I started coughing more than normal and had a sometimes runny/sometimes stuffy nose. I have terrible allergies and noticed this was more than my usual symptoms, but nothing too serious. I just figured it was maybe a sign that I might be coming down with something.
The next few days, I began to monitor my temperature and my oxygen level with my pulse oximeter. My normal temperature runs low (97ish) and my oxygen level was in the low-to-mid 90s. I haven't really ever tested my oxygen levels on my own before to know what my baseline normally is, but I know they say 95-100 is normal, so I figured I was pretty close to that.
Around Day #4 or so, my sense of taste/smell went away. Once again, I often have a lot of allergies and sinus problems, but I don't usually have ones that completely knock out my taste/smell nowadays, especially not at what seemed a relatively early juncture.
Around this time, each day seemed to get worse, even if just slightly. I would toss and turn at night, not able to get much restful sleep. I began to get super-fatigued -- not so much out of breath, but just so exhausted -- at the slightest bit of exertion (e.g., just getting up from bed).
Around Day #8 or so, I began to run slight fevers (in the 99s, but again, my normal is usually 97ish). I began to have terrible gastrointestinal problems, which only compounded my fatigue/weakness when trying to do anothing. I went about three to four days with only eating crackers and trying to hydrate myself with liquids like Gatorade. I had no appetite. I was feeling really bad and hadn't been taking any OTC medication (since I didn't want to cover up if I were running a fever) and I felt like I wasn't getting better on my own, so I called my doctor, thinking she might prescribe me some antiobiotics or something to get over a sinus infection. Her receptionist asked me for my symptoms, sounded a little worried and said that my doctor would probably want me to get tested for COVID. She called me back and I was able to make an appointment just a day or so later.
On Day #10, I went and got tested at a drive-thru testing tent in a nearby city. To my surprise, I got a call back within a few hours of the results -- I tested positive. I felt terrible that weekend, but I did see some signs of improvement, even if just small signs. I began to develop a little more of an appetite, my gastrointestinal symptoms had subsided some what, I started being able to smell/taste somewhat again, and my eating went back to normal.
I made a telehealth appointment with my doctor to see what I should do, and she said I should take Tylenol as necessary, continue to stay hydrated, rest, and if symptoms get worse, go to the hospital.
Now, I'm around Day #19 and I'm still nowhere close to being back to normal. While some symptoms have gotten better (my oxygen readings are now more regularly in the mid-90s and I haven't had a temperature lately, although I have been taking Tylenol more regularly...) and I don't get as fatigued as I used to upon slight exertion, my sense/taste has gone away again and some of my congestion etc. has returned. I have also been incredibly tired lately, spending literally almost the last 24 hours in bed, sleeping maybe 50 minutes here and therefore before waking up (a little more confused than usual) and tossing and turning some and doing it all over again. I usually don't feel WORSE after sleeping, so I am hoping that it is a sign that my body just needs a bit more rest to get this out of my system.
As a side note, if anyone wants to know how I was infected, I believe it is due to my elderly mother (I'm her caregiver). We have been very diligent about quarantining and wearing masks, but she developed an illness and ended up in the hospital several weeks ago and then was subsequently discharged to a nursing home after that. While she was in the nursing home, it notified us that it had its first case of COVID. They pointed us to their website, where we could check how many patients/workers were diagnosed. It exploded. My mom was discharged home shortly thereafter. About two weeks after she returned home with me, that is when I first began developing symptoms. She was tested after me and has since tested positive as well, although she is apparently asymptomatic.
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