Contents
Sondra S. Crosby is an American doctor working with COVID-19 patients. In an article published in the journal Annal of Internal Medicine, she describes her fight against COVID-19. Until now, he is struggling with the effects of the infection.
- When the doctor returned from a trip on March 13, it turned out that the hospital where she works was getting ready to admit patients with COVID-19. After training, Sondra began working with the sick
- Despite the use of precautionary measures, the woman contracted the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. She stayed at home for four weeks, isolated from other family members
- «I realize that my judgment was weakened and at this worst time I should seek medical attention. Instead, I assured my husband that everything was fine and I would manage somehow »
A doctor on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19
Sondra S. Crosby is a doctor working in a hospital in Boston, When she returned to the city on March 13, 2020 from a trip, she found a completely different world. After turning on her cell phone, she began receiving messages indicating that clinics had closed, meeting patients turned into phone calls, and her hospital was getting ready to receive COVID-19 patients. Sondra’s son returned home from his dormitory, and classes at her university were held remotely.
After learning how to put on and take off a full PPE (personal protective equipment – editor’s note), I returned to a surreal working environment in a newly established flu-like disease clinic, screening for COVID-19
Then Crosby found herself in a different branch. According to her reports, most hospital wards have turned into wards for COVID-19 patients. Patients without COVID-19 were placed in the few overcrowded wards. There was a shortage of staff, all were “masked” and did their best to maintain security measures.
«Our hospital was at the center of the coronavirus storm. At its peak, 7 out of 10 admissions were for COVID-19, ”the doctor writes.
- COVID-19 is a fake? Doctor: I don’t have to believe in the virus, I’ve seen these patients
One day, after her shift, Sondra felt inexplicably tired. She finished her work, handed over the tasks to the resident and left home early. The next morning, she woke up with a fever, a headache, and a mild cough. The positive result of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus test did not even surprise her. Upon returning home, Sondra separated herself from her household and spent four weeks in solitary confinement. She’s still not fully recovered.
Four weeks of fighting COVID-19 symptoms
Sondra in the article vividly describes the symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection that she experienced. He mentions shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and problems with urinary incontinence. He also writes about neurological symptoms – problems with concentration, hallucinations, memory disorders.
«I couldn’t turn on the phone. I saw lizards crawling up the walls. I was afraid of them, so I tried to keep my eyes closed all the time. I was dehydrated and my skin was dry »- he describes. Sondra was looked after by her husband for four weeks. Taking all precautions, he made sure that the woman was hydrated, ate and rested. It was very difficult because due to her illness the doctor was exhausted, she was almost always asleep, she did not want to eat.
I realize that my judgment was weakened and at this worst time I should seek medical attention. Instead, I assured my husband that everything was fine and that I would be okay.
Sondra also mentions that the most distressing symptom for her was the terrible smell of body, sweat, breath and urine. She felt as if her body was rotting. One day she fell off the bed and hit her head and hip. “I was afraid of loneliness, but I was even more afraid that I would infect my loved ones, so I forced isolation.”
Sondra describes recovery as “steady but slow.” More than two months after the infection, he still feels very tired. After exercise, he develops breathing problems and complains of musculoskeletal pain. «My brain still doesn’t work 100%. and i have problems. Initially, I forgot my computer passwords. I recently panicked when a pharmacist asked for my DEA number – it was as if it had been completely wiped from my brain. COVID-19 is a malignant and humiliating disease. We do not know the long-term effects yet“Writes Sondra.
Sondra also adds that she was very lucky. She didn’t need a respirator, and she didn’t make it into the Massachusetts death tally. However, she recalls that one of her patients was not so lucky. The woman was of a similar age to Sondra, with no risk factors for serious COVID-19. She lay in the intensive care unit for over 40 days and did not survive the infection.
The doctor also adds that it is impossible to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic will affect our mental health. She herself felt fear and anxiety as well as guilt. She doesn’t know when she was infected, nor does she know how many people she could have infected before she developed symptoms. She felt sorry for herself because she thought the measures she had taken to protect herself from infection – using a mask, gloves, coveralls, washing her hands frequently – were enough.
“I do not know when and if I will fully recover, but I am an optimist” – writes the doctor in the last paragraph.
Have you been ill with COVID-19 or your loved one has been ill? Do you want to tell us your story? Write to the address [email protected] #Together we can do more
Hear the stories of people whose lives were changed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Stories from around the world – #coronasharedstories. Take a look at the map and choose the story you want to read!
The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic has suddenly changed the lives of millions of people. The sanitary regime, lockdown, travel restrictions and, above all, fear for the health of their own and those of their loved ones – family, friends, acquaintances, neighbors – made people from all over the world share the same concerns, but also hope to deal with the coronavirus quickly.
The editorial board recommends:
- Young people share how they contracted COVID-19. «So far I can’t breathe normally»
- Long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection. The doctor warns
- In the US, the coronavirus is killing people younger than in Europe. Why?