Coronavirus In Minnesota: Twin Cities Nurse Shares Her Story Battling COVID-19
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Twin Cities nurse, who tested positive for COVID-19 one week ago, says her symptoms were so debilitating she felt like she was going to die.
Sarah Moore had no known exposure to positive cases. She decided to share her story to show that young, healthy people can get it too even if they take all the right precautions.
"The body aches, the fever, the fatigue I just felt horrible. I thought maybe I'm like 'am I going to die from this?' ya know," Moore said.
Moore's COVID-19 symptoms were initially mild when they first began on March 18.
MORE: "Kicking COVID" GoFundMe Page
"It was just a scratchy irritated throat and a very mild cough," Moore said.
After the first day, Moore went two days without any symptoms. But on the fourth day, things evolved.
"I could taste the seasoning on the Doritos but I couldn't smell it, and then I couldn't taste the more bland potato chips so I was like 'hm this is weird'," Moore said.
On day five, came a fever and extreme fatigue. Moore, a 35-year-old registered nurse in St. Paul, was able to quickly schedule a test which came back positive.
"I knew I was positive I just had to have been," Moore said, "I felt like I could die from it, it was that bad."
Moore decided to share her rollercoaster battle with COVID-19 on facebook. The post was widely shared but also deeply personal.
At one point, Moore admitted to breaking down in tears during a cold shower one day.
"I had just had it. I couldn't get my fever down I just felt so terrible," Moore said.
The weeks-long journey has been anything but linear.
"It's very strange I've never had anything like this where symptoms go away and then come back," Moore said.
Moore misses her family and her job.
"It's hard, my kids miss me," Moore said.
"I see them through the window and stuff like that," she said.
And she hopes her story can be used for good.
"I hope that the word gets out there that you know take this seriously because I was really sick and I'm actually one of the fortunate ones who didn't require hospitalization," Moore said.
Moore, her husband, and their three children report to the health department every day -- her family is healthy.
A doctor she works with hopes she can donate her plasma with antibodies in it to help critically ill patients.
Click here for Moore's viral post about her symptoms.
