Well, I survived -- something

[klook]

I'm just coming off a week with flu-like symptoms. Since I never developed pneumonia and I don’t “fit the profile” of covid-19 suspects (no recent foreign travel or contact with anyone who's recently visited high-risk countries) — and I’m not a well-connected Republican official — I haven’t been tested.

So I don’t know if the novel coronavirus is what hit me, but the symptoms are sure similar:
- persistent dry cough (not gone yet)
- fever for 5 days — spiked to 102.3 the second day
- weariness
- weak appetite for almost a week
- vomiting one night, mild diarrhea for a couple of days, and
- some difficulty breathing (improved now).

I had a phone appointment with my doctor’s office on the third day. Nurse Practitioner recommended Mucinex (cough suppressant + expectorant), as well as Tylenol or ibuprofen to reduce fever if necessary. The NP called in an order for a chest X-Ray, which I can use any time in the next several weeks in case of severe congestion or shortness of breath.

I elected not to take a fever reducer, since my temperature never got alarmingly high, and I know fever is one of the immune system’s tools for fighting a virus.

I'm doing fairly well nine days after this started, thanks to a week of bed rest, lots of fluids, and -- most important -- the patient and diligent support of my wonderful wife. And I have a son living nearby, who’s helped us out greatly with trips to the store.

My wife and I are retired seniors, both in reasonably good health, and we each got both a flu shot and a pneumonia shot within the past few months. We’re habitually careful about germs and don’t get colds that often. And we almost never get the flu. So this was a surprise. So far she’s staying healthy, knock on wood.

We'll continue to self-quarantine for at least a couple of more weeks, and will keep to ourselves most of the time as suggested, until the experts say as a society we no longer need social distancing.

I hope at some point to find out if I did have covid-19, because if I have immunity -- and if the virus doesn't mutate -- I could be in a position to help patients or others at higher risk without fearing for my own safety.

[gibraltar72]

1. Remember his numbers!

[EndlessWire]

2. So glad you are okay

Doctors are saying not to use ibuprofen.

If I were you, I'd maintain social distancing and wait it out, due to the uncertainty of the relapse factor that they have seen.

So nice to hear how you want to help.