Good day all
Sorry for the lack of follow-up.
Had a lot going on and all I had was a phone and I'm not the best thumb typist.
I spent a week as a guest of the North Fulton Wellstar Hospital in Roswell.
The Doctors, nurses and caregivers did an amazing job.
I'm home now and slowly recuperating which is an interesting experience on its own.
I'm generally a very quick healer and that's not been the case here.
A week after discharge, I still have to stop and catch my breath after going up the stairs... which is an improvement because I can get up the stairs in one go, but it's insane that this is still my condition.
As I said in earlier posts, from first respiratory symptoms (Sat Nov 28th) I declined noticeably daily.
By Thursday Dec 3rd, I had been on 3 virtual health appoints, been given puffer steroids and told to stay home. I should have gone in Thursday or Friday and I would have avoided a lot of drama and spared my wife and kids an very frightening experience.
By Thursday Afternoon, I could barely get across a room, by Friday, getting out of bed put me out of breath and by Saturday the 5th, I could not catch my breath while lying on my bed without any activity.
As noted, I got my first ambulance ride out of it and I spent the next 24 hours or so in the emergency room. I really do wonder a bit what would have happened had I not been there Sunday morning when even the room oxygen left me in the low 80s from a O2 perspective.
the Doctors and nurses were much more aware of my condition than I and as I said they put me on pretty much everything.
Saturday they started me on a 5 day course of Remdesivir, ZPac, and another antibiotic because I hadn't technically tested positive for Covid at that point. They started daily shots of a much more powerful steroid and I think Monday they gave me two bag of Plasma with antibodies.
That all continued through Wednesday the 9th and I steadily improved.
The other big thing they did is give me something to do.
I was extremely weak but I can't just lie there so they gave me exercises.
I spent hours and hours a day proning, lying on my stomach and stretching and trying to breath
they gave me a breathing thing where you trying to suck air in and pull a bobber to the top of a device.
I did that over and over.... Frankly, I over did several times and they had to tell me to back off.
I was released on the 11th and after evaluation, determined I did not need home O2.
I've been generally fine since thing though I am still heavily fatigued and, as I said, I get out of breath climbing stairs. I still feel a band around my lungs when I breath deep which I try to do a lot based on doctor's advice. I've had a few followups with my care providers and I have another big followup with Xrays and my Lung doctor in a week to determine if there is any scaring or long term damage.
My advice here is don't play with this thing. If it gets in your lungs, go to the doctor or emergency immediately. I've never run into something in my life I couldn't fight and will myself through and this kicked my ass in no uncertain terms. Listen to your care providers and do your exercises. I think that's helped as much as anything else. Finally, Thank you to all on the front lines of this thing. Its crazy what those folks are going through.
I sent a massive edible arrangement and flowers and chocolates to the doctors and nurses who helped get me through those days. they deserve that and a bunch more. Even so, there was nothing more beautiful than getting wheeled out on Friday the 11th and seeing my wife, crying, after 6 days and ready to take me home.
Here's to a full recovery for all affected and a 2021 without this insanity!
Thanks, God Bless and Gig'em
FTR -Eric
One other side note: my sense of taste went off almost immediately and I struggled to eat pretty much from the beginning because everything tasted terrible. the week before the hospital, I was maybe getting 500 cal a day and that mostly protein drinks. Ultimately I lost 15 pounds in 2 weeks.
