Corona Virus. Scary, not scary, who knows….there are so many stories, so I’ve been in the middle this whole time. Like it’s real, and sometimes it’s super serious. We should be cautious, but not stop living. Kind of like we treat every other risk in life.
Corona hit our household about a month ago. My husband and one of my daughters both contracted Covid-19. There are also a number of people at our church who tested positive, where we apparently contracted it.
My summary:
Of the 8ish people in our community I know who got sick, most had fairly mild symptoms, slightly less than the flu. My husband was among those hit the hardest. He still says it was milder than the flu. Headache, fever, fatigue, some coughing. (And loss of taste, which most have said is the worst. 
) Two of our friends were severely immune compromised (one with Lupus and kidney transplant, and her husband with diabetes,) and they both had fairly mild cases.
This is how we treated it:
(Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional; I am merely sharing our story)
We treated it with a heavy dose of Vitamin C (approximately 2000 mg. every 2 hours), 10-20 mg of melatonin twice a day, L-Lysine, Oil of Oregano, and inhaling/nebulizing a 50/50 solution of 3% peroxide/water.
My husband was almost back to normal by day 8, with just mild fatigue. My 16 yr. old daughter had about 3 days of fatigue/fever and returned to normal after that.
None of the other 9 of us got it, and I continued sleeping in the same bed with my husband.
Of the other 8 or so we know who contracted it, (including the immune compromised) all had a pretty mild case, although a few were sick longer than 10 days.
Having experienced it up close and personal has given me more peace and with so much uncertainty and fear being circulated on social media and the news, I thought a personal experience might help others have some peace too. I have since had several other friends who have recovered from the virus without complications.
We quarantined for the recommended period of time (that’s the responsible thing and oh, also the responsible thing if you have a stomach virus, the flu, etc…which we’ve been saying for years) and while it’s not fun, corona has proven, for our family, to be little more than an inconvenience.
I know there is a small percentage of people for whom it will overtake. (And I’m so thankful those numbers are decreasing.) I have the deepest sympathies for those families. Just as I do when any tragedy overtakes someone. But I wanted to share our experience in the hopes that it would bring peace and encouragement to someone.
(Several doctors are having GREAT success treating their covid patients with budesonide (inhalant) as well as hydroxychloroquine. My Dr. actually called budesonide in for us, but we had seen great improvement from the peroxide so we didn’t have it filled because it’s a bit pricey. But I would certainly use it if someone was not improving.)
It is my personal opinion that the fear propagated by the media over this virus has been exaggerated at best. We live in a world where we take risks daily. The risk of getting a virus with such a high survival rate shouldn’t warrant shutting down businesses and preventing people from leading normal lives. I pray the panic will lessen as more people hear our stories.
I’d love to hear if your family has had experience with Corona.
In other news…
I’ve been working on a new business I’m launching September 1st–Cadeau Gift Box Company! I want to make giving special and unique gifts easy for people, so I’m curating a number of fabulous gift boxes for various occasions. Whether you want to just let someone know you’re thinking of them, or you want to send the perfect birthday gift, you’ll love the boxes we are putting together! So if you want to follow me and keep up with our grand opening, you can do so on
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I will be giving away a gift box right before we open so you’ll definitely want to get your name in for that!
30 comments
We weren’t tested but symptoms matched. Epsom salt and ginger baths a time or 2 every day really helped us get better in 3-5 days.
That’s great!
Not tested but 7 of us lost taste and smell (indeed the worst part!).
It was a mild flu (I’ve had much worse flus for sure). The loss of taste and smell was the strangest. Never lost my sense of taste without a stopped up nose. We could all breathe perfectly but couldn’t smell or taste a thing!
We all upped our vitamin c, d, zinc and quercitin. I had it the worst – probably due to having childhood asthma and a bad case of pertussis a few years ago. I spent 8 full days in bed. Everyone else in our family has mild symptoms for about 3 days. The 8 year old and 5 year old had no symptoms.
Yep–I think that loss of taste is classic Covid, though not everyone experiences that. But if you do, for sure it’s Covid. I’m glad you’re all recovered!
I’m glad you shared this, and I think you summed it up perfectly. On July 17th I felt really tired and woke up body aches and a slight fever. That lasted a full day. The body aches disappeared, but then I was left with a headache, a slight cough, and was super tired. I pretty much stayed in bed for 3 days. After that, I attempted to get tested…with a van full of kids, but the line was insanely long! I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say I’m pretty sure there at least 100 cars in front of me at the time the line opened. Needless to say, I had such little energy that sticking that line out wasn’t a good option for me. I may never know for certain if I had it, but the fatigue lasted for about 9 days for me. And, my smell and taste hasn’t completely returned. You are right, that part was so crazy! In the end, my 14 year old, 10 year old, 1 year old, and husband also had the same symptoms ( can’t say about taste for the 1 yr old), but they all seemed to have more energy back more quickly than I did. It may also be that I’m 15 weeks pregnant? So glad it’s over, and we were blessed to not have to be hospitalized.Wish I had tried some of the home remedies you mentioned. Thanks again for sharing your story
Wow–so glad y’all are better! I actually think I had 1 day of it–soooo mild, but very slight fever and very tired all day. It’s a strange virus. I’m convinced the majority of people have already had it and those who haven’t will.
Four in our household of six had some covid-like symptoms starting in the mid to late winter and extending into spring this year, but we never got tested so aren’t sure if any of us had it.
My then-18-year-old daughter, who is rarely sick, got hit the hardest with whatever it was she had, but its duration was only about 4 days. She was feverish and stayed in bed most of that time. She fainted twice one of the early days, something that’s never happened to her. I’ve never seen her so sick; she was utterly wiped out while it lasted, but she bounced back quickly after it was over.
I got sick a few weeks after she did. I thought I was getting a migraine, but a few hours later, I developed a fever, which never happens with my migraines, so I thought I was getting the flu.
I took elderberry syrup, which has worked wonders for our family in stopping the flu in its tracks when it’s coming on. However, the elderberry in this case made things MUCH worse. I had a violent reaction, throwing up and getting so weak I had to go to bed in the middle of the day. Several hours later, my husband remarked that I looked just like our daughter had looked when she was so sick a few weeks before.
Remarkably, 36 hours after I had started getting sick, I was almost completely over it, and by 48 hours in, it was like nothing had happened. Whatever hit me — I don’t think it was the flu because of my atypical reaction to the elderberry — it hit fast and hard and disappeared just as quickly.
A few weeks after that, I had five consecutive days of things like shortness of breath, fatigue, GI symptoms, cough, etc., but not all at once, and nothing that interfered with my usual daily activities.
I didn’t lose my sense of taste or smell, but about a month ago I noticed that my sense of smell was suddenly heightened. It makes me wonder if it had diminished somewhat, and I just didn’t notice until it returned to normal?
As far as other family members, my 12-year-old daughter had mild respiratory symptoms — feeling short of breath mostly — in the early spring, but the symptoms seemed to last for several weeks. And my husband had a cough for about a month sometime during all that, but that was it — it didn’t slow him down, much less stop him, at all.
The other two in our household were asymptomatic the whole time.
Very strange experience, whatever was going on.
I’m glad your husband and daughter recovered, and that all of you are well!
Wow–sounds like you probably did. It is hard to know because it affects people so differently. Glad you are feeling better now!
I’m so glad you shared this! Thank you!
This is a quote from your personal response to a comment: “It is hard to know because it affects people so differently.” Your comment sums it up perfectly, not your post. I agree that the media inflates and exaggerates everything, no argument. And while it is great that the ten people you know who had it, and the commenters who have believed they had it without being tested – it’s great that you all bounced back and your elderberry and garlic and vitamin C worked out for you. But please do not disregard this virus and the thousands who have died, the thousands who have spent days, weeks, and months hospitalized – losing limbs and suffering permanent damage. Your bubble was protected and that is so fabulous. Not everyone has had such blessings. I have a dear friend who has had six people in her circle die since April. Two of them were considered at risk, four of them were considered healthy. Quite different from your circle.
While I do not glean information from the media, we do have a couple of handfuls of health care providers that we are in touch with frequently (and by that I mean RNs and MDs, not chiropractors, naturopaths or podiatrists, or someone who has flunked out of med school or not been able to continue due to lack of capability). There is not a single legitimate health care provider that has ever told our family that this is being blown out of proportion.
I understand you stated that you are not a doctor and that this was just your experience, but your ideology is well pronounced, as I’m sure mine is as well. While I praise God that you and your other commenters have had quick bouts of sickness and healing, I do think it is irresponsible and delusional to lump this virus in with any other virus or any other risk. Epidemiologists and other specialists have not figured out this virus, so it amazes and amuses me the amount of bloggers who have such conviction and opinion on what is true and what is not. “I’m convinced the majority of people have already had it and those who haven’t will.” That is a quote from you, up above in the comments. Some people are convinced that the earth is flat. Some people are convinced they are a male when they have actually been born female. How do you feel about their conviction? Before you dismiss me as a right wing nonbeliever, please know I am an extremely strong Christian conservative. I’m just not riding their train on this. And I’m not a healthcare provider, and this is just my opinion.
Not trying to argue, not attacking anyone or being snarky or snitty (except for the MD/RN v. naturopath, chiropractor, med school flunky thing) and I won’t respond to any attacks or comments.
I just want people to think and I want this virus to stop destroying lives all over the world. I don’t have all the answers and I won’t pretend as though I do. But I will listen to doctors and nurses, especially those who have worked with COVID patients. And they are telling me to stay at home as much as possible, social distance when out, wear a mask when out, avoid parties and large gatherings, wash my hands more than I ever have and don’t touch my face. No one is asking me to hang on a cross, so I think that if by following recommended guidelines I could protect someone else or protect myself, that really is not a lot to ask.
Andrea,
I don’t see anything to warrant your accusations toward me. I never dismissed the virus as non-harmful. I never said to treat it flippantly. I acknowledged some people would be very sick and die. I did nothing more than give an encouraging account of our experience with it. I truly don’t understand what is offensive about that. We need to hear it all–the negative aspects and the positive. Imagine living in a world where you only heard about every car fatality but never heard about people who drove and didn’t have an accident.
Why the anger when someone gives a positive account?
My experience is also different from yours regarding your doctor friends. I have at least 5 personal friends who are practicing physicians and/or nurses–some in the covid unit. They hold the same view I do: yes, it kills a small percentage of the population. Just like other illnesses. But it will likely go through the entire population and most people will recover. My best friend’s husband was admitted today because his Covid has caused complications. I am worried about him. That doesn’t change anything that I said in the post.
We should grieve for those who have lost their battles, and we should rejoice with those who recover. It’s that simple.
Kelly, I am sorry that you misinterpret my disagreement on some of your post with anger and my using your own words as accusations. That was not my intention. We disagree on several points, and that’s okay. There was absolutely nothing in my comment that was “angry”, I’m sorry that is how you interpreted my words. As I said, I think it is great that you all bounced back – and believe it or not, that was exactly what I meant. It is great. My nephew was diagnosed, he bounced back = great and praises. Simple. Sometimes people post comments and rebuttals or debates simply to express another view, not because they are angry or nasty.
I appreciate your clarifying. Thank you. It just seemed that way with this comment–“our bubble was protected and that is so fabulous. ” And then saying it was “delusional” to compare this virus with others (which I didn’t do except to say I am careful with this and any sickness). You seemed pretty bristly to me, and my only intent was to share a bit of positive news.
Andrea,
Since I was the one who originally mentioned elderberry, I’d like to clarify any misunderstandings on what I was saying, and respond to this statement of yours: “And while it is great that the ten people you know who had it, and the commenters who have believed they had it without being tested – it’s great that you all bounced back and your elderberry and garlic and vitamin C worked out for you.”
My comment about elderberry was this: “I took elderberry syrup, which has worked wonders for our family in stopping the flu in its tracks when it’s coming on. However, the elderberry in this case made things MUCH worse. I had a violent reaction…”
Please understand that in no way was I saying that 1) I had covid [note the numerous times I said I didn’t know what I or my family had] AND 2) the elderberry worked wonders for me and was the reason I got over my illness so fast.
I was trying to issue a warning that sometimes remedies that work well at certain times can be dangerous at other times, even in the same person. I intentionally used all caps when saying “MUCH worse” because I wanted to highlight that one must be very careful in how one treats illness. (I had read about cytokine storms a few days after I got well, and a lot of what I had experienced after taking the elderberry was very similar to the description of what individuals experience during a cytokine storm. I am very blessed that if I did have a cytokine storm from the elderberry, it was not fatal, as it too often is.)
I thought my all-caps warning would make my purpose in writing my post clear: Be careful when you’re dealing with illness. Don’t assume that what has been safe and has worked in the past will be perfectly fine in the present or future.
Please be careful when you write statements like “…it’s great that you all bounced back and your elderberry…worked out for you.” That is reading something into my statement that I never said nor implied. I wouldn’t want anyone to think that elderberry is going to help covid patients “bounce back” and help everything work out for good. I included that information in my post precisely because I had such a horrible (and potentially dangerous) reaction immediately after taking it.
I see this post of Kelly’s as an opportunity to praise God for all He has done to bring peace to our hearts in these troubled earthly times, and for all the things He teaches us through suffering, whatever the nature of our trials may be. He is faithful, and that is good news indeed.
Ummm… for the record, mama of 9, RN with my BSN, around COVID patients in a hospital, infant son and several of my children as well as my parents (one with high blood pressure and the other with diabetes) and “step-parents” got the virus exposing me numerous times… I will be the first to tell you, as an RN, I do not wear a mask (except at work) and this virus is being blown WAY out of proportion. The virus IS real. It can and does kill. I do not fear it. I trust God and the immune system he gave me.
Rebekah, RN, BSN
*left wing. Sorry. I’m definitely right wing! 😉 Just not drinking the kool aid.
So now you’re a medical doctor? YOU ARE NOT SUITED TO RELAY THIS BOGUS MEDICAL ADVICE YOU MORON.
You’re right, I’m not. They don’t do much of anything for covid.
“They don’t much of anything?” Makes no sense. If you’re trying to say you are smarter than doctors, at least write clearly.
Covid is different from the flu because it is far more contagious. While most healthy people have few or no symptoms, it can be very dangerous to the elderly and the medically fragile. If too many elderly/medically fragile people get covid, the hospitals will be overwhelmed.
We wear masks and stay at home to protect the elderly and the medically fragile.
I’m not sure what point Kelly is making here. Of course, healthy people under 60 are going to be mostly OK. But it’s not like the flu at all because it’s far more contagious. Her husband would probably have been fine after 8 days whether or not he received melatonin and Vitamin C. However, the elderly/fragile people he encountered might not have been fine at all.
If you don’t care about the elderly/medically fragile, then yes, go on living. Talk about how your family easily got over covid. Go about your business, don’t wear a mask, attend church, whatever. Those who care about others, however, will take this virus seriously.
You must be a terribly lonely person. I’m sorry a little good news about this virus (which we take seriously) causes you so much grief. Thanks for the correction of the word I left out. (Don’t you have a riot out there to attend or something?)
Talk to your doctor friends again. They’d be surprised to hear “they don’t do much for covid.” Doctors in the ER risk their lives for covid every day. They are at higher risk because they see so much of it (it’s called “virus load”). When they intubate the very ill covid patients, they are at enormous risk. Many have died.
I’m sorry you think these heroes “don’t do much.” I think they do a lot!
Didn’t say they don’t risk their lives. I said they don’t do much to treat the illness when it is treatable. Just had a friend in the hospital with it and I have several Dr. friends frustrated at the medical communities’ refusal to use proven drugs to treat a potentially deadly virus. It’s insanity. Stop twisting my words.
I think you mean “community’s.”
However, it is great that you know more than the medical community, even though you haven’t studied science. It must be nice to have the solution to covid that no one else does!
As for your doctor friends, they are free (under their state license) to prescribe whatever they like. So I don’t understand their frustration. They must be curing people right and left!
It is not news that your healthy teen recovered from covid. Everyone knows healthy young people are likely to do so. The shutdown is about protecting the medically fragile in society.
Your analogy to flu is wrong. Covid is far more contagious.
“Guest,”
I have a friend who is turning 90 today — a dear Christian gentleman. He said this this morning, and I quote:
Perhaps you, “Guest”/whatever your name is, are making a positive difference in someone’s life somewhere. The trail you are leaving on this internet site, however, is one of attacks, venom, abuse, and hate.
You can pretend all you want that you are a benevolent soul and that those you attack are not.
You can pretend that they are evil, uncaring people and that you and your ilk are really the ones who have society’s best interests in mind.
You can pretend your purpose is to do well here, and that commenting on punctuation and grammar is an important part of fighting covid.
You can pretend all you want, but your purpose here is very clear, and it is not to do well.
Those who truly wish to do well, including my wise friend celebrating a birthday, are people who desire to be a force for good everywhere they go, every place they communicate.
Love, not hate, motivates their actions. Love seeks not to attack, to hammer away relentlessly at another human being who, like you, is created in the image of our loving God. The image of your Creator God (whether you believe in Him or not) and mine; Kelly’s and my gentleman friend’s; all of our fellow man.
Happy Birthday to my friend Charlie. May his legacy of love for Christ and his fellow man — everyone on this earth — continue to point to our Savior as our True Source of love and peace.
In the quiet moments at the end of your life, “Guest,” if you are privileged to avoid a sudden death while walking in your evil ways, may you find repentance and tranquility, trusting your Savior and learning to love His followers, too.
Jesus Christ is your and our only hope.
Happy birthday to your friend, “Six Arrows”! 90 is quite a milestone.
Nope. Communities’ is what I meant. I am referencing more than one. Doctors can prescribe but aren’t. My teen wasn’t the only one who recovered. My 45 year old husband who has a history of contracting pneumonia also did. I didn’t say anything in my post about what we should and shouldn’t be doing. I didn’t say anything about not being careful or not taken it seriously. I didn’t even say the lock down is unnecessary. You’re being a bully. (What 6 arrows said.) But thanks for driving the comments up–it helps drive more traffic to my blog.
Dear “Guest,”
I think it best for you to quarantine from your computer. You must have too much time on your hands being the model citizen, staying home and finding blogs to sabotage. Please find something more profitable to do with all the time you are spending at home (maybe you can sew masks, make cookies for all essential workers, smile at your neighbours)….something, anything other than a self-inflating tirade (and grammar lessons).
Thank you for sharing your experience. It is so nice to get an honest unbiased perspective. I believe a couple of our children may have gotten it, but we have not tested so we can not be sure.God is still in control, no matter how crazy our world gets.
Amen, Marilyn!
I have five family members who had diagnosed Covid. Two spent six weeks in the hospital, one close to death at one point and who has continuing health problems related to Covid, Two were very ill for five days but recovered, and my 93 year old aunt recovered with no symptoms. She tested positive in her nursing home, was isolated for two weeks and tested negative on her birthday in October. On Thanksgiving Day a good friend’s father died of Covid after being hospitalized for three weeks. Another friend’s 12 year old daughter suffered a stroke as a result of Covid and has lost a significant portion of her vision that she will never regain. I’ve seen such a range of illness that I am more inclined than ever to stay away from people and wear a mask. I’m a teacher who is teaching in a hybrid model, and so I am super careful at work. I will be in line for a vaccine as soon as I can get one. There are too many unknowns about this illness, and I can’t wait till this pandemic is over. I’m glad all in your family recovered.