”It was horrific”- Nigerian author, Ife Duronmi-Etti who survived COVID-19, shares her story

Nigerian Author/Sales and marketing expert, Ife Durosinmi Etti, has shared her story of how she survived the dreaded viral disease, COVID-19.

In a post she shared on her Instagram page, Ife recounted how she started feeling sick and went to the hospital on June 1st. There she did a test and afterwards was diagnosed of a bacterial infection. She was later placed on admission because the drugs administered on her weren’t working. She said it was one of the doctors that later suggested she gets tested for COVID-19.

The COVID-19 test result came back positive and according to her, the experience afterwards was ”Horrific”. After receiving treatment, she tested negative on June 27.

Read her story below

If I had 10,000 tongues, it still wouldn’t be enough, Na re ke Le mooooo! Last week, someone sent me a message and said, Ife, you’re the ‘E’ in extra and I love it.. I’ve accepted the title.

June tested my existence. From the first day to the end! Everyday was a horror movie. On the first of June, I woke up in soooo much pain! It started with headaches first, then body pains. I went into the hospital and I was diagnosed of a bacterial infection.

I wasn’t surprised with the result because someone who was also with me had also tested for bacterial infection in a totally different hospital, so I just took the meds they gave me and went home. Later that evening, my head was pounding like a machine. My body felt like someone was using a hammer to hit it all over. My temperature was extremely high, the pain all over was UNBEARABLE! I went back into the hospital at midnight, this time, I was admitted.

They gave me more pain meds through IV… NOTHING WORKED. I was restless, in pain, I begged for sleeping pills so I could forget the pain. Obviously, they didn’t give me. I was wide awake all night.

The next day… I was discharged with a new set of meds. All they gave me didn’t work. I decided to chest it. I went back on Friday and Saturday to complain that I wasn’t getting better… at this point, I couldn’t really talk again. It felt like I had 3 safety pins in my throat and the inner part of my neck was sewn together. I couldn’t talk..nothing.

Then a doctor randomly said I should just try to get tested for COVID since nothing was working, she then gave me a number to one of the centers on the island. I called them, till date, they didn’t get back to me.

I then decided to take matters into my own hands.. I had an AGS Tribe members husband who was a doctor, I called him immediately to tell him I wanted to get tested, unfortunately, he wasn’t on land, so he couldn’t test me… then one of my egbons sent a doctor to my house that night… I got tested with the Rapid Antigen test and I was POSITIVE! My life flashed before my eyes…

Once I found out. I called my hospital… the one that admitted me to let them know, so they could disinfect the place etc and also check if I could get any medical care from them. Alas, they told me there was a care package they sent to their patients etc and asked for my address, that they’d get it delivered… 30mins later, I got a call that they wouldn’t be delivering it again because my result wasn’t from NIMR or NCDC. I wept! They literarily abandoned me.

My self isolation started. The pain was continuous. I had to buy Zithromax 500mg (azithromycin), Zinc 10mg, Vit c 1000(effervescent) 1 daily
Methodex cough syrup
Then the chloroquine (pls don’t buy these drugs without proper medical diagnosis)

Anytime I took the Methodex, it felt like I was drinking fire! I cried. Jumped everything each time I took it! I was porging uncontrollably. There was a time I felt like I wanted to poo, I got up and I saw the poo on the floor! I couldn’t even laugh, poo would come out. I couldn’t sit up or hold a conversation for 30mins, I’ll be dizzy and weak. It was a NIGHTMARE! Literarily one month of terror. The dizziness didn’t stop. I also had to do the hot water and aboliki steam inhalation, drink the lemon and ginger mix. Everything.

On the 15th, I went to NIMR to do another test, I was still positive. I couldn’t even stand straight. It was horrific. I sent a message to my doctor to let them know I now had the result from NIMR and it was still positive. The response I got was ‘OK’, no empathy, no nothing, no ‘hope you feel better’ nothing. I’m so thankful for the Doctor who got me tested and the AGS members husband, Dr. Kayode who literally took care of me like…. they picked up my calls at midnight, early morning. They never got tired. Always advising me and telling me what to use or buy! It was a horrific period. On top of everything, my sister passed on, on my late brothers birthday, Aunty Ibidun passed, Lamide was murdered, many died from COVID… June was a huge mess.

But I’m moving on. Finally, on the 27th, I was tested negative and I’m just here to thank God and you all know that COVID19 is BLOODY REAL! I did everything, washed my hands, sanitized, used masks and shields but I still got it AT HOME. I do not wish the pain I felt in the last month on my enemy! Please stay safe. You don’t know how your body will react to the virus. Mine was crazy but I’m thankful my breathing wasn’t affected.

During this time, my support system was LIT! @ajilawson of @kstonecc kept on calling to pray with me, @funkebucknor @derojuoa, thank you so much for the communion. @tunde_ode , my friends, my family, Lord, I’m grateful. God bless you all. Even though I was in isolation, I never felt alone. Thankful

PS: I tried to do video recordings of how I felt every 3 days, maybe I’ll share them later.