This letter was written by a person incarcerated at Pleasant Valley.
Oh! I almost forgot, I tested negative for tuberculosis which was the whole reason, and concern for the visit. I was administered a COVID-19 test, I explained to the nurse that I had started feeling a little sick and hot. They took my temperature and sure as all out doors, I had a high temp of 99.1.
I was scared shirtless to say the least. One of the RNs that came in tried to instill some calmness and told me to not panic cause that will only make it worse. He said that he’s been treating just about everyone in the hospital that’s tested positive and that those that remained calm and optimistic got better faster and healed sooner.
And those that panicked got a lot more sicker, and it worsened their situation.
So, from that moment on I basically just tried to refrain from thinking negative and kept praying and talking to my higher power. I knew, if I stayed in control of what I can control I’d be a lot better off than not. So, I just put my big boy pants on so to speak and did the very best I could to leave it in God’s hands.
I had a high temp. The night hot flashes. Cold chills made my night miserable. I woke up to a stomach ache and body aches that felt like I had gotten ran over by a truck.
I had diarrhea like Niagara Falls, nothing would stay down and I started to throw up pretty much whatever I ate that day.
I felt, straight up, like I was going to die.
But one thing I have learned about myself is, that I am a fighter. I was fighting for the wrong purpose, and for the wrong reasons most of my life. It was now on and for all the right reason to stay in this battle. All I could think about were my grandkids, and the special women in my life who I promised, that I would never give up.
Yes, it was an experience I would never wish on anybody, and it’s been one pandemic that has changed life as we all once knew it. But it was one I weathered and made through only to come out stronger. On Thanksgiving Day around 9 p.m. I was released from the hospital and sent back to PVSP.
Yes, I made it but I felt so different. I was still feeling symptoms, shortness of breath, and headaches. Not to mention confusion.
