Questions about COVID-19 ... for those never diagnosed but may have had it and could possibly give blood to help others currently dealing with it.

Pic: Keith giving Blood on 3/12/2020 at Lifeshare

Did I have COVID-19???

Do I possibly have antibodies that may help others dealing with that dreadful virus???

I just heard about this on the news today for about how people who had the disease could possibly give blood to help others.

But what about those of us whom don't know if we ever had COVID-19???

I sometimes wonder about this as we all keep learning more about how this virus developed, spread and still causes tragedy and havoc in our community and the world.

I've shared about this with some of my colleagues whom have had the same suspicions about themselves.

I was really sick in late December, 2019 when I had a bad fever that would go back and forth, body soreness, terrible tiredness, some dry coughs, a few cold sores and also some really bad diarrhea for about 7 days.

It was a really draining on me, who is usually very energetic and sometimes downright restless, as my better-half would note (lol)!

It was like deja vu … it brought back bad memories of when I had a bad case of mononucleosis (the ole “kissing disease”) in De La Salle High School in the mid 70s and missed about 2 weeks of school.

I almost missed our son's, JP, LSU graduation in Finance on Saturday, December 20th but took a lotta pain medicine and just went and even to a post graduation celebration at Mike Anderson's where JP used to waiter.

Still feeling miserable with those symptoms on Sunday, December 22, 2019, I then went to Lake After Hours to try to get some relief, and was diagnosed with “Virus of Unknown Origin!”

I did get a throat swab there to rule out Strep, and it was found to be negative. The Doc prescribed “Ibuprofen for pain, something for my cold sores, drink plenty of liquids and get plenty of rest.”

Thankfully, the fever and everything cleared the next day and I was able to go back to work on Tuesday, Christmas Eve! What a great Christmas Present!

My wife had only problems with a fever for one day not long before I got sick, and no one else in my family ever had the signs and symptoms I had endured before or after my experience. But some of my co-workers had had flu like symptoms a little before I got sick.

Being a regular blood donor for OLOL and Lifeshare and having given in late November, 2019, I went ahead and gave blood on March 12, 2020 – see pic attached.

A few weeks ago, I happened to see someone on LinkedIn write a provocative note about: “Did you possibly have COVID-19"" - which started me thinking again, as noted above: “Do I possibly have antibodies that may help others dealing with that dreadful virus???

I did call Lifeshare then with that question noted above but was told there was no way for them to see if I had the antibodies from my recent donation …

Now that it appears confirmed that those whom have had the COVID-19 can very likely give to use their antibodies to help others, I'm wondering how I and others could possibly get tested without taking away from those who are now showing signs and symptoms and need to be tested.

Just a thought … prayers for all whom have been affected by COVID-19, especially those whom have died and their loved ones and friends.

Godspeed & Peace,