Covid-19 Test Gone Bad

Today I had to get a COVID-19 as part of a pre-admission test for a procedure I'm having next week. I've had one of these test before – I sadly have to go in relatively often for procedures – and while the process can not be described as ‘pleasant,’ it has always been bearable before.

The two hospitals in town have drive through testing centers – as they do throughout the country. This particular one was completed by Cox Medical Center. You pull up, stay in the car, lay your head back, and they do their business. When I arrived, there were only two cars in front of me, so the wait wasn't long at all – a bonus. The tech (we are going to call him "Dude") comes up to my window, gets my name, etc, and goes back to fetch the test.

Dude brings the test back, and proceeds to put the q-tip up my nose. Everyone has had this description by now, so I won’t go into too much detail about the ins and outs. As I said, I’ve done this before, but the pain this time was extreme – so much more beyond the ‘discomfort’ of previous tests. I said “Ow” over and over, and I know I was getting louder each time.

And suddenly, Dude steps back and says “Oops” as he pulls the bottom part of the test from my nose. But I could still feel it in my sinus cavity, in the back of my throat. I start coughing and gagging, the pain making my eyes water. Dude scurries away to where the other technicians are standing, all the while I’m choking, and then comes back to the car with the other two technicians. He asked me to blow my nose, stressing ‘gently,’ both staring into the vehicle – nothing but blood.

And more pain.

He explains the tip broke off inside my nasal cavity, that he couldn’t see it and there was nothing he more he could do. “You have to go to Urgent Care. Right now.”

Thankfully my sister was driving me because I don't think I would have made it if I was having to drive myself. I couldn’t see through the pain, and I couldn’t stop choking. We were just a few minutes away from the UC when I finally vomited, and up came the portion of the test that had broken off. I pulled that part out to save for the doctors at the UC so they could see how much came out to help determine if there was more.

Thankfully there wasn't much of a wait at Urgent Care. One of the nurses showed me a whole COVID-19 test, so I could see that the chance were slim that there was any more stuck inside me. I talked to the doctor, who took a look and said it just looks like my throat is inflamed – damage from the test going from my nasal cavity down the back of my throat. She also informed me, that if I had not managed to throw up the test up, she would have had to send me to the Emergency Room.

And then, to make matters even worse, I still had to get a COVID-19 test - I had waited a month and a half for the procedure I was scheduled for next week, and I still need to have it completed. So when the nurse came in, I politely requested that she not break this test off inside me this time, and to please use the other nostril.

I had never heard of this happening before, so wanted to spread the word to everyone. If this happens to you, do NOT go to Urgent Care, go to the ER as soon as you can.