I Was, Now I Am Not
By: Jason
I wish I knew how to start.
I’m 53 years old now. Covid got me at 48 years old.
This is a world that I never fathomed I would enter but here it goes.
I was a high level athlete. Competing nationally at my given sport. Working out 5-6 days a week,
working full time and competing on weekends. It was nothing for me to do this daily, with plenty
of extra energy.
The day it all changed. It was November 11, 2021. I was infected with the Delta variant. I was
sick for 14 days. Low oxygen, shortness of breath, massive head pressure and pain, no taste or
smell, nausea, GI issues, complete cognitive dysfunction, extreme heavy fatigue and a high
heart rate whenever I moved with a feeling of doom and dissociation. I lost 30 pounds because I
simply had no appetite. My blood sugar was all over the place. I would spike and crash daily
and couldn’t hardly leave the couch.
Fast forward a few months. I’m still sick, but getting better. But, I’m physically and mentally
changed. I’m no longer ‘Me’, but a ghost of myself. My personality has changed, I had massive
depression and couldn’t accomplish many of my old self daily tasks or even think about
exercising.
During the next few years, I’ve done it all. Meds, PT, supplements and everything in between. I’m
not sure any has helped more than just time and NOT getting reinfected. I’ve isolated myself
from society because I know another infection would or could be deadly.
I am now about 70% of normal, but can tell that I may have peaked in my recovery. I’m still sick,
can only minimally exercise with caution as to not produce PEM. I pace myself using the spoon
theory. I only have 10 spoons a day. I have to use them wisely.
I wish more people and the medical community would truly understand what this is and how
debilitating it is. I am so leery of the future and how I am going to live in my bubble for the rest of
my days…
