COVID-19: The story of one black woman

Like most people, I was nervous when the pandemic began.

by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, There were at least three risk factors that increased the likelihood of the virus Symptoms Maybe worse for me – high blood pressure, overweight, immunodeficiency.

To say that I was anxious is to say the least.

Thankfully, I was able to work from home and just went to the grocery store and doctor appointments.

When I went on an adventure, I wore masks (sometimes two) and gloves to keep me at least 6 feet (2 meters) away from others.

When my brother tested positive, I felt the first horror early in the pandemic. I had to take a test because I had dinner with him the day before. Thankfully, I was negative, but I was still quarantined at home for 14 days. Then I was able to go back to my routine as it was.

But now, nearly two weeks after the pandemic began, I received another horrifying call. People who were just around without wearing a mask tested positive for the virus.

The fever and chills of the last two days just wanted to be a cold, or even the flu.

I desperately searched for a facility that I could go to in a hurry test.. After getting a scary nose swab, I nervously sat down in the doctor’s office and wanted it to return to negative. I was convinced that I didn’t have COVID-19, so I even asked if I could get a flu test.

Thirty minutes later, the doctor entered the room and said a word I didn’t want to hear. “Your COVID test was positive.” The doctor went on to say that I needed to be quarantined for 10-14 days and could take acetaminophen for fever.

But what else? What should I do if I have more symptoms? What if my symptoms get worse … what do you do?

I had a lot of questions and no answers.

I came home with a handout about COVID-19 and a note to tell my employer that I was positive. But that was it.

The doctor who diagnosed me made no treatment suggestions other than taking over-the-counter cough syrup and antipyretics.

He had no history of my health. He didn’t know that I was taking medications to control blood pressure or weakening the immune system.

I was worried when I left the office with that one handout. So I went home and looked it up.

the study It suggests that people with underlying illnesses such as high blood pressure and heart disease are 6 times more likely to be hospitalized and 12 times more likely to die of the virus than people without underlying illness.

For black women like me, these numbers are more alarming as they are more strongly influenced by the underlying condition of COVID-19 than other women.

In fact, almost 60 percent of black women You are obese and nearly half (43 percent) have high blood pressure.

If the symptoms are severe, there is a higher rate (1.4 times) Death of blacks rather than whites.

All these factors added to my anxiety.

As the days went on, my fever and chills continued and sometimes worsened. In addition, symptoms such as cough, body pain, malaise, headache, and loss of appetite began to appear.

So how do you prevent your symptoms from getting worse? Is there anything I can do at home to reduce the chance of severe symptoms and prevent hospitalization?

Research says so.

Calling my family doctor was my first step.

She gave me some tips on what to do, such as taking over-the-counter medications for coughing and fever. Warning display Looking for it showed that my symptoms were getting worse.

He also talked to friends, family and neighbors who had recovered from the virus and gave advice and advice.

Here are five tips that helped prevent my symptoms from getting worse.

1. Drink plenty of water

I sweat when I have a fever. This happens because your body is trying to cool your body by removing water.

Fluids need to be changed to prevent dehydrationIt can cause other complications such as dizziness and lightheadedness. Dehydration also increases the thickness of respiratory secretions (mucus), making it difficult to clean the lungs and can cause pneumonia.

Drinking water The clear liquid prevents dehydration and helps keep your body healthy enough to fight the virus.

2. Take “baby” aspirin once a day

COVID-19 can cause many symptoms that affect the respiratory system, such as coughing and shortness of breath.

It can also cause Blood clot It can cause other complications such as heart attack and stroke.

My doctor recommended taking a low dose, or “baby” aspirin Daily to reduce the chance of blood clots forming.

Talk to your doctor if it’s a good idea to take a low dose of aspirin before taking any medication.

3. Get up and walk

COVID-19 causes inflammation of the lungs, Dyspnea And dangerously low levels of oxygen.

Lying down limits the amount of air that enters the lungs and can make breathing difficult. So even if you’re not good at breathing, get out of bed and take a walk.

Walking in a room is a great way to train your lungs, even if you’re only walking for a few minutes. My doctor advised me to get up and walk with every commercial.

Frequent movement of your arms while walking will also help your lungs open.

4. Lie on your stomach, not your back

Lying on your back puts pressure on your lungs, making it harder for you to hold your breath. Lying on your abdomen, also known as the prone position, can help air enter your lungs.

If you have shortness of breath, your lungs are completely dilated and it works well when you are in the stomach. When you lie on your back, your heart and stomach put pressure on your lungs.

When you’re in bed, sleep on your stomach to help the air circulate in your lungs and help you breathe better.

5. Take a slow, deep breath

COVID-19 is caused by a respiratory virus that likes to hang in the lungs. Slowly, Take a deep breath It helps the lungs function and prevents them from shutting down.

If you have had surgery, you may have a ball in the tube and you may have been given a device (vital capacity meter) that was instructed to blow the ball higher and higher each time. This device opens the lungs after anesthesia and helps prevent pneumonia.

If any of these are lying down, it is convenient to use if you have a COVID-19. If not, it helps to breathe slowly and deeply for a few seconds at a time.

It’s scary to hear the words “You have a COVID-19”. But don’t panic.

A positive result does not mean that you have symptoms, and even if you do, it does not mean that your symptoms will get worse or you will be hospitalized.

Talk to your doctor if you have an underlying heart disease such as heart disease or high blood pressure and have been tested positive for COVID-19.

They already know your medical history and the medications you are taking.

They will be able to better inform you of what you can do while at home with COVID-19 and what works best for you and your lifestyle.

Even if you don’t have a family doctor, you can get answers to important questions. Talk to your on-call doctor at the clinic you are testing to see if you can schedule a telemedicine appointment.

Keep in mind that the symptoms of COVID-19 vary from person to person. What worked for me may not work for you. So talk to your doctor.

Calm down and follow your doctor’s instructions. Doing so will increase your chances of recovering from a viral infection and preventing it from infecting others.

Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) is the first non-profit organization founded by black women to protect and advance the health and well-being of black women and girls. For more information on BWHI, please see the following URL. www.bwhi.org..