Hey there. My name is Traci and this is my Covid journey. It has helped me to write everything I could remember down and maybe it will help somebody else.

Greg (my husband) and I were both exposed to Covid on August 8th. On August 14th we started having symptoms and we both got very sick. My mother in law picked us up Ensure and a pulse oximeter. We slept and lived on Ensure for 3 days. On Tuesday the 17th, my O2 was 88 and I was having trouble breathing. Because I have asthma and my O2 was low, we called 911. They took me to Northeast Georgia Hospital in Gainesville, GA. When I got to the ER, they tested me for Covid (it was positive). I was running a low grade fever. They started me on Remdisivir, antibiotics and Prednisone and put me on a nasal canula Stayed in the ER all day. It was so hot in that room. I sweated all day. Around 7:00, they moved me to a room in ER observation. The next day they had me walk around without oxygen. My O2 was 91/92 . The Dr. said that was good enough to go home. He sent me home with Prednisone and Eloquis to prevent blood clots. I still felt bad but better than when I had gotten there the day before. Greg picked me up that afternoon. I was okay on Thursday but woke up Friday morning very nauseated, sweating and feeling like I was gonna pass out. After a bit, Greg tried to helped me up and was helping me walk. I passed out and woke up on the floor. We eventually got me back in bed. Greg covered me in wet towels and I fell asleep. Greg says I passed out two more times but I don’t remember. After a little while he woke me up and checked my O2. and it was 84. He called 911. When they got here my temperature was 104.6 and my O2 was still 84. Back to Gainesville I went. Was in the ER for a good while waiting on a room. They started me on Remdesivir, Prednisone, antibiotics and potassium. I eventually got moved to another ER room with lots of beds and curtains. Stayed there a couple of hours before they moved me out back of the hospital to the Mobile Medical Unit. Once I got in my room, I heard my nurse say (in a very frustrated voice) she has Covid. She threw my gown and socks at me and pulled my rolling tray to her and put meds and water on it and slid it back to me. I’m guessing she asked to not be my nurse because I didn’t see her again. I got settled for the night and was very glad my room was cold. I slept all night.

Saturday, August 21 I met the two Dr’s (and I use that term loosely) who I would see in the mornings in the Mobile Unit. The first Dr said I had double pneumonia and was doing good because I was only requiring 3 ltrs of oxygen. He said they would continue to give me the meds and monitor me. The second Dr. (whom I couldn’t stand) would come in and ask how do you feel and have you had a bowel movement. I hadn’t eaten for several days, so no I hadn’t. Having a bowel movement was his main concern. I would walk to the bathroom but would desat and I would cough something fierce. That evening I asked for a bedside toilet. I still desat and coughed but it wasn’t as bad. I was getting IV steroids and that was causing my blood sugar to spike so I had to start getting insulin shots. I was also getting shots in my stomach to prevent blood clots. The food was inedible and always cold. Felt horrible and all I did was sleep.

Sunday, August 22 Sunday was pretty much a repeat of Saturday. Saw the Drs and they asked the same questions. My O2 was low so the nurse bumped me to 4 ltrs. Slept all day and night Felt awful.

Monday, August 23 The first Dr. came in and said I was now more bronchial than pneumonia. I thought it strange that two days ago he had told me I had double pneumonia, but they had done a chest xray so I assumed he knew what he was talking about. I asked him how long did he think i would be in hospital He said probably 6 or 7 days. He said you will have ups and downs, good days and bad days. Your O2 will go up and down and so will the amount of liters you need. I told him I felt bad and he said that was normal. He left. A little while later the second Dr. came in. He asks, how you feel and have you had a bowel movement? I told him I feel bad and am struggling with my breathing. He says OK, will tell the nurse to keep a check and to give you Miralax to help you have a bowel movement. Honestly, that is all he cared about. As the day rocked on my O2 kept dropping and by the afternoon it was 84. I kept telling the nurses I felt bad and was struggling, but they didn’t do anything. I didn’t feel like I was getting adequate care. I had decided that if I didn’t feel better Monday morning I was calling Greg and have him find somebody who could get me moved to inside the hospital. I felt like I was gonna die in the Mobile Unit if I didn’t do something. I have always believed God puts the right people in your path and that would be my night nurse. Nurse A. came in like a hurricane. She took one look at me and said, you are not OK. I told her no, I wasn’t and hadn’t been all day. She was furious when she found out my O2 had been 84 all day She bumped me up to 6 ltrs (which was as high as the Mobile Unit would go). I got up to 86 so she put a non rebreather on me and hooked it up to a oxygen tank. With the nasal canula and tank I got up to 90. She called the Dr on call (again, I use the term Dr. loosely) to come check on me. He walks in the room and says she is ok. She is sitting up and her O2 is 90. Nurse A. says look at her and says she is not Ok and I have her on 6 ltrs and the tank. He again says I’m okay and leaves. Nurse A. is beside herself and she calls the Rapid Response Team. They come in running and immediately start helping me. I went through 5 or 6 oxygen tanks while waiting on a room. The Response Team was wonderful and I felt so much better with them there with me. I got a room in the hospital and they moved me out of the Mobile Unit. Thanking God he sent Nurse A. that night.

That is all for today. See yall tomorrow. God Bless.