We all wanted 2020 to be over, we couldn’t wait to see the back end of it. New Years resolutions were very tentative. We are all hoping for a better 2021 with the emphasis on hope, but have no idea of what to expect. This second wave and our new SA variant which apparently is so much more virulent has certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons. The Covid-19 enigma continues.
Then comes the questions to vaccinate or not. From the very beginning of this pandemic with this new and unknown virus there has been so much uncertainty and although the Doctors and Scientists now know more, this COVID-19 is still such an enigma. What I do find concerning though, do not get me wrong, I am pro vaccination but the Covid -19 Vaccines were developed at lightning speed and are basically experimental.
My covid-19 enigma begins like this.
June 2020 lockdown level 4. I had a brief exposure less than 5 minutes to someone who tested positive. My exposure was on a Wednesday afternoon, on the Saturday 3 days later I was with a friend for about an hour we had removed our masks and sat next to each other. On the Sunday the very next day I received a message that my first exposure who developed symptoms two days after my exposure to him he tested positive. I immediately informed my friend who rushed off and got tested on the Monday. Two days later she received a positive result but remained asymptomatic.
I remained asymptomatic but feeling the pressure I had a PCR test on the Thursday 8 days after my original exposure. It was positive. My friend then retested 3 days after her positive PCR test and tested negative. I remained totally asymptomatic retested 4 days after my positive test and tested negative. ???? The question remains did I even have Covid-19. My husband and my children all remained asymptomatic and tested negative. Was my test a false positive ?
Fast forward mid August 2020. My 17 year old Son is scheduled to have his wisdom teeth removed. We both have PCR Covid tests. Greg is negative, guess what I am positive again. The Hospital manager and our Maxillo facial Surgeon decide my test was positive as a result of my previous positive in June because of residue RNA fragments. Again I was totally asymptomatic.
October 2020. The antibody blood test becomes available. Guess what I test negative for antibodies after two positive PCR tests.
During my June Breast Cancer check up after my first positive PCR test, my blood tests, liver and kidney enzymes were raised for the first time since my Breast Cancer diagnosis 3 years earlier. My Oncologist ordered a CT scan just to make sure everything was fine, which luckily for me it was. Again the question remains did I have Covid – 19 in June that caused my raised enzyme levels, did I have a subclinical infection ? as I was totally asymptomatic. 3 Months later my blood enzymes were all normal.
My Covid-19 Enigma remains.
Author: Nicole Fuller
I am a former elite/springbok distance runner, Oncology Patient Navigator, Breast Cancer Exercise training specialist, speaker and Breast Cancer Survivor
