CAPE TOWN - “My entire body was aching so much. Every joint ached and my skin was sore. I experienced chills and a low-grade temperature.”
These are the words of a Fish Hoek mom, Susan Cameron, who has recently tested positive for Covid-19.
Cameron,51, recalled experiencing symptoms which she could not understand.
“It started on Monday, May 4. As the day progressed I started feeling more and more out of sorts. I had sore skin, cold signs and I was just not feeling a 100percent,” she said.
The following day, Cameron said she dragged her children out of the house for the first time since the lockdown was imposed on March 27.
The walk was about 3kilometres, she said. But by the time they had returned she was feeling extremely out of breath and “totally shattered”.
“I kept thinking I was just coming down with the flu or that it was just a simple head cold,” she said.
The mother of two said she continued with her home chores which include helping her daughter, Lexi, with homeschooling, but her body was giving in.
“My entire body was aching so much. Every joint ached and my skin was sore. I experienced chills and a low-grade temperature,” she recounted.
It was only when her husband completed an online survey for Covid-19 that Cameron made contact with her medical aid who in turn advised that she be screened by her local physician via telephone consultation.
She said she was then instructed to go to the Discovery Medical Aid testing centre, PathCare at Kingsbury Hospital.
“There were about 10 other people also waiting for testing. what struck me is that none of us looked particularly sick. My number 85 was called and I was shown into a small room where the nose swab was taken - very quick and pretty invasive to say the least - a cotton bud is stuck up your nostril high up the nasal passage - not a nice feeling at all.
“I was in and out within 15 minutes - the actual test took 1 minute,” said Cameron.
Three days later, on Sunday, her doctor called to give her the results.
“By this time, Luca (her son) had shown a high number of symptoms including high temp, sore body and sore throat. In discussions with the doctor, it was decided that Luca was probably 99percent positive and that instead of self-isolating, we would isolate as a family,” she said.
Camerons said government officials on Tuesday for contact tracing information. They also confirmed that the family should isolate themselves for 14 days.
“This was too close to home for me. I never thought anyone in my immediate family would test positive. Yes, down the line as our world returned to normality, but not during the lockdown. Although Luca and I are on the road to recovery, I have no idea how Gary and Lexi will react once they catch it. Every person reacts differently and has combinations of symptoms and degrees thereof.
“What if they test positive and develop life-threatening symptoms, what if they need to be hospitalised, what if..." Cameron concluded.
For LIVE updates on the Coronavirus pandemic, follow us on Twitter :
@sacoronamonitor