What if?

Catching Covid as someone who is clinically vulnerable with cystic fibrosis (CF)* was always a huge worry. Well, now it’s happened…

My family and especially my wife (who is a senior nurse) have worked very hard to avoid getting it up to now because of the obvious ramifications for my health. This was especially tricky when our son Felix had Covid during the 2021 Christmas period.

Sadly, I was aware of people with CF who have died after getting the virus, so the specter of catching it hangs over the CF community. Personally, I had many questions swirling around my head…

How much of the viral load will I get?

What if I end up in hospital?

What if I need to be on a ventilator?

What if I get long Covid as well as dealing with my CF and diabetes?

What if I cannot say goodbye to my family and friends?

Face the truth

In late February all the restrictions were lifted in the UK and it did feel a matter of when, rather than if, I caught Covid. This was especially real as I was returning to the office a few times each week, meeting people socially, going to the gym and playing sport.

On Sunday 27 February, I started to get some ‘cold-like’ symptoms and decided to take a lateral flow test at home, because the next day I was due in the office. And there it was… a red line for Covid! This was 100% verified as Covid by a PCR test the following morning.

Now you see it, Now you don’t!

I quarantined in our bedroom with Katie and Felix keeping away but even so, unfortunately Katie also caught it a few days later.

As I had had a fourth vaccination a week before catching it, thankfully my symptoms were mild – headache, tiredness and a stuffy nose! I also had a course of the new anti-viral medication for five days which helped to reduce the impact of Covid. It went to my chest for a few days but nothing as bad as I had feared with all those ‘What ifs’.

I also have the extra ingredient of being on the CF wonder drug Kaftrio, which I’m sure played its part in keeping me healthy while having the virus in my body.

Finally on Day 9, I got a negative lateral flow test after a few days of faint lines when testing. The relief was palpable.

A few days after that I was able to return to normal activities like going to the office, gym, playing hockey in the same team as Felix and socializing.

(Viral) load off my mind

It was reassuring that after two years of ‘What ifs’ I was able to get through catching Covid with minimal disruptions and little impact to my lungs and long term-health.

I’m fully aware that so many have lost their loved ones during this pandemic. I know I’m lucky to have got through it and I’m glad I was protected by the vaccinations.

It’s also given my family some extra protection for a few months which will help set up the summer and hopefully easier times…

I will keep you posted on my life-affirming moments, trials and tribulations as and when they happen. Please keep reading and sharing my blog and sign-up (on the right-hand side tab) if you have not already done so.

Yours cup half full.

Tim

Tim Wotton (author of Award-Winning CF Memoir ‘How have I cheated death?’)

* Cystic Fibrosis is one of the UK’s most common life-threatening inherited diseases, affecting over 10,500 people. The condition affects the internal organs, especially the lungs and digestive system, by clogging them with thick sticky mucus. This makes it hard to breathe and digest food. Each week, five babies are born with the condition, however, each week, three young lives are also lost to it. There is currently no cure for CF. However, existing gene therapy trials in the UK are bringing people with the illness closer to a form of cure but CF is not that well known and would benefit from more public donations. For more information and to find out more view the CF Trust Website.