COVID Case Causes Cautious Concern

If you’re hoping to catch COVID-19 just to be over it forever, think again.

Because the virus mutates often, we may never entirely escape it. We could catch a new version of it every year. Stay current on vaccinations, doctors say, because they can still help prevent serious complications if we catch a variant.

I know this because, even though I had three vaccinations and two boosters, I caught a variant of the virus. My COVID experience was not pleasant but I don’t want to even think about how bad it could have been without the vaccinations.

So here is my real experience. You may want to pay attention.

I probably contracted COVID while winding my way through a queue of hundreds of people at the Denver airport for a flight home. I figured I was safe and that the few wearing masks in the airport had health issues or were being overly cautious. The worst I figured I’d get were the “mild symptoms” often mentioned when famous people get it.

When I first got home I tested negative. This was a precaution. I didn’t have any symptoms at that point although at my age I question every twinge. Over the next week I developed a runny nose which I attributed to allergies.

But suddenly one morning I knew something wasn’t right. Now it felt like a serious head cold with sore neck muscles and a slight sore throat. I also developed an upset stomach and general nausea which proved to be the worst overall symptoms.

A test this time was positive and there was no doubt about it. The dreaded second line appeared right away on the test strip. I immediately moved to the basement so Catherine wouldn’t catch it. I wore a mask when near her. Amazingly she didn’t catch it.

I called the COVID advice line at Mayo Clinic. They take your word for it that you tested positive. Because I’m considered immunocompromised I was given an infusion of a monoclonal antibody at the Mayo Clinic in Cannon Falls. It is approved only for emergency use and floods your body with manmade antibodies to help fight the virus immediately, allowing time for your body to create its own antibodies.

I felt better the next day and thought I was on the mend. The head cold symptoms had subsided and my neck wasn’t so sore. I was low on energy, though, and had strange short-duration headaches as well as the general nausea. I got winded easily. Over the next week I took it easy, gradually increasing my activity to where I even mowed the yard.

Then things went south quickly. In the middle of the night I went to the bathroom where I suddenly felt lightheaded. I ended up crouched on the floor, shaking and dripping sweat for 45 minutes. I seriously wondered if this was the end. I didn’t dare wake Catherine. She had an important appointment the next morning and I knew she would not go back to sleep. Eventually I was able to get up, dry off and get back to bed.

I got an urgent care appointment the next day. My blood pressure was checked lying down, seated, and standing. The first two were acceptable but standing was very low. I was given a wheelchair ride to ER where, over the next three hours I had blood tests, an EKG and chest X-rays. They all came back normal so I was sent home.

The next day I felt at least as bad if not worse. The main culprit was the upset stomach and nausea. If you have that, nothing else matters. I couldn’t even think of eating. I lost 15 pounds over two weeks which is not a recommended way to lose weight.

So I went back to ER. This time I learned more. My blood pressure was now elevated but the doctor said that was OK since my body was fighting COVID. I got a prescription for an anti-nausea med, which was arguably worse than taking nothing. No new tests, just go home and rest.

It could take weeks or months to fully recover, the doctor said. He emphasized that everyone’s COVID experience varies. I was told to eat, forcibly if necessary. A suggested supplement like Ensure helped. Over the next week I very slowly felt better and was able to eat more.

Then one day I suddenly felt a lot better. I had mostly crawled out of the COVID hole. I’m still recovering and can easily sleep for 10 hours. I need to build back my strength. My taste and smell of food is off and I now know what “brain fog” is like.

You can come up with all sorts of theories surrounding COVID. My theory is that I had a variant of the Omicron version of COVID, probably BA.5 which is currently the most prevalent. But I’ll never know. My previous vaccinations no doubt prevented things from being worse and I’m sure the infusion helped. Long term effects? Who knows?

What caused my sudden severe symptoms when I thought I was getting better is anyone’s guess. Even if I now have some immunity, I will still be lining up for the new vaccine that covers both the original and current Omicron strains.

And I’ll keep lining up for every new one.