My, my, my Coronavirus (a.k.a Covid-19)

What is the Coronavirus and where did it come from?

Well, according to various science-related sources, the virus is a genetic mutation of a virus that spread through China during the 2018/19 cold and flu season.

“Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause illnesses ranging widely in severity,” reported Science Daily, as it spelled out the history of Covid-19 -- which is shot for Coronavirus disease 2019. “The first known severe illness caused by a coronavirus emerged with the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic in China. A second outbreak of severe illness began in 2012 in Saudi Arabia with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). On December 31 of last year, Chinese authorities alerted the World Health Organization of an outbreak of a novel strain of coronavirus causing severe illness, which was subsequently named SARS-CoV-2."

As of today, there were more than 1.2 million reported cases of Covid-19, with nearly 69,000 deaths. Still, many mild cases go undiagnosed.

Symptoms

The symptoms run the gamut -- from a bad cough and high fever to terrible headache and, in severe cases, mucus that closes the airway, rendering you unable to breathe on your own and requiring a ventilator to help keep you alive until the symptoms pass -- or you do. Basically, it is the flu on crack; a quite violent version of the flu. A flu that, in the early weeks only killed adults with underlying health issues, such as immune deficiencies, heart disease, astha or diabetes. But as the months wore on, it started taking the lives of young, healthy people, including a 17-year-old in Louisiana and a 48-year-old nurse from New York.

In fact, a distant relative of mine in Indiana caught it and wound up in the hospital. Thankfully, he survived.

Shockingly, a friend of mine here in Northern California also caught it. When the virus first emerged in the U.S., it was linked to travelers. My friend, Elisa, lives in suburbia near Sacramento, works from home and runs her family’s errands, including shuttling her boys around to appointments and making trips to the grocery store.

Sick AF

Having Covid-19 was the worst illness she had had in her life, she said. She started feeling symptoms in mid-March -- fever, headache, tiredness.

Elisa first notified me that she wasn't feeling well on March 19. She complainted about a recurring fever. Here are here real time accounts via text message in the days following:

March 27

"Chica, my sweetie, I have C-19, sick, seriously sicker than I’ve been in decades. Just sick AF (as fuck); I have no known memories of of ever feeling so badly, however, grateful because I can breathe. I have had a 101 degree fever for two weeks and a ridiculous headache, cough... Delirious at times. Twice, I had zero memory of reality; thought it was different days than it actually has been and more. Breathing is fine and no hospitalization required. Hugs."

After I inquired further, she wrote:

"Yes, I was tested. Community transmission but had this long Q-tip that bends stuck up my nose that goes down to your throat got results late yesterday. I added extra vitamin-C to my vitamins I take daily because I read, in rural China, they noticed it helped people in healing. This is wicked. On Monday, I was thinking just need to get through the weekend. I was shocked at 1:30 p.m. it was already Monday. Literally nothing more I can take. It’s a virus.I was given antibiotics for my cough and tamiflu. Didn’t help and was told that if my breathing does get worse to get to an ER, call first. So they can meet you outside and bring you in the quarantine. The headache doesn’t go away with Tylenol or Naproxen. I just sleep, lost track of time. I was asked if I say things that others tell me does not make sense. First time, I had a doctor ask that, I thought, 'WTF is this shit?' Then it happened and I was seriously confused for a couple of days. It gets scary, I cannot watch the news because I want to focus on healing. The news feels overwhelming when you're in the middle of it -- no fun. I miss my kids, same house but keeping distance from me."

Sage advice

"People really need to be precautionary," she said.

Her doctor advised that her husband wipe his shoes after he leaves the house for running errands.

"Because he’s doing the shopping and I got it in my community," Elisa said. "Seriously I work from home, transportation for my boys who don’t drive yet and do most of our errands and/or shopping. So at Walmart, Target, safeway or Raley’s is where I got it. (Or) my mail or amazon packages.

Turning Point

By the end of March, she started to feel better. Despite her improved health, she kept close to home to prevent spreading it in her community.

March 29

"Hi sweetie, you’re ear must be tickling, I was thinking of you!! Dare I say I’m finally on the getting healthy side of the coin! Headache and cough (still) but fever is gone; however, slowly and surely I’m feeling the sunshine in my soul again!"

April 3 and not out of the woods, yet.

"How are you doing? Thank you for the meditations, I go outside in my front yard and chill. I’m certain a few of my neighbors wonder what I’m doing. So good to go outside, I’ve been home for three weeks -- did not leave once. I don’t want to pass this onto anyone. I think of my nephew who’s had a heart transplant as an infant, had his kidneys fail from the medications he take and those have been transplanted. He has lung problems and has a breathing machine when he needs it. Just got over Epstein Barr (similar to mono) and had chemo treatment for it just as covid hit the US. So I’m staying home for those folks who have health issues worse than mine. I wish more people would do the same. My friends in Cruz say valley folks are coming over and going to the beaches. Thats so disappointing and disrespectful fold just doing as the want. It’s the epitome of selfish!! Love you girl, thinking about you and hope you’re doing well and staying healthy.... It’s stressful but it is what it is... next thing you know I’ll be saying it’s so weird nobody is home whenever we go back to work/school again... hugs to you, big, big hugs ♥️♥️♥️❣️"

Even animals can catch it

Not only can aninmals catch it, but the symptoms for people can linger, said Elisa.

April 6

"I may have given it to my dog, Kobe, who’s coughing and on meds from his vet. There is zero information for pets, but Tim read a tiger at NY zoo has covid too. Please, know I’m still being affected by the fever. I’ll go a day (to a) day and half feeling fantastic then boom, fever comes back but the cough lingers. My rheumatologist explains I may take longer to recover to full health because my immune system is compromised. So I meditate daily, several times some days. Do yoga if I’m up to it but at very least try to do stretches and/or movement because exercise is healing and healthy my body craves it. Otherwise, I get immensely stiff. Tim fixed our tub so I can take baths. I go nowhere, I don’t want anyone else to feel like me -- like today, the fever is back and going up. Big hugs❣️"