Joelsuf's COVID19 Recovery Journal

[joelsuf]

Putting this in fitness since it seems to make the most sense.

So on Friday I tested positive for COVID19. I had an idea that I would get it sooner or later since college kids have moved back to my city because school started up. And pretty much every college kid has this lol.

What I want to do in this thread is give everyone daily updates on what symptoms I am feeling, how I am combating this, among other things. Was gonna put this in reddit's COVID19 sub but screw that. They don't deserve something like this.

So here we go.

Here's some information about me:
-38 years old
-5'8'' 190 lbs, slightly overweight
-Follow a healthier lifestyle than most of my kind: I do intermittent fasting, exercise daily, and have very low stress levels. Cheat meals 1-2 times a week.
-No underlying health conditions, although my dad's side has a history of cancer (but IMO cancer is a choice; unhealthy lifestyle will give someone cancer way more than a family history)

Symptoms I have experienced:
-Loss of smell (since last Monday)
-Slight fever (last weekend but it went away quick)
-Muscle aches (although its probably more from sitting a lot more than anything)

Plans to combat COVID19 and recover fast:
-Drink tons of water, more than usual. 2-3 gallons per day
-Drink warm tea with my first and last meals. My tea of choice is one that promotes respiratory health since COVID19 messes with your respiratory system.
-Back off on the physical activity. I still do about 100 push ups a day but that's about it. Instead of running 5ks every Sunday and Wednesday, I'll walk.
-Take zinc and vitamin C along with my daily multivitamin after the first meal of the day
-Tons of rest. At least 8 hours of sleep per day, the longer the better.
-Meals = Omelet at 3, apple at 7, bowl of mixed veggies + peanut butter sandwich at 11. This is a lot more than what I usually eat (Omelet at 3, mixed veggies at 11) but I'm trying to keep this virus from kicking my ass. Slightly overeating is probably a good idea in this case.

Today was day 3. No new symptoms, walked my 5k today without any issues. Chest muscles are still bothering me. Still can't smell anything either. Temperature for the morning and evening was under 98.

I'll be updating this daily.

 

[joelsuf]

Day 4

My sense of smell is slowly coming back. Even though I didn't do any physcial activity today, my chest muscles are still bothering me. I might want to back off on physical activity if it is going to aggravate anything. I did a decent amount of writing and editing today as well.

I'm pretty sure I'll get better before my 10 day quarantine period is up. Doesn't matter; to make sure I don't start spreading the crap out of this, I'll wait until the end of the month to leave the house...unless I'm going to the pool or going for a walk or something.

 

[joelsuf]

Day 5

Yeah, I'm definitely going to recover before my isolation period is done. My sense of smell is slowly coming back and I only lost my sense of smell a week or so ago.

No new symptoms came up today; just dealing with my sense of smell being somewhat compromised. I'm really trying to monitor these symptoms because from what I have heard, new symptoms can just pop up at any time when it comes to this.

I spent most of today just relaxing. I did do a little bit of writing and editing but I'm gonna wait a few more days before I kick things into high gear.

 

[joelsuf]

Day 6

My sense of smell is starting to come back, but I've developed a dry-ish cough again like I did before I lost the sense of smell. It'll probably go away after a good night's sleep. I can't imagine this lasting too much longer but who knows?

Walked a 5k instead of ran it. I know that I'm violating my isolation because of this, but when I was at the track I did all I could to stay away from the people on the track which was pretty easy to do.

I did a ton of writing today, about as much as I do on a normal day.

Tomorrow is my day off but I'll check in anyways.

 

[joelsuf]

Day 7

Sense of smell is at a standstill, but feeling no other symptoms. I took today off, gonna finish all the work I have in front of me starting tomorrow as much as I can and then I'll take a whole week off, which I do every three months.

I can officially get out of isolation starting next Monday. I kind of want to break that and bowl on Sunday, but I won't. I want to hold myself to this isolation as much as I can, going outside not withstanding. I can keep my distance from others much easier when I'm outside in a public park than when I'm bowling, at the gym, or at a food joint picking up a delivery.

The grind continues tomorrow.

 

[joelsuf]

Day 8

Sense of smell is nearly back to normal. No other symptoms.

I AM encountering a slight shortness of breath at night but it goes away after I get up the next morning. I don't think that's COVID19 related tho.

The final day for this journal is going to be on Wednesday. No reason why I shouldn't be 100% by then.

 

[joelsuf]

Day 9

Sense of smell is getting better and better and there are no other symptoms. The moment of truth will be tomorrow when I run my 5k for the first time in quite a while. I'll see how I feel after that.

The shortness of breath is also gone. Don't know why that was happening for a couple days. Ehh, its probably just cuz I'm pushing 40. Who knows.

Because I had to take time off deliveries, Uber Eats is gonna send me two weeks of pay as support. Good stuff. The second I get done with my freelance writing assignments, I'm going on vacation for a week. I'll be better by then and I will do some deep revision on how I want to conduct things going into 2021. Can't wait!

 

[joelsuf]

Day 10

Well my isolation period is technically over. Everything is fine but my sense of smell isn't perfect yet. It'll get there. Dealt with a very mild headache today but that might be stress. Wanted to run a 5k today but it was raining so it couldn't get done.

I'm also nearly finished with my freelance writing assignments which is nice. I'm definitely taking some time off afterwards, doing these assignments has been pretty draining because of how boring they have been. I'll be glad to be finished.

 

[joelsuf]

Day 11

I believe I have officially recovered from from this. We're gonna see on Wednesday, when I run another 5k (if weather permits). If it gets rained out again, I'll use the treadmills in the common areas of my apartment. Either way I am getting a damn 5k in. I walked a 5k today but that's not the same.

Finally got finished with my freelance writing assignments. Time for some time off, from seeking out new clients and doing new assignments at least. I'll use the next week or so to create some more profiles on freelancing platforms, finally make a website that features all my work and stuff, and work on my other websites which I have needed to do for a very long time.

I'll do another quick check in tomorrow, then Wednesday will be the final check in after my 5k. Might get some bowling practice in as well since I haven't picked up a bowling ball in awhile.

 

[joelsuf]

Day 12

Zero symptoms. Sense of smell is nearly perfect. Today was a straight up lazy day lol. Just relaxed and played video games. Did 100 push ups before my first meal which is what I was doing before I tested positive for COVID19.

Tomorrow will be pretty busy. Gonna do some shopping, gonna put in some bowling practice, then run my 5k right after practicing. I will also do a video on my YouTube channel about my experiences with COVID19 as well as some theories and some opinions on how someone should approach it. Gonna include which symptoms to watch for etc. It'll be a lot better than some of the videos I've seen on it. Can't wait!

 

[joelsuf]

Day 13

No symptoms again and my sense of smell is almost completely back. Bowling practice went very well. 5k also went very well.

The final entry of this will be my video on my recovery journey, which I will be filming tonight.

 

[joelsuf]

"Recovery guide" videos on my YouTube channel coming tonight in this thread! They will be up by midnight.

One of them is super long like a podcast of sorts, about an hour and a half. Lots of rambling in it lol but it is still super informative.

Another one is much shorter, a little longer than half hour. Also has a podcast like vibe, but its a little more focused on what one should do if they have mild COVID19 symptoms like I had.

Personally dealing with COVID19 represented a fantastic opportunity to take my health to the next level. Got me to take my health that much more seriously, which also got me to take my vocation and money a lot more serious as well.

 

[joelsuf]

Whoops, forgot to check in with the videos. Well here they are now.

The first is a really long version where I ramble a lot more than I probably should. But it is still pretty damn informative.

The second is strictly a survival guide of sorts.

I'll probably come up with timestamps and stuff for the first video whenever I can since it is really long.

Honestly, dealing with this was quite the opportunity and I consider myself blessed to have only caught a real mild version. But I should also give myself credit, since my healthy lifestyle set up my immune system to make this virus its bitch lol.