My name is Madelynn and I am 22 years old. In mid-September, I contracted Covid-19. Despite various claims made in the media, young, healthy individuals like me are getting very sick and experiencing long-term complications related to this virus.

On Wednesday, September 9, I heated up some dinner in my off-campus apartment. I live alone and was excited to eat and unwind with a book at the end of a long day. As I began eating, I immediately noticed I could not taste nor smell a thing.

I placed a call to get tested the next day and received my results two days after that. On September 12, I discovered I was one of the thousands of Missourians to fall ill with Covid-19.

More than 154,000 people in the state of Missouri have tested positive for Covid-19. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson recently contracted it.

In June, Parson said regarding masks, “The ones that don’t wear a mask should have every right to not wear one if they don’t feel like they want to wear one.”

Missouri is currently one of 17 states without a state-wide mask ordinance in place.

During the first few days that I was sick, I didn’t experience any drastic symptoms. I had no appetite and was fatigued. I was able to work on schoolwork occasionally and held out hope that I would be one of the many twenty-somethings that recovered quickly with minimal symptoms. However, as the week progressed, I realized this would not be the case for me.

By the fourth day, I was completely exhausted. It got to a point where I was sleeping anywhere from 15-20 hours a day. I began experiencing fevers, chills, and shortness of breath.

The next day, on September 15, everything took a turn for the worse. By this point, I could barely move. My body aches were excruciating, specifically in my back. I suffered a back injury back in May, but I was recovering successfully until I contracted Covid-19. I remember looking in the mirror and watching my back muscles spasm and contract.

I tried everything on my own to help my symptoms. I took ibuprofen and Tylenol on a rotating schedule. I tried heating pads, anti-inflammatory ointment, and even steroids. Nothing helped the pain. Additionally, I was having increased difficulty breathing. I had to sleep sitting up or I would wake up gasping for air. That night, I decided to go to the emergency room.

I felt very alone, guilty, and anxious in the waiting room. I thought back to all of the previous interactions I had in the past few weeks. I had worn my mask to every function and class I attended and only went out to eat twice in the month I had been back in Springfield. Although I had tried my best to protect myself and others, I still contracted the virus.

When I finally saw the doctor, I was relieved to hear any information that could possibly help me. She informed me that my muscle spasms were severe, and she had seen other Covid-19 patients with similar symptoms. She told me that viruses such as Covid-19 have the potential to inflame both healthy and previously damaged tissue. My oxygen level had lowered, but thankfully I did not have to be admitted or placed on a ventilator. I was prescribed muscle relaxers, pain medication, and a bronchodilator.

Quarantining alone was scary as I had to closely self-monitor every day. I am very thankful for the friends and family that called to check in on me. One afternoon, I had a very encouraging conversation with my 90-year-old grandmother who has been quarantined in her apartment for nearly six months.

She said, “It has to get better, Madelynn. It can’t get worse.”

I am so thankful she has not contracted this virus, and I pray for her every day. Unfortunately, I missed three weddings during my time in quarantine, and I’m absolutely heartbroken. Additionally, Drury does not deliver food to commuters, so I made some interesting meals with the food I had over the course of my illness.

It is now October 13, and I am still struggling. I had to virtually start from the beginning in physical therapy regarding my back. I go biweekly and am working on strengthening and managing the heightened pain I deal with on a regular basis. I still feel fatigued throughout the day and typically take one or two naps just to function. I cannot hold as much air in my lungs as I used to, and this makes being a music major a lot more challenging. I have also noticed strange changes in my vision and occasional dizziness.

In order to return to dance practice, I visited a sports medicine physician to clear me.

According to members of the American College of Cardiology’s Sports and Exercise Cardiology Council, “An athlete with mild symptoms who didn’t require hospitalization should rest and recover for two weeks after symptoms subside. Then the athlete should undergo further evaluation and medical testing, including an electrocardiogram; echocardiogram; and testing for high levels of the blood enzyme troponin, an indicator of heart damage.”

I am still waiting for my results and am continuing to rest and research; much remains unknown. I am so thankful for my professors at Drury who have worked with me and motivated me during the past month. I want to share my story in order to bring awareness to the fact that this virus does not discriminate based on age, or anything else for that matter.

I want to encourage students and Springfield residents alike to be safe and strive to protect each other, regardless of personal beliefs or political stance. Not every young and healthy individual who contracts Covid-19 comes out unscathed. Wearing a mask, following social-distancing protocol, and washing your hands regularly are not difficult tasks for the majority of people.

Although I don’t know how my story with Covid-19 will turn out, I do know that I am thankful it was not worse.

Written by Madelynn Fristo