This is a continuation of my covid story, written about 17 months after I initially contracted the virus.
On Thursday, September 17, 2020, I came down with a fever. I only remember the date because I was supposed to serve the next day at our church’s women’s conference, and I had a lot of women counting on me. Of course, I was not able to participate in the conference, and you can read the whole story about my covid experience here.
Long story short, I was hospitalized because my oxygen levels were too low. I was back home on Wednesday, September 30, and I began my recovery. Overall, I have recovered well. It took me a while to get my energy back, but I slowly began feeling somewhat normal. There were a few things that have stuck with me that have been a bit annoying. For example, the taste of mint and peanut butter have never gone back to normal, and the smell of coffee, which has never been a favorite of mine, now makes me want to throw up.
About three months after I was in the hospital, my hair started to fall out. I lost about half of my hair and spent the next year babying it and waiting for it to grow back out, which it has, and I think it’s fuller than it was before thanks to my talented hair stylist and the great products I use.
But the most annoying residual side effect I’ve had is the constant coughing. While it has been better at times, any little thing can set it off. What I’ve been using as my gauge is whether or not I can make it through an entire worship song without coughing. I’ve spent my whole life singing, so losing my ability to get through a song has been difficult. And seventeen months later, I’m still unable to sing a whole song during the music portion of our church’s worship service.
In January of 2022, I came down with a cold. It settled in my chest and made me lose my voice for the second time since I had covid. And this time, it hung on even longer. I follow nurse Michele on Instagram, and she uses her platform to educate about covid treatments. I reached out to her, and she put me in touch with myfreedoctor.com.
When I connected with a doctor and shared my experience, I was officially diagnosed with Long-Haul Covid Syndrome (LHCS). You can click this link to find a formal definition, but basically it just means I have residual symptoms of covid. It is not contagious; it is not an active strain. My guess is I had damage to my lungs (as demonstrated by my x-rays and CT scan) that has kept my lungs in a weakened state.
The doctor prescribed Ivermectin (I had to get the prescription filled out of state and shipped), prednisone, and high-dose omega-3. She also told me to take zinc, vitamin C, vitamin D3, and Quercetin in specific amounts. I am also nebulized a mixture of saline, hydrogen peroxide, and iodine. The prescriptions lasted about a month, and I checked in with the doctor regularly.
Since undergoing treatment for LHCS, I can now make it through the entire song service without coughing! I no longer have to carry a drink with me wherever I go in case I have a coughing fit. And I don’t wake up in the middle of the night coughing, so I’m getting better sleep. My next litmus test will be when I catch another cold. We will have to see if it triggers the same effects and if it holds on for a longer period of time. At least, I will be prepared with the over-the-counter options I took during treatment and Ivermectin I keep on hand.
There are some things I would have done differently had I known then what I know now:
- I had covid before vaccines were available, so that is a moot point since I have natural immunity.
- I would have gone to my doctor instead of the ER had I realized how I would be treated in the hospital. I found out after the fact that my doctor has been treating patients using protocols that make sense.
- I would never have voluntarily put a mask over my face as I believe it exacerbated my original symptoms and created an environment that allowed my on-going symptoms to thrive.
- I would have had high quality supplements and a nebulizer in my house and ready for use.
The truth is I was a sheep. I trusted the medical community and the government to do what they say and put the needs of people first. Even when I arrived in the hospital and they asked me if I wanted Remdesivir, my response was, “you are the expert” as I signed the form. I am no longer a sheep! I know the “pandemic” has been terrible—loved ones have died, businesses have shut down, abuse has increased—but one positive thing has come out of it. Many people, including my family, have come out of their stupor. We are no longer blindly following the “experts” and are taking steps to educate ourselves and make logical decisions.
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