Today is the first day in a week i've felt almost back to normal. It's been a hell of a ride and I still can't get my head around how horrible this virus can be. When it hit - I took to twitter to see what to expect. How others had coped. It was invaluable. So this is a thread ..

I had a headache and was feeling sick at the start of the week. I put it down to working from home, lack of fresh air and looking at the laptop too much. Everyone talked about a fever a cough as the symptoms of Coronavirus. So until then I wasn't even thinking I was a contender

On Wednesday my chest started to hurt when i breathed in. Like a sensation of having something stuck in the windpipe. It was mildly uncomfortable but nothing more. Headache had gone. So had sickness feeling. No cough or fever. So nothing to do with the virus I thought ..

In this time I was making trips to the shops for essentials. Because I was getting supplies for elderly neighbours I probably went more than I usually would have done. This was a mistake. I didn't think this through. And this is the only place I would have contracted anything ...

So on Friday night my sore chest had developed into breathing problems. And boy did I worry. This went from 0-60. Chest was tight .. i mean really tight. And heavy. Couldn't get enough air into the lungs and I felt like i was never going to get a full breath ...

Still no coughing or fever. But the shortness of breath was crippling. I couldn't sleep. I paced the room. I tried not to panic. But i couldn't help it. Breathing not only felt laboured it felt like I was going to suffocate. Anxiety levels rising I got up. Sleep didn't happen...

A call to 111 and they heard my breathing levels were alarming. they sent an ambulance. Anxiety rising. The ambulance tested me. But oxygen levels were not worryingly low. Because I had no fever or cough they said they didn't think it was Coronavirus .... but I KNEW this was

So I self isolated. I had to live with this. But it was getting worse. My son too was showing the same symptoms. Breathing became SO hard. Breathing through my mouth impossible. Long deep lungfuls of air through my nose were few and far between. When they occurred it was relief .

Sunday night - another sleepless one (on the plus side I have played enough Fifa to now take on my 11 year old and win!). Impossible to breathe properly and sleep. However still no cough. Still no fever. But fatigue, weakness, aching limbs now starting. But these were ok.

The overriding impact of this is on the chest and your ability to breathe. It is like nothing I have ever experienced. The anxiety was at peak level. But what could i do to reduce it? Well for starters I stopped looking at twitter. It fuelled my fears for a bit. I stopped...

watching the news. I focused on what I would do when I got better. Because I knew i would. Positive energy was what was required. And to try and stop panicking. That meant my breathing was easier at times and my chest relaxed. The problem with this virus is that it scares you ..

And that means your chest is tight anyway. A visit to the GP on Monday to rule out anything else - just in case it wasn't Covid - and I was told that no test would happen but she was 99% sure it was. That fever and coughs are not always prevalent. This is the big falacy....

They are probably the most common symptoms But they are not exclusive. And you could have the virus without knowing. The support of friends, family and neighbours got me through this. Today i'm still gasping for air a little and have a cough. But i'm SO much better. I wish I had

kept telling myself at the time that I would be fine. That 8 out of 10 people would survive this. And that I would be one of them But your mind takes you places you don't want to go. And when you are hit with this you can't help take yourself there.

So to anyone still reading this who may be up in the small hours of the night worried and freaking out try and avoid all the negative thoughts if you can. Lie on or your front. Breathe through your nose. Try and relax your body. Have a bath. Take a midnight walk. Whatever you do

don't convince yourself you are a worst-case scenario as I did. This didn't help me. It's impossible to fully prepare for this. Even reading this won't give you the feeling of how bad it is. so many cases are different. But when it's over you appreciate everything so much more