Woman shares experience with COVID-19

Woman shares experience with COVID-19

WOMAN, WHOTESTED POSITIVEFOR COVID-19, ISSHARING HEREXPERIENCE,REMINDING PEOPLETHE VIRUS IS NOTSOMETHING TOTAKE LIGHTLY.REPORTER KENTLUETZEN HASMORE."THE ACTUALPHYSICALSYMPTOMS...THAT IS THE MOSTSICK THAT I HAVEEVER BEEN IN MYWHOLE LIFE.I'M 36 YEARS-OLD,I'M HEALTHY, I EATWELL, I EXERCISEEVERYDAY, ICAUGHT THIS SOEASILY AND THISTOOK ME DOWNFOR 8 FULL DAYSWITHOUT BEINGABLE TO GET OUTOF BED." LAURAWOOLFSON WASONE OF THE FIRSTPATIENTS TO TESTPOSITIVE FORCOVID-19 IN THESTATE OFMASSACHUSETTS-SHES RECOVERED -BUT SAYS THEVIRUS WAS UNLIKEANYTHING SHE'SEXPERIENCED.WOOLFSONSTARTED FEELINGSICK A FEW DAYSAFTER ATTENDING ACONFERENCE ATTHE END OFFEBRUARY.IT STARTED AS ASLIGHT COUGH -AND GREW TO AHIGH FEVER,INTENSE FATIGUEAND SHORTNESSOF BREATHE."THE BEST WAY ICAN EXPLAIN IT IS ITSTARTED OUT AS IF IHAD JUST TAKEN ARUN OUT IN THECOLD AND WASHAVING DIFFICULTYFILLING MY CHESTWITH AIR..." THEPHYSICALSYMPTOMS LASTEDABOUT 8 DAYS, BUTWOOLFSON SAYSTHE EMOTIONALIMPACT STILLLINGERS...NOT ONLY WAS ITSCARY FOR HER,BUT SHE'S FELT ALEVEL OF GUILT ANDSHAME FORPOSSIBLY GIVINGTHE VIRUS TOSOMEONE ELSE."I CALLED ANDEMAILED ALL OF MYCLIENTS, MYFRIENDS, ALL OF MYCOLLEAGUES THAT IHAVE SEEN THATWEEK...AND THATWAS HORRIBLE.THAT WASHEARTBREAKINGBECAUSE YOUKNOW YOU'REINFLICTING THISANXIETY ANDDREAD ON PEOPLE."DESPITE THESEFEELINGS,WOOLFSON KNOWSIT'S THE RIGHTTHING TO DO.SHE WANTSPEOPLE TO KNOWTHE SEVERITY OFTHE VIRUS, AND TOTAKE SOCIALDISTANCINGSERIOUSLY."THINGS ARE ABOUTTO GET MUCH,MUCH WORSE FOROUR COUNTRY, ANDI CAN STILL LOOKOUT MY WINDOWFROM TIME TO TIMEAND SEE GROUPSOF PEOPLEWALKING DOWNTHE STREETS WITHTHEIR DOGS...WE HAVE HADSEVERAL KNOWNCASES IN OUR CITYFOR A MONTH NOWAND WE ARE JUSTSTARTING TO TAKEIT SERIOUSLY..SHE BELEIVESBECAUSE OF LACKOF TESTING ANDOTHER FACTORS -HUNDREDS OFPEOPLE, WHO MAYBE ASYMPTOMATICAND DON'T KNOWTHEY HAVE IT, AREWALKING AROUNDEXPOSING OTHERSTO THE VIRUS..."MY CALL IS FORPEOPLE TO COMETOGETHER AND DOTHIS HARD THINGAND SELFQUARANTINE.IT'S GOING TO BESTRESSFUL.FOR A LONG TIME,BUT WE HAVE TODO THIS BECAUSEWE LOVEEACHOTHER ANDWE DON'T KNOWWHO YOUR GOINGTO SPREAD THISTOO."REPOPORTING INOMAHA.KL.3NN.NOW THATWOOLFSON