Just figured I would share this in case anyone out there is curious about the process people go through.
My husband was admitted to hospital last night in Paris and was tested for COVID-19. The results came back positive today.
He works as a pilot and isn’t any stranger to the occasional head cold or sinus congestion, so he wasn’t sure himself if it was any more than a cold or something more. He reported into the airline by phone yesterday evening who told him to take immediate sick leave and go to the hospital to be checked out.
The Symptoms
– High temperature, he woke up sweating
– Coughing
– Constant need to clear his throat
– Pain behind the eyes
– Pain in his back just beneath the shoulders
It was the back pain that concerned him the most because it was stinging when took a deep breath.
Arrival at the Hospital
When he got to the hospital there was a sign telling him to go to a sectioned off part of the reception if you suspect you have corona. He was asked to fill out some basic information and then was taken down to another waiting area for testing.
He said there was nobody with masks or hazmat suits. They just were wearing gloves all the time and were handing out bottles of water, tissues and small bags to put the tissues in.
The Testing Process
– He had his temperature taken using one of those ear things
– They hooked him up to a monitor for 30 mins it did blood pressure and what he described as a heart rate and a finger clip
– They took 4 vials of blood
– They then sent him for an x-ray
After the Test
When everything was done the doctor explained the test would come back overnight. He explained there was scarring in the left lung which was causing the back pain and that they wanted to admit him into hospital if he would consent, which he did.
They put him in a single room and asked he push the button if he needs anything. The door is not locked, they just asked him not to leave the room. They are giving him medication and have him on oxygen.
The Results
He was given the results today by the doctor confirming he has COVID-19
They recommended he stay in hospital because they want to do another x-ray on his lung in 48 hrs to see if its improving with the oxygen therapy.
Overall I think he is enjoying the extended break away from me LOL
The room has a TV, free wifi and the food is decent.
He is describing it as a really bad dose of flu with aches and exhaustion and feels like he could easily function at home. We suspect he will need to stay in hospital for a while longer as we have no home in Paris and he usually uses hotels for his stop-overs.
Disclaimer: This is a guest post and it doesn’t represent the views of IWB.