Set back on COVID recovery

It was a scary day. I woke up feeling hopeful to finally get back to normal life. I changed to my running outfit and left the house, ready to have an amazing day.

I felt fine when I started jogging. I went very slow to ease back to it. The first mile felt good, more tiring than normal and my HR was already 140-150 range, usually high effort. On the way back on the second mile my legs were fine but I started feeling congestion forming and breathing required more effort. I stopped by 2 miles, 1 mile short of original plan. The moment I stopped I felt worse. I felt my bra was too tight, I couldn’t breath normally. Panic set in.

When I got home, the panic intensified, it takes effort to breath and can’t sit down without feeling compressed somehow. 1 hr later, my oxygen level went down to 96. Talked to a nurse who’s trying to locate a doctor that I should go to the ER. So we went. I wasn’t even sure I should be considered COVID patient or post COVID patient as the ER for COVID patient was full (like most of the hospitals in manila). Fortunately the ER people didn’t turn me away but waiting time was 6 hrs. While I was waiting I was scheduling tele consult.

I had two tele consult and they told me that I probably went back to jogging too soon when my body was not fully recovered. That was comforting but still, my oxygen level was borderline worrisome. They assured me that it will go back and that I should take rest. with that information and after debating for few minutes, hubby and I decided to go home. At that time, 3 hrs after my jog, my oxygen level went back to normal range (98/99 for me).

Yet, I still didn’t feel normal breathing. During these few hours, I’ve informed our HR and asked her to get the oxygen concentrator ready to be delivered to my place.

After a third tele consult of the day, the doctor ordered some blood test to see if I had secondary bacteria infection that was causing the problem, especially given that I had low fever for almost two weeks.

I spent the rest of the afternoon watching ClickBait while monitoring my temperature that went up to 37.9 once. Took a Tylenol and still hovered around 37.4.

To say I was worried is understatement. Also the blame game… why am I so anxious? going out too soon when I still had low grade fever? why my immune system is not winning the battle yet? am I having long covid? oh no!

8pm last tele consult of the day. The doctor didn’t like that my fever went back up, so advised me to take antibiotic right away before I get the results of my Chest CT scan.

With a lot of worry and uncertainty and million questions in my head, I went to bed, hoping that I don’t wake up for anything. Breathing still felt heavy, better that in the morning, but heavy.

My boss called me right after he learned that an oxygen concentrator was being delivered to my house. I told him that it’s for precaution, that I don’t need to use it yet. He begged me to rest more and be patient.

After learning how to use the oxygen concentrator, I hid it in the closet as I don’t want to scare the girls. Hopefully I don’t ever have to use it.