I have had asthma for 25 plus years.
All I do remember is that in the early 1990s I started to cough uncontrollably after being out in cold and wet weather. I am from Sweden, and during winter it is basically cold and wet, or just one of the two all the time. Spring, summer and fall can also have moisture and chill in the air. That means that I got these coughs more often over time, but did I go and check it out with a doctor? The answer is no. Ulf just had it one evening when I was coughing my self almost sick. He was ready to drive me to the ER if I didn’t take by myself to the doctor. The threat worked and I went to the doctor and got diagnosed with asthma. I have had inhalers to deal with the diagnose since then.
So this has been something that on and off has been a medical issue for me. A bad cold can really be hard to deal with when you include asthma. Last November it got serious, and I had to go to the doctor twice in eight days. Had two x-rays and a breathing treatment in the same number of days. Got a checkup with my doctor after the ER visit, and he changed my medication and inhalers. I felt like we achieved a real change for the better during this time.
I am stubborn, and as I said when I was a toddler, “I can myself” still applies. So it was with some deep digging, I had to realize that I needed to take some time to figure out how to notice changes in my chronic illness, and take them more serious to avoid this chronic condition not to go of the rails again. I am still working on that by the way. It takes time to change, but I am trying.
When this Covid-19 started to be discussed, I admit that I first didn’t think it would be something I had to worry about. I am now painfully aware that I reacted slow, and that asthma puts me in one of the of the risk groups when it comes to this virus. I started to listen when our Governor Gavin Newsom ordered Shelter In Place in mid March. When I worked at Trader Joe’s I had to check with my doctor what he would advice me to do. He strongly recommended I stay home, so I am on my eighth week in quarantine. It’s tougher than I thought. I also have been restrictive about going out. Mask, gloves, sanitizer and wash hands and clothes often is the way to stay safe.
In all of this I have not been thinking of me getting close to the reality of being tested. Especially not when there not have been enough supply to do testing on a lot of people. Also I haven’t been out much for the last eight weeks, and gotten exposure to the virus. No need to worry about a Covid-19 test then right?!
Two weeks ago that changed for me. In the beginning of the weekend I started to cough more. The kind of cough you have if your chest is congested, and it is hard to breathe. I started a dose of prednisone I have ready at home for symptoms like this. Prednisone has its icky side effects, but it usually works like a charm. Didn’t do much this time, so 3 1/2 days into the dose I had a bad night, and I knew I needed to contact my doctor. Funny was that Ulf gave me a stern look in the morning, with the expression “Call the doctor”. I got a phone appointment and he very carefully told me about his concerns. He didn’t like that the prednisone didn’t give me much of relief. The shortness of breath, and bad coughing was troubling. He started to ask about fevers, chills, upset stomach, headaches and some more symptoms I have forgotten now. I started to realize I was getting the list of the virus symptoms. I wondered what the end result would be. The doctor recommended finish my prednisone, start antibiotics, take cough medicine, and continue with my inhalers. Then very delicately he tells me he thinks a Covid-19 test is appropriate due to some of my symptoms.
The interesting thing is we think it will not happen to us. Suddenly I am told by my doctor he wants me to be tested. All I could think was great, good to know either way. Then the thought was about how uncomfortable it is to take the test.
Very quickly it got real, I had to talk to a nurse that was going to administer the test. She was instructing me about the procedure.
I took the car to the handicap parking spots at the doctors office. When I arrived I called the number they gave me, and then waited in the car. Out comes two ladies in full gear. When they approached my car I greeted them, and said “We live in strange times,” and they agreed. I only had my face mask on as protection, and I was in my car. I was the reason they wore their protection. Them walking up to my car was like seeing medical staff in a war zone. They had covered them selves from the top to the bottom. Hair, face, body, hands, and shoes. Blue plastic protection all over. Headgear with a shield, and under that a mask covering mouth and nose. The procedure was done in four steps.
1. Take my temperature, and seal the thermometer up in a ziplock bag.
2. Take my oxygen level, and seal that up in a ziplock bag.
3. Blow my nose.
4. Insert the test in my nose and slightly spin it for 10 seconds. Then seal that up in a tube, and ziplock bag.
The procedure was never really painful, but parts was very uncomfortable. My eyes were tearing up for a while, so I had to wait before I drove home. I thanked the nurses for their help getting the test done, and started to get ready to head home.
It was a surreal experience that will be one of those memories that will stay with me for a long time. 24 1/2 hours after the test I got the result back. It was negative, and that was great news! I must say though that in times like this it’s the uncertainties that wear me down. Quarantine is not easy, it’s draining. The thing I do know now is that I am not having Covid-19 today. I will continue to try make it stay that way by continuing doing what I have been doing so far.
Knowledge is good.