MeToo founder Tarana Burke reveals husband's 'scary' battle with coronavirus
Tarana Burke has opened up about her husband’s battle with coronavirus in a candid Twitter thread.
On Thursday, the activist and #MeToo founder explained that the last two weeks of her life had been “some of the scariest” due to the illness.
“The reason why I’m sharing is because I’ve read so much information but the most informative has been first-person accounts of folks with it,” she began.
Burke explained that both she and her husband were exposed to the virus in mid-March.
“He was deemed an ‘essential worker’ because he works with the homeless and was exposed again at work,” she wrote.
“It took about three days to figure out that we were probably dealing with Covid. In three days he went from feeling a little weak to 101.5 fever.”
Burke added that her partner also had ”extreme fatigue”, an “escalating fever” and ”terrible headaches” in addition to an unusual symptom: sensitive skin.
“His skin felt like it was burning – even when he barely had a fever of 99+,” she said.
“We literally used aloe gel for sunburn to soothe it.”
When he did eat it was soup and crackers. Oh and at night I rubbed his feet with Thieves Oil and put socks on him. The worst was day 8 when his fever went to 102.9 and he began to have convulsions. I called the telemed doctor at Mt. Sinai again (they are WONDERFUL and each time
— Tarana (@TaranaBurke)
Burke explained that the worst night for her partner was on day eight when he began to have convulsions.
“Just have to say this was the SCARIEST night because the pressure of making the wrong decision was overwhelming,” she wrote of that evening.
“Felt like one wrong move could kill him. I didn’t sleep at all. But by morning his fever was at 101+ again and he was calmed. This was the peak I believe.”
Burke said that her partner has started recovering and while he is not 100 per cent, he is “much, much better”.
I have still not had any real symptoms. I’ve had headaches and body aches that are likely exhaustion but no real fever. I’m operating as if I’m asymptomatic though just to be safe. And we are trying to keep some distance just in case.
— Tarana (@TaranaBurke)
Meanwhile, Burke said that she has not had any “real symptoms” herself aside from headaches and body aches “that are likely exhaustion”.
“I don’t wish this on *anyone* as a patient or caretaker,” she added.
“It’s scary and hard and bc it affects everyone differently you just don’t know.”
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