A cautionary tale of COVID-19, from a former Islander
Sara Fraser | CBC News | Posted: December 5, 2020 1:00 PM | Last Updated: December 5, 2020
'I couldn't take a deep breath'
Tammy Moore wants people back in her home province of Prince Edward Island to know what it feels like to have COVID-19, like she did: "It's scary."
Moore is from the Fortune area of P.E.I. and moved with her family six years ago to Edmonton.
Her symptoms started one day in mid-November, she told Mainstreet P.E.I.'s Angela Walker Friday.
"The heat off my face kind of woke me up," she said. "My face was so red it looked like I had a sunburn. That lasted for a couple days."
Then, she said she began feeling as though she were getting a cold.
Don't let your guard down, because it can happen. — Tammy Moore
Because she works in the school system in Alberta, she was required to get a COVID-19 test, which she did Nov. 14. She received word Nov. 18 her test was positive — she had COVID-19.
"To be totally honest, I was 110 per cent terrified," when she received the diagnosis, Moore said.
'Took every bit of energy'
The first few days, she said she simply felt like she had a cold, and didn't think it was a big deal. But a few days after that, she said it got much worse — she couldn't get off the couch.
"I would almost cry to think 'Oh no, I have to try to get the energy to get up and go to the bathroom,'" she said. "To stand in the bathroom and wash my face took every bit of energy out of me."
Then her breathing got very heavy and laboured. She said it felt like someone was sitting on her chest.
"I couldn't take a deep breath."
'Take it serious'
Three weeks later she has recovered significantly but still isn't breathing normally, she said.
Moore said luckily she didn't pass on the virus to anyone in her family, even her husband with whom she lives.
She said she has been watching the news about P.E.I. from Alberta, where cases began to skyrocket in September and haven't gone down.
Alberta reported 1,828 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, which brought the number of active cases to more than 18,000 in that province.
Ontario reported another 1,780 cases of COVID-19 Friday and had over 14,900 active cases of COVID-19 provincewide.
In contrast, P.E.I. has five active cases and has had only 73 total.
"One case can ultimately cause 500 cases, and I just want people to know it can happen," she said.
"I just wouldn't want anybody to have to go through it. Don't let your guard down, because it can happen ... take it serious."