Coronavirus Day 6 - A Day of Discouragement That Turned Out Pretty Good

On Monday morning I woke up without a headache for the first time in six days! I was elated. For about ten minutes. And then I realized something I'd been suspecting for the last day: I was losing my sense of smell. I found that I could smell peppermint essential oil, and lavender oil too. But the frankincense, lemongrass, and myrrh blend that I rub on my thyroid daily was completely without aroma. It was the oddest thing. Nor could I smell the strong, stinky-cheese smell of kefir (raw goat milk yogurt).

I knew that not being able to smell should be the least of my concerns, so I tried not to feel too disappointed. I also hoped that it might be a short-lived problem caused by increased nasal congestion that day. My nose was much stuffier despite the improvement in my other symptoms.

The next thing I noticed was more concerning. I now also had mild shortness of breath. Ten minutes of washing dishes--yay!!--left me feeling a bit winded. I sat down with my phone and read a few articles on the long-term effects of Covid-19. What I read really alarmed me. 

In one study of 128 post-Covid patients with an average age of 49.5 (my age), more than 52% still reported fatigue after ten weeks, regardless of the severity of their original symptoms. The fatigue was severe enough to affect their ability to work and to complete daily tasks. Other articles reported that up to a quarter of post-Covid patients still had significant fatigue after six months. Some of those patients were even unable to return to work.

I retreated to the couch to feel sorry for myself. What if my mild case ended up the same way? 

Arwen soon curled herself around my waist, and after a few minutes of stroking her luxurious fur, I felt better. I reminded myself to focus on gratitude; I certainly have much to be grateful for! Allyson was now well enough to return to school the next day, and I had suffered no serious symptoms. 

I then posted my Day 5 update and was soon overwhelmed with love, prayers, and well wishes from the many people who love me. 

The rest of the day was good. I managed to get the kitchen almost clean. I went for a short, slow walk with Allyson, and she chattered all the way. I felt pretty tired after our 1/3-mile stroll, but it was so wonderful to get out in the sunlight for the first time in six days.

That evening, I read Rebecca to Allyson for about 45 minutes. It was a really dramatic part that I'd been looking forward to, and she was busy ripping up some new blue jeans with scissors and my tweezers, so she let me read a lot longer than usual. Afterward, we talked about what we had read, making "text-to-self connections." What a treat for this former English teacher!

Another high point was a nice, long shower followed by clean clothes that were not pajamas. Heavenly!

I went to bed smiling and spent what may have been the last night in the cat room/sickroom. Tonight I hope to return to my own bed. 

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Vitals: 90/63, 91 bpm. Temperature: 97.8 (my normal)

Symptoms: mild nausea, fatigue, moderate nasal congestion, mild sore throat, new loss of smell, mild shortness of breath