I know you read the headline, yes, you read it right. I’m a healthy, vaccinated 28-year-old with no compromising conditions, and I got COVID and even had to go to the hospital to get treatment. Although all of these things are true, I want to be very clear: the purpose of this article is to share information about my COVID journey. Breakthrough cases are a real thing. Even as a molecular biologist, there were things that I learned about COVID that I didn’t fully understand until I had the virus, and I want you to know everything that I’ve learned thus far. Don’t be scared, be informed! Remember: knowledge is power.
I contracted SARS-CoV-2 virus, the disease that causes COVID-19, before I even developed symptoms for COVID-19. On a Friday, I tested negative for COVID. Saw some friends the next day on Saturday. Then the following day, a Sunday, I tested positive for COVID-19. I came down with some nasty symptoms that I describe later in this blog. I thought, this must be COVID. I took a test, and I was right. But there was no way-- I have JUST tested negative two days earlier and had been feeling right up until that moment.
The incubation period for the SARS-Cov-2 virus (which causes COVID-19) is typically between 2-14 days. That means that you can be infected with the virus for several days before you even show symptoms of disease. Some people never show symptoms and are asymptomatic-- they become infected with the virus without ever showing symptoms, but are still capable of spreading the virus. This why it is important to test regularly, especially if you are planning on being around other people!
Coronaviruses typically cause symptoms that are similar to influenza (the flu) and other viral illnesses. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are:
Fever greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit
Tiredness, body aches
Dry cough
Shortness of breath
Headache
Body ache
Chills
Loss of taste or smell
And I had them ALL. Symptoms occur on a range of mild to moderate, to severe. I ended up having a moderate case of COVID-19.
Day 1: Fever, fatigue, headache, chills, and terrible body aches. I could barely get up to walk. I had a very light line on my at-home COVID antigen test. Shocked, I alerted the state immediately, as well as my workplace. People that had been near me in the past few days received alerts of a potential COVID-19 exposure on their phone, if they signed up for exposure alerts. I actually ordered a walking cane on Instacart because I couldn’t stand on my own to go to the bathroom when I needed to. It was pretty bad. It felt like the flu, but I wasn't prepared for what was coming.
Yes, this is a positive test. The line is VERY faint, but it could be seen in person. I treated this as a positive test and tested again the following day.
Day 2: Same as day one. I spent two days on the couch in my living room. A second antigen test showed an even darker line which further confirmed that I, in fact, had COVID-19. The friends that I had seen just a couple days before had already began isolating at home, and taking daily at-home antigen tests or went for PCR testing.
A positive BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Test taken at home, showing a positive result.
Day 3: I felt like a snot monster. Snot everywhere. I was coughing, sneezing. But I could get up and walk, which was great. I didn’t have a fever, I wasn't too fatigued, and from this day, I thought that I was in the clear.
Day 4: I felt better and could walk around. My symptoms seemed to be going away, and I was grateful for the ability to talk and walk, etc. However, my COVID antigen test showed the darkest line that I had ever seen while taking the tests. That means that my viral load (the amount of virus in my system) was very high.
A positive BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Test taken at home, showing a strong positive result.
Day 5: So far, this has been the scariest day of experiencing COVID. Although the day before, I felt better and could walk around, today a couple hours into waking up I began experiencing shortness of breath, confusion, and lightheadedness. Like nothing that I had ever felt before. It was so bad that I ended up going to the hospital. I could barely take a step without struggling.
At the hospital, all of the COVID positive patients were treated by medical staff outside in a tent. I was having difficulty breathing, so I was treated with a breathing treatment and oxygen. I was also eligible for the Regeneron “REGEN-COV” antibody infusion, which is a two-type antibody cocktail meant to attack different parts of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. I was prescribed an anti-inflammatory steroid medication to take for the next five days, as well as an inhaler to take home.
There are several sources online that show the disease course of COVID-19, and that around day 5, things can take a turn. They did for me. Also, I drank 10 (TEN!!!) LITERS of liquids this day. That was incredible. It was almost as if I couldn’t get enough water in my system. I would chug a 1L bottle of Pedialyte and chase it with 1L of water in about six gulps. This was a scary day. I honestly wasn't sure if I was going to be okay.
Day 6: Woke up coughing up mucus and sneezing, although my shortness of breath was not as severe as the day before. On a steroid medication, and using an inhaler.
Day 7: I started this blog on day 7 of my COVID battle. I was tired, resting in bed. My shortness of breath was dissipating, but still there. I was mostly very fatigued. I made myself a cup of tea and got back in the bed. Five minutes later, I was still a bit out of breath and coughing a little bit. It wasn't as bad as Day 5, which landed me in the hospital. I’m hopeful that I am nearing the end of my COVID journey, and praying that I don’t have Long COVID (see next section). But the level of fatigue that I was experiencing was certainly concerning.
Day 8: I’m coughing up mucus little by little. My shortness of breath continues to go away. I’m definitely not as energized, but my appetite has come back a bit, which is great because I really have not eaten much this past week. I can’t get any solids down. After doing some research, it seems that having a cough while recovering from COVID is common and expected, as the lungs are likely clearing out mucus from the immune response. It’s also important to watch out for pneumonia around this time. I’ll certainly be on the lookout for that. I’ll continue to take it easy this week as much as I can. I’ve had a low grade fever today and I have some swollen lymph nodes.
Day 9: Several lymph nodes on the side of my neck, in my chest near my clavicle, and one in my armpit, are seriously swollen. They feel like large firm beads stuck in my neck. I am still running a low-grade temp and go in and out of feeling miserable.
Day 10: I wrote the past couple of days in present tense, because although I was feeling somewhat better, I wasn't well enough to finish. I am currently up in the middle of the night because my body has decided to clear what seems like over a week's worth of mucus out of my lungs in one hour. I sound like a car that won't start properly. My lymph node swelling has gone down. I haven't taken my temperature yet today, but I do feel like it is possible that my fever has finally broken. But, knowing the ups and downs of the COVID recovery process, I am learning to just take things day by day.
What is Long COVID? Most people who get COVID recover completely within a few weeks. But, this isn’t a guaranteed outcome. Even those who have mild covid can continue to experience COVID symptoms after their initial recovery period. Individuals who have this experience may refer to themselves as COVID “long haulers”, as their symptoms continue for more than four weeks after being diagnosed with COVID. People across the spectrum of age and health may experience this, but it appears that older people and those with serious medical conditions may be the most susceptible to developing Long COVID. Check out this link to read more about Long COVID: Long COVID Organization
One of my future blog posts will further address this but for now, let me just say it straight: Yes! Vaccines do work. Yes! Vaccines are safe. Yes, breakthrough infections are possible as none of the COVID-19 vaccines are 100% effective in preventing viral infections. The best case scenario, (besides this pandemic not happening at all) would probably be for everyone to have access to being immediately protected against the disease to slow the spread, and hopefully eradicate the virus as a whole. We all know that it did not happen this way, for various reasons. As the virus continued to mutate and spread, the efficacy of the protections that were created at the beginning of the pandemic changed. So, I get it. I am still very glad that I was vaccinated against COVID-19! The vaccines have undoubtedly saved many lives already, and scientists are working hard to keep up and adapt to an ever-changing situation.
It should be noted that I was the only person in my circle that received the Johnson and Johnson one-shot vaccine back in April. There was some news that came out this week showing that vaccines including Johnson and Johnson vaccines may have lost efficacy against the newly emerged omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. The data is a pre-print and isn’t peer reviewed yet so I’m still waiting to hear more news about this, but just putting this on your radar to look into further as time goes on and peer-reviewed information comes out. I did receive the Moderna mRNA booster, which should have helped me produce more antibodies, however, without any hard data on my body’s antibody production, I can’t say what this really means for me. Either way, every doctor and nurse that I spoke to in the hospital told me that if I did not get vaccinated, my case likely would have been a severe case. Meaning, I would have probably needed to have been admitted to the hospital and needed more intensive care. I am also grateful for the REGEN-COV antibody infusion that I received at the hospital, but there were even some reports about these antibodies efficacy being impacted by the mutations in the omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. They're re-evaluating and working on formulating a new product to keep up the changes in the virus. All in all, my body, in combination with technology, are doing the best they can!
I'm sending my prayers to the medical professionals and scientists! Thank you for your hard work and care.
Even my husband, who is also vaccinated, lives with me and has been taking care of me this entire time, has tested negative for COVID-19 throughout my entire COVID journey thus far. Even last night. He has had zero symptoms. He got the Pfizer vaccine and booster. Take that as you will! These are simply my observations for JUST my case-- breakthrough cases are possible no matter what vaccine you get.
I am still in recovery from COVID, so I know I will have more thoughts to share in the future about COVID once I get back on my feet. For now, this is what I’ll say:
If you are planning on hanging out with people, get a COVID test. You can do a quick antigen test at home that takes a little nose swab and about 15 minutes of your time. Even if you test negative, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you aren’t carrying the virus.
If you have COVID, or honestly, if you’ve been sick with ANYTHING, even when you feel better, give your body some time to completely get rid of the virus. When I started this blog, I was on the upswing. I’m sitting here typing, and looking at a COVID test I'd took 15 minutes ago, and was still testing positive. The line on my test was not as dark as it was in previous tests, but still positive. That means I still had a COVID viral load. Even if the following day I felt much better and I am able to get out and cook, walk, talk, dance, etc. - I could still give someone else the virus. Even if I feel better. Staying away from other people is the responsible thing to do. I'll be continuing to wear a mask and do a much better job of social distancing even after I continue to test negative for COVID.
Protect your mind: Remember, knowledge is power. Eff the politics and sensationalized news. The bottom line is that there is a disease that is seriously impacting people’s lives, and we all have the power to protect not only ourselves, but others. Take extra precautions by educating yourself about the virus. Don't spread the virus, because that will give it more opportunities to mutuate. We're all tired of being in this pandemic. All we have to do is be smart and stop spreading the disease.
Rest. Honestly, you may not feel like you have much of a choice because your body will TELL you to rest.
STAY HYDRATED. If you feel thirsty, drink. In 10 days, I drank over 60 liters of fluid. That is an insane amount of fluid. I drank about 12 liters of Pedialyte and the rest was water and fruit juices. I was up and down to the bathroom, even when it was hard to walk.
Your progress might not be linear. By this, I mean the sickness might come in waves and one day you feel better and the following day you feel worse than ever before. Be patient and monitor your symptoms.
I bought a pulse oximeter and thermometer to check on how my body was doing. Click here to learn more about how blood oxygen levels. This was helpful because when I was feeling out of breath, I could make sure that I was getting enough oxygen.
This can be lonely. I was put on anti-inflammatory steroids, which bumped up my anxiety what seemed to be ten times the normal level. If you are sick, you may not have the energy to reach out to your support network, but know you are not alone. If you aren't sick or if you know someone who is dealing with COVID, reach out to them and offer words of support and encouragement. Those words go a long way!
A friend shared with me, "getting COVID is not a moral failure". Sometimes you feel like maybe you rushed trying to "get back to normal". You might have gotten vaccinated and went to that dinner party, that concert, or that special something just to feel normal again. Everyone, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, needs to be extremely careful during this pandemic. The virus is evolving, and we need to adapt and continue protecting ourselves the best way that we can.
This is EXPENSIVE. Because of my situation, I drank over a dozen liters of Pedialyte. I had to spend money on tests. I had to spend money on grocery delivery. I had to spend money on medicine. I am so fortunate to have had the means to do so, but my heart goes out to those who do not. I don't think my progress would be the same if I didn't have access to these things. Although I can afford things like this now, I grew up in and out of poverty and I know for sure that there would have been times where my family could not afford to buy any of the things that I would have needed to get better. I want to talk about this in a future blog.
Thank you to all of my friends and family, particularly my husband, who helped coach and nurse me through was has been a scary time. Also, special thanks to my dear friend and lovely person, Alie Ward, who sent over multiple care packages and words of encouragement my way when I needed it the most! You are appreciated. There is an endless list of people that reached out to check in on me, and if you did reach out, thank you!
I'm glad to be feeling better, and even more grateful that my friends and family that I have been around are safe and sound as well.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to leave them below, I’ll be answering them! I have more to say on this topic, but I'm going to take more time to myself to rest and heal.