Search This Blog

Verify

5/4/20

Life with Covid



Perhaps I should title this "Our Life with Covid", because that would be more realistic.  After two negative nose swabs (which hurt like you would not believe), one that was so painful it rivals some aspects of the disease, I was one of the 30% who were given a FALSE NEGATIVE diagnosis.  Yes, you read that right.  30% of all false diagnosis' are wrong, and I fell into that category...twice.  Lucky me. Once at a drive through testing facility and once at the Emergency Room, where they overruled  the false diagnosis after they did a CT Scan on me and found the ground glass opaciaties, which are crazy scary to see in the CT scans. (Please click here to better understand ground glass opaciaties and see what it looks like in lungs of Covid patients.) The long term effects of the Ground Glass Opaciaties in our lungs is not known, but there is speculation that there will be long term, life long damage. Yay.

If you have followed my Facebook page, then you know what hell our family has experienced since approximately March 10, although we didn't get the diagnosis until much, much later.  I have made my post available to the public, so please look up my story there...scroll down far enough, I promise it's there.  It has been shared unbelievably over 200 times, which just floors me.  My FB name is Stacey Rinehart Cannon, and you can Click HERE to visit Stacey's Facebook page.  Originally I had made the post private. I needed a way to get out all of the emotions I was feeling, and I'm a writer. Plus no way in the world did I want my parents really knowing how bad I was, so I kept the post limited as to who could view it.  But I finally realized how unfair and untrustworthy I was being, so I decided to come out with all of it.  Scary parts and all.  But I was right about one thing...my parents wanted to get me home, and even though TN has their borders shut down, I have no doubt my dad would saddle up his two horses, map out a way to get to me not using highways and any road on a map, and that blessed angel of a man would come get me to bring me back to OK where there are fewer cases and more doctors.  Once he told us his plan to come get me and smuggle me home (do I still live in the United States?!?!) we made him promise to stay put.  I love my parents so much. Nothing would have stopped him if I'd have said yes.  That kind of love is so rare, and I pray to God my children know that we would walk through fire for them as well.

It's been so surreal.  My mornings are hell. When I get up, my bones and lungs feel week and on fire.  And the afternoons are the worst. Each time I have showered, I have broken down in tears, because everything is hard. Washing my hair is a nightmare, towel drying takes every last ounce of energy I have, my skin hurts to be touched...(think of the worst, most painful bruise you have ever had, except the bruise is from your face to your toes).  Today the pain from just the water coming out of the shower head took my breath away.  By the time I got out of the shower I was coughing mucus up from my lungs - today is the first day of that...until now I have had a dry cough. Maybe that is good news?  Norman started some Postural Drainage techniques sent to him by a friend, so maybe that will help. 

I had slept until 3 this afternoon, so I hadn't been ready to go to bed until late, but the body aches and pain were so bad that reading (my usual escape) didn't work.  I did a bit of online shopping, but there's only so much I can spend before Norman kills me, and around 5am I woke him up asking for morphine.  Hopefully that will kick in soon.

You guys.  I implore you.  Don't get your hair done.  I get it, I really do. I'm sitting here with 4 inch roots looking like I've misplaced my dignity.  Let your nail appointments go.  Even if they open up.  Wear your masks no matter how dumb you feel.  I saw this meme, and it is so perfect.


You guys...my lungs still burn.  My chest feels like its on fire if I breathe too deeply.  I consider it a huge accomplishment if I go downstairs to the kitchen and come back up without having to rest at the kitchen table downstairs.  The pain of this is relentless, and it is unlike anything I've ever felt.  I would rather give birth, un-medicated, every single day...because at least there is an end in site with childbirth.  With this, in the support group I'm in, the general consensus is 6-8 weeks before you turn a corner, and then 3-5 months of slow recovery.  I believe my first symptoms were March 10th, so I have a ways to go.

The bright sides (there are a few)...the beautiful, beautiful bright sides are that I have my husband here.  They told me to quarantine apart from him, which Norman heard bc he was on the speaker phone when I got my diagnosis and instructions. Little did she know that even if I would have fought hard to stay in the guest room, there is no way we could last that long apart.  Besides, based on his symptoms, she diagnosed him as having it too, so we are quarantined together and keep contact with the boys minimal.  At the end of this they deserve a freaking amazing vacation because they have done so much for us...they have gone above and beyond, and Norman and I are so, so proud of them.  You know...everyone who is asking what they can do for us...they could send them cards.  That would make their day.  You guys, they are doing laundry, making food, taking care of 4 animals without being asked, they take out the trash, they bring in the mail, they accept grocery deliveries and sort everything and put it away. Eli is in here every 2-3 hours asking what he can do for us.  I want to do a card campaign for them.  Message me and I'll give you our address.  And you guys...on top of that they are doing their school work, and as we homeschool anyway, Chase has almost worked all the wat to the 1st 9 weeks of NEXT YEAR.  These precious boys deserve.. and need encouragement...so my only ask is that you guys take just a moment of your time to recognize our precious, hardworking boys.  That would absolutely make their week. #cardsforeli #cardsforchase #blessingsformyblessings

Alright you guys, the blessed morphine is easing the pain in my legs...in my muscles and bones, so I am going to try to sleep...at nearly 7am.  I so appreciate your prayers and your good thoughts and your love and healing vibes.  To those we know...we love you and are so thankful for you.  To those we only know via the internet, an extra special thank you. Thank you for taking the time to think about and pray for us...simple strangers and 2 of so many who have this disease.  Thank you for caring about my children. I have so many feelings of thanks and gratitude to you for caring for us.  I pray that God sends down special blessings into your hearts and home. For friends and strangers, I pray for protection from this terrible disease. 

If you would like to send my boys (ages 13 - Chase and Eli - 16) a note or postcard, or even a comment here.. THEY WOULD ADORE COMMENTS!!!! Please comment below and if you would like to send a card or postcard, drop your email address and I will get it to you.  I want so badly for them to stay encouraged. We need them to keep going. 



Thank you for all your love and support.

2 comments:

Comments make my day!!! :)