I became ill on March 28. They wouldn’t test me in Seattle at that time because my temp. had to be 100.4. I finally found a place that would test me on April 24 and they lost my sample. So then my son and I did the “at home” testing the next week and the day we were supposed to find out our results the FDA shut down that program so they said, “Sorry, we’re not allowed to give you your results.” We finally tested negative on May 29 and our doctor said we’re allowed to socially distance (with masks, of course) because we’re not “shedders” anymore. We still have gone nowhere because I don’t have the strength to walk around the block yet, let alone drive to a store, shop, and then bring it home. I’m grateful for friends and services that deliver to my door.

Name a symptom, I’ve probably had it at some point in the past 71 days. If I didn’t have that symptom, my son did. I had a 3-day patch where it eased up in the middle so I tried to do some housework and I was flat on my back for weeks. We didn’t lose our sense of smell and taste (I had a 10-day patch where everything smelled and tasted like metal), instead, we completely lost our appetites. So I set alarms for every hour during the day to remember to drink and force ourselves to eat. At one point I was like paralyzed in my bed for a few days. I couldn’t lift my arm to turn off my alarm that was literally inches from my hand, my son had to come in and do it for me. He complained the alarm had been going off for at least 40 minutes.

I had to crawl to the bathroom (so did my son) for a while because I couldn’t stand for more than 5 seconds without getting dizzy and I was too weak to walk. Showering meant crawling in and sitting down so I didn’t pass out and knock my head.

Just last Thursday, May 28, my chest hurt so badly and my SOB was so bad I almost called 911, but I used my rescue inhaler and turned it around (I didn’t call immediately because my 14 yo who also has it was in the next room and I didn’t know what to do about that).

The change: I was jittery everywhere and someone else described spiders crawling under their skin on their legs…I mentioned it to my bro and he told me I was probably low on potassium. My new sugar-free electrolytes had just come in the mail on Friday, May 29. I tried them, ate a banana, and had two servings of potatoes…the twitching was significantly better. I kept this up with beets and sweet potatoes and by the end of the week (yesterday) I only have wheezing, SOB, the pain in my chest is a lot better and I have a low-grade fever that just won’t stop coming back. Last Thursday my blood pressure was 161/91 with my meds, yesterday my blood BP was 116/77 without meds. Suddenly I can remember what conversation I’m having while I’m having it and I don’t have to search for words as much. Also, I remember what happened yesterday!

I am remaining sitting up in bed and only getting up to do essential things because I don’t want to have a setback like I’ve read about so much over the past months. But it’s day 9 with no nap!

Potassium was the turning point for me. It might help you, too?