So I’m on day 9 of what, in the absence of testing, I’m assuming is coronavirus, and I’m so. tired.

I hadn’t been directly tweeting about this bc I, idk, didn’t want to worry people?? But now I’m like

I don’t feel like I NEED a test bc I’ve been quarantining since the day before symptoms showed up anyway, and I assume I won’t be able to get one (bc I’m not a rich basketball or professional hot person), but I kinda wish I knew for SURE, ya know?

Mostly bc I wanna be able to Matt-Damon-in-contagion around after my symptoms go away, you know? It would be so cool to know you’re immune (even though we don’t fully know how that works for this, right?)

Anyway, as I said the other day, if you’re tired of work-from-home advice and want some symptom advice, I’m your girl!

(I’m not a doctor, but a couple years ago during a bad flu I had a very validating and helpful group chat with some also-afflicted friends, and it was v helpful. Happy to bring that back now)

(Mostly I just saw people complaining/commiserating on twitter and wanted to get in on it)

Maybe this is v insensitive to say, but I’m extremely relieved to not have to worry about getting it? Everyone is tweeting about anxious self monitoring and I’m just like, chilling

Well, sure, I’m keeping an eye on symptoms in case they get worse, but I don’t have to freak out every time my body does a new thing. I’m sorry to everyone who’s dealing with that!

Ok I jinxed my anxiety bc it decided to tell me that my extra shortness of breath and chest pain was probably definitely pneumonia, lol (it wasn’t!! My lungs look good)

But the incredible side effect was that I GOT A TEST! I think I caught the doc on a “fuck it” day bc he said “my boss is gonna kill me, but...”

So now, in only 5-7 days, I will know for sure!

Just had to lie down for a minute after thinking, what if in a week the test comes back negative and then not only will I have lived through whatever the hell THIS sickness is, but I’ll also have to worry about getting the actual thing.............

BUT on the plus side, my gf reminded me that if it IS positive, and we do recover, we will be like superheroes who can use our immunity power for good! We can help deliver meals or even volunteer at a hospital or something!

(For those concerned (thank you!), we will do more research & call DOH & CDC to see what we’re thinking re reinfection, don’t worry! This is also like, a months from now maybe pipe dream)

Expectation: I become Matt Damon, hot & strong in the face of the pandemic. I can go anywhere!!

Reality: I become Matt Damon, realize there is nowhere to go, throw my daughter* a sad small prom

*dog

Update: Day 14. Finally got my positive COVID-19 test results!

Honestly just relieved at this point. I kept imagining getting a negative result and being like

Anyway, I can be your anecdotal symptom guide, if anyone needs it!

Also! FEEL FREE to tell anyone you know who isn’t taking this seriously that you have a friend who has it and she says it’s not just a flu, be careful, stay home, wash your hands etc

(Not even just if we’re mutuals! I can be everyone’s friend, esp for the sake of convincing their boomer parents to stay home etc)

(Don’t look at this if you’re already v anxious!): If they say oh they’re young or oh it’s rly just a cold, tell them I’m 29 and my whole damn rib cage hurts. My bones are tired. (I will be fine!! But) This is a mild case (even on the mild side of mild) and it sucks

To celebrate my 2 week mark, I’m gonna do something a little crazy and try taking only a HALF dose of NyQuil tonight . Will report back

Quarantine day 16 (sick day 15):
Me: do you think the dog can like, smell that our lungs are bad?

(She’s been extra cuddly/I think the answer is def yes) (In that last pic she just straight up sat her whole body on top of the book I was reading)

For the record, this is a real thing! https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/584614/

Just to be super clear, I was 90% sure this was COVID-19 by the second or third day. This sickness is extremely specific and distinct! If someone in your life is saying they think they have it, plz don’t discount that with “it’s probably just a cold”

I know it’s a very human tendency (that I’ve noticed a lot, even in v well-meaning people) to be think something like “I’ll believe it when I see a positive test result,” but SO many ppl can’t get tests.

(The nicest version of this is the people who told me, “I hope it turns out to just be a cold!” which I thanked them for and said I hoped so too, but there was not a single minute where I thought it was a cold, lol)

Truly never thought I’d be like “everyone in my dms is asking,” but here we are, so I thought I’d put answers to the most common/urgent questions here: “What were your symptoms?” And “are you better now?” (with bonus “what supplements did you take”)

Also, the meds I took were: Advil (1 time, before we heard you weren’t supposed to...which I think has since been disproven), DayQuil (1 dose), NyQuil (basically constantly), & mucinex DM (today). I recommend them all!

I know that everyone is probably already over quarantine drinking content, but can I just say that I will be inordinately pleased when I can successfully drink a single beer!

2 days ago I had 2 sips of a glass of red wine (yes, I do know that ~Big Red Wine~ convinced me it is the medicinal alcohol choice) and my bod went NOPE

I am feeling kinda grumpy today & irritated by the persisting symptoms, but I am choosing to see it as a good sign that my appetite (and thus hanger) is coming back!!

My gf is straight up cured, which is HUGE relief (she has mild asthma and I had many nightmares) but also a little.....rude. She went for a RUN yesterday. A RUN

Meanwhile I still get v winded from going up the stairs

FYI I am sadly back to a full dose of NyQuil at night (but also, thank god for NyQuil). Think I might try and get myself one of those inhalers everyone is raving about, via telemedicine! We live in the future!

I got an inhaler prescription! Also, not to brag, but my tele-doctor said I was a “great historian” . She was a hoot and also said that NyQuil works so well bc of the alcohol and I could also try having a shot (“don’t tell anyone I said that”)

I’ve got big “after this, I’ll never be sick again!!!!” energy rn, forgetting any other sicknesses exist, so after I recover from this I’m def gonna be hit by some karma strep

Day 21: Still feeling p sick (although I have about twice as much energy as I did the first ~12 days), trying to push away the persistent thought "this is just how my chest feels/my lungs are now"

Also, a very good example of how my brain is rn: trying to find this I googled "the sun timeline," just only those 3 words, and I didn't understand why it didn't come up

Oops, I forgot everything about human feelings and anxieties for a second, sorry!! trigger warnings for coronavirus stressful/upsetting-ness

I am desperately clinging to this ridiculous "graphic design is my passion" timeline of symptoms which tells me I will be cured tomorrow

No, I don't know why they put the worst symptoms right in the middle of the mild ones in one line like that either!!!!

But it did make me laugh deliriously a whole lot especially as I approached "death"

(I'm so sorry, I think being sick for 3 weeks has broken my brain????)

I can't emphasize enough though how much anxiety I didn't even realize I was carrying until I passed the milestones of when most cases suddenly get serious and it finally lifted. Even with a mild case, that's always in the back of your mind!!

Also, focusing on the positives: the inhaler really does help!! I still get winded from doing...anything (especially stairs), but I'm not sitting around like "how do you breath again, because this doesn't...feel like it" so much anymore!

Another positive: I think my lingering chest pain is pretty much all more "rib soreness from coughing" than breathing-related chest pain. It definitely still hurts, but I'm not nearly as concerned about it, and it feels less "tight."

I know you will be *shocked* to learn that, despite what The Sun said, I was not miraculously cured on Day 22

Current dilemma: how much to reveal to family so that they’re sufficiently scared so as to not go outside too much but not SO scared that my poor mother can’t sleep

On a family Zoom my uncle just suggested I do a breathing exercise where you breathe in and then hold your breath (??) for 16 seconds (???!!!) and I laughed in his face and said “maybe in 3 months, right now I’m more focusing on breathing period.”

But then I regretted it because my mom got all “is it really that hard to breathe??” and I had to reassure her that I’m totally mostly fine just please stop going to the store so much okay??

Really rude that periods aren't canceled for the duration, imo!!! On my 2nd period since getting sick and I'm not a fan!

I’m trying to stay positive (especially bc I have it so much better than so many ppl!) but I’m getting really tired of my chest hurting!!

(This isn’t a cause for concern, btw, I’m pretty sure my ribs are just a little mad at me)

“Celebrating” my one month coronaversary today! What a month it’s been, guys. Thanks for all your support and also thanks to Gatorade & NyQuil, my trusty companions

Might fuck around and call my doctor again to mark the occasion

(I make light but srsly I’m SO grateful for all medical workers who have been so sweet and sympathetic and helpful!! And also I feel SO guilty for “wasting resources” that my gf had to tell me I “deserve” further treatment — still not fully convinced tbh!!!)

The things that finally convinced me are a) spending an annoying hour+ trying to fall asleep last night & not being able to bc of the chest pain & b) I’m almost out of Mucinex DM and wouldn’t it be nice to get some sorta prescription to replace that? #thedream

Update: Telemedicine is still amazing, the doctor was v nice. She said they’re seeing this a lot with COVID-19 — it just really lingers. Probably I have bronchitis now (which is what I guessed), so she’s giving me an inhaled steroid, but also a z-pack in case that doesn’t work

Onwards and upwards, etc!

I’ll be honest with you guys right now. I’m thinking about making a Throat Coat tea and putting whiskey in it.

Should I market this? A shittier and more medicinal hot toddy?

Ok yes this was amazing!! I added 2 lemon slices & a single star anise. Highly recommend.
https://twitter.com/theheatherhogan/status/1248753515490672646?s=21 https://twitter.com/theheatherhogan/status/1248753515490672646

You know what I was just thinking about? How many times in my childhood I wished for a vague illness to force me to sit in bed for months and just read, like it seemed all the cool artists/writers had had

Trying to figure out whether this means this is the last nonsense ~romanticized idea from childhood that needs to die or, and hear me out here, I should lean into this and make it my whole personality until I get better

(I know I’m not *really* on “months” yet, but it IS, technically, IN the 2nd month now)

(Actual update: I’m fine, just (clearly) going a tiny bit nuts, I love the steroid but it didn’t fully work so I’m trying the antibiotics now, I love modern medicine, plz don’t take it away)

Idk if continuing to update this bonkers thread is in any way helpful or if it's just like my diary now lol but anyway:
Tried the antibiotics for like 2 days, had a crazy intense rxn, stopping them for now (on doctor's orders)

Also, sorry to my haterz but I'm supposed to go to an actual in-person appointment on Friday if I'm still not feeling well by then (girls just wanna "waste medical resources" amirite)

To people who are anxious, don't worry!! I have a mild autoimmune thing (psoriasis) that is probs making this worse -- this doesn't mean if you get it you'll be sick for 5 weeks!!

Also! Mt. Sinai contacted me about giving plasma!! I was like, lol you probs don't want mine yet, so I'm gonna call them back in like 2 weeks, but I think my gf is gonna do it!

Went to the in-person Doctor! It seemed kinda pointless (although I got another good lung x-ray), but/and she told me she’s seen “a lot” of people with symptoms still a month out. “This thing just really lingers.”

I asked if she knew when it starts to turn around for those people, and she was basically like . They’re really only now seeing people who’ve had it for a month. It’s just so new, no one really knows anything!

It’s helpful to know there are lots of other people in the same boat! But also I wish there were something better for the chest pain than “take Tylenol” (and keep doing the inhaler if it helps. Which it...does? I think? With breathing. But it doesn’t rly do anything for the pain)

So proud of myself for not taking NyQuil the last couple of nights. I just took Tylenol...and Benadryl...and Mucinex DM...and a shot of whiskey in throat coat tea. I made my own NyQuil didn’t I

What’s wild is that your brain just...doesn’t catch on. You know? It’s been 40 days and every morning I’m like “hmm, that’s weird, my...chest? Kinda...hurts??”

I’ve only had ONE dream where the pandemic is a thing, and even in that one *I* wasn’t sick (in it, @PunkyStarshine was dating Alex Morgan, and I was like, oh no I’m worried about my friend’s gf because she’s pregnant! And there’s a pandemic!)

I know the subconscious protects itself and processes in its own time etc but like according to my dreams the only person I’m worried about in the world rn is Alex Morgan?? Like ?? Catch up, brain.

Ok I know I said that most people aren’t still sick at 5 weeks but I wanna keep this thread honest and say at least 6 other people have told me they’re still sick at week 5 or 6

Not trying to freak y’all out, but if you’re also still sick and it’s been ages, know that it’s “normal” and a lot of others are in the same frustrating boat!

My whole family is sending me random medical information about how my doctors are wrong, gotta love it!!!!!

Me: this country is garbage
My aunt: *implies all American doctors but especially mine are dumb*
Me: *incandescent rage*

So tempted to be like, the French doctors also started a rumor that ibuprofen is dangerous, which is probably not even true!!! How about that!!!

Thrilled to report that I took a heavy duty cold med and also CBD tea and also a low dose THC mint and I feel...pretty ok??

Oops I mean heavy duty cough med. One of those “don’t operate heavy machinery” dealios

Considering what kind of full-body-sized rubber band I could use to attach my heading pad to my chest, if you're wondering where I'm at rn

Mondays are my grumpiest day, bc on the weekend I cobble together all the heaviest duty drowsy-type meds (often incl weed) and it helps w the pain (not fully, but helpfully) and then I go back into the week with the (no offense, I love you Mucinex) weak stuff

I know I tweet this at least once a week, but I'm really tired of my chest (& back) hurting!! Mostly my other symptoms are not so bad or at least treatable (shoutout to throat coat tea), but that one is extremely annoying

I had a successful grocery store trip!!! I didn’t want to lay down in the aisle in despair/exhaustion even ONCE! They were just restocking paper goods! I had to buy a 6 pack of tiny OJs but it’s fine, they’re my cute babies!

You know, I really really appreciate all the scientists working tirelessly on this BUT with all due respect can you stop taking away the few things that actually help https://apple.news/AetDrQqYzSOSViQbS4uQp2A

I am very tired and sad and tired of being tired and sad and sick!!!!! I used to have uplifting messages or trying to be clever in these tweets but I don't right now!!!

(Full disclosure I’m on my 3rd period since getting sick so my uterus is really just steering the ship rn. I’m probs gonna be fine and I have a tele-appointment with a pulmonologist on Monday)

I will say, if you’re having COVID chest and/or back pain, the only thing that I’ve found REALLY works (even better than a heating pad) is a biofreeze patch

I talked to a (great) pulmonologist today -- dm me if you want to know more details, but basically I (like many ppl post-COVID) just have asthma now. It's an acute flare-up rn that we're gonna try to get back down to something more stable with increased dose of inhaled steroid

And if nothing has changed by the weekend, we'll try an oral (pill) steroid to see if that helps more. Also I can do an in-person appt with some tests etc in about a month! I'm sure this will be a medium or long term thing

Whelp I thought for a sec the inhaled steroid might be helping, but I was back to can't-fall-asleep-because-the-chest-pain last night and am generally still bad, so will def be asking for that prednisone tomorrow!

I know this failure of a drug to make me feel better is not also a failure of me, the person, but! I am feeling

Keep laughing at myself for feeling like I'm coming up with really profound ~life theories~ and then realizing they're actually extremely obvious. Today's is: being sick for 2 months is depressing!

Sorry that I tweet so much now and that they're all such bummers!!