Our Family’s Experience with COVID-19

Affiliate Disclosure

When we got sick with COVID-19, I knew no one else who had it except for people’s whose loved ones were in the hospital in ICU, fighting for their lives. So when I got sick, I started talking about it on social media. So many people were thankful for information from a regular family going through it, I decided it might help some folks who are not in my immediate friends list.

I got sick first. I am not surprised by this one bit. Our timelines all ran differently, so this is how it went in real time through our house.

October 2

Malia (49) very mild throat irritation and a tiny bit stuffy. I thought it was allergies from working on decluttering the garage. Day 0

October 3

Malia Very tired, but was up through the night some for unrelated reasons. Had a sore throat, did yard work. Wore out very quickly. Started to suspect I could actually be sick.  Started vitamins and supplements that are commonly suggested for COVID, just in case (Listed below). Please speak to your healthcare professional regarding what is right for you and your family. Day 1

October 4.

Malia-Very tired. Stayed in bed all day. Knew I was sick. Thought it was probably my annual sinus infection I get each fall. Started Azithromycin. Day 2

October 5

I feel pretty normal, but my hip was hurting like crazy. Cancelled appts for later in the week. Kids did life as normal. Day 3

October 6.

That evening, when going to bed I realized I lost my sense of smell. I had no stuffy nose. Just could not smell anything at all.  That was the final sign that it was in fact, COVID-19 and I contacted everyone I had been around for the prior 14 days. Day 4

October 7

Malia- Sore throat gone, Just tired, napping a lot. Feel pretty good. Day 5

Duncan(49)  and Anne (20) reported feeling tired. Anne’s throat was also hurting, but thought it could be from lots of singing. – Duncan took Anne to the clinic for a rapid test, which was positive. She started on Azithromycin. Realizing they were both kinda tired and had very minor symptoms for a couple of days, counting this as Day 3 for them. David(15), Rebecca (7) and Daniel (10)started showing symptoms.

October 8 -9, everyone was pretty tired and just rested, watched TV, read books, some mild headaches and low fevers. No appetites except Rebecca, who ate like clockwork.

October 10

Family report from worst to best today:
Malia- totally wiped out, basically laying down all day. Nauseated, 100.9 fever for the first time. This is my second worse day. Last Sunday was the worst. No smell. Can taste a little. Weak. Day 8
Duncan ran a very high fever during the night, over 103. Coughing a lot. He was feeling awful.  No smell. Tired. Doctor called out a prescription cough medicine.  Day 6
Anne has finally stopped running a fever, and is really tired. No smell. Day 6
David is just tired. Still has a low fever. Day 3
Daniel (day 4) and Rebecca (day 3) seem quite a bit better today. No fevers. Just tired.
So very thankful for friends who have brought food and other necessities. We feel very blessed!

October 11

Duncan is still running fevers. He seems better. No smell. Tired. Cough medicine has helped. Occasional exhaustion. Lots of resting. Day 6
Anne is really tired. No smell. No fevers. Starting all the home remedies to try to get her smell back. (She used doterra Deep Blue directly on the nasal passages in her face, below her eyes). She can still taste some things. Day 6
David is worse. Still has a low fever. Bad headache. Voice hurts today, more stuffy. Energy levels are higher. Day 5
Daniel is feeling ok. He is having a smell sensory issue, he keeps smelling the same smell. Since none of the adults can smell, we’ve had him take showers, change clothes, use mouthwash, etc. lol. It’s gotten funny. Day 5
Rebecca  has a sore throat today. No fevers. Just tired. Day 4
Me:  I actually feel pretty good over all. My blood pressure has been high. I’ve increased my blood pressure medicine and that seems to help. If I walk I get a bit of dizziness. I also am napping a lot. I run out of steam fast. Every once in a while, I’ll cough. No smell. No taste. Headache that feels like a blood pressure headache. No fever. No nausea! Day 9
I can’t say how thankful we are for people who have done so much for us. Rebecca even had a little birthday party (just us but cute decor and a cake)! So very thankful for friends who have brought food and other necessities. We feel very thankful!

October 12

Duncan is tired but is back to work. He works from home full time all the time. No smell. Duncan’s coughing and chest pain are still going on. Day 7
Anne is really tired. Some smell has returned! No fevers. Back to working on a recording project. Rests a lot. Day 7
David is better. No fever noted. Energy levels are higher. Day 6
Daniel  is feeling ok. He is still having a smell sensory issue. He’s kinda grouchy. Day 6
Rebecca is not complaining. Just tired. She’s been working on the art projects and workbooks people brought for her birthday. Watching some movies. Day 5
Me: I actually feel pretty good over all. I am napping a lot. I run out of steam fast. Every once in a while, I’ll cough. I can barely smell a few things. Some taste returned! I’m having pain where my sinuses are on my face. (Started using Doterra Lavendar on my face where my nasal passages are, No fever. No nausea! Day 10

October 13

Duncan  is not doing well. His cough and chest pain are terrible. He’s been running fevers more than all of us. He’s miserable. He’s working from home between coughing spells. Oxygen stats between 95 and 99. He has a phone appt with the doc this afternoon. We’ve done a breathing treatment. Doc called out an inhaler and recommends going to a clinic in 48 hours if he can’t stop the fever cycle. Fever: 103 Day 8
Anne  is tired, but not horrible. Some smell has returned. Back to working on a recording project. Craving boba tea, so she must be feeling better! Day 8
David  is running a bit of a fever. Slept till 11!! Day 7
Daniel  is feeling ok. He is still having a smell sensory issue. He’s mad because I said he was kinda grouchy yesterday. Day 7
Rebecca is not complaining. Just tired. Low appetite. Watching I love Lucy episodes. Talked me into buying the last season of When Calls the Heart. It was on a good sale!  Day 6
Me:  I actually feel pretty good over all. Every once in a while, I’ll cough. I can barely smell a few things. Some taste returned! No fever. No nausea! My blood pressure has been up and that causes a headache and makes me feel a little loopy/off-balance but not all day long. Day 11.

October 14

Duncan is not doing well. He is now home from a trip to the ER. He does not have pneumonia but he was clammy, weak, exhausted. While at the ER he vomited. His oxygen was ok so they sent him on home. He’s sleeping now . He’s running fevers again. Day 9
Anne  is close to normal. Some smell has returned. Working on a recording project and teaching online. Day 9
David seems normal. Playing video games online with friends. (Why aren’t his kids doing school?) Day 7
Daniel is feeling ok. He’s in trouble. So he’s avoiding me. Day 7
Rebecca is normal, wants to play. Watching I love Lucy episodes. Finished the last season of When Calls the Heart. Day 6
Me: I am good over all. Every once in a while, I’ll cough. Most tastes has returned, some smells returning, but not all. Blood pressure is high, causing a headache. Day 12

October 15

Duncan is not doing well. Coughing, vomiting, headache, fevers. We have moved him into isolation now from the rest of the family to prevent reinfection if that’s a thing. Day 10
Anne  is normal. Day 10 **Praise the LORD! Anne’s repeat COVID test is now NEGATIVE ****
David  seems normal. Clearly incredulous that I had him start back to school work today. Day 8
Daniel  is feeling normal except the weird smell. Day 8
Rebecca has a low fever, wants to play. Day 7
Me:  I feel almost totally normal. Headache. A bit tired. An occasional cough, usually brought on by laughing. Started drinking pomegranate juice to help blood pressure. Day 13
 
 
October 16
Duncan (49) is not doing well. Coughing, vomiting, headache, fevers, confusion continue. Day 11
**Update: spoke to his doctor’s office and an ER nurse and a naturopath.
His doc is calling out a steroid.
Per the nurse, Because he still knows who he is, where he is, general awareness he is not considered “confused” clinically and is better off at home.
Naturopath gave me a specific protocol of natural remedies to use, some of which I have been using, but with a different type of application.
**
Anne is normal. Day 11. OUTTA QUARANTINE! Praise the LORD! Anne’s repeat COVID test is NEGATIVE ****
David . Healthy! Day 9
Daniel  is feeling normal except the weird smell. Day 9
Rebecca  slight sore throat. Day 8
Me:  I feel almost totally normal. Tired, probably from being up with Duncan as he was coughing, vomiting and running a fever through the night. Day 14

October 17

Duncan is doing a bit better. Coughing still. Hasn’t thrown up. Ate breakfast. Honestly the natural remedies that were suggested have actually helped calm things down the most. Breathing treatments help. Started steroids. Day 12
Anne  is normal. Day 12, back to work today.
David  Healthy! Day 10. Final day of quarantine. Sleeping in.
Daniel  is feeling normal except the weird smell occasionally. Wants to keep wearing pajamas all day. Day 10
Rebecca feels a lot better. Mostly sad about her dad. Day 9
Me:  almost totally normal. Occasional cough if laughing. Day 15

October 18

Duncan  is doing better. The essential oils, breathing treatments and steroids are helping keep everything calm. He’s eating, has his sense of humor back. Not throwing up. He’s still very tired. Woke up with intense hip pain. ( I had that in days 2 and 3 and it’s common in COVID). He’s definitely turned the corner and is improving. Day 13
Anne  is normal. Day 13.
David . Healthy! Day 11. Out of quarantine! Probably has more bad effects from too much gaming than he did from COVID
Daniel  healthy ! Out of quarantine. Still has weird smell. Day 11
Rebecca  feels good, a bit tired. Day 10
Me:  almost totally normal. Occasional cough if laughing. Day 16
 
October 19
I hope by now most of my friends have seen Duncan’s post. He’s so much better!
I’m exhausted but good. It was a frightening and physically hard week. I’m glad I got fast treatment and was better so that I was able to take care of him. If it hadn’t been for Duncan’s experience I’d say overall it was not too terrible for our family.
I’m so thankful for the actual 100s of our friends, and strangers who prayed, texted, brought medicines, vitamins, food, natural cleaners, did errands, took care of every single need we had. I had many people offer help and I legitimately could not think of anything we needed!! You guys have blown me away with your kindness. We are forever grateful.
PS I love writing thank you notes, but will anyone even accept mail from our COVID riddled house? Or will they run screaming and burn it? I’ve been pondering that all week.
 
I hope that you found this helpful. So many people are not talking about this and what it does on the daily, the ups and downs of it. We have all agreed that this did not feel as bad as the flu. For me, the flu was nearly debilitating. The last time I had it was in 1998 and I was down for nearly two weeks. For me, COVID was not as bad as my annual sinus infection. For my husband it was harder, but he said still not as bad as the flu, which he had in 2014. The kids who got the flu (in 2012) in the past and could remember it say this was much easier. Having said that, our family was extra cautious about staying in quarantine and communicating with everyone because this virus, like many others can be fatal.
 
October 28
Duncan will occasionally cough. He is back to work, back to exercising.
I do cough, but very seldom, usually when I am laughing, which happens a lot around here. I cough once or twice a day.  Daniel still has a weird smell that comes and goes.
Everyone else is back to normal.
Here is the list of vitamins/meds we took (Again, check with your doc). I am not a doctor, or nurse, or healthcare professional.
 
 
Other things that were really helpful, and I wish I had on hand prior to getting sick:
 
Here are the prescription medicines that we or others have used that have been helpful for treating the various symptoms. I do not advise you to take these, but to ask your doctor if they are appropriate for your care:
 
Azithromycin (antibiotic)
Hydroxychloroquine (Generally taking together with Azithromycin)
Steroid pills to help clear the airways when coughing was out of control.
 
In a nebulizer:
Albuterol (less effective for us than the Budesenide)
Budesonide inhalation suspension
 
Anti-nausea medicines for throwing up (Only my husband needed these.).
 
My blood pressure did rise while I had COVID, and I had to increase the dosage on the blood pressure medicine I already take. If you have high blood pressure, monitor it very carefully and CALL YOUR DOC or go the the ER if it gets too high. 
 
 
Has your family had COVID-19? What was your experience?

5 Comments

  1. Kate

    Thanks so much for sharing this and for the details on how it affected each member of your family. I’d be interested to know how painful the testing was – if it was back of the throat or up the nose, as the testing is actually something that I’m concerned about!

  2. J.

    We had it a few weeks before you. Seems we had milder cases, but it did wipe us out for a few weeks–main symptoms were fatigue, loss of appetite, sore throat and congestion, and loss of taste and smell (which came later in the illness rather than early). Most of us had low grade fever for 1-3 days and gradual onset of symptoms so that we were not even considering COVID at first. One of us got sick suddenly with high fever like the flu despite having had a negative test (because of persistent sore throat) the day before! Children and father had peculiar skin sensitivity, stabbing sensations, and muscle aches. All of us lost taste and/or smell, and sense of smell still has not recovered fully after one month for some of us. Besides the loss of taste and smell, there was this horrible cottony numb sensation of the lips and inside of the mouth for several days. One of our children got it first 5 days after what we now recognize was probable exposure; 5 days later mother and father and 5 days after that the rest. The ones getting last had the mildest cases, so we are wondering if some prior immunity was helping. Only one us was retested after 12 days and was still positive, but two days after that test we started feeling significantly better at 14 days.
    Sorry about your husband’s difficult time. Hope he heals completely. And yes, I was worried about sending out mail also!
    Blessings.

  3. Carrie Elsass

    Thanks for sharing! We were using the supplements you listed plus a couple of others for several weeks prior to Covid hitting our household. My case was akin to allergies, but with the addition of smell loss and a feeling of pressure in my head and throat, but overall mild. I agree with your husband that the 2 times I have had the flu were exponentially worse. I now think a similar preventative approach could be effective in making the flu less awful. One of the supplements I used in the past for exactly that purpose when my family had the flu some years ago, and I only had a day or so of fever, etc. So I think it substantially weakened it. When my husband saw how mild my COVID Symptoms were, we even attempted to catch it from me, without success. He had them check for antibodies just in case exposure could have caused him to mount an antibody response, but he had a negative antibody test. I do think our preventative strategies played a big role.

  4. Malia

    Through the nose. It was described as awful, but it only lasted a few seconds. I did not personally test. With the loss of smell and two others already testing positive, I did not need to do so.

  5. Malia

    Which others were you using? There is some info saying lack of Vitamin D, particularly in men may be why they seem to get it much more severe. And statistically the people who were admitted to the hospital were quite a bit lower than others.

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