Just when 2020 was rounding off and I was about thanking God for surviving the year despite the challenges, especially avoiding being affected directly by the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Alas! It happened, I tested positive.
HOW IT HAPPENED?
The day was a Monday, and I had casually walked into my office staff clinic to see a doctor, and if possible get a day or two off work. I had fallen ill over the weekend, and because all the symptoms I had were hinting at Malaria, I had just wanted to run a malaria test to be sure.
For context: There has hardly been a year that has gone by that Malaria hasn’t had me down. It was a surprise that I had gotten that far into the year without it happening. So naturally when I fell ill, I just figured it had to be Malaria.
‘Have you had the COVID test done?’ The doctor who is also a friend had asked when I described my symptoms.
I snickered.
‘COV what?’
‘All I have are: fever, body aches, cough, and maybe a little sore throat but I have been on meds that I think may be helping’, I responded.
He advised that while there was nothing wrong in my wanting to get the malaria test done, he would still implore me to get the COVID-19 test done as well.
I left his office convinced he was a joker, until I had the Malaria test done and it came back negative. There had been reports that the Malaria test kits used at work mostly only produced Negative results.
So again, still in denial, I told myself it didn’t really matter.
I called my family to update them on the clinic visit, and they convinced me to get the COVID-19 test done, it wouldn’t hurt to know they said.
I had the test done and was also granted a couple of days off work.
The day before I was expected to resume work, I got a call relaying my result. I was so sure it was not going to be positive, I mean I had been careful, I had taken precautions.
How could I have gotten it?
Anyone that had come across me since COVID-19 became a global pandemic is probably aware of how paranoid I had been about the virus. I almost always had a mask on, carried along my sanitizer, wipes and avoided close contact with anyone. Needless to say, I took most of the precautions.
When I heard my result, I burst into tears. I had apparently been exposed to a positive case at work. A number of my colleagues were confirmed positive as well.
Does this mean I’d have to be stuck at home? Do I have to be isolated somewhere?
What of my mum and younger brother whom I had been home with? Does this mean they could be exposed as well?
At that moment, the only thing that worried me was my mum’s state of health. There had been reports that older people with health complications tended to develop worse symptoms when exposed. The thought of her being infected frightened me, to say the least.
Of course with haste, they both had tests done. When their results came back positive, I was downcast. I never would’ve imagined I would test positive, neither could I have imagined that I’d be the one to infect the rest of my family.
We had a running joke in the house about how my younger brother who never sat at home and took less precautions would most likely end up bringing the virus home if he wasn’t careful.
The irony.
MY SYMPTOMS(BEFORE AND AFTER TESTING)
A few days before undergoing the COVID-19 test(a Saturday), I woke up with extreme body aches and pains, Heavy head, Fever and Blocked nose.
Work had been really stressful, and so at first I had thought it was an aftermath of all the work I had been doing and I just needed a break.
I was immediately put on Antibiotics, Vitamin C, Panadol and told to get enough rest.
I had a small family wedding to attend with my mum, so after the drugs kicked in a few hours later, I was able to muster the strength to attend the wedding.
For context: I had avoided attending as many events as I could for fear of getting unnecessarily exposed to the virus. Towards the end of the year when the numbers of cases kept reducing, and we all thought the pandemic was finally going to be over, I became a lot more comfortable going out.
It should also be noted that I wore my mask and observed social distancing throughout. The driver who took us around during the period tested negative, which supports the effectiveness of using masks.
This wedding was one of the few I had pushed myself to attend, and I was excited to finally be able to unwind. In fact, I had made enough plans for December to make up for all the ones I had missed during the year(all of which got cancelled after I tested positive.)
For a wedding I had been looking forward to attending, I felt extremely uncomfortable throughout.
The effect of the drugs had worn off and the body aches and fever returned just a couple of hours after getting to the wedding.
I just wanted to go home.
And we did.
Once we got home, my symptoms had progressed to sore throat, dry cough and a headache.
Like I mentioned, not once did the thought of it being COVID cross our minds, we had all just figured it was malaria so I was also put on anti malaria medication along with the other drugs I was taking.
By Sunday evening, I felt slightly better and was even able to prepare for the week. But when I woke up Monday morning feeling fatigued, feverish coupled with the never-ending headache, I knew I needed to see a doctor.
We all know how that experience went.
I tried documenting my symptoms the first couple of days after testing positive, but forgot after the 5th day.
Asides the symptoms I had before finding out I was positive, I lost my sense of taste and smell for a day, I ran out of breath easily just by climbing a few stairs to get my food but we had a Pulse Oximeter to monitor this(SPO2) so there was no cause for alarm, the headaches and dizziness were, however, the only constant symptoms. There were days I had no symptom at all and felt like myself again, and others I just felt really shitty.
My symptoms though moderate were more severe than my brother’s who had mild symptoms with marked body weakness and dry coughs. Thankfully my mom had little or no symptom at all.
The major thing I had to fight was my mental state.
The thought of dying crossed my mind, a lot, this period. I mean I think about dying every now and then, we’re all going to die anyways. But people had been dying from this disease, and not just the older ones, so I thought of the possibility of this being my end.
I told myself at least God had given me the opportunity to retrace my steps before dying, shouldn’t be such a bad death.
Away from all of these though, It was lowkey a blessing in disguise that we all tested positive because it made it easier to work together to fight it.
Have I mentioned how amazing my mother is?
Have I also mentioned how if she hadn’t been there my brother and I would’ve probably been very lax about taking care of ourselves?We were all isolated in our rooms, and wore masks when we had to visit each other’s rooms. She was constantly on our necks about taking the meds on time, taking lots of fruits, doing some form of exercise and making sure we took in food.
THINGS THAT HELPED
- Azithromycin tabs 500mg daily for 3 days
- Vitamins & Minerals (Vitamin C 1000mg daily, Vitamin D 1000mg daily, Zinc 100mg daily)
- Steam inhalation twice daily and Hot drinks
- Took walks around the compound
- Black seed
- Honey-lemon water
- Improved spirituality for mental state
POINTS TO NOTE
Malaria presents similar symptoms to that of COVID-19: Like me, it is so easy to think “oh, it is just malaria, once I take some anti malaria and get enough rest I should be fine.” Once you begin to sense symptoms similar to that of Malaria or common cold, please get a COVID-19 test done.
It really wouldn’t hurt to be sure.
I am very grateful to my doctor friend who had suggested my getting the test done because who knows what could have gone wrong? We recently lost a family member to COVID because the doctors had failed to consider COVID as a differential diagnosis to the malaria they were treating, and obviously symptoms were similar to mine.
If the cost of the COVID test in private laboratories is what has scared you off from getting the test done, the Lagos state government has a number of public laboratories offering the test for FREE.
Below is a list of the Laboratories as shared by the Lagos State Government.
While I am not aware of the procedure for getting tested at all of these laboratories, I am aware that NIMR requires that you fill an online form (www.nimr.covid.com.ng) once you notice any COVID-19 related symptom and wait for an invitation mail from them.
If you however do not mind the cost of private laboratories, below is a list
Below is a 4 step guide on how to test at The Specialist laboratories, one of the private laboratories listed above. I had my second test done there, it went very smoothly and I got my result in less than 24 hours.
Another hard lesson I picked up from this experience is that no matter the number of precautions you take, those you interact with daily may be doing otherwise. A colleague of mine who even after testing positive still believes it is a hoax because he was privileged to have had even milder symptoms. According to him, it is all a political gimmick. Before testing positive, I responded to the remarks he made when we discussed the virus. But after my experience, I told myself there was really no point, it is best to just avoid him completely.
Alakoba.
One thing I was grateful for though was not keeping a lot of the people in my life in the know of what was going on with me because it could have messed with my head. While I know it would have come from a place of care, I do not think I would’ve been able to manage my phone constantly filled with missed calls or unread messages.
The first couple of days had the few people that were aware constantly calling, it almost drove me mad.
The day we had to take the repeat test was mind boggling for me, I was expected to have taken mine two days before my mum and brother but I wasn’t sure I was ready to deal with the emotional turmoil of waiting on a result that might still be positive.
Exactly 10 days after my results came out positive, my family and I went for a repeat test and we all tested negative.
I am extremely thankful to have had bearable symptoms during the course of it all. A lot of people have had it worse, many have even died, and I definitely did not come out of the situation feeling like I deserved it.
Till today, I keep telling myself it could have been worse.
Still don’t believe COVID exists?
Or like my colleague you think it’s a political gimmick? Well maybe my experience is proof enough.
The thought of having it a second time is even scarier. I’m not sure I would be able to handle it.
Doing the best I can to stay safe.
I hope you are as well?
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