A WOMAN is sharing her experience with Covid via videos on social media in efforts to stay positive and help others understand the virus.
Gemma Jordana has laughed, cried and danced to her Instagram followers as she comes to terms with self-isolation and deals with her coronavirus symptoms, which include a "banging headache" and breathlessness.
The 28-year-old, who has struggled with her mental health in the past, "had a wobble" as she began feeling the side effects of not getting outside on her mental health and existing health problems.
But she is now urging people to not let the mental aspect of "having Covid", rather than any other illness, stop them from being positive in isolation.
The active woman gets pains in her legs when she does not walk but now cannot leave her Newcastle townhouse where she is isolating on just one floor so her diabetic boyfriend, who is high-risk, can isolate on the other two.
She told her followers: "This isn't just about the virus, it's about everything else and how debilitating it is. My legs were aching last night and I couldn't sleep.
"I wish the government could come up with a better solution than to have everyone isolate... it's day three."
Miss Jornana's symptoms also got worse on day three, which was day five of symptoms.
Miss Jornana said: "I thought I was feeling better but symptoms came back with a vengeance."
She has so far experienced fevers, headaches, dizziness, a chesty cough and shortness of breath as well as some fatigue.
A high temperature is what led to her diagnosis on Tuesday, September 29, after a positive test the day before and a night of restless sleeping where she could not get warm.
Miss Jordana says she never felt consistently happy until 2020, where she worked hard to keep a positive mindset and lose weight after an unexpected family death.
She said: "I could feel isolation dragging me back into that mindset. There was a real turning point where I knew I had to keep my mind busy and stay positive."
Miss Jordana's mum, who is in her support bubble, is also isolating and struggles with her mental health, so the two have been video chatting a lot.
She has also been journaling, a habit she built to help deal with her mental health after going through counselling, and posting upbeat dancing videos on Instagram.
She said: "I don't ever recall being happy for long periods of time. It's a shock that I can still get up every day and make the bed. All I've ever wanted to do is help people and now I feel like I can by sharing my experiences.
"I really wanted people to know that they don't have to let coronavirus take over. Our age group are the spreaders so we will probably all get it, but you don't have to go and lie on your back and cry. That won't make you feel better.
"If I'm one of the first of our age group to get it, I want to share my experience for others. It's awful but we are going to get through it.
"I get messages from people saying the videos are really helpful and inspirational because they are positive. People can also learn from them."
Miss Jordana, whose wedding was cancelled due to the pandemic, urges everyone in isolation to make sure they have a purpose - whether that is reading, journaling or learning Spanish like her - and not to let the mental aspect of "having Covid" beat them down.
She added: "I have a day left and I don't feel like I've been in here for ten days."
Anyone wishing to see more can follow Miss Jordana on Instagram @motsomidgetgem
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