For most men, the pain of being hit on the testicles is agonizing, excruciating, and tormenting, to say the least. What if you felt like that consistently for a number of days? You know, like continuously being castrated…day in day out?
That’s how my life has been over the last couple of days… only to discover that Covid19 has everything to do with it.
It all started on Monday evening this week and felt a few chills, generalized weakness, and a few joint pains. Now, during the lockdown, I’ve taken up my old college hobby of playing basketball and have put a hoop outside my garage for one-on-one play with my son. On Sunday, I overdid it! I spent over two and half hours pushing myself albeit my arthritic knees (which might need replacement soon!) My rationale for the initial symptoms was that I was just recovering from over-stretching my physical fitness and would recover in a day or so.
Tuesday, I woke up with general malaise, chills, and excruciating testicular pain. I didn’t suppose this had anything to do with my wife (hahaha), but given the accompanying symptoms, I knew something was not right.
Symptoms
Most people with Covid19 are asymptomatic and don’t necessarily demonstrate any symptoms of flu. However, those that are symptomatic, the range of presentation may differ and vary from person to person.
I started with chills and testicular pain. This was unbelievably painful and not sure whether my walking style gave away my symptoms… especially to my fellow colleagues who tend to observe and make a diagnosis from 5 miles away!
Then came the cough later on Tuesday. Dry hearty cough that follows you to the worst of situations. Coughing during the Covid19 lockdown is almost analogous to walking around with poop all over your face! The look from the public, the response, and stigma are written all over everyone’s face. But you cannot avoid it… there’s absolutely no way of controlling it.
Then came the body aches. Muscle pain and joint pain are so characteristic. I felt like someone who has run a marathon without ever having ever trained for it. Going up a flight of stairs is a hustle and straining to the muscles.
The pain comes with insomnia (lack of sleep), nightmares and generalized tiredness that keeps me in bed the whole day. For someone running their own business and always keeping busy, this was torture!
I”m glad at this point I have no shortness of breath or heaviness on the chest (at least not yet) which are ominous signs of deterioration in general condition.
Diagnosis
So I decided to have this whole thing tested while working on self-isolation. On Tuesday, I went to Lancet Laboratories where they did a pharyngeal swab albeit waiting in the queue for two hours. Yes, it felt like Home Affairs all over again. This was rather agonizing! Feeling sick and lining up with Tom, Dick & Harry who are completely asymptomatic but chatting and laughing to kill time.
Finally, after four days of waiting for the test, I called the lab and confirmed that it was Covid19! Phew! What a relief. Finally, I’m positive that nobody was trying to castrate me! Yipee!
Treatment
Simple management of symptoms is all it has taken. There’s no proven medication that has been approved for treatment. Chloroquine? Nay! Madagascar juice – Not for me!
Dexamethasone – yes, possibly in an advanced stage with viral pneumonia presenting with shortness of breath, etc.
For now, just the good old pain killers – Brufen, Paracetamol and recently added Tramadol for the testicular visceral pain.
I’ve obviously been on multivitamin supplementation, Vitamin D3 and Probiotics as extra precaution.
What next?
The big question is where and how did I get it? I guess it does not matter now – it’s such a highly infectious virus. I’d been to a funeral the previous week and always go to my local supermarket every Saturday for grocery shopping.
All the same, I do observe common-sense preventative measures including sanitization, wearing a mask, and social distancing… but clearly the virus slipped through and got me! I guess it also has to survive, reproduce, and evolve quickly enough to keep up with human intelligence.
The hard part is the self-isolation within a family setting…with a 6 and 9-year-old who wants to be all over daddy! It’s heartbreaking to just wave goodbye from a distance (once a day they get to see me out of my self-imposed man-cave) when they are so used to hearty hugs and kisses! It would be distressing to see them go through the same agony.
I’ll have to stay here for the next 14 days or so, keep away from daily chores, reflect on my life, business and keep up with long-lost friends!
Lastly, I need prayers! Yes, you heard me right – prayers! If you want me dead in the next few days, please go ahead and pray for me. Prayers have been shown to accelerate progression, worsening of patients’ condition, and increase mortality! Especially in Africa where we have this illusion of a bearded paternalistic omnipresent deity overlooking our daily activities from the sky – I wonder where he’s been all along Covid19! (Sic)
Get well soon!
You are a warrior 💪💪 you will pull through.
Thanks Grace.
Get well
Soon my Brother ! All will be well . You are with us in prayers !
Thanks 😊 Bro!!! Appreciated.
Thanks Grace! I had to pull this one down for a while 🙁
Pole sana….Quick recovery.
Thanks bro!!
Wah!Great you are healed…It is such a worrying virus….tugwika atia riu?
Thanks. Just staying safe is good enough!
Wow Buddy, you must have gone through hell, especially in your mind, before the other symptoms came up. Great to hear you are better. Keep strong.
Thanks. Yes, I guess different people experience different symptoms. Strange condition it is!
Hilarious.
Just have to look at the positive side of things and humor is part of it.
Am so sort brother. God’s healing is your portion. You will live to give the testimony. Your tomorrow is bigger than your yesterday. Much love.
Your juka way back in 1992
Thanks bro!! Tough but lucky to be alive. Cheers.
My long time school mate Dom mate take heart and keep me posted 🙏🙏
Thanks Kamau! Hope you are keeping well and stay safe!
You got to by strong and calm.Healing power is within yourself.
God be with you.
Cheers and thanks.
You got to by strong and calm.Healing power is within yourself.
God be with you.
Thanks. True…mindset makes a big difference.
Glad you survived to tell the story.
Covid is real.
That was hilarious though
Thanks. Finding the lighter side of things.
Scary but hilarious
Hahaha Jix! Cheers bro.
You have fought many battles. Even this one you will get through it and inspire us as usual.
Agreed Reuben! Life is more about how you pick yourself when you hit rock bottom. Thanks.
Get well soon dear. Hope you have started feeling better.
Thank Carol! Already feeling better now.
I hope you are feeling much better now Daktari. You are in my prayers. I love the humour despite it all
Get well soon and may God protect those angels, the whole family is behind you in prayer
Thanks Sis! Appreciate keeping me in your thoughts! Regards to family!
I hope you are feeling much better now Daktari. You are in my prayers. I love the humour despite it all
Thanks Carol…feeling better now!!
Quick recovery doc…stay strong
Thanks…already feeling better.
Gosh so sorry hope you getting better…..
Thanks Pauline. Appreciated.
GOD’S speed my brother. Second Corinthians 6:2 says, “Now is the time for God’s favor.” God wants to do something amazing in your life now. Some of you believe that God is going to do great things in the future. Get out of a ‘one day’ mentality and come into a ‘today’ mentality. If God can do it in the future, He can do it right now.
Either Festus! I’m an amateur with the scriptures. Thanks bro.
Get well soon doc
Thanks.
Quick recovery.
You are a hero!.
We will keep praying for you daily.
Thanks Gerald! Appreciated.
Good health is your portion Doc
Good health is your portion Doc
Agreed Karugi! You only get to realise when you lose it!
Get well soon daktari…and please share more of your articles. You write beautifully
Thanks Ciru for the compliment. I guess I talk to myself and write at the same time!