How Covid Rocked My Family

I have finally decided to sit down and share my story. I am not looking for an argument, I just find comfort sometimes in hearing people’s journeys, so I thought I would share mine.

On July 4th, my husband Carlos mentioned he wasn’t feeling well at our family BBQ. I gave him some Advil, we went home and the rest was a normal evening. However, he started experiencing chills and fever overnight, so I suggested he get tested for COVID (as I always do these days especially since he decided not to get vaccinated.) He went Monday morning, struggled with a temperature most of the day and found out Monday evening that he was positive. I immediately sent my kids to my Mom’s (we both are vaccinated, but boys have not been yet).

On Tuesday, the boys, my mom and I got tested, and fortunately the results were negative. We visited a homeopathic doctor’s office where he received an IV of vitamins and natural inflammatories. The next two weeks are a blur.

We isolated Carlos to the master bedroom and bathroom, and I moved my stuff to Sebastian’s room, and I practiced all sanitation protocols while at the house. We had to cancel all festivities planned for Kai’s 12th birthday. I shuffled back and forth from my Mom’s and home, trying to provide some normalcy for the boys but also caring for my husband, who was deteriorating day by day. On Wednesday, he had a virtual visit with his PCP’s PA, who mentioned that he did not qualify for monoclonal antibodies (which was suggested by all of my medical friends). Nights were long, waking up several times to do anything I could to comfort him; meds, baths, cool washcloths, whatever..while noting high temperatures and dropping oxygen levels.

It broke my heart to see him suffering in such a way, yet I was dealing with a plethora of emotions; I was resentful because this may have been prevented had he gotten vaccinated. Not only was he sick, but now I was worried about any one of us becoming ill too! We had to contact everyone at the BBQ, as well as his coworkers. Interestingly enough, we started hearing that more people from his gym were testing positive, so that’s where I assumed he got it, but one can never be certain. I was scared.

Kids, Mom and I got tested again Saturday...negative! After day 7 of fever reaching temperatures of almost 104, he started with a terrible cough at night, and I decided to take him to Urgent Care Sunday morning (Kai’s birthday). They did a chest x-ray and suspected pneumonia. They sent us to the ER for a CT scan. CT scan confirmed the pneumonia, but we found out that he DID qualify for monoclonal antibodies. He also received a 90 minute drip of antibiotics. I picked him up in the afternoon, and brought him home. Now, my care continued with the addition of back patting, massages, breathing exercises, gentle stretches, steam inhalations, getting him to walk laps around the pool and make sure he didn’t lay down for too long. He still struggled with fever. I kept a COVID chart to monitor his meds and temperature/oxygen readings and delivered daily updates to concerned family and friends. He lost over 10 pounds and could barely muster up the energy to move. I hadn’t felt this sleep deprived since the boys were newborns. I went into survival mode.

His fever did not start to dwindle until day 10, Tuesday. That was the point where I started to see little pockets of improvement, and each day, he got a little bit better. We both tested on Wednesday, and both came back negative; a green light to bring the kids back home!

Only he can tell you what his experience was, but I know that this virus is a monster. It turned our family upside down. He is healthy, exercises regularly, takes supplements and eats well, but this virus man-handled him. He did not lose his taste or smell but it is definitely altered. He is hopefully on his way to a full recovery, but both of us are traumatized.

I wouldn’t wish this experience on my worst enemy. Please take care of yourselves. Do your research. Stop shaming people who don’t share your views and educate instead. I personally think that vaccination is the way out of this nightmare, but to each their own. I’m just glad my husband, my love, my rock; is ok.