LET’S TALK ABOUT BAD TIMING

I avoided Covid-19 for 2 years and 4 months. I have no idea where I got it. My little three-person household was one that took it very seriously. We wore masks when it was recommended and then mandated. Our daughter did the entire 4^th grade online. We avoided crowds. We got our groceries delivered. We lost precious time with family.

When things loosened up we entered the world cautiously. And then CIDP entered into my vocabulary, and I got scared all over again. I was suddenly one of the people who “have preexisting conditions or a compromised immune system”. Covid could do me serious harm.

As time went on and no one in my family got it, we got complacent. The entire planet was tired of it all. You could still see people with masks, but they were few and far between. At the bank we still had Plexiglas between us and customers, but that was the extent of it. Anytime someone was sick it crossed my mind maybe I should put on a mask, but I didn’t.

In July of 2022 we had big plans. We were flying to see my in-laws and attending a wedding there. My daughter was singing in it. We planned my infusions around it because we would be gone almost three weeks. Tickets were purchased, plans were made. After over two years of doing nothing and going nowhere, we were excited to go.

Two days before we were to leave on the train for Chicago, I started with serious sinus drainage. Anytime I ever get sick, it always starts in my throat. It is not super unusual. But since we were getting ready to leave the country, I decided to see a doctor in case I had a sinus infection and needed meds. Well guess what, it was Covid. My heart dropped. Not even really so much about how my body would react, but that we had train tickets, hotel reservations and a plane to be on in 2 days!

I can’t even describe how I felt, having to go home and tell my family. I felt guilty. How did I let this happen? What was going to happen with our travel plans? This was a pretty expensive trip we had planned. I went home, blurted out my news and started crying. I don’t talk about my family a lot, mostly in general terms, but I have to say, my husband is one of the most understanding, caring people I have ever met. I mean, I certainly didn’t expect to go home and get yelled at, but I felt I had created a huge problem for us and I was not sure it could be fixed. He immediately told me not to worry about it and got on the phone, trying to push back plans. It went amazingly well.

We decided if we left 5 days later that would have us travelling to Chicago on the last day of my “quarantine” and I would mask that day. We changed the train tickets and hotel with no added fees. We were worried pushing back the plane tickets would be the expensive one. To our total amazement it cost us only an additional $76.

In the meantime, I was put on Paxlovid and suffered through the effects of Covid. Holy shit. It was not fun. First of all, the meds left a horrific taste in my mouth. I spent 2 solid days in bed. I HAVE been sick before, but not in recent history had I felt that bad. I ached all over and slept off and on for 48 hours. After I emerged from that fog, I really felt pretty normal, pretty quickly. There was concern that maybe someone else in the house might get it, but we decided to be optimistic.

So we left on our vacation. Masks were required on the plane so that made me feel better. We missed out on a couple activities but got there in time for Bachelorette Party. After almost 20 hours of travel and no sleep, I was willing to admit maybe we were not up for that, but my 10-year-old daughter was adamant we go, so we did!

We made it in time for the wedding, obviously, and my daughter did her song, and all was well. Except for the lost luggage. It showed up 3 days after we did. After hearing the horror stories, we almost anticipated this and had packed all our wedding attire in our carry-on luggage and praise Jesus we did. That would have been a disaster if we had not.

It was a good vacation. Towards the end of it my sinus symptoms came back with a vengeance. I guess that happens with Paxlovid. I spent one day with my sinuses so jacked up my eyes continually watered, and I couldn’t see. My sister-in-law was very helpful, they were there for several weeks and had a portable drugstore with them. You never know if you’ll be able to find what you need exactly in foreign countries.

I also noticed something else. I was starting to detect a weakness in my legs. By the time we got to our return travel day, it was quite pronounced. I had a hard time keeping up in the airport. It quite frankly freaked me out. I had not had a recurrence of my original symptoms since I was first diagnosed. I was extremely relieved I had infusions scheduled soon after we got home.

Apparently, people with CIDP who get Covid have been reported to experience a worsening of their CIDP symptoms. Luckily, my weakness did not last long. I don’t know if it was because I had my infusion so soon after the onset, or if it would have gotten better on its own, I am just relieved it went away.

So, I survived Covid. Hopefully I don’t have to experience that again, but I don’t think Covid is ever going away and since I highly doubt I will ever get a booster, I might. I hope if I do, it is not any worse than what I experienced the first time. I hope.