Erica T., CT

I worked at a local hospital and contracted COVID-19 from a patient. I thought it would be a mild infection since I was a healthy active woman. Two days in I felt very lucky to only have minor body aches and a slight fever. A couple more days passed, and I became severely ill. I had a fever for 10 days of 103.4 it would not go down. I was not able to eat or even stand for that matter. My chest felt like an elephant was sitting on it but my oxygen levers were fine.

I went to the emergency department twice and was told I had a bilateral COVID pneumonia. I was sent home. I was so very sick and had nobody close by to care for me. I continued to monitor my oxygen and despite me feeling short of breath it didn’t dip, until one night I found myself in my dark room very weak and unable to get up from the bed in excruciating pain in my lungs and upper back.

I laid my head on the pillow and excepted the fact that I would probably not wake up. I didn’t really know what to do the docs said I didn’t meet protocol for admission even though I had a severe pneumonia. I laid my head down and drifted away. Suddenly I work up gasping for air. I called 911 and they rushed me to the ER.

I was admitted and put on oxygen. I spent five or six days in the hospital. When I got out, I was very happy! I thought it was the end of my battle. Within 24 hours my pneumonia worsened. It was actually the beginning of my fight.

I was put on steroids and breathing treatments to I was too weak to stand in the shower. Inflammation took over my whole body. Muscle weakness, breathing and other issues but my oxygen was fine, though I was very short of breath. My heart rate would soar at the least of activity. I was fighting every day to feel normal.

I didn’t understand what was going on with my lungs or my body. I ended up in the ER many times with excruciating lung and upper back pain upper chest weakness, like my lungs were not expanding at all. Severe congestion daily that has not subsided. This went on for months.

I am 13 months in, and things have improved but not back to normal. I am taking Nucala for severe asthma now along with other medications. The grace of God and his angels is what helped me fight. I would not be here today if he didn’t save me.

I am very hopeful my lungs will go back to normal and long covid will be history for me. I have suffered like many others the financial burdens of this illness and it seems as if there is not a lot of awareness. Long COVID is real. We deserve to be heard and help should be always available. This is something I many others will never forget. I am reminded daily of this due to the long symptoms I am suffering with. I am hopeful this gets to the right people.