If I m to give a comment on my experience I would say thank God it wasn’t bad.

What Happened

The Symptoms

Covid is real. don’t be fooled by people saying otherwise. So here is the thing Early this winter season I had a cold/flue, and as the norm I had to stop going to the office as a cautionary measure to protect others and myself. Knowing other colds/flues I did not suspect it to be Covid 19 as I was not coughing at all. I had a blocked nose for like two days and felt weak for I guess 3 days then I started recovering. The good thing about this experience is that it all lasted for one week.

Fast forward to the time I had Covid 19 that same winter, at first it felt like it was a flue starting, you know the general feeling of an early cold/flue that is a sensation on the throat and feeling cold. Then the worst happened. I guess this was the most unusual thing about this experience, two days after I started feeling unwell I sweated profusely in my sleep. The first day, I just thought it was just a hot night that’s all. Believe me when I say I sweated profusely, 🙈🙈🙈 the amount of sweat was just too much, when I woke up in the middle of the night it seemed as if I urinated in my bed and I had to change pyjamas for me to sleep well again. I changed my pyjamas 2 times that night, that is how I sweated that night. The following night was the same only that this time I was prepared for the ordeal. I m of the habit of drinking water before I go to bed so I thought, maybe that’s why I sweated like that but, the weeks before and after I drank water before bed but I did sweat to that extent.

This time I didn’t feel weak like I felt on the previous cold. I didn’t have a running noise either. I felt strong for work so I just kept on going to work. But, early in the morning when I bathed I thought it was because of the sweating at night I felt weak after bathing I no longer felt the weakness. hen on Thursday morning I just woke up feeling as fit, strong, and it seems as if I was not ill any more. The funny part is that, that’s the day I got my first jab of Sinopharm Vaccine.

The Realization

What changed is that I started having dry coughs here and there. That’s when I started thinking this is new, how is it like you are as fit physically, but you are coughing too, how is that possible? I took my Cough syrup, nothing changed and during the weekend that is when I started suspecting I might be having Covid 19 now, and that was after five days after the first symptoms. I just had these questions in my mind. My mom then got test for Covid 19 on a Monday and she tested positive. When she shared the news that’s when the reality hit me. Obvious I should also be having Covid 19. Tuesday, the whole family goes for tests and we are all positive. That is not a pleasant thing trust me.

The Shock 😲

What changed is that I started having dry coughs here and there. That’s when I started thinking this is new, how is it like you are as fit physically, but you are coughing too, how is that possible? I took my Cough syrup, nothing changed and during the weekend that is when I started suspecting I might be having Covid 19 now, and that was after five days after the first symptoms. I just had these questions in my mind. My mom then got test for Covid 19 on a Monday and she tested positive. When she shared the news that’s when the reality hit me. obvious I should also be having Covid 19. Tuesday, the whole family goes for tests and we are all positive. That is not a pleasant thing trust me.

The Road to Recovery

Acceptance

Its not an easy thing to accept that your whole family tested positive for Covid 19, but there is nothing you van do except to be responsible and take care of each other. We immediately stopped contacting the outside world. I stopped going to work, to the shops… I would say we all stopped going outside the gate. Lucky we had basic supplies in stock but it would not last us the two weeks of quarantine. What we then did is that we asked someone without Covid 19 to go and buy us what we needed just to make sure we had enough food for the two weeks.

Medication 💊

We got our medication by the help of relatives as well. I have to say the bulk of the pills were supplements like the vitamins d, c, b, zinc, calcium, then there was the azithromycin and painkillers. I remember I had to take like 8 pills in one sitting. It was not pleasing trust me. I m used to one or two pills when I have a head ache but 8 pills! That was a lot.

Routines

Just like my fellow Zimbabweans, steaming was part of our night and morning routine and every family member had to do it no exceptions. We also did regularly checked on one another every morning, asking how is it?, How are you feeling especially compared to yesterday? We also made it a point to eat at least a fruit every day. Other than that nothing out of the ordinary.

News Consumption

News can be good and some times bad. In terms of Covid 19 related news we reduced consumption. I wouldn’t say this was after we tested positive but some time ago as it seemed to increase the fear of the virus which lead to disruption in concentration and increased stress. Here and there we listened to the news on the radio but no watching it on TV on channels like France 24. it helped us stay calm. we also kept in touch with the extended family and few work colleagues updating them regularly.

The Aftermath

Back to Work

After two weeks of isolation I had to go back to work, though some days we worked from home it was a bit different. The one thing I was scared of was that my colleagues would avoid me a stereo type thing sort of but, they are a good bunch people they didn’t do that. Actually it was I who was avoiding going to other peoples desks and offices. Something I noticed early during those days was that physically I was not as strong or should I say fit as I was before. I remember, I preferred stairs to an elevator whilst going up the building something I enjoyed every morning, but after getting back this time I panted a lot. As weeks passed by I recovered fully.

Mentality Shift 🧠

Early this year I leant that Mental well being is an underrated Health Goal. Trying to get my life back after my quarantine I put a lot of thought on how I can avoid getting sick again. I had this fear of going to public places that means I made a choice not to go to the barbershop, supermarket until Covid 19 cases start to drop. I even stopped using public transport even when it proved to be expensive. That is a hard decision to make.

Lessons Leant 📗

1. Covid is real, believe me. The problem we have as a society is that we tend to think just because we are not affected by what ever condition there is, then it does not exist. We have these conspiracy theories that we share and reinforce so as to not accept the danger that in front of us. At least take this home, we are all human we face different challenges but try not to underrate or demean a scientifically proven fact with unscientific rumors, you will die.
2. Never compromise on health prevention or treatment – Another thing is Covid 19 is a deadly silent assassin lingering in the shadows, to the human eye it is invisible, so always take precaution never compromise no matter the scenario practice social distancing, mask up and sanitize. You shouldn’t be told/reminded.
3. Its a blessing to under go such an ordeal and survive, others are failing to make it to the end. leave life with zero regrets do what you are supposed to do with love you will never now the day and time you will be called by your maker.