L A K E
W E D O W E E
L I F E
A T
H O M E
b y
L a c e y
S a n d e r s
COVID-19: A First Person
Account of Survival
Editor’s Note: Lacey Sanders is a Wedowee
native and 2009 Randolph County graduate. She
has spent countless hours on Lake Wedowee. In
the summer months she splits her time between
Wedowee and Newnan. She tested positive for
COVID-19 in early April. This is her story.
When COVID-19 started I knew that
it would affect me. But I had no idea
just how much it would affect me.
I work in the ICU as a nurse and a clinical staff
manager with immuno-compromised patients
every day. I was also working as a flight nurse
with air evac 112. I knew that I had to be careful.
I had to make a very difficult decision to
leave my job with air evac for the time being. I
couldn’t risk being exposed while flying, and then
taking those germs back to my ICU patients.
My ICU was going to need me, and I
had to prepare to be there for my patients
and for my coworkers. In my head, all I was
thinking was that I had to stay healthy so
that I could take care of those around me.
I am an active runner, yogi and health
conscious person. Working in my ICU, I
already have to gown up, wear gloves and
usually wear a surgical cap and mask when I
interact with my patients in order to protect
them and to protect myself, so that was
not going to be a new practice for me.
A friend of mine donated hand sanitizers to my entire
unit so that we could all keep one in our cars to use
before and after work. I was prepared for this. I thought
that I could keep myself safe as long as I practiced
social distancing and wearing my PPE at work.
I came out to the lake house for a long weekend to
get some things done in the yard and to drop off some
essential groceries and vitamins for my dad. I left the
groceries on his porch, and kept my distance from
him. I worked for hours in the yard, and even kayaked
down the river a little. It was so nice being at home.
12 LAKE WEDOWEE LIFE
Once I returned to work, all was well. Working in the
yard had of course made my allergies flare up, leaving
me with just a hint of a scratchy throat and runny nose.
My hospital was screening every single
employee upon entering the building for fevers. I
was fever free, and feeling fine. Until I wasn’t.
I remained fever free the entire week. And until
midweek, I really would have continued to just think
that this was all allergies, until the abdominal cramping
started out of nowhere. My appetite decreased shortly
after. By the end of the week, my allergy symptoms