The Silent Danger: How Valley Fever Nearly Claimed My Life

For months, I didn’t know I was sick. I kept working, living, pushing through until Valley Fever hit me like a storm. This is my story — raw, emotional, and real — of fighting an invisible enemy and coming back to life thanks to my family, doctors, and faith. Please read and share. Awareness can save lives.

I never imagined that something as simple as fatigue and body aches could signal the beginning of the hardest journey of my life. It was May when it all began — subtle and easy to ignore.

I pushed through the tiredness, the shortness of breath, and the aching joints. Like most of us do, I chalked it up to being overworked, maybe a little run down. After all, life doesn’t pause for aches and pains.

I carried on, unaware that something far more dangerous was growing quietly inside me.

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When the Storm Hit

By late June, the signs became harder to ignore. Severe back pain came and went, only relieved temporarily by over-the-counter meds. Still, I pressed on.

Then came July, and with it, my family's annual trip to Monterey, which would change everything.

On the second night of our vacation, a relentless cough took hold of me. It wouldn’t stop. I couldn’t sleep lying down — especially on my left side — as it felt like I was suffocating. Desperate, I went to a nearby pharmacy and bought a cough medicine. Within 24 hours, I had finished the entire bottle, but the cough continued as violently as ever.

At this point, my appetite disappeared. I lived on watermelon. My body was weak, but I convinced myself I would recover. I called an online nurse who prescribed pills, but they too did nothing.

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The Collapse

By Friday, after we returned home, everything fell apart. The coughing intensified. Fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and crushing fatigue hit me all at once. I felt my body shutting down.

I called a close friend who rushed me to the ER. The scans confirmed it → pneumonia. My left lung was so affected that sleeping on that side had been cutting off my airflow. They gave me antibiotics and sent me home.

But it wasn’t enough.

Within 48 hours, I was back in the ER, worse than before. My fever had spiked to 103°F and my heart was racing at 125 bpm. The medical team reacted immediately. I could see the urgency as they rushed to stabilize me.

It was terrifying. One doctor paused amid the chaos and said words I had never heard before:

"I believe this could be Valley Fever."

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What is Valley Fever? (Coccidioidomycosis)

Valley Fever is caused by a fungus (Coccidioides) that lives in dust and soil, mainly in dry regions like California, Arizona, and New Mexico. When disturbed, fungal spores are released into the air → inhaling them can lead to serious lung infections.

For most people, it causes mild flu-like symptoms. But for some, like me, it becomes something much worse → pneumonia, intense fatigue, and chronic illness.

In rare cases, it can spread beyond the lungs and become life-threatening. The blood tests for Valley Fever take several days, but the doctors didn’t wait. They started me immediately on antifungal medication, knowing the risk. I was admitted and spent 3 days fighting to stabilize my dangerously unstable vitals.

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The Long Road Home

Coming home was only the start of what became the darkest chapter. The weeks and months that followed were brutal:

→ Unstoppable vomiting — up to 6 times a day.

→ Extreme weakness — I couldn’t open water bottles or even stand for long.

→ Loss of appetite — almost all food made me sick.

→ Weight loss — I lost nearly 46 pounds.

→ Non-stop coughing — my voice disappeared.

→ Breathlessness — I needed an inhaler for simple tasks like walking.

My three-year-old son adapted in heartbreaking ways. Each time I rushed to vomit, he would run after me with water. He knew — at just three — that his daddy was very, very sick. My wife had to take off work to care for me. Without her, I don’t know how I would have survived those months.

I stayed home from work for two months. Recovery was painfully slow. When I returned, my employer kindly provided extra support to help me transition back.

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Almost a Year Later — Still Not Done

As I write this, it’s May, almost a year since Valley Fever hijacked my life. I am back at work and can perform my duties, but the journey isn’t over. I’m still on antifungal medication because the blood tests continue to show positive. Every three months, I get checked, hoping the day will come when the results turn negative.

Valley Fever doesn’t let go easily. For some, it becomes a lifelong condition. But I am grateful — grateful for my wife, my son, my friends, and the doctors who acted fast. I am alive. I am back on my feet. And though the fungus still lingers, I am winning this battle.

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Why I Share This

Before this happened, I knew nothing about Valley Fever. I never imagined that dust and air could lead to such devastation.

So I share this story for awareness:

• If you live in or travel to dry, dusty regions → protect yourself.

• If you experience prolonged fatigue, cough, and body aches → don’t ignore them.

• If pneumonia hits and doesn’t improve → ask your doctor about Valley Fever.

Your awareness could save your life or someone else's.

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Valley Fever tried to take me.

But faith, family, and fierce determination are helping me reclaim my life — one day at a time.