joyful2beeblogs

You may or may not have noticed that I didn’t write or share many blogs in December and part of January. I was sick with, thankfully, a mild case of Covid 19. I wasn’t sick enough to need hospitalization or even to see a doctor. Besides gaining immunity for possibly three months, it affected me in some ways I didn’t expect.

After hearing about Covid 19 and the potential symptoms and having retired from nursing after many years, I knew what I needed to do. I bought several items to help me through the critical and convalescing periods. I heard from two friends and on the news that green tea, dark chocolate, Tylenol, Vitamin D3, Potassium, Zinc (possibly), lots of fluids and one of the most important things Robitussin DM (Guaifenesin dextromethorphan, which is the chemical name) and rest were essential for fighting Covid 19. Two years before I bought a box of gloves and a box of masks in case I needed help while sick with a virus, so I had supplies.

I came down with Covid about four days after Thanksgiving, with a headache, a mild fever and soon after a cough was added. General aches and pains also appeared. I definitely didn’t feel like myself for the next month. I drank at least two cups of the green tea and a square of dark chocolate daily along with the vitamins I already had.

I noticed my appetite was not normal. It was strange but when I put honey in the green tea, the tea didn’t taste sweet. I only ate light foods and drank lots of water. To go with the other “fun” symptoms that can go on, some experience varying degrees of diarhea. I slept a lot but was able to get up for my food and to feed my cat.

The cough I had was not the kind that keeps you coughing for a long time but two or three coughs seemed enough. I also never coughed up anything. My back was aching from the jarring of the coughs. I had had nasal congestion before the Covid symptoms but that didn’t get much worse.

For most of five days I had a low grade temperature, (never went over 101) probably kept low by the Arthritis Strength Tylenol I was on. So I could monitor my oxygen levels, my daughter-in-law surprised me and ordered an oximeter (online for less than $30) to be sure my oxygen levels were okay. My oxygen saturation levels were normal each morning. Thankfully after five days my temp and oxygen levels were normal again.

After five days of feeling miserable I started to feel better. But I noticed that my attention span was practically nil and I had trouble thinking of common words I had known for years. I couldn’t even think of the word “YouTube”! Since I am 69 years of age I thought at first my mind was going down hill fast. Then I heard of Covid Brain Fog. Later I read about it and understood what was going on. Here is a reference to information about it if you have had similar experiences. https://healthmatters.nyp.org/what-is-causing-covid-brain-fog/

To sum it up when you have a wound your body causes swelling around it (inflamation) from an immune response. Since some brain cells are identified as virus cells by the body’s rescue antibodies. The antibodies may cause swelling around the cells in the brain and temporarily cause brain fog. The symptoms eventually clear but may take several weeks. Mine lasted for about a month. I couldn’t garner enough interest or brain power to write a blog post

My poor brain is back to normal now, at least as normal as it was before having Covid. The thing I learned from the above article is that even with a relatively mild case of Covid it takes a while for yor brain to get over the “Covid Brain Fog.” If you develop stroke symptoms (weakness, slurred speech, “tingling or numbness” in your extremities you should contact your doctor or go to the emergency room. The brain fog causes fatigue, inability to focus, remember words and more.

Even a month after I could do a few things but then needed to rest. Seven weeks out finally I got my strength back. (Your muscles loose strength from being in bed or lying around on your recliner for even two days!) Two months out I almost feel like myself again after taking walks in our large parking lot. So here I am again, writing blog posts.

But there is more that happens from Covid 19. I will write about that next. I hope you all are healing and allowing yourselves to feel the grief we all feel in one way or another from the losses we have experienced: loved one(s), job, business, or just a large segment of your life’s normal activities. These all can truly bring about a grief.