatigue

Brain Fog/Hard to focus

Post nasal drip

Stiff Neck

Newer symptoms that I am most concerned about:

Stomach feels like it is riding up into my chest (this started with a feeling that there was a bubble in my chest)

Sharper back pain upper middle back

Achy  back pain in kidney area

Pain that comes and goes on the right side of my chest

Blue fingernails and toenails (comes and goes)

Toe pain

Other symptoms I have experienced that come and go:

Numbness tingling- usually left shoulder and arm

Lightheadedness and dizziness

Pins and needles feeling- usually hands and feet

Itchy skin- it will get red and itchy and then be gone in an hour or two

Facial pain- usually along one of my cheekbones

Ear pain, ringing in ears, not being able to pop my ears

Forgetting the names of things

Veins rising to the surface, feeling really sore like a varicose vein and then will disappear and be fine an hour or two later or a day later

Pink eye like symptoms- gone within a day

Insomnia/difficulty sleeping

Feeling like my throat is closing, especially when laying down

Cold sores that pop up and then will be gone in a day

My skin seems drier and more scaly and more susceptible to sunburn

Weak and shaky

Voice hoarseness

Loss of taste and smell

Dragon looking skin, just really dry and can see the pores
Tight jaw, difficult to chew hard things

Symptoms I haven’t experienced for weeks:

Sore throat

Fear and panic at night and a feeling of restlessness

Fever

Slight cough

It overwhelms me and it overwhelmed her. She suggested we focus on a few things each time we meet. Now I am headed to a GI doc and a sleep specialist. In some ways it feels similar to when I was diagnosed with Celiac. It took so many different docs and so many different tests. It can be tiring and frustrating. I do feel small improvements though. And I believe I will get all better. It just might take time. I take a lot of supplements now. I was already not eating gluten or sugar. Now I am trying to eat even better. I may try the AIP way of eating. I try to rest, but also try to do a little each day. I think for Greg the hardest part has been the brain stuff. Sometimes it kind of feels like I am a different person. It feels that way to me too. For now, I will count my blessings, hope and pray that things will keep improving. This is no ordinary virus.