About the pause…

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I’m mostly posting these because I have a bit of a backlog of posts building up and I didn’t want to make them even longer than they already are – also one is a swimsuit from July and it’s November now! And because I felt I owed my long-term readers an explanation as to why I haven’t posted in nearly two months…

It’s been over seven weeks since I first tested positive for Covid. In total, I tested positive for 25 days (including a PCR at hospital on Day 24). During this time I had a wide array of symptoms but the worst was a crushing fatigue, at something like 10-20% of normal energy levels, leaving me stuck in bed for 23hrs a day.

Around three or four weeks ago, I saw a slight improvement, to maybe 40% energy levels, allowing me to sit or stand for around 15min at a time, followed by 45min of lying down. So instead of spending 23hrs a day in bed, it’s more like 20hrs. Unfortunately I seem to have plateaued, with no improvements since then and still no end in sight.

But it has meant that I can at least work towards the sewing plans I sketched while my body was still actively fighting the virus – sewing in short bursts and thinking about the next steps while lying down. It took me two days just to cut out a pattern, but it’s at least something to be making again.

Another reminder, even though I’m utterly sick of having to say this stuff:
a) This is not Long Covid. Long Covid is when symptoms persist for more than 12weeks after the initial infection. This is currently Post Viral Fatigue.
b) Nothing can be done to speed up Post Viral Fatigue, though lots of things can make it last longer. Please don’t send me your advice. I’ve done this far, far more often and know what I can and can’t do.
c) For the love of all that is holy, do not look at one photo of me sewing or smiling in a photo and send me “glad you’re feeling better!!!!” comments. I’m really not. And it makes me feel even worse to have to explain this to you. Sharing endless photos of my bed is just boring, so you’re seeing the fraction of my day that’s not spent in bed.
d) Lastly, if you have any cold symptoms, test test test and if you suspect you may have covid, DO NOT INFECT OTHERS WITH THIS MISERY.

And now I can start posting some sewing again…

6 Comments

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  1. 3
    M Kate McGinn

    Carry on with your excellent self-care and self-awareness! We all respond differently to viruses in general, let alone the COVID nightmare. Best we can do is prioritize health for ourselves and others. Fitting in any activity as we are able gives us a boost no matter what our condition.

    In the same spirit, I got my latest booster on Monday. Take care, all! ☮️❤️

  2. 4
    Katherine C Sheehan

    I have followed you for years from when you began working on making your grandmothers wedding dress into your own, and when you faced your second(?) bone marrow transplant, and when you began running all those races in your self-designed active wear, and started your active-wear company, and fixed up your house boat, and I forget what all else. You are such a dynamo, I can’t imagine how awful you must find it to be brought low by this virus. I hope you are well–better than before–as soon as possible and for a long, long time.

  3. 5
    Miriam

    Oh Melissa that’s terrible news. Rest up, take care of yourself, and hopefully that plateau will gradually improve. As someone who’s lived with ME/CFS for many years, I know what you’re going through and it sucks. I hope your membership of our tribe is strictly temporary and over soon.

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