I Got Tested for COVID-19

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional or an expert on COVID-19. This is just my personal experience. Some of the information I have in this article comes from the doctor that tested me. 

The coronavirus crisis is taking over America. Toilet paper aisles are almost as empty as our campus while classes move online. When I moved back from my on-campus dorm to my permanent residence, I had the misfortune of indirectly being exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19. So here’s my experience. 

It was just another Sunday night for me. I spent most of it doing homework, but my friend’s family invited us to eat red pepper curry with tofu. Obviously, I couldn’t resist. I mostly talked to them about the various epidemics I lived through when I was raised in Thailand. That’s when the chaos started. I started coughing a bit, which was worrying. I brushed it off because of the fact that my twin sister had a mild cold and, for the most part, I keep to myself. I heard that the coronavirus usually starts off with a fever which I didn’t have. Soon after that, my friend and I watched “Contagion” (for the meme). I started coughing like crazy as the movie progressed. I went home and drowned myself in Nyquil, so I could go to sleep.

TIP: Please stay home and do not hang out with people. Healthcare professionals really need us to do our best to stop the spread.

I woke up the next morning and realized that I couldn’t really breathe, so I called Wardenburg and they told me that they can evaluate me. My twin sister told me that she was exposed to someone who tested positive.

TIP: Call your doctor before you walk in to get tested! Sometimes they don’t have the resources to do so. If your symptoms are mild enough, they might want you to stay inside because you can potentially infect other people in the clinic/hospital if you just walk in without a heads-up. 

The medical professionals at Wardenburg evaluated whether or not I should qualify for testing once I got to the clinic. They’re mostly looking at your symptoms, travel history, people you’ve been in contact with, and how high you’re at risk for severe illness. Since I couldn’t breathe, was coughing, had a fever, was in contact with two people who were exposed to COVID-19 (one traveled a lot and the other could have infected my twin sister), and have a really bad immune system, they came to the conclusion that I should get tested. 

The doctor, who wore a giant glass shield on her face, swabbed my nose to test for the flu and coronavirus. She also swabbed my throat to see if it was strep. The flu and strep tests both took less than 45 minutes, so I sat there for almost an hour. It was stressful. 

TIP: They’ll only send your coronavirus testing to a lab if you test negative for strep and influenza. 

Since I tested negative for both, they sent my coronavirus swab to Colorado’s Public Health Department where they tested it. The doctor gave me instructions on what to do from there. Until the test results came back, I had to stay in the house and in my room for the most part. This is the self-isolation everyone’s talking about. 

When I left my room, I had to wear a mask. The nurses called me every day to check in on how I was feeling, so they could monitor my symptoms. The doctor told me to get a lot of rest and drink a lot of fluids! She didn’t prescribe me anything and told me to take Dayquil, Nyquil, and whatever else helped relieve the symptoms. She also gave me a bag with a mask, a thermometer, and a pamphlet with information on the virus.

TIP: The self-isolation part may sound REALLY bad but trust me, it’s not that bad. I played Minecraft and watched “Explained” on Netflix during my free time. I had a lot of CS homework due the next Sunday anyway. 

It took around eight days to get my results back. Labs are getting a very high volume of tests in general, and seniors and immunocompromised people are the top priority because the virus is more fatal to them. 

TIP: Waiting for results is nerve-racking. I tried meditation and self-care to relieve my anxiety while I was waiting. CAPS is available if you ever need to talk to someone about how the coronavirus is impacting your life.

Thankfully, I recently found out that my test was negative! I still have to stay in, like everyone else, but my friend’s family and everyone I contacted feel fine. My experience was a scary one, but the doctors made it a lot better. I probably just had a really bad cold, but I’m grateful that I got tested in the first place!

Stay safe! 

Maya

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