That thang finally caught me. Almost 3 years into the COVID-19 pandemic, I managed to remain COVID-free… until May. KN95 masks every time I left the house, constant hand washing and sanitizing, daily wellness shots, super-selective hangout plans, and here the f*ck we are. I got COVID and I have no clue how.
I’ve never had the strongest immune system (we should definitely talk about this in detail at a later date), but as I really began to explore what wellness looks like for me in adulthood, I’ve learned how much my diet contributes to the strength of my immune system, how I feel on a daily basis, and the pace at which I recover from an illness. And let’s just say, when we moved in April, I slacked off on using every single weapon I have in my wellness arsenal, including the most obvious one—a f*cking mask.
It all started the week of Cinco de Mayo. I just thought I was exhausted. We’ve been working really hard, just started to feel a little settled from the move, and honestly overextending ourselves, to ensure our Summer project will launch successfully and our Fall product launch is lit AF. We went to dinner on Cinco de Mayo (Thursday) and I just remember wanting to go home and crash immediately. By Friday morning, I woke up and my head was pounding. All I wanted to do was lay down, but I pushed through the day. By Saturday morning, I felt like I got hit by a truck—major body aches, head pounding, and a slight cough.
I immediately “felt COVID” in my gut—my intuition is unnervingly strong—and decided I should probably take a COVID test. We keep our Cue Health COVID tests and reader on deck, as it is the first molecular test authorized by the FDA for at-home, over-the-counter use, without a prescription. It’s perfect for last-minute testing and travel use and has a 97.8% accuracy rate. So it’s our COVID BFF (and no this isn’t an ad).
Anyway, I took the test, waited 20 minutes for results, and honestly, before the test was even 100% done reading, I knew I had COVID. Then… BOOM!
MUHF*CKIN’ VID-POSITIVE!
Confined to our bedroom for two full weeks, I can honestly say I don’t wish COVID on anyone—ever. My symptoms went from bad to worst, quick quick! Exhaustion and a migraine shifted to no appetite, burning eyes, 100°+ fever, and freezing under literal pounds of blankets. Week 2 brought the absolute worst cough of my life and diarrhea every single day for a week. It was f*cking horrible. I spent my nights coughing my lungs (and phlegm) up, binge-watching Transparent, and honestly being scared that I’d choke in my sleep and die—no bullshit.
Since sick days aren’t really a luxury I am afforded at the moment, I still worked from bed, took the majority of my scheduled Zooms, and found the strength to bathe once every 2-3 days. I tested every 3-4 days, praying for a negative result. And even now that I am COVID negative, I am still battling the following challenges:
- I still have my cough and have had to continue using a nebulizer.
- My body can only process vegan food. Non-vegan food = guaranteed diarrhea.
- I can only ever eat a third of any meal—like literal snack size.
- The headaches, body aches, and fatigue come as they please.
- I have shortness of breath when walking for extended periods of time or up the stairs.
COVID-19 has claimed so many lives, so I remain grateful that even with many new challenges, I am still here. I truly believe being diligent about wearing masks is what kept me COVID-free the last few years. The moment I started to be lackadaisical about it, I lost my never-had-COVID badge. Thank God that even with nursing me, Brit never tested positive. But you can bet your last dollar I’m heavy on my wellness sh*t again because COVID definitely ain’t no hoe!
Below are some of the “wellness weapons” that helped me manage when I was COVID-positive:
COVID Wellness Weapons
02
Amazon | Nebulizer
Breathing treatments helped my cough significantly, especially before bed.
03
Amazon | Hypertonic Saline Solution 7% (for Nebulizer)
This is the solution I used for the nebulizer.
04
Amazon | Wedge Pillow
I slept on a wedge pillow at night to help with my cough and to prevent me from choking in my sleep.
05
Amazon | Oregano Oil
I use North American Herb & Spice Super Strength Oreganol P73 every, single day in a wellness shot with lemon juice and Herb Pharm Rapid Immune Boost Liquid, to boost my immune system.
06
natureofthings | Superlative Body Balm
The very best pain relief cream there is. COVID or not, we keep this in our wellness arsenal for all aches and pains.
FYI, this ain’t medical advice, boo. Holla at your doctor for that.