Brittany Peterson
Another Long Hauler.
On March the 15th I woke up with a headache, followed by a rumbling in my stomach, that continued all the way through the night. The Friday before, my family found out that Covid hit our area and my husband started working from home. That weekend, I didn't take it seriously, and even remember going to the park, and talking in close proximity with an elderly woman. From all the stories I've heard of Covid, I didn't think I would get sick, or that it would be bad for me. I'm 32, what could happen to me? That Monday, I thought maybe I had a cold. That "cold" turned into complete exaustion, followed by shakeable chills for four weeks and a low grader fever for eight.
Around week two, I lost the ability to breathe fully. I'd suddenly forgot what it was like to take a full breath, I developed severe brain fog, and couldn't think straight. Around week three, I'd lost ten pounds as well as my appetite. At four weeks I woke up on the middle of the night with a high HR of 160 and sweat pouring off my face. Soon after that, I had trouble using the restroom properly.
By this point I had been to the ER four times, and was never admitted before. At that time, they didn't believe it was Covid because I never developed a cough, but had experienced every thing else. I was gaslighted, and even made fun of —they thought they were being quiet, but I could hear the doctor say, "I get once or twice, but three or four?" I was humiliated, couldn't think straight and I just started crying. The doctor came in and told me I was having an anxiety attack, and that he believed it was stress related. No one believed me. I felt so scared, as if I could die… and no one believed a word I said.
I've never in my life been this sick before, in fact I didn't even have a PCP before March. Now, on September, 23rd I have been tested for everything you can think of, and all I see are negative results. I now have a PCP, a gastrologist, a neurologist, a gynecologist, a cardiologist, and a urologist. I continue to struggle with taking a full breath, GI issues, and brain fog. I've lost hope that this will go away and that I will stick with this nasty sick permanently. If I could go back, I would have been more careful, I would have done my research and I would have saved lives.
Brittany is a stay at home mom and teacher of two.