Surviving Covid... twice.
Vaccinated or not, Omicron seems to be affecting E V E R Y O N E. Apparently January is our month to get Covid because my husband and I started off 2021 and 2022 with a positive test. Bummer. I had very different symptoms with both but thankfully after about 5 days of testing positive each time, I got over the worst of it. Even though I haven't had a 'cold' in years (I'm more prone to sinus infections and stomach bugs), this one really did feel like a head cold. I know that isn't everyone's experience but still, I wanted to gather some simple tips for managing mild side effects of the dreaded COVID.
Keep Moving
While Covid fatigue is very real, it’s still super important to stay active! Go for a walk, do some simple bodyweight exercises or if you are a beast like my husband, go for a run every single day no matter how crappy you feel. Thankfully I have 3 very healthy boys to care for so laying in bed all day was not even an option. I always felt better once I got up and moving (even though it was really hard to get up sometimes).
Hydrate
You don‘t have to get fancy with the liquid IV- plain old water will do the trick. Staying hydrated all the time is important but even more so while your body is fighting a virus. Hot tea with honey helped soothe my sore throat while helping with hydration. Tazo Mint Honey, Dream and Passion herbal teas are my favorite these days.
Bonus- cut out as many processed foods as you can from your diet and eat lots of fruits and veggies!
All the Vitamins
Give your immune system a boost with Vitamins! Vitamins C, D and B along with Zinc are pretty standard to boost your immune system. I kept it simple but I'm sure there are many more suggested combinations of vitamins. I used Mucinex to manage congestion and ibuprofen when necessary. On top of the normal old school Flinstones vitamins for my boys, I added Airborne kids gummies. Always talk to your doctor about any new vitamins/medicines.
At Home Medical Monitoring
I generally like to avoid doctor's offices and hopsitals so any at home mointoring is a win! Lots of temperature monitoring (never had a fever with either round of covid) and this handy new to me device - a pulse oximeter - helped keep my mind at ease that all was well in the body. Thankfully this one didn't settle in my chest like the '21 version did so the pulse oximeter wasn't really necessary but for $25 I'm happy to have it in my medicine cabinet.
Entertainment
A fiction read and a 1000 piece Office puzzle helped pass the time as did board games, cards games, and bike rides. It's easy to veg all day on a screen but don't forget to exercise your brain. If you have a library card, download Libby for free access to thousands of books and audiobooks. Five days of quarantine goes by quicker than you think so make the most of it!
Lastly, Rest
My rescue pup, Cocoa, has been my nap cuddle buddy for the past 9 years 😊. I highly recommend a dog to cuddle with but I guess you could nap without one. As hard as it was to get up after a nap, I always felt better once I was up and moving around.
That's it! We are very fortunate that Covid has only been a mild interruption in our lives and my heart goes out to everyone who has had a much worse experience with it. I don't say "We Survived Covid" lightly because I know so many have not. The best we can do is continue to live our lives to their fullest each and every day and carry those lost to us in our hearts.
Live Healthy, Live Free,
Chelsey