The Tribune

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMIAN living in the US who is recovering from COVID-19 said the virus was a nightmare that she thought would take her life.

Karen Washington, of Arizona, was diagnosed with COVID-19 two weeks ago. It is believed she contracted the virus from her American-born husband, Paul, who although testing positive, showed very few symptoms.

“Thank God I seem to be on the tail end of this thing,” said Washington, who is a native of Exuma. “I have never felt so sick in my life. I had double vision, vomiting, diarrhea, a fever that nearly broke the thermometer and I was literally talking out of my head.”

Washington’s symptoms started on a Thursday afternoon and she said by Friday morning, she had the full-blown virus.

“It happened, oh, so quick,” she said, continuing to tell of her ordeal. “I remember having a very bad headache to the point where I could not concentrate at work. My eyes were very red and I started to feel really cold. My boss told me to go to a clinic and have myself tested. Right away, I thought about Paul. He had a fever and said his throat was hurting so I contacted him and had him meet me to the clinic.”

By the time the couple arrived at the clinic, Washington said her body was literally shaking. She and her husband were tested and given the bad news. They made up part of the 1,369 cases in the state of Arizona.

“I thought I was not hearing right so I asked for the doctor to repeat what he said,” Washington said. “The doctor repeated himself, ‘You both have symptoms of COVID-19 and have a positive test’. That is what he said. By this time, my head was pounding. He told us we would have to go in self-quarantine for two whole weeks and that I seemed to be worse off than my husband.”

Washington stayed home for five days then had to be admitted to a hospital. She had full-blown pneumonia and had to have assistance with her breathing.

“Thank God I slept through most of it when I was in hospital,” Washington said. “The feeling was so awful. I gasped to get air into my lungs and still felt like there was no air. My body felt like it was roasting inside out and I started seeing things that were not there. I remember seeing Paul’s face in a blur one day. He looked so worried. I wanted to say ‘don’t worry’ to him, but the words couldn’t come out of my mouth. I prayed to God to help me and I just let go. It was either He helped me or I ceased to exist. I made up my mind for it. After all, I was already in hell.”

Washington spent one week in hospital and was discharged to continue quarantine. Her husband, seemed better when he received her at home and ready to take up the mantle of caring for her.

“Secretly, I was mad at Paul because I knew I got the virus from him,” Washington said. “I thought about physical condition, not being able to move my legs properly and how everything hurt so much and just that tired awful feeling, dry cough and sore throat. I just let him cater to me. I did nothing. Everything I wanted I made him take care of it.”

Laughing, Washington said she feels so much better and is “recovering nicely”. She said she “would not wish this on my worst enemy” and thanks her husband for his tremendous efforts to care for her.