DOTHAN, Ala. (WDHN) — Katie Woodham was a healthy wife and mom of three when she was diagnosed with COVID-19 and the flu early this summer.
“I really just thought I had a cold, to begin with,” said Twindemic Survivor, Katie Woodham. “I knew I had a weird headache and I never lost my sense of taste or smell.”
Katie said her headache felt like an ice pick was gauging her behind the eyes and temples. But just as soon as they would start, they would be gone. Aside from the headaches, Woodham experienced severe stomach cramping, dry mouth and dry eyes. Once the symptoms intensified, she finally went to the doctor.
“They did my test and they said, you know, we’ll just call you with the results, and then we will call you in medicine to go with it,” Woodham said. “Then about 45 minutes later they called me and told me I had flu. Flu-B and then COVID.”
Woodham says she doesn’t know anyone she could’ve contracted the virus from but she attributes the virus to a family trip to Florida.
“In Florida they didn’t have the mask laws like we have and it was kind of before everybody was getting COVID in other places,” said Woodham.
When Katie found out she had COVID and the flu, she decided to share her journey on Facebook to spread awareness. She told her friends about every new symptom—including difficulty breathing, fatigue, and fevers.
Meanwhile, since Katie was dealing with the twindemic, her doctors treated each illness separately with antibiotics, inhalers, and steroids for over three weeks.
“I feel like people don’t understand it until they have a loved one or family member that has experienced it,” Woodham told WDHN. “It’s kind of like it’s never going to happen to me and then when it finally does you understand it.”
Katie urges the community to wear facemasks and take precautions in order to to protect each other.