Some collated experiences of recovering from COVID-19.
Recovery from COVID-19 is heralded by, no fever without medications, no cough, no shortness of breath and 7 days have passed since no further symptoms.
Beginning rehabilitation, considering, everyone’s mental and physical status during post recovery may vary.
However,
1. You may continue experiencing fatigue, appetite change and weakness. It can last for few weeks.
2. You may have difficulty sleeping or concentrating. This may cause added anxiety and low mood.
3. You may have mixed emotions, including relief from overcoming the infection, ongoing concerns for your own current health, and health of your loved ones.
4. Sadness, anger, frustration and/or paranoia because of contracting COVID-19, being nursed in quarantine by others, stress from self-monitoring, fear of still being infective to others and worry of being re-infected.
5. Guilt about not being able to perform normal work or fulfilling your ‘contractual’ duties while sick.
6. Concerns about starting to re-manage long-term illness that you already had.
7. Concerns about change in your sharing occupancy and other unstated issues/statuses.
8. Not stated other emotional and mental changes.
On the other hand of the wall , you have survived the COVID-19 infection. You deserve a big well done. Time to gradually take back the rains now. Ah! easily said than done.
Start slow and take one day at a time. Keep a dairy and reflect on the day. Plan for tomorrow as best as can. But you may still need a hand during rehabilitation and re-assurances whilst journeying through the post-infection (recovery) timeline.
In General, your recovery timeline consists of following contents.
Stay indoors for the next 3 days after discontinuation of self-isolation.
Limited contact with others, continue to wear a cover over nose and mouth. Especially when in presence of others and still maintaining physical distance of being two(2) meters apart.
Having been curled up for days in bed, your body needs gradual stretching daily.
Walk around in doors whilst keeping your distance from others.
Eating what you can, when you want, as nutritiously as possible.
Keep drinking enough water during this time also.
Keep maintaining your hand and the environ hygiene.
Be open to all the help that is being offered to you during this time. If you have been self-isolating alone than continue with your already setup protocol and extend it into recovery period.
Take as much sleep as you need. You’re still in rehabilitation phase.
You may want to start organising home working. Go ahead when you can.
Relaxing time: get back to your hobbies, try to do what you did before, as much as you can.
Start your networking and keep yourself smiling. Remember that you made it through.
Open your windows let fresh air in. Breath the freshness. Pollution level is very low! May it continue.
Weather is getting warmer, so get as much sunlight as you can. – don’t know about the sun cream! - One (1) hour is enough garden time.
At all-times, be aware, that you can call on your health care provider, as advised for when you were sick, for help during rehabilitation.
Remember, you are not alone during rehabilitation, there is always someone on the other end of the line at any time you need them. Call them.
For you to be sure that you are no longer infected, you may need two (2) nose swab tests >24 hours apart to be negative or a blood test to be positive for COVID-19 antibodies. Testing guidance is based on current WHO guidelines which can change anytime. Consult GOV .UK website and/or your health care provider for further guidance and clarification on the above advice. Advice below applies until you are cleared.
see table of guidenace from GOV.UK
However, under the current government advisory (as above), we need to follow the guidelines of “Stay at home, Protect NHS, Save lives”.
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Disclaimer applies.: content is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice of a qualified healthcare professional and /or healthcare body. Consult your healthcare professional for all healthcare advice.