Struggling With Long Covid Symptoms

December Challenge Prompts 13

Lynn L. Alexander has provided today’s prompt: “What have you struggled with this year and how did you handle it?”

My Struggles

I have struggled with Covid symptoms, and I watched my husband struggle with long Covid too. There is so much the medical community does not know about the long-term effects of Covid. I said I wasn’t going to update our progress again, but since it’s ongoing it seems the only way to answer Lynn’s prompt.

Long Covid Symptoms

Did you know one in five patients develop more serious symptoms? I posted these symptoms once before, but it bears repeating. This virus affects different people differently, and the symptoms may include:

Fever
Dry cough
Tiredness
Headaches
Muscular aches and pains
Conjunctivitis
Loss of taste and smell
Skin rash
Stomach upset

More serious symptoms can include difficulty breathing, chest pain, loss of muscle control, severe inflammation and organ damage.

Cognitive issues are another possible symptom and “brain fog” or short term memory loss is possible.

Husband’s Symptoms

My husband and my symptoms are different. He has struggled with loss of muscle control. Sometimes he can stand up and walk almost normally. Other times he can hardly get out of the chair. The physical therapist came to evaluate him again yesterday and he was able to walk a good distance using a walker.

In addition, he has had stomach upsets, and he struggles with tiredness.

My Symptoms

I am having headaches, which are sometimes painful migraines. I used to have migraines, but they had stopped years ago, so I’m not happy they are back.

I am having a problem with inflammation. My right hand is swollen, although finally receding. I have been treated with antibiotics, a few days of treatment for gout and now over the past two weeks prednisone and now a MethylPREDNISolone dose pack. The swelling is finally just in the joint by my little finger and in the finger. It hurts to use the computer and the mouse. I am right handed!

Final Thoughts

Life was not particularly difficult this year until October first. I talked with someone at the bank yesterday who told me she had Covid last year, and a year out she is still having some symptoms. I didn’t tell my husband as he was quite happy with his progress for a change.

I have handled this problem with lots of prayer and getting extra rest.

Stay healthy all my Medium friends!

Avoid being around anyone who even has a cold, and you might want to read Pam Winter’s experience on WARNING: It May Not Be a Cold.

WARNING: It May Not Be a Cold

If you’re feeling like you have a head cold, take a COVID test just to be sure

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Read The Challenged where the prompts from our writing challenges are beautifully expressed. There is a daily challenge for each day of December.

December 2023 Daily Challenge

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