If you clicked on this article hoping to use it to support some sort of agenda, I hate to admit it but you're probably going to be disappointed.
When one Reddit user asked people to talk about their personal experiences suffering with COVID-19, they probably had no idea that they'd highlight one of the most perplexing aspects of our current pandemic. People's experiences are wildly different.
Some breezed through it practically without knowing they were sick. Others legitimately feared for their lives or stayed sick for so long that it started affecting their mental health as well as their physical wellbeing.
Obviously those who have lost their battles with this pandemic aren't exactly available to hang out on Reddit.
Faking It For Family
I had it in early April, probably from working at a quarantine facility where we didn't have enough PPE.
Loss of smell was my only symptom for a few days. Then mild productive cough. Then fatigue, body aches, and trouble breathing. Never had a fever, indigestion, etc.
The scariest part was that at that point, no one knew how to manage it. My doctor had zero advice other than rest and fluids. Didn't know what meds to avoid, expected progression, nothing.
My family and friends checked in a lot. They freaked out if I acted too sick, so I pretended my symptoms were much more mild than they were. I only shared my real symptoms with my partner and my doctor. In that regard, it was very lonely.
Difficulty breathing lasted about 5 days, then started to get better. Fatigue was the last symptom to disappear, it lingered about 10 days after I'd tested negative.
I'm 25, an EMT, and was working reduced hours when I got exposed. No pre-existing conditions.
Participating In A Study
sick 1980s tv GIF by absurdnoise
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Our family had it, including two toddlers.
Toddlers: mild symptoms - mostly low grade fever. Recovered in a couple days.
Wife: fever, fatigue, loss of smell. Recovered in about a week.
Me: worse symptoms - prolonged fever, headaches, hallucinations, sweats, indigestion, general soreness. About 4 straight days of harsh conditions. Recovered in about 2 weeks.
I'm going to try to answer some questions:
- Yes, we were all tested multiple times. Our toddlers are 2 and 4 and due to the rareness of children contracting COVID, they are participating in a study about COVID in children. As an FYI to parents - watching your children get tested is NOT fun and my kids have been through it several times.
- Tough to describe my hallucinations, but I would have to say it was like I was daydreaming. I used to do drugs and it's nothing like that. Fever chills would interrupt it sometimes.
- My wife and I are in our mid 40s and relatively healthy. Neither one of us experienced breathing issues.
- My wife got her sense of smell back about a week after her negative test. She mentioned she could smell our daughter's farts.
- I don't know our blood types.
- I work from home full time and my kids stay home full time. My wife works from home mostly, but she does go to various hospitals a few times a week (she works in construction as a PM -- a.k.a. she builds hospitals). We're pretty sure she got at one of them.
- My wife got it first, then me, then both kids together. We don't smoke, drink, do drugs ( I used to) and are fairly healthy (work out at the gym and swim several times a week). The doctor said our healthy lifestyle probably helped.
- We do not have any lingering symptoms. We have all been tested for the antibodies and have donated blood (and our kids' bodies) to help with the recovery efforts.
- IDK what else to say except COVID is very real and can fck you up no matter your age. Stay safe people.
When The Doctors Get Sick
Initially dry cough.
Worsened with a high grade fever
Loss of taste and smell.
Difficulty breathing, had to go to the ED twice
Improvement only after 12 days.
Post illness shortness if breath and 5kg weight loss
I am a 33 year old Male doctor in Ireland. I was fairly overweight and had low T symptoms prior to this and had been on the Keto diet and exercise. I had prior to this lost weight intentionally. The hospital I worked in had a poor response to the pandemic with inadequate and improper PPEs.
This led to a HUGE number of medical personnel(and their families) getting COVID-19. Believe me we were pissed at the administration of the hospital.
I developed symptoms rather innocuously with a dry cough. The next day my wife also had the same symptoms. I got tested a few days afterwards and we both were positive. We were contacted by occupational health and surprisingly were told to isolate from each other, the reason being is that we 'may' have different strains of the virus. So I was in one room of my house and my wife in another.
We were both told to come to the hospital immediately if we had shortness of breath or worsening of symptoms. Twice in the space of five days I had trouble catching my breath at rest. The thing about the virus is that the breathlessness feels like you sprinted till exhaustion and are catching your breath...but you can't really. I felt this after a FEW steps and it is truly terrifying. Despite being a doctor and handling shortness of breath regularly, nothing prepares you for actually feeling it.
Both times I immediately told my wife that I'm going to the hospital possibly for some oxygen and nebulizers. Thankfully with normal pulse oximetry readings and chest auscultations I didn't need either. But I had Xray changes showing Pneumonia in my right lung and was told to take antibiotics (at that time hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin for five days). I only took azithromycin as being a doctor I was concerned with potential side effects of the hydroxychloroquine.
One thing that scared me a lot was talk of the death rates. Even though I am a Doctor and the death rate compared to number of people infected was low, I still would think 'what if'. TBH when I was on my way to the emergency both times with shortness of breath I was fearing it getting worse and thought I could have died. Even afterwards I was frightened of getting worse a third time.
I rested a lot, drank plenty of water and avoided fizzy drinks. I stopped the Keto diet and focused on eating whatever I could to get energy, but I had a loss of appetite and the famous taste and smell loss. It is a strange side effect, it starts gradually and lasted for about four days before it gradually and completely resolved. You all would be surprised at the texture of many foods (some foods being 'sticky', 'sandy or coat the roof of your mouth quality). I couldn't believe how bad pizza and chicken tenders could be with this.
Throughout my infection I had a fever in excess of 37.5C(99.5F) for 12-13 days! It is so draining along with the cough. Initially it was dry but as i was recovering i would cough up flecks of pinkish purplish stuff in off white sputum. The cough itself lasted for five weeks and shortness of breath a week or so longer. But me and my wife thankfully are better, healthier and fully recovered. I haven't really noted any loss of stamina or weakness.
About my wife having COVID, she had mild symptoms in comparison to me and recovered quicker. None the less I was more concerned about her condition and would auscultate her (yeah I didn't listen to the occupational health about total Isolation, I wore a mask!) at intervals. The isolation from each other IMO was unnecessary and added to our stress.
I also was angry at the hospital I worked at for what had happened and how 70 of my colleagues were affected (yes 70 staff members!). The healthy staff members were severely overworked and at their breaking point. The worst part was that our administration started to call some of us back after a week of symptom onset! They didn't care at all, they just wanted the institute to run, even if it killed us. I thank God nobody out of us died. Naturally the ill will amongst us all remained and in a few months, en masse, 24 doctors from the department of medicine gave notices. They could only replace half of the number, quite frankly THEY DESERVED IT.
So. Much. Sh*t.
I sht my pants twice over three weeks. Then I sht five times a day, at least.
Dizzy, nausea, wake up to choking cough like trying to vomit, lasted a few hours each day.
That's it for me.
Chalk up one more for the pants sh*tting club. It was crazy.
My wife and I got her 80+ year old parents a long pacific cruise last Christmas. They left in January and we picked them up from the airport in early March. They were both coughing a lot. They stayed with us until they felt good enough to go home.
Her dad (had 3 preexisting conditions) ended up in the hospital with an initial pneumonia diagnosis but never went on a ventilator. Tested positive. Her Mom had a cough and headache. Also tested positive.
Mid March, my wife, my kids, and I, all got a bad headache for a few days. We were all really dizzy on the third day.
They all recovered quickly, but I had the only case that evolved into 2 weeks of constant constant sh*tting. I don't know where it came from. I was convinced my body was extracting sh*t from the air.
May Need A New Career
I tested positive 23rd of June. I'm still not back to work. I work in thermoforming, with a factory with no air conditioning. My doctor refuses to approve me to go back. I can't walk around for more than an hour without being sopping wet from sweat. Before covid, I worked 12 hr shifts in some heavy heat, that building could get over 100 degrees easily.
Started out with a cough, then got SOOO much worse. Runny nose, high fever, coughing, mucus with blood. Felt like my chest was being caved in, and legs and arms felt so weak. Actually sh*t the bed a couple of times because I literally couldn't move.
Became dehydrated, and vomited and passed out. Woke up at the hospital covid ICU wing. The covid had advanced to pneumonia. About 60% of right lung was filled with fluid pockets, left about 40%. Loaded down with antibiotics and oxygen. Got released 3 days later thankfully.
My cough still had not stopped. It's gotten better, but I still have fits where I can't catch my breath. I now have to use an inhaler and tessalon perles. I can taste most things again, but majority of my smell is still gone. I have to go on Friday for a stress test, my heart isn't right. While I was at the hospital, my heart started to pause while I was sleeping or something like that. Can't work, running out of savings.
If anyone knows any desk jobs in Charlotte, hook me up! I don't know if I'll actually be able to go back to work in my factory at all right now, and we need paychecks.
Y'all I'm high 20s in age.
Pretty Mild
Male, 30, no pre existing conditions or other significant risk factors.
Day 1: slight sore throat and a little coughing in the morning, couldn't really ever "wake up" from the morning.
Day 2-4: fatigue, body aches, headache that made it hard to process information, pretty mild respiratory symptoms.
Day 5-7: slight fatigue
Day 7-10: no symptoms
I had a very mild case
The Smell Of My Pillow
I had it in mid march (New York Resident) and am fine now.
First 3 days (Friday-Sunday) I had extremely mild symptoms. My throat just didn't seem quite right. I was sneezing due to the window's breeze more easily than I should have, since it was too early for allergy season. I also inhaled the water I was drinking multiple times over the weekend. I noticed, but thought I was being paranoid.
Day 4 (Monday), they sent everyone home to work from home at around noon. I waited in a crowded grocery line (since this was the day they started limiting how many people could enter). Around 3 hours later it had clearly spread to my lungs from the upper respiratory track. I could feel the fluid in my lungs. My breathing wasn't steady (felt like sandpaper rubbing on sandpaper) and it was clear I was sick.
I started coughing up sputum on day 5 (Tuesday). I'd cough once, clear the fluid from my lungs and breath normally, and then it'd slowly get worse over the course of an hour until I coughed again. Repeat.
Day 6 (Wednesday): Fever. This was the first day I actually felt sick. You know normal fever symptoms, fever, muscle aches, sweating, etc.. I called out sick (remember working from home at this point anyways).
Day 8 (Friday): Was feeling better. Halfway between better and sick,. I resumed working.
Day 9 (Saturday): Woke up to the smell of my pillow, and was promptly weirded out. I didn't notice when my small/taste disappeared, but I definitely noticed it came back... Everything from my pillow, my shirt, the wooden table, etc. smelt. It wouldn't be for another week or two before the loss of sense of smell/taste symptom was discovered so I had no idea what was going on at the time. Anyways, at this point I felt better again.
Day 10+: A bit of coughing persisted for a couple days after that, but I felt healthy again. I never even came close to needing to be hospitalized, though, so lucky me.
- dubanx
Pool Water
pizza pool GIF by Party Down South
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Fever, terrible headaches, sore eyes, fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste and loss of smell. Also had this weird burning sensation in my nose (similar to when you get pool water up your nose).
How Long Every Day Felt
Girlfriend and I both [25 y/o] tested positive for COVID in late March. No pre existing conditions, we are both in excellent shape and eat healthy as well.
I was sick for 28 days straight. Longest most taxing illness of my life.
Over that time I had 3 different rounds of fevers and couldn't get out of bed for most days.
The thing about Covid was just how long every single day felt. There was a couple times I felt so sick I wasn't sure if I was going to make it.
My girlfriend was sick for a solid 10-12 days but was not nearly as ill as I was.
I had fully lost my sense of smell from Covid. Until 2 weeks ago when I fell 6 feet and got a severe concussion.. my sense of smell returned. Crazy and makes no sense to me, but I am incredibly thankful to be able to smell trees and flowers and food.. man!
Anyways, now we both have antibodies and are feeling back to strength. We ran 27 miles this past Saturday.
- ouijib
COVID Improved Things
My response might get buried ... but I had these warts attacking my hands and fingers for years. Lasers, freezing, squaric acid, all kinds of stuff... nothing worked. Then I caught COVID in March, I was sick for two weeks... stomach problems... persistent cough... my running ability was impacted clearly for a while... but whatever happened in my body literally killed every wart I had. So I am in the minority in saying COVID definitely helped me.
My derm was very clear with me when I first met him about treatment. He's like "We can freeze these and use lasers, but you need to know that this exists because your immune system is not fighting it off like it should". Maybe the Covid kicked everything into high gear and my immune system got the picture?? All I know is I can tap my fingertip on a table, it doesn't hurt anymore, and I can't believe they're gone. It's like a second chance to have hands
None Of The Same Symptoms
I felt like I had the flu and only got tested because of the pandemic. My flu-like symptoms lasted 3 days before I recovered but I've had no sense of smell for over a month
I had my daughter tested when my results came back positive and hers did as well. She, however, never developed so much as a low-grade fever
My girlfriend tested positive also, but her primary symptom was headaches
As someone who has had the flu twice and the swine flu once, either of those were much worse for me.
Terrified Of Getting Sick Again
Started off with a cough and then progressed to fatigue, chills, dizziness, and a mess of other symptoms I can't even remember. I never had a fever nor did I lose my sense of smell/taste.
The thing that was the hardest to deal with was the fatigue. I would debate drinking water because that meant I would have to walk to the bathroom (I have a bathroom connected to my bedroom).
It took about two weeks to recover although my cough hasn't gone away. Overall, it was awful. I'm terrified of getting sick again.
- FiboMath
Both me and my girlfriend had it. She got it first and then I got it like a couple of days later. It started with the throat not feeling right. And eventually I got a relatively mild fever. The worst part was probably the feeling that you're breathing, but your body is only getting like 70% of the oxygen it needs. Its not that I can't breathe, its just that it doesn't satisfy my body, if that makes sense.
I got all better approx. a little more than a week later. Then when I went back to work and was picking up a box of bananas to move them, my body reacted to it like I had been running on the tracks for an hour. I was beat after like one box. I move another, and I'm so tired I wanna lie down.
I told my boss I couldn't work because my body was exhausted when doing any physical work. 2 weeks after that day and I was all better.
But... something is different. I don't know if it's that my antihistamines are less effective or what it is, but sometimes it feels like I have something in my airways that needs to be cleaned or something. Like I want to cough it out cause its blocking the pipes, but its so far down, coughing doesn't help.
And also, I've had a brain fog every once in a while. More than usual. When it happens, it's like how you feel when the weed's worn off, but there's some of it in your body still. That kind of fog.
COVID Toes
Got tested only because in March upon arriving home from school 10 of my 12 roommates tested positive. I was positive but didn't even know I had it. I had some weird red bumps/dots on my toes that later became a known symptom but at the time I had no idea it was a result of COVID.
Also lost my sense of taste, but again did not know that was a symptom until after I had already recovered. I am 22 and know a lot of people my age who have tested positive, or after the fact positive on the antibody test and my experience is pretty similar with all of theirs as well
120 Days Later
120+ days later and I'm still experiencing extreme fatigue, random gastro issues, heart palpitations, aches and pains, random rashes, and no doctor wants to deal with it. 🤷♀️
I'm 26 female.
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For many childhood memories are overrun by living nightmares.
Yes, children are resilient, but that doesn't mean that the things we see as babes don't follow us forever.
The horrors of the world are no stranger to the young.
Redditor -2sweetcaramel- wanted to see who was willing to share about the worst things we've seen as kids, so they asked:
"What’s the creepiest thing you saw as a kid?"
Serious Danger
"Me and my best friend would explore the drainage tunnels under the Vegas area where we grew up. These were miles long and it was always really cool down there so it was a good way to escape the heat of our scorching hot summers. We went into this one that goes under the Fiesta casino and found a camp with a bunch of homeless people."
"Mind you we are like 11 years old lol. And we just kept going like it was nothing. It wasn’t scary then but when I look back at it we could have been in some serious danger. Our parents had no idea we did this or where we were and we had no cellphones. We could have been kidnapped and never have been found."
oofboof2020
Waiting for Food
"I was at a portillos once when I was 12 and I was waiting with my little brother at a booth while my parents got our food. This guy was standing with his tray kind of watching me then after a couple of minutes he started to walk over really fast not breaking eye contact with me."
"He was 2 feet from the table and my dad came out of nowhere and scared the s**t out of him. He looked so surprised and just said he wanted to see if I’d get scared or not. He left his tray full of food near the door and left. My folks reported him but we never went to that location again since we found a better one closer to home."
nowhereboy1964
Captain Hobo to the Rescue
"When I was a pretty young teen, my friends and I were horsing around in San Francisco and started hanging out to smoke with some homeless guys. Another homeless dude came up and began aggressively trying to shake us down for anything (money, smokes, a ride, drugs- all of it) and wouldn’t take no for an answer."
"We got in over our heads and could tell this guy was now riling the other 2 guys up and they were acting like they wanted to jump us. Some grandfather-looking old homeless man appeared out of nowhere and yelled at us to get the f**k out of here- nice kids like us don’t belong down here at this hour!!"
"Captain Hobo saved our lives that night. My parents sincerely thought we were at a mall all day lol."
FartAttack911
Survival
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"I was 7 and survived the 2004 tsunami in Thailand. Witnessed the wave rise way above the already massive palm trees (approx. 40ft?) and my family and I watched/heard the wave crash into the ground from a rooftop."
faithfulpoo
These Tsunami stories are just tragic.
On the Sand
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"We were a group of kids who went to swim in a local lake. And there was a dead body on the beach with their hands raised and their legs bent unnaturally that local police just took out of the same lake. I've never put my foot in these waters again."
oyloff
Be Clever
"I was walking to school and I was about 5 or 6 years old and some guy pulled up beside me in his car and asked if I would get in. He also offered me sweets to do so. I said no. The creepy bit was when he calmly said ‘clever boy’ to me, then drove off. I’ve never even told my parents or anyone else about this as it would most likely freak them out."
OstneyPiz
Bad Jokes
"Dad's side of the family pranked me by burying a fake body on our back property and had me dig it up to find valuables. Was only allowed to use a lantern for light. They stuffed old clothes with chicken bones. Sheetrock mud where the head was... Random fake jewelry as the treasures... I was like maybe 10 or 11.. I remember digging up the boot first and started gagging because it became real at that point."
Alegan239
YOU
Who Are You Reaction GIF by MOODMAN
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"Woke up to find my little brother staring at me in the dark, asking, Are you really you?"
PrettyLola2004
Siblings can really be a bunch of creepers.
No one should talk to others in the dark though.
Not all pet owners have the same relationship with their pets.
While anyone who decides to become a pet owner, or pet parent as some say, love their pets equally, some never ever let them leave their side.
Taking their pet with them to work, running errands, even on vacations.
Many pet parents even allow their pets to share their bed with them when going to sleep.
For others though, this is where a line is finally drawn.
Redditor Piggythelavasurfer was curious to hear whether pet owners allowed their pets to share their bed with them, as well as the reasons why they do/don't, leading them to ask:
"Do you let your pet sleep in your bed? Why/why not?"
The Tiny Issue Of Water...
"Absolutely not."
"I have fish."- Senior-Meal3649
Everyone Gets Lonely Eventually...
"I adopted an eleven year old cat the day before Halloween."
"She has mostly lived in my closet since I got her, and she hasn’t been too interested in coming out."
"Last night, she came out of my closet and jumped up on my bed, and crawled under my covers and curled up by my feet to sleep."
"I was so happy!"- YellowBeastJeep
The Comforting Reminder That You're Not Alone...
"I recently lost my Greyhound but I used to let him sleep on my bed with me."
"The company was nice and he was no trouble to have on my bed."- HoodedMenace3
Hungry Cookie GIF by De Graafschap Dierenartsen
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What Do You Mean Allow?
"I have no choice."
"She is a cat, cats do whatever they want."- Small_cat1412
"He lets me sleep in my bed."- Poorly-Drawn-Beagle
Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way
"I carry my old boy upstairs to bed every night."- worst_in_show
Hug GIF by The BarkPost
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Who Needs An Alarm Clock?
"I let my two cats sleep with me."
"They're so full of love and just want cuddles all the time."
"And so do I."
"We've all developed a lil routine."
"Get to bed, oldest sleeps on my feet to keep them warm, youngest lies in my arm while I lie on my side (she the little spoon), then when I snooze my alarm for work in the morning the youngest paws at my face and meeps loudly to wake me up."- GhostofaFlea_
Whose Bed Is It Anyway?
"Yes."
"They're also kind enough to let me squeeze into whatever space they've left for me."
"Although I do get a few dirty looks off them."- Therealkaylor
"I found this tiny kitten screaming her head off under a car."
"Would not come out."
"Got some food and some water in dishes."
"I stood by the tire so she couldn't see my feet."
"She got curious about the food and water and started gobbling it down."
"I thought she would bolt when I squatted down."
"She was too busy eating."
"I grabbed her by the nape of the neck and all four legs went straight out and she tried to scratch me to death."
"I got her in the door and tossed her toward the couch."
"She ricocheted off the couch as if she was a ping pong off a table and I lost sight of her."
"I put out food and water and a sandbox and did not see that kitten for three days."
"On the third day, I came home and she was on my bed pillow."
"I thought she would bolt when I came near, but she didn't."
"I wanted to sleep so I tried to scoot her little butt off my pillow."
"She would not go."
"I put my head down to sleep and that is the way it was from then on."
"She ran the roost."- Logical_Cherry_7588
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Sleeping Is A Prerequisite...
"No, he's a cat and he cannot keep still during the night."
"He walks across the headboard, opens the closet doors, jumps into the windows and rustles the blinds, etc."
"If he would sleep he could stay, but alas, he's a ramblin' man."- Spong_Durnflungle
Saying No Just Isn't An Option...
"'Let'."
"Lol."
"It's a cat's world and I'm happy to be on her good side."- milaren
Felines Only!
"The cat does, the dog doesn't and the horse certainly does not either."- Xcrowzz
Angry Tom And Jerry GIF by Boomerang Official
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Is That My Hair On That Pillow?
"My dog is perfect."
"She comes up, cuddles til we start to fall asleep, then gets down to sleep on her bed so she doesn't get too hot."
"Jumps back up in the early morning for wake up cuddles."
"The hair everywhere is the only downside but she is so cozy, what can you do."- HoodieWinchester
It is easy to understand how some people are able to fall asleep more easily knowing their friend and protector is there, in bed, with them.
Though we can't blame others who don't want to run the risk of being scratched or bitten in the middle of the night either...