COVID 19 MY SELF ISOLATION - JOURNAL

On Monday 23rd March 2020, the UK Government announced the official lockdown of the country due to the COVID-19 Global Pandemic.

Wednesday 25th March 2020, two days into the official lockdown and I find myself alone in my apartment. I woke up to mild muscular aches and pains, a tickly throat and low energy. I put this down to possible over exercising, as I had been doing daily yoga and running more than usual. I messaged my siblings on the group chat saying that I was not feeling great today and that I was going to stay in bed.

As my sister and I were self-isolating alone we had been messaging regularly, our daily communication centred around our daily meals, however today I had no appetite and therefore no breakfast to report. I spent most of the morning in bed with general fatigue, so I sipped on hot lemon water and took some paracetamol to see if it would help ease the pains.

I was sleepy and spent most of the day in bed, and by late afternoon I was not well.

My symptoms consisted of a mild cough, chills, fatigue, aches and pains, and nausea. It felt like I was coming down with the flu, but my body was in so much pain; everything hurt.

I checked for the symptoms of COVID-19 on the World Health Organisation website, but I wasn’t in any concern as I did not have the 3 key symptoms, which at the time were a high fever, a new continuous cough and shortness of breath. I decided to sleep on it and see how I got on.

On Thursday 26th March 2020, I was awake from 5am restless and generally unwell, with muscular pains and chills being the main symptoms. I continued to sip hot lemon water and take paracetamol at regular intervals.

I spent most of the day on the sofa with the heating on full blast, wearing 3 layers of clothing and covered in a blanket. I had no appetite and no energy.

I am relatively fit and healthy and not often am I unwell, so I was beginning to think that I had contracted the virus.

My parents and siblings were checking up on me regularly over WhatsApp and random calls, I am grateful to have such a caring family.

It was the first evening of “Clap for Carers” at 8pm and I heard the clapping on my balcony and went out to join them. It was the first time I saw most of my neighbours since I moved in and we nodded to acknowledge each other. The clapping, banging of pots and pans and the sound of the horns from the boats on the Thames was moving and I felt emotional.

Friday 27th March 2020, I was up early, and I was feeling rather weak and fatigued. I checked online with the NHS 111 website and today my symptoms included bodily aches and pains, a headache, sore throat and ears, fatigue and a mild fever (I felt very warm but I did not have a thermometer to check my temperature).

The recommendation was to stay at home and self-isolate, therefore I just spent the day on the sofa with the TV on in the background for company. I dosed in and out of sleep with the windows open for some fresh air.

As I had no appetite, I had no concern for food. I had enough to keep me in isolation though, as I had shopped for two prior to lockdown. My cousin had been staying with me but had moved back home with his parents until lockdown was over, as he could work remotely from home.

I just wanted to get better and I was growing impatient with myself physically and mentally. I felt as if I was losing control of everything, I had no energy to get myself to the bathroom at one point. My body ached so much that I could not move.

The chills set in again and I had to wrap up to keep warm. I was so weak that everything began to get too much, and I finally broke down and cried.

I had no idea what was happening, I would listen to the news every day, yet nothing made sense. Each day new cases and deaths were increasing around the world and I just wanted to be with my family.

Fear set in and I began to worry for my parents, what if they got sick during this pandemic? We had visited them two weeks prior to lockdown and put in a plan to move them to the Lakes a week before lockdown was announced. There they would be with my sister and they would have someone to look after them.

The Lakes at least had more nature and fresh air, they could also still do daily walks and maintain some exercise. They would also have the company of the grandchildren and the family dog. I feared that we might lose them and the panic set in. I wasn’t sure if it was the illness, but I was not in a good place mentally. I started messaging my siblings to discuss what would happen if the inevitable happened and we did lose them. What were their wishes and what arrangements did they want if they did die?

Thoughts came into my mind about my own wishes and what would happen if I died from the virus. This played in my mind over the next few days.

Saturday 28th March 2020, after a restless night sleep I woke up with a fever. I was sweating heavily, my body ached like hell, I had a sore throat and a banging headache. I was out of sorts and asleep for most of the day. I missed a few check in calls from my siblings and they were getting worried. This was the worst I had felt in the last few days, physically helpless and mentally drained. There was nothing I could do but to ride it out, I knew I could get through this.

Many of my friends were also checking in and the messages made me feel loved, and I was grateful.

On Sunday 29th March 2020, I was feeling much the same. I still had no energy, but the fever had gone. By noon I was able to sit up, watch some TV and hangout on the sofa. I felt like I was on the mend and the worst was over. I was also able to get a good nights’ sleep.

Monday 30th March 2020, I woke up with more energy today and the aches and pains were much milder, my throat was still tickly but there were no fever and chills to report. I felt much better than I had been over the past few days and I was more myself again.

I had more clarity; I was able to focus on tasks and get myself organised. I felt as if a few days of my life had gone by in a blur.

My appetite was back so I was able to fuel my body back to health and I was in good spirits knowing that I had overcome it and that the worst was over for now.

It took a week for my energy levels to get back to normal and at least ten days before I could run again. I had to build on the running distance as my breathing was totally out of sorts. I was on the mend physically and mentally and I was looking forward to a new normal.

Looking back at being out sick during the early stages of lockdown was probably good for me as my body and mind had some time out, as I was struggling with the untimely redundancy and the reality of the global pandemic and its impact on my future.

As I write this, I still have no idea what I had, and if it was COVID-19. Until testing is available, we will have to wait and see.

In the meantime, stay home, stay safe and follow the UK Government guidelines.

Stay Safe and check in on your strongest friend!

Chrissy x