The coronavirus pandemic has quickly become the focus of our lives and has altered the way we conduct our jobs, how our children go to school, and the way we shop—pretty much anything that a normal day consisted of just a few weeks ago.
According to the CDC and the World Health Organization, more than 15,000 Americans and 260,000 people worldwide have faced the unnerving and, frankly, scary reality of testing positive for the coronavirus. As a legitimate modern-day health crisis, all should be following the social distancing guidelines from the CDC.
As case numbers climb by the hour, many ask themselves “What is this virus really like?”
We may not be encouraged to venture outdoors to seek community support, but we do have the internet. A Reddit thread entitled “COVID-19 Positive” has given people a look at what living with coronavirus is like while also serving as a medium for those living with the virus to share their symptoms, progressions and tips for staying sane. Here’s just a sample of some of the stories from those who have lived through the virus.
Despite feeling ill for about a week, Redditor u/calicokitcat tested positive for the coronavirus and called her days nothing short of “horrid.” Day one of symptoms featured a gnarly scratchy throat around noon, and by the evening a fever of 101.
The following days were full of chest pain, soreness, coughing and pain in breathing. Upon day five, this trooper made it outside for some fresh air (which we don’t encourage), and by the sixth day her fever had disappeared. However, she later updated the thread to say the fever had returned and her cough was worse than before. “F*** this,” she wrote.
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Living with MS, and Now COVID-19
Redditor u/ascrumner, a 38-year-old woman in New York living with multiple sclerosis and asthma wrote that she was told she had a high probability of having the virus after being tested for it.
Dealing with symptoms for more than a week, she has updated her Reddit thread daily to shed light on what each day has been like. Starting off with a headache and sore throat, things took a turn on day four when she experienced body aches and difficulty getting out of bed. On her sixth day she received a call from the state Department of Health informing her of her exposure to another person with coronavirus. She was immediately placed on quarantine. In the following days she acquired a low-grade fever, and was refused an official test because her fever had not reached 101 degrees.
Other symptoms included chest pain, lack of taste and smell and an overall similar feeling to when sick with strep throat. While on the mend, she plans to continue to update her health progression until fully recovered.
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Scared to Tell Mom Diagnosis
Fighting many of the common symptoms of the coronavirus, poster u/throwaway78811 started out with a sore throat that turned into a minor cough. Once coughing fits and an uncomfortably hot body temperature caused them to awaken during the night, they knew they were in for something serious.
Due to an asthma condition and feeling an oddly hard pulse, they called their doctor and was given prednisone, hydrocodone cough syrup, steroidal nasal spray, their regular asthma medications and biaxin to prevent a secondary infection. After a few days, they still experienced trouble breathing, but found that medication greatly improved their condition. What they’re most worried about is what mom’s reaction could be, as she is “hysterical enough as it is.”
Luckily they have their spouse to care for them for now, despite fears for their health as well. “Hour by hour I guess, right?”
According to the post, the National Health Service of the United Kingdom states the coronavirus entails a fever and bad cough, so despite being ill, this person was told over the phone they might just simply be dealing with anxiety, or perhaps a bad case of flu or bronchitis. Feeling like there was a pile of bricks on their chest, they were more than certain that they were fighting COVID-19. Luckily, they were given steroids and an inhaler for their asthma, as well as voluntary acetaminophen to help with aches and pains.
They were also happy to report they were told that they will most likely have a stronger immune system following this period of illness.
With hope they said, “Overall I feel very lucky! So if you have asthma and you’re worried I promise it’s hard but totally manageable if you have patience and a positive attitude.”
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The Positive Australian Mom
Currently recovering from the worst of her coronavirus days in the hospital, 33-year-old Redditor u/debbie-gold is full of positivity and hope. Her initial symptoms included body aches, a dry cough, chills and sweats, diarrhea, shortness of breath and an increased usage of her childhood inhaler. Once body aches became the stand out symptom, she noticed harsher aching bones, a more frequent cough and a tight chest.
Despite dealing with the gnarliest illness of the decade, this driven mom claims she is still a highly functioning woman that will not let hysteria get in her way of a healthy mind and soul. She has learned to limit news consumption, increase positive conversations and use the time not to dwell but “re-energize and reform.”
Her advice to her Redditors is to “spread joy – not fear – grow your capacity, think less and do more, grow through not go through, tell someone you love them, consume less, give more, determine your why, meditate, energize and impact, flick the switch on your mindsets, hate less, shift your anger, uplift and above all else open your heart and your eyes.”
