COMMENTARY: COVID-19 — My Personal Battle from a Positive to a Negative Result – (Part 1 of 2)
Jeffrey L. Boney Shares His Personal Journey of Surviving the Coronavirus and Dealing with the Emotional and Mental Anguish Required to Overcome COVID-19
By Jeffrey L. Boney, NNPA Newswire Contributor
I am forever grateful to God and to everyone who uttered a prayer, shared an encouraging word, providing any resources or sent positive energy my way. (Photo: Facebook)
“Jeffrey, unfortunately, your test came back positive for the Coronavirus.”
Hearing those words from the doctor, March 27th, shook me to the core.
Was that a death sentence for me?
Was it a coincidence that my mom years earlier had died in the same month of March?
Was this really how my life was going to end?
The news reports I had been watching and reading reported dire results relative to those who had contracted the virus. Death tolls were rising. Governors began searching for beds and ventilators for people who were being impacted by this virus.
Honestly, I felt like the odds were stacked against me.
The journey for me started with a very slight cough. On March 17th, I started experiencing internal digestive symptoms that I initially assumed was a result of me not eating anything that day. It was a Tuesday, which meant it was Press Day at the Houston Forward Times, where I serve as the Associate Editor. Now, it wasn’t uncommon for me to skip breakfast and skip lunch in order to remain laser focused on getting the newspaper done. However, when I started feeling faint, I decided to get something to eat.
I made my way down to the Reggae Hut around 5:30 pm and ordered the oxtails, rice and peas and the vegetables, along with a beef patty and a Kola Champagne to drink. I made my way back down to my office with my plate and I ate a little bit of the rice and peas; a little of the vegetables; and barely ate one of the oxtails, before closing the container and putting the plate in the refrigerator. That was the last time I saw that plate or my office.
The next day, I not only had a continuous loss of appetite, I also had stomach pain and was experiencing heavy and unusual bouts of diarrhea. I even had an episode where I went to the bathroom and while on the way, I passed out and was disoriented. I woke up lying on the floor in a sweat, trying to figure out what happened to me. I drank lots of water, tried natural remedies and ceased all of my normal activities. None of that worked or changed my situation.
I self-quarantined and self-isolated for eight days – from Tuesday, March 17th to Wednesday, March 25th. During that time, I contacted my primary care physician, who informed me that continuing to self-quarantine was probably the best option at the time, considering the symptoms I was experiencing.
I decided to reach out to my good friend, State Representative Ron Reynolds to express my concerns about my health status, as well as get his advice on whether he thought I should go through one of the drive-thru testing sites that had recently opened. I desperately wanted to get tested, primarily for my peace of mind, but also because I was concerned for my family. They were still living in the same house as me.
I saw the news. I read the media reports online and on social media. It was clear, based on those reports, that I was not displaying the type of respiratory symptoms that the majority of COVID-19 patients were reported to have been experiencing, such as shortness of breath or having a heavy cough. There were also reports that the only way a person could be tested was if they were elderly or a first responder. I was deeply concerned.
A few days after my call with Rep. Reynolds, I received a call on my cell phone from U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee on Wednesday, March 25th. She had heard I was experiencing a health challenge and asked me some questions. Congresswoman Jackson Lee then immediately informed me that she wanted me to come down to United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) on Tidwell to get tested right away. I wasted no time. I asked the Congresswoman for the address and immediately got dressed to make my way to UMMC.
As I was driving to the hospital, Congresswoman Jackson Lee told me that she had already spoken to the Chief Medical Officer for United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC), Dr. Joseph Varon, and that he was prepared to receive me and administer the test.
I was so relieved that I would be able to get tested and get a definitive on whether I had contracted the COVID-19 virus or not.
I arrived to UMMC and was met by Dr. Varon. He walked with me inside to the place where I was to be tested, and he immediately tried to put me at ease. I was told by Dr. Varon that my test results would take anywhere from 24-48 hours to come back, so I waited patiently and eagerly.
As anxious as I was to find out the results on the following day, I decided to give it another day.
On that Friday, March 27th, things took a drastic turn for the worse, as it relates to my health. I began to cough, and what I thought would be regular phlegm coming out, turned out to be a significant amount of bright red blood. As this continued to happen, I made the decision to call Dr. Varon and share my update. After hearing my status, Dr. Varon implored me to come to the UMMC Emergency Room (ER) immediately, which I prepared to do.
Before I got off the phone with him, however, he hit me with the update I was anxious to finally receive, but with some news I was definitely hoping and praying not to hear. Dr. Varon informed me that I had tested “POSITIVE” for the Coronavirus.
I was shook. My family was stunned. I am a married father of three. My family is everything.
Upon my arrival, there were two large signs that said STOP. My wife, who had followed me to the hospital, was not allowed inside. I was met by medical staff and they ushered me into a room in the ER. She stood outside awaiting word. The nursing staff immediately went to work, initially drawing blood and then taking some vitals at the order of Dr. Varon.
As events would unfold, Dr. Varon would turn out to be one of the primary angels of medicine that made the difference relative to my Coronavirus recovery efforts.
