Skip to main content
Logo for WebMD
Logo for WebMD
  • Coronavirus Update
  • Check Your Symptoms
  • Find A Doctor
  • Find A Dentist
  • Connect to Care
  • Find Lowest Drug Prices
  • Health
    A-Z
    Health A-Z
    Health A-Z
    Common Conditions
    • ADD/ADHD
    • Allergies
    • Arthritis
    • Cancer
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Eye Health
    • Heart Disease
    • Lung Disease
    • Orthopedics
    • Pain Management
    • Sexual Conditions
    • Skin Problems
    • Sleep Disorders
    • View All
    Resources
    • Symptom Checker
    • WebMD Blogs
    • Podcasts
    • Newsletters
    • Best Hospitals
    • Find a Doctor
    • Children's Conditions A-Z
    • Surgeries and Procedures A-Z
    • Featured Topics
    • woman experiencing chest discomfort Symptom Checker COVID-19: Check Your Symptoms Now
    • photo of migraine Slideshow Get Help for Migraine Relief
  • Drugs &
    Supplements
    Drugs & Supplements
    Drugs & Supplements
    Find & Review
    • Drugs
    • Supplements
    Drug Basics & Safety
    • Commonly Abused Drugs
    • Taking Meds When Pregnant
    Tools
    • Manage Your Medications
    • Pill Identifier
    • Check for Interactions
    • Drug Comparison Tool
    • Featured Topics
    • assorted vitamins Slideshow Vitamins You Need as You Age
    • photo of vaccine Coronavirus COVID-19 Vaccines
  • Living
    Healthy
    Living Healthy
    Living Healthy
    Diet, Food & Fitness
    • Diet & Weight Management
    • Weight Loss & Obesity
    • Food & Recipes
    • Fitness & Exercise
    Beauty & Balance
    • Healthy Beauty
    • Health & Balance
    • Sex & Relationships
    • Oral Care
    Living Well
    • Women's Health
    • Men's Health
    • Aging Well
    • Healthy Sleep
    • Healthy Teens
    • Featured Topics
    • grocery cart Article Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes
    • walking sneakers Quiz Do You Know the Benefits of Walking?
  • Family &
    Pregnancy
    Family & Pregnancy
    Family & Pregnancy
    All About Pregnancy
    • Getting Pregnant
    • First Trimester
    • Second Trimester
    • Third Trimester
    • View All
    Parenting Guide
    • Newborn & Baby
    • Children's Health
    • Children's Vaccines
    • Raising Fit Kids
    • View All
    Pet Care Essentials
    • Healthy Cats
    • Healthy Dogs
    • View All
    • Featured Topics
    • apple slices and peanut butter Slideshow Smart Snacks When You're Pregnant
    • photo of dogs kissing Slideshow Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats
  • News &
    Experts
    News & Experts
    News & Experts
    Health News
    • CDC Ends Some COVID Safety Rules
    • New Blood Test Detects 50 Cancers
    • What Are Growing Pains?
    • Polio Not Expected to Spread in the U.S.
    • COVID Vaccines Safe for Pregnant Women (Study)
    Experts & Community
    • Support Groups
    • WebMD Blogs
    • News Center
    • Dr. Whyte's Book: Take Control of Your Diabetes Risk
    • Featured Topics
    • photo of suicide prevention in veterans concept Special Report Artificial Intelligence to Spot the Red Flags of Suicide Risk
    • photo of person typing Get Our Newsletters Health News and Information, Delivered to Your Inbox
  • Mobile Apps
  • Subscriptions
  • Sign In
  • Subscribe
  • My Profile
    • My Tools
    • My WebMD Pages
    • My Account
    • Sign Out

    Coronavirus Home

    • Medical Reference
    • Features
    • Video
    • Slideshows & Images
    • Blogs
    • Health Tools
    • News Archive

    Lung Disease & Respiratory Health Center

    • News
    • Reference
    • Slideshows
    • Quizzes
    • Videos
    • Find a Pulmonologist

    Related to Lung Disease & Respiratory Health

    • Asthma
    • Allergies
    • Bronchitis
    • Cold, Flu & Cough
    • COPD
    • COVID-19
    • Cystic Fibrosis
    • Emphysema
    • Lung Cancer
    • Pneumonia
    • Pulmonary Hypertension
    • Quit-Smoking Assessment
    • Smoking Cessation
    • Tuberculosis
    • Tuberous Sclerosis
    • Lung Disease & Respiratory Health
    • Coronavirus
    • Videos

    An Inoperable Tumor In Your Lung

    Valerie Joy Wilson COVID-19 Social Story

    Video Transcript

    VALERIE JOY WILSON: I just got tested for the coronavirus. And I'm freaking out, because the doctor's sending me to the emergency room because my white blood cell count's so low.

    I travel almost full time. I travel like 80% of the year as a travel journalist and blogger. And I go all over the world. And so I'm rarely home, except for now.

    My first symptom was I started to have a weird feeling. It kind of felt like a wave running through my body, where I felt like I was short circuiting. After that, I started to lose my sense of taste and smell completely. I couldn't taste anything. I couldn't smell anything.

    And I started to develop a quick little fever. That was only 99 degrees for about an hour. And then I started to get the hallmark symptoms, which are the dry cough, and the headaches throughout the day. But it just kept getting stronger and stronger, and I was coughing all throughout the day.

    One of the scariest things was when the doctor actually tested me for COVID-19. And I was tested on a Friday morning. And at 6:00 PM the following Monday, I got a voicemail from my doctor saying Valerie, this is very important. You need to call me back immediately.

    And I called him back. And I-- before he even said anything, I said I have it, don't I? He said yes, you do. And I broke down crying. And it was really hard, because I kept asking him questions, and he just didn't have the answers, because it is a new virus.

    So from start to finish, from the beginning of my symptoms to being symptom-free and released from the health department, was 16 days. I'm sharing my story, because I think it's important for those who are struggling with the fear of COVID-19, or actually have a positive test for COVID-19, I think it's important for them to see that somebody else has gotten better.

    But it's also important for millennials to understand that you can become sick with the virus. And it is dangerous. I'm looking forward to a hug. I'm going to like cry. I haven't had any human interaction, outside of the doctor swabbing my throat, in quite a while.

    Related Videos

    Editor's Picks

    • woman with cup of coffee

      Video

      The Truth About Coffee
    • tongue scraper and tongue

      Video

      5 Ways to Beat Bad Breath
    • couple having sex in bed

      Video

      Why Orgasms Feel Good

    Top Picks

    • Slideshow: COPD Warning Signs
    • Bronchitis: When to Call a Doctor
    • Myths and Facts About COPD
    • 10 Exercises For People With COPD
    • Eating Right With COPD
    • What Is 'Walking Pneumonia'?

    further reading

    • Can I Get Coronavirus at the Beach?
    • Diabetes During the COVID-19 Pandemic
    • COVID-19 and COPD
    • HIV and The New Coronavirus
    • Coronavirus and Asthma
    • What Does COVID-19 Do to Your Lungs?
    • Surface Cleaning and COVID-19: What You Should Know
    • Coronavirus Topics

    More on COVID-19

    photo of newspaper Coronavirus Home

    See WebMD's COVID News & Resources

    40264890_JWCIC_Boosters_050222_v3_1800x1200 Video

    Should You Get a Second COVID Booster?

    photo of boy receiving vaccination Article

    COVID Vaccine Booster Shots for Kids

    man coronavirus graphic Article

    Each COVID-19 Reinfection Increases Health Risks

    photo of lungs Slideshow

    Signs You May Have Already Had COVID

    photo illustration of lungs Article

    How Does COVID Affect Your Lungs?

    photo of coronavirus Article

    What You Should Know About COVID Drugs

    photo of person wearing mask Article

    COVID Still a Threat to a Weak Immune System

    Illustration of the heart Article

    COVID and Your Heart

    man covid test Article

    Tested Positive for COVID? Here's What to Do

    photo of coronavirus Free Newsletter

    Get the Latest COVID Updates in Your Inbox

    photo of doctor and patient WebMD Care

    Find a Telemedicine Doc -- Start Your Virtual Visit Now

    Expert Opinion

    photo of dr john whyte Special Video Series

    Coronavirus in Context With John Whyte

    Change Makers: The Future of Health still Medscape Video

    Change Makers: Pharma CEO Alexander Hardy

    woman mask black and white Blog

    COVID-19 Changed Everything: 3 Personal Stories

    Health Solutions

    • Penis Curved When Erect?
    • Could I have CAD?
    • Treat Bent Fingers
    • Treat HR+, HER2- MBC
    • Tired of Dandruff?
    • Benefits of CBD
    • Rethink MS Treatment
    • AFib-Related Strokes
    • Risk of a Future DVT/PE
    • Is My Penis Normal?
    • Relapsing MS Options
    • Liver Transplants Save Lives
    • Finance Plastic Surgery
    • Bent Finger Causes
    • Living With Psoriasis?
    • Missing Teeth?

    More from WebMD

    • 5 Tips to Help With Relapsing MS
    • How to Thrive With Narcolepsy
    • Relief for Blocked Hair Follicles
    • Psoriatic Arthritis and Your Sleep
    • What Psoriasis Feels Like
    • First Psoriatic Arthritis Flare
    • Talking to Your Doctor About RA
    • Crohn's: A 'Full-Body' Disease
    • Avoiding Crohn’s Flares
    • Health Benefits of Hemp Seed Oil
    • Live Better With Psoriatic Disease
    • Types of B-Cell Therapy for MS
    • 5 Health Benefits of Hemp
    • Why Prostate Cancer Spreads
    • Living with Advanced Breast Cancer
    • Where Breast Cancer Spreads
    • Logo for WebMD
      • Visit WebMD on Facebook
      • Visit WebMD on Twitter
      • Visit WebMD on Pinterest
    • Policies

      • Privacy Policy
      • Cookie Policy
      • Editorial Policy
      • Advertising Policy
      • Correction Policy
      • Terms of Use

      About

      • Contact Us
      • About WebMD
      • Careers
      • Newsletter
      • Corporate
      • WebMD Health Services
      • Site Map
      • Accessibility
    • WebMD Network

      • Medscape
      • Medscape Reference
      • MedicineNet
      • eMedicineHealth
      • RxList
      • OnHealth
      • WebMDRx
      • First Aid
      • WebMD Magazine
      • WebMD Health Record
      • Dictionary
      • Physician Directory
    • Our Apps

      • WebMD Mobile
      • WebMD App
      • Pregnancy
      • Baby
      • Allergy
      • Medscape

      For Advertisers

      • Advertise with Us
      • Advertising Policy

    © 2005 - 2019 WebMD LLC. All rights reserved.

    WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

    See additional information.