The first sign of CV19 symptoms I had, was when I woke up at 2:00 AM with I really scratchy feeling in my throat. I then woke again at 5:00 AM, and for one split second I thought I had tonsillitis, I couldn’t breathe properly or swallow.
I didn't sleep a wink, and when I got up the next morning, I had a shooting pain behind my eye (and then remembered I also had multiple pains in the tops of my feet just as I went to sleep), these were symptoms clients’ of mine had described, so I knew I had CV19.
Taking a lateral flow and then fully confirmed by a PCR test, it was then time to “bide in” (Scottish term for staying indoors) and isolation began. For a hands on/ people person like myself, isolation was just as mentally challenging as it was physical.
Anyway, I digress, as the reason for this blog was for me to share my experience of using float sessions for my recovery. Which I would credit as one of the main factors that helped me, feel human and energised a lot quicker. Before I speak about my floatation experiences I will say that when I found out I had CV19 I made sure I had some bases covered:
Food/Nutrition
I ordered in fresh fruit and veg, and while I still had energy about me and my taste, I juiced and made soups to store for the ‘just in case’ scenario. I had the energy on days 1 and 2, and was planning for, ‘what if I feel a bit worse and don't want to make food? I knew that if that happens, then I'd have things in the fridge and freezer, that I could just heat up and eat. And that's exactly what happened. Midway through CV19 I then lost my sense of taste and smell and really had no energy or brain power to do anything! So these were great to have to hand.
Water
I also drank loads and loads of water. The ice-cold water helped cool the throat, with the hot water with fresh lemon and ginger a few days later, was just to help my body out while it was fighting the infection.
Sleep
Sleep, knowing that when you sleep, your body repairs itself. I really, really tried to get as much sleep as possible. Which was okay when I went through the being wiped out stage, but a lot harder when you are used to expending energy through exercise (and not being able to leave the house come day 6/7...eek!)
And also, easier said than done to get a full night’s sleep, when you have a cough that feels like fibre glass is stuck in your throat every night that keeps you awake. But my lovely sister gave me a throat spray on a doorstep drop.
Essential Oils
I also use therapeutic-grade essential oils, mainly, Thyme and Oregano, and two blended oils called Breathe (a respiratory oil blend) and On Guard (an immune support blend). These are oils I use personally, and we sell at work, so I had them to hand thankfully. I used different oils, to support different days, using kinesiology testing to tell me what my body needed.
Now, onto Floatation...
Honestly, this was what I contribute 100% to getting me back on an even keel quicker!
Coming out of isolation, I still had a glassy-eyed look. I was white as a sheep, and I walked into our wellness clinic my sister commented “I looked like death warmed up”.
I made the decision to have a shorter float, for my first float, and decided on 30 minutes. Normally for me, 30 minutes is far too quick. I really appreciate a long time in the float room.
However, 30 minutes this time was perfect. I instantly went into deep relaxation. And when I came out, I actually just felt more like myself and with a whole load more energy. I also noticed the colour in my cheeks and had a couple of comments I looked brighter.
Initially, when I got in to float, the things I noticed were; that my neck started to itch, and I decided it was my body lacking in magnesium. Sometimes when I used to use a magnesium spray (before we installed the float room) my legs and things will start to tingle and itch when I sprayed it on. I was also really aware that my nose was sensitised, I don’t know how to describe this other than I had a really strong sensation, that lasted a few minutes when I first got in, the same as used to happen to my nose whenever I visited a Whisky distillery (odd I know, but it was exactly the same feeling).
Both sensations calmed after a few minutes and then I went into deep relaxation.
Rather than waiting a week, as I knew my immune system had been compromised, two days later, I walked into the wellness clinic again to be told I looked “terrible” by one of the nurses that work at the clinic (lucky I’m not easily offended).
I set the float for 45 minutes and came out around 40 minutes. During this float, I was actually fully alert and had the same scratchy neck but not a sensitive nose. After this float, I felt really energised (in comparison to being ill the previous weeks) I wasn’t ready to head to the gym or anything, but the glassy-eyed look had gone, and I felt even better than I did after the first float. I then waited another three days before I went in for the next float for 45 minutes. This time when I hit the 45 minutes, I thought “aww, I really could have stayed in longer”.
I was looking at these float sessions as though I was topping up a battery, and then my next float I went in for 75 minutes and completely floated into nothingness! It was brilliant!
Refreshed, revitalised, and buzzing were a few words I wrote down when I thought to myself…..I must blog on this.
Fatigue And Paying Attention To Your Body
It was definitely the fatigue that got me, having been healthy fit and well, even the day before the symptoms had appeared.
I couldn't treat as many clients upon return to work, I was straight home and into bed!, and my brain was I’ll say “fluffy.”
The first couple of weekends out paddleboarding and socialising again, had me coming home and I was wiped. So, as soon as I had something planned in the diary. I then organised to float the next day, just for recovery and to recharge the batteries. I would say that was about three or four weeks of just being really mindful of this, eating healthier and being gentle with myself.
Using the flotation sessions, and just being really aware of what I was agreed to do, and how I was pushing my body. I waited two weeks before I started to exercise again. Again, certain things were just making my heart race. So, it just goes to show, that you do need to really pay attention to what your body's telling you.