I contracted Covid-19 in July 2020. Here is a synopsis of my covid journey from infection to 6 months post covid.
I took every precaution and implemented exhaustive usage of PPE: Mask, gloves, sanitizer, visor, and constantly disinfecting everything. I stopped going into work on the weeks when the first wave of infection had peaked. I stockpiled groceries and my only contact was with my neighbour who let me into our apartment block due to electricity/power outage. We had a 10 minute exchange of conversation where i had on a 3 layer cloth mask and the neighbor wore no mask but we social distanced at 1.5 meters. The next day the neighbour was ill with covid. And that’s the contact tracing of how I got infected. I was not in contact with anyone else and 10 days later I exhibited covid symptoms. My initial symptom was a pokey sensation in my throat, and inability to taste on parts of my tongue. I thought i was imagining it, until my symptoms further evolved. Thankfully my family and I had been social distancing from each other within the home since the beginning of lockdown so no one else was infected.
Day 1
Loss of taste and smell. I couldn’t smell my shower gel that morning, and chalked it down to the last smidge of product in the bottle losing it’s quality. My Breakfast tasted fine. Then loss of taste at lunch time. I ate a series of strange things to see if my taste buds work. Includes Vicks, lemon, ginger. I donned a halyard másk and isolated immediately. I texted my household: ‘Don’t be alarmed. I’m fine. I’ve lost my sense of taste and smell. I’ve disinfected the house and am isolating in my bedroom’. I isolated my toiletries, toothbrush and filled 2 spray bottles with sanitizer. I went though the house sanitizing all the surfaces and anything i may have touched, including door handles and light switches. I fill the kitchen sink with a solution of sunlight liquid and water for all the utensils I might encounter. All my utensils went straight into soapy water after usage to minimize surface contact and spread of germs.
Day 2
Didn’t need any cough mixture all day. Felt fine. Head was stuffy. I got meds and supplements viz. viral guard, Zinc, Selenium, Vicks, vitamin d, vitamin b complex, vitamin c, cloves, halls cherry, and a box of ginger tea sachets. I’m running a mild fever and my left ear hurts. I feel my sense of touch in my hands is impaired… Slightly numb. My tongue also feels numb
Day 3
Its 3 am. My coughing is getting progressively worse. I can’t lay down as the coughing escalates. I’ve decided to nebulize. I’ve been avoiding nebulizing because I fear germs aerosolizing and hanging in the air. My parents are both high risk. I’m not stressing yet, but my ribs are hurting. I’ve ditched my winter pj’s for cotton ones – I’m fluctuating between hot and cold. I have a low dull headache. Looks like I’m going to sleep while sitting up in bed because laying down onsets coughing. Shakey after nebulizing. Eating breakfast biscuits in bed. It’s 03:33 am.. I’m so tired after nebulizing. I’m afraid to go to sleep. It’s the first time I’ve felt this ill in a long time. I have travelled and had the hajj flu, umrah flu, bronchitis, pneumonia – i don’t expect covid to be any worse- yet I’m afraid. My head feels woozy.
Day 4
Coughing started around midnight. Rubbed Vicks on my ribs. There is surface inflammation. Slept. Ordered sir Juice ginger shots and turmeric shots, which i took daily. They delivered efficiently and left the boxes on my driveway. No contact collection.
[Make your own flu shots: 2 inches of ginger, 2 inches of turmeric root/turmeric powder, 2 apples, 1 lemon, used store bought orange juice/ 2 oranges. Juice it. honey/black pepper optional. Store in fridge for up to 14 days]
Day 5
Coughing. Trembling persists. Experiencing bouts of numbness. No different to previous days. i’ll add new symptoms as it progresses
Day 6
Mild cough. Can taste salt, sugar, apples, ginger, chillies.
Trembling persists. I’m losing sensation in hands, feet and lips.
Day 7
Super fatigued can’t move. Ate toast. Legs are weak. Can barely stand
Day 8
Trembling. Fever. headaches
Day 9
Trembling persists similar to anxiety.
Sense of taste and smell has returned. Fever.
Day 10
Fever. Smell is like my nose was replaced with a dog’s nose. Every scent is heightened.
Day 11
Coughing, fever, trembling, headaches, sleeping. If you’re Muslim, its essential to still fulfill your 5 daily prayers. I’ve permissibly combined my prayers under the circumstances of being too ill to manage. Fatigue is ridiculous. Spray bottle for wudhu because i can barely move.
Day 12
Coughing – The coughing is tedious. First cough erupts then it drags as though my lungs are struggling for air till i feel faint, and then i’m able to take the next breath. It feels scary, as though i’m suffocating on air. Fever persists, trembling, headaches, sleeping. Taking electrolyte solutions like lucozade, and energade. Game powder works too.
Day 13
coughing, fever, trembling, headaches, sleeping.
Day 14
Fever. Nausea – Took valoid for the nausea and wore motionsickness bands. Trembling persists.
Day 15
Sense of taste is impaired again. i’m a little startled, i thought i’d be fine after 14 days. My paranoia festers.
Day 16
Total body numbness , pins and needles in my hands. I’m taking dispirin or ecotrin for the numbness to see if it helps.
Day 17
50 % total body numbness. Re-experiencing initial symptoms. Taste fluctuates.
Day 18
30% total body numbness
Coughing. Still struggling to do normal day to day tasks.
Day 19
I woke feeling normal. Which lasted all of 30 mins. I’m rationing my energy for things which are important – Like taking a shower. Making something to eat. Packing away my laundry which I’m trying to do for 3 days unsuccessfully. I drank Coke. It helped a little.
Day 20
Numbness in hands and lips. I keep chewing at my lips to see if they’re awake.
Day 21
Heart rate:116 to 126. Less fatigue. 10%numbness. Sore throat – taking strepsils honey-lemon. Trembling persists.
From Day 22 -Day 52 i had post viral fatigue which included a culmination of total body numbness, sporadic numbness, shortness of breath – i purchased Cellfood oxygen drops which i’ve been taking for a total of 4 months. Iy helps the lungs cope with impaired breathing. Chest pains are frequent. Pulse rate is still relatively high. i have 30 minute bouts of energy followed by 2 hours of sleep and exhaustion. Trembling and overall fatigue with inability to move around for more than 30 minutes at any given time.
6 months later:
i have finally stopped coughing every night. Coughing is still persistent, however it only occurs afew times a week. I’m still taking oxygen drops, i find myself needing it in the mornings to help me cope with the day.
Taking vitamin b-complex, and immune support. i don’t feel entirely healthy yet, and i did put on 3-4 kg’s of covid weight while ill. I’m in the process of re-integrating mild exercise into my daily routine, but i can walk around for 3-4 hours with ease. Overall the actual infectious period wasn’t that bad for me, however the post viral fatigue was excruciatingly difficult.
I’m still taking precautions, and wearing a visor when going to the mall for groceries. i have sneeze screens at work which limits contact with people. I don’t have any comorbidities hence I didn’t anticipate getting THAT ill. My current greatest fear is reinfection – i dont feel like i’m healthy enough to endure onset of another infection. Immunity is only 3 months post covid.
Hasina Suliman - ZA 
I fear COVID-19, I’m much older and doubt I can spring back! I hide at home.