In December 2023, I finally got Covid. Not once, but twice with a rebound version. I was so sick I couldn’t move on the second round.
For months, I worked with my GP to modify and add medications, trying to get my breathing better. Nothing worked, and I barely left the house for months.
It felt like I was drowning, always out of breath and needing more air. It wasn’t until May that I could walk more than 10 feet without taking a break!
It was a Friday in June when I first noticed my knee swelling. I was volunteering at my community garden, and I needed to sit and take breaks. I was feeling very tired (more than usual) and I was having a lot of pain in my thigh. Painkillers didn’t even touch it.
It hurt to move, it hurt to sit. One of the other volunteers said I needed to go home and get it checked. Not knowing the severity, I lay around the house with ice and heat and waited until Monday!
I walked myself into the ER. They took one look at my red swollen leg and said I was getting admitted. A bunch of tests later, I had the longest DVT (groin to ankle) and two pulmonary emboli. The doctor assumes estrogen-based birth control played a role in addition to Covid, but did not test for anything.
It’s been several months now, and I’m doing well. Grateful to the admit folks who flagged me as an emergency, the ER doctor who calmed my nerves, and for all the care I received. I’m back gardening, homeschooling my daughter, taking small walks, and getting some swim laps in.
At one point, I was dreading hitting 50 years old, but now I’m grateful for every healthy day I have beyond June 10, 2024. I’m planning a huge birthday celebration and train trip adventure with my kiddo!
Last week, we went to the opera, and I walked up five flights of stairs to our seats. It was the moment I knew my recovery was happening.
Resources
Blood Clots and Covid
Signs and Symptoms
Facebook Support Group
