Avid Coosa Valley News reader Carla Pierson sat down with CVN Saturday to discuss her positive COVID-19 test.
I tested positive! My results took SEVEN days. I was tested on Saturday March, 14th around 0830AM. Got them back this morning.
I am an RN, but not at the bedside or even in a hospital. This was 100% community acquired.
Here is how it went, and I’m sharing because I think the stories should be shared so people are informed.
Started feeling “down” Monday 3/9. Fever and sore throat came 3/10 in the evening. I did not report to work 3/11 and on.
High, high fever at night.
3/11 negative for flu, mono, and strep.
The worst symptom of all was the SEVERE body aches and pains! My body hurt me SO bad. Also lost ALL sense of taste and smell.
3/12- throat actually got better
3/13-same as above. High fevers. So much body pain.
3/14- tested at an urgent care.
3/15- respiratory symptoms Started- felt like when you go running in the cold and it burns to breathe deep! It hurt. Otherwise, nothing! No other respiratory symptoms. I couldn’t chase my kids around but didn’t want to. Very, very fatigued but am a mom of two little babies, so only so much being down as can be expected.
Monday 3/16- starting to feel a little better, fever at night going down but still spiking.
From that point forward, continued to get better SLOWLY. Very slowly. I would say I’m 90-95% better now.
No clue where I got it. Would have been one of the first in the state. 100% community. Point is to share for awareness and for people to take it seriously.
It was like a very bad flu. Kind of like the swine flu I had but longer. Still have pain when I breath real deep and can’t quite keep up with the kids. Still tired but otherwise we about got it beat.
As far as my family, kids have been with me for days and seem to be perfectly fine. 20 month old seems like he has a cold and they both have runny noses. Husband had a slight fever a couple random nights the last week and was feeling “like he had the flu without the fever” for several days. Both of us said today was the first day we woke up and were feeling kind of normal!
While we shouldn’t freak out and panic, be safe if you have an underlying condition. I can see how it could get worse with other issues. We are perfectly healthy adults. Hopefully my story is the norm and will stop the people saying “does anyone even know someone who tested positive?!?”… well now you do.
***edited to add: I DID rotate Tylenol and ibuprofen during the sickness. It was all that would help with the pain in my body. I know they came out and said don’t take it, no idea if it made it worse, but I felt better when I was on it. In no way suggesting for people to take it. FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES!!! Just telling people what I did. ***
Pierson, 31, said her husband Bradley was a God send and helped take her care of her for the days she was sick. What about his health being in close proximity to her? She said that Bradley ran a small temperature but didn’t have nearly the symptoms she did. The Pierson’s also have two children 21 months and 3 and half. What about them? According to Pierson, they only suffered runny noses.
She went on to say that, “I really wanted to speak out to let the community to have better awareness. I wasn’t traveling. I was going to work, the grocery store and out to eat. Somewhere in there I contracted the virus. The best advice I can give, stay home.”
