Well... 2020 was quite the year! I can't say that it was a bad year for us... we were one of the blessed few that had a really great year! Did we have set backs, yes! Did plans totally change, yes! Did we move three times cross country like a ping-pong ball, yes! What we didn't do was complain about it. We watched as everything unfolded in March. We had quite literally just arrived, I'm talking days, in a new state and didn't even have our belongings unpacked when the country started to close down. We spent 16 weeks separated as a family because what we thought would be an opportunity to visit my husband while he attended a school ended up as a completely locked down course and we never saw him until it was time to move across the country, again. Off we went. Three adults, three children (one who was suffering extreme stomach issues at the time and could not eat anything fast food), and a dog. The one consistent thing for us was that we kept trying to remember to stand on the outside and look in. That is what kept us from complaining. We spent months praying for the things that God was literally laying out for us... how could we complain? BUT...there is always a BUT...
In late November COVID hit our home. Randy came home really not feeling well one night after the gym. He ate dinner with us and shortly after started running a fever. We immediately quarantined him. The following morning he tested positive. To keep a crazy long story short, after it was all said and done our entire family on six had been sick. I was the last to become sick... it was ten days from the day that Randy came home sick. We are a little over thirty days out now and although all of our cases we pretty mild, there is still some residual COVID garbage going around here.
I said all of that to say, we have been through the ringer these last several weeks, but Randy and I sat down the other night and took time to talk. Conclusion... we have to still be thankful. This year has been so awful for so many. I have friends who have lost parents, friends who have lost jobs, family who are in the medical field and stuck in the thick of things. We never want to forget what so many have been through, and we want to lend a helping hand wherever we can. I have had several friends reach out over the last couple of weeks and ask what we did to help ease the symptoms of this virus. I wanted to share what we did in hopes that it helps someone else. PLEASE NOTE: I am not a medical professional in any capacity. I am just relaying the things that worked for our family. Please always talk to your health care provider if you have concerns.
Hot Showers: This virus has been proven to reek havoc on the respiratory system. Hot showers are such a blessing. The moisture and heat do wonders for headaches and congestion.
Vapor Baths and Detox Baths: This is one of my two favorites. Detox baths are life for a lot of ailments and that is no different with COVID. One of the main symptoms that I had was shortness of breath. I was never congested. However, the shortness of breath made me so anxious and unnerved. Taking the detox bath allowed me to take some slow deep breaths and really opened my lungs up.
- Dr. Teal's makes a new vapor bath Epsom salt and it is money! Add two cups to a hot as you can tolerate it bath and enjoy. Soak 20-25mins and drink lots of water.
- If you are an EO person this is going to be your jam. Mix two cups of plain Epsom salt, one TBSP of baking soda, 4 drops of 100% therapeutic grade eucalyptus in a hot as you can tolerate bath. Soak 20-25mins and drink lots of water. Pat dry to keep oils on your skin as long as possible!
Mucinex LIQUID ( Freefrom Daytime for kids and DM Max for adults): Follow directions on the bottles when symptoms start to arise. Again, push lots of fluids. This dried everyone up quickly. I truly believe this kept them from getting deeper coughs and raspier chests.
Sleeping: I had read that sleeping on the stomach, or sides if you can't sleep on your stomach, is key for keeping the fluids from settling into your chest. We took note and followed closely along with spending time stretching whenever possible. Laying stagnant is a no go with this virus if at all possible. We also have one of those massage guns. We used this several times on the back in between the shoulders. It seemed to keep the back and lungs from becoming sore.
Tylenol: We used fever reducers only when they were absolutely necessary for a high fever or when the gosh awful headache tried to make me feel like I was going to explode.
Vitamins: TAKE YOUR VITAMINS! Take extra! We took our daily vitamins plus extra D and C and added in Elderberry cough drops with Zinc.
Magic Juice: This is my top favorite! We keep all of these ingredients on hand all the time because I love to drink it like tea often, but we use it quite a bit more during the cold/flu season and the COVID season has been no different. I suggest drinking this before bed to help coat the throat so you can sleep and allow the ingredients to do their job while you sleep! Here is the recipe. Make sure you purchase organic as noted. It literally is the difference between it being a very strong natural antibiotic and you just drinking a mixture that tastes good but isn't helping a lick. The organic lemon and cinnamon are vital!
- 1oz Organic Lemon Juice (typically found in the juice aisle in a glass jar)
- 1 heaping TBSP of honey
- 1 big dash of Organic ground cinnamon
- Fill a coffee mug with 6-8oz of hot water
- Stir and Enjoy! Make full recipe and half it for children. The other half can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated the following day. Also, it can be cooled with ice for little ones if they prefer it cold!
Rest: Seriously, take the time to rest when needed. It has taken weeks to get back to a fully normal schedule and I haven't even begun working out again. In the words of my husband's favorite country song to quote, "You have to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em!" It really is about listening to your body and knowing when to just take the time you need!
Friends, I truly hope this helps someone!! It is a new year, but I am afraid we still have a very long way to go until things are "normal" again. Don't let that stop you for setting goals, setting limits. making changes, or just finding joy in the small things daily so that you don't become overwhelmed. I promise a positive mindset really can go a long way! We are praying for our friends, family, this country... Stay strong!
