John Briglevich, the son of my personal physician Dr. Rose Briglevich, just posted a poignant account of his recent battle with suspected Coronavirus.
Oh boy....
I am a private person. I reluctantly post this.
Yesterday was my first day without fever in 21 days. Last week, my life was in the breech with Covid 19.
102+ fever, horrible body aches and breathing was a struggle .
Heart rate was 95+. My mom, Dr. Rose, saved my life. She came to my house in full PPE kit and did a bunch of tests, got me on meds for lungs and heart.
I couldn’t move.
There is an animalistic fear that is indescribable when you know you could die from this hell. My mom forced me to breathe deep and move around, not let the pneumonia set in. If you stop fighting you will die. Moments of feeling sorry for myself would change to absolute anger, soccer coach speeches went off in my mind, about sacrifice, about what it takes to make your dream come true; I want to live. My worst moment was going into uncontrollable body shakes, rigors, as my 11 yr. old daughter looked on in fear and horror. Her fear was more than I could bear. It has changed me forever.
Finally, by the end of last week I could feel it turning. Two nights I awoke at 3am soaked to the core in a cold sweat. Drenched. I felt I was finally winning the battle. No fever today, body aches are much less, but a nasty cough still persists. I feel the damage in my lungs. My body is full of good antibodies now, the silver lining is, my blood plasma could help someone in dire need. As soon as I recover, I will keep donating blood til they suck me dry.
This is not flu, this is something new, ugly and horrible.
My friends, I love you all ♥️♥️♥️
I know this virus will affect many of us, please talk to me if you need to.
Dr. Rose Briglevich has been my doctor for over 35 years. She has made some amazing diagnoses over the years, including prolonging the life of my best friend’s father and correctly diagnosing my late husband early with Lymphoma. This kind of uplifting yet terrifying account is happening all over the country.
With her permission, here is Dr. Rose’s (as we all affectionately call her) general recommendations for dealing with this deadly pandemic. As usual, please understand that these are general recommendations for adults and you should consult your own healthcare provider for medical advice specific to you or children.
AS of APRIL 6, 2020
TO HELP PROTECT YOURSELF FROM GETTING INFECTED WITH CORONAVIRUS
Please follow the CDC guidelines here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Specifically:
- Wash or Sanitize Your Hands every time you touch something or someone that may be contaminated.
- DO NOT touch your FACE (eyes, nose, mouth).
- Stay Home. Get takeout or delivery. Don’t go to restaurants. Use drive-through at Pharmacies or have meds delivered.
- Drink a lot of warm liquids (no ice) and eat healthy fruits and vegetables.
Use hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes frequently.
To help bolster your immune system right now:
Take daily 50 mg Zinc.
Take daily 2000 mg Vitamin C.
Drink HOT liquids at least 3 times per day (coffee, hot tea, etc). No Cold liquids with ice.
Use saline nasal spray frequently. Gargle with hot salt water several times a day.
Use hot steam and/or a neti pot at least 2-3 time a day to prevent nasal dryness.
If you are taking PPI medications (Nexium, etc) for stomach issues discuss with your doctor whether you should discontinue temporarily to improve your immunity.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Read the CDC information here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html
Generally the signs you may be infected are:
- Dry Cough
- Fever
- Shortness of Breath
- Sore Throat
- Fatigue
- Night Sweats
Other symptoms that have been reported
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Loss of taste and/or smell
- Neurological and Heart issues
NOTE: Symptoms of flu and allergies can be confused with Coronavirus. You don’t have to have all the above symptoms to be infected. Call your doctor if you need help.
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AT HOME IF YOU ARE SICK
Isolate yourself from others. Consult your personal physician remotely immediately.
Take Tylenol (325 mg tablet) every 3 hours if you have a fever over 101 degrees.
NOTE: Take no more than 4000 mg of Tylenol (acetaminophen) every 24 hours.
Don’t mix with alcohol.
Take your cough medicine of choice: Mucinex, Robitussin, or DayQuil/NyQuil etc. (Be sure to check if it has acetaminophen because that has to be added to your 4000 mg maximum daily total.)
Use a humidifier or just turn the shower on HOT and sit in the bathroom breathing in the steam.
Try to sit up and walk around. Don’t lie down too long as that will make you prone to getting pneumonia and blood clots.
If you have asthma and a prescription inhaler, make sure it is refilled and not expired.
If you use a CPAP machine, call your doctor for instructions.
A Z-Pack and/or other meds may be helpful. Contact your personal physician for more information.
Don’t leave the house except to go to the doctor. If you do, wear a mask (regular is fine, you don’t need N95)
WHEN TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL
You DO NOT NEED TO GO TO THE Emergency Room unless you are having trouble breathing or your fever is very high and not managed with the above meds. Have a pulse oximiter, thermometer, and blood pressure machine at home to communicate information with your doctor.
IMPORTANT NOTES
90% of healthy adult cases thus far have been managed at home with basic rest/hydration/over-the-counter meds. We don’t want to clog the Urgent Care and ERs unless you are actually in distress. Consult your doctor before you think you might need help. The hospital beds need to be used for people who actually need oxygen, breathing treatments, IV fluids, etc.
If you have a pre-existing lung condition (COPD, emphysema, lung cancer, etc.) or are on imunosuppressants, or have cancer or diabetes talk with your doctor further if you have symptoms.
If children are sick, consult their pediatrician immediately.
NOTE: This is general information and is not to be substituted for the advice of your doctor. As all of this can change hourly, so please contact your doctor for current information specific to your particular health needs.
We’ve got to celebrate the little victories out there. Stay Safe.