Am I a COVID-19 ‘long-hauler?’ Fear, fatigue dominate life since March.
Am I one of the many who fit the category of a COVID-19 “long hauler,” suffering continuing side-effects, some major, some minor? Since about the middle of March, my life, as well as many other Kentuckians has been dominated by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Perry, Andy, and Matt are stalwarts on MeTV whom I watch almost daily to alleviate my anxieties and boredom. I have also been comforted by the daily leadership of another Andy, Governor Beshear, who seems quite level-headed compared with our previous governor who did not believe in vaccinating his children against measles.
At 80 plus years of age, I am in the category of a senior citizen as a clear target of the virus because of underlying health “issues.” I had multiple heart by-pass surgery in 1999 and prostate cancer in 2006. Among other “issues” I have had asthma all my life.
About five months ago I began spitting up small amounts of blood from my chest once or twice a day. I went to my internist, who sent me for X-rays and scans, which revealed something in my lower right lung. I gave up smoking in my mid-thirties, but recalled helping my father tacking asbestos shingles on houses back in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
The wheels of progression led the hospital to schedule more scans and biopsies under sedation. I feared that I might have cancer. I was required to have a COVID-19 test at “Pre-op” location.
A few days later just as my wife and I parked our car at the hospital I got a cell call that the test has proved positive and I should return home. After several days of reporting my health by telephone to the Fayette County Health Dept. that I had no high temperature or other symptoms of COVID-19, I was released from quarantine.
After a required amount of time, I went back to have another pre-op COVID-19 test but was told that I needed to wait another 14 days. I waited anxiously, MeTV offering some comfort. I took another pre-op COVID-19 test on September 1, that apparently came back negative, with the hospital examinations scheduled three day later.
Early that morning I felt fine after obeying the rules of not eating breakfast.
Then suddenly I had three extensive bouts of diarrhea. I began to feel ill as we headed to the hospital. After parking I had to trudge to the entrance of the hospital, checked in, and walked a little unsteadily to the appointed place. While in the room I felt really sick as nurses took bloodwork and inserted an IV Port, even finding it difficult to comprehend what they were doing. Was all this all a sign that I had COVID-19 after all?
The test went as scheduled, with scans and then the biopsies under sedation. I felt good leaving the hospital. On Sept. 9 I was told in consultation with a physician that I did not have cancer but a fungal infection and that it would be several weeks before cultures of the biopsies would be forthcoming.
After reading about the fate of COVID-19 “long-haulers,” I fear that I really did have the malady after all. I have noticed bulging veins in my legs and forearms, fatigue that lasts for awhile then disappears, some “more” memory problems than usual, and lack of concentration. These are all signs of being a “long-hauler.”
What happens next? I don’t know.
I will continue to be comforted by the old television dramas. I am not out of the woods yet. Once again, I would like to hug and kiss my great-grandchildren without fear. When will that be possible?
William E. Ellis is a professor emeritus in history at Eastern Kentucky University.