Profiles During A Pandemic: Gators Soccer Standout Thompson Considers Herself Lucky Following COVID-19 Diagnosis
Friday, April 17, 2020 | Soccer, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
Editor's note: This is the latest installment in an occasional series looking at the impact of COVID-19 on current and former University of Florida student-athletes.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The woman with long blond hair peering into the camera on her computer Thursday looked anything but a recent COVID-19 patient. She looked healthy, vibrant, youthful.
She didn't feel that way a month ago.
"I was just very lucky,'' said former Gators soccer player Lindsay Thompson. "I didn't experience any shortness of breath. Symptoms lasted probably about six days."
In mid-March when day-to-day life in the U.S. changed drastically due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 30-year-old Thompson began to feel sick on March 14. As a physician assistant who earned a degree in health science from UF in 2012 and later a master's from South University, Thompson's profession made her acutely aware of the changing landscape. Former UF soccer standout Lindsay Thompson is now a physician assistant living in Austin, Texas. (Photo: Courtesy of Thompson)
Still, the body aches, fever and mild cough didn't immediately signal to her that she was one of the first residents of Austin, Texas, where she has lived since 2015, to be infected with COVID-19.
"It was in my mind, but not at the top of my mind,'' she said.
Not feeling herself again on March 15, Thompson visited an urgent-care facility for a flu test. She said the most difficult part of her sickness was the body aches, which woke her constantly and reached a degree she had never experienced. While at the clinic, she was told they could administer a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test by taking a swabbed sample from the back of the nose. The good news is that Thompson tested negative for the flu.
However, five days later on March 20, Thompson was informed the PCR test came back positive for COVID-19. According to the Travis County public website, which covers the city of Austin, there were 41 confirmed cases of COVID-19 within the county on March 19. Thompson was one of 17 new cases that surfaced on March 20. As of Thursday afternoon, a month since Thompson began to feel ill, the website reported 977 confirmed cases and 17 deaths.
Thompson belongs among the 178 fortunate souls who have recovered within Austin and Travis County based on the latest figures available.
"When it came back positive it was kind of a surreal experience because to my knowledge, only a few people had it in Austin,'' Thompson said. "At the time, you weren't seeing as many young people with serious complications. Since then, we have seen a lot.
"While I had it, I wasn't afraid or really thinking that could happen to me, but since then, we've just learned so much more about it that, yeah, I feel extremely lucky. It feels kind of surreal to be like, 'wow, I survived a pretty deadly virus.' People my age all over the world are dying from this and I do feel lucky."
A forward/midfielder for the Gators who played in 97 games and scored 29 goals during her career – she made the All-SEC Freshman Team in 2008 and in 2009 was All-SEC Second Team – Thompson has a new job and is in good spirits as the U.S. tries to contain the virus' spread through social distancing and stay-at-home measures.
Unlike many others who have come down with COVID-19, Thompson said her symptoms were mostly manageable, with the highest fever she recorded during her sickness was 100.7. At the time of her diagnosis, Thompson's job was caring for patients at a nursing home. That job was disrupted due to her contracting the virus and she recently transitioned to a new job where she is working with urgent-care patients, a role she has ample experience from past jobs. In her new job, she is active in testing and treating COVID-19 patients.
Lindsay Thompson is mobbed after her golden goal gave Florida 1-0 double overtime win over Tennessee in the 2009 Southeastern Conference Tournament .(Photo: Rick Chapman)
While awaiting for her test results last month, she anticipated potential career changes as more knowledge of the virus became available.
"I really had to figure out if I was positive or negative for COVID, because I obviously couldn't go back into a nursing home with a positive,'' she said. "The waiting game was a little weird and you don't feel good. I really don't know how I got it. The health department in Austin did reach out. I talked to them and told them where I worked and who I was in contact with. I do know one of my friends who tested positive. That's really kind of the only hint I have."
As the pandemic plays out and continues to prompt sweeping changes in daily American life, Thompson said from what she has seen, most people are taking the proper precautions and trying to help limit the disease's spread. Her message to others is to stay attentive.
Lindsay Thompson (left) scored 29 goals in her four seasons playing for the Gators from 2008-11. (Photo: Jim Burgess)
"I would say to still be as careful as possible. Even though you may be young and healthy and not have any other risk factors, the weird part of this virus is that there has to be a lot of asymptomatic carriers,'' Thompson said. "Even if you don't have any symptoms, you just have to imagine you might be carrying the virus on your hands and then you touch something that someone who could potentially die from it comes in contact with it. I would say just be really careful and listen to the CDC and follow the guidelines where you are."
"It was kind of an emotional thing to know that I was positive," Lindsay Thompson said of finding out she had coronavirus. Now she's trying to help those who are still sick by donating plasma that can be used to treat COVID-19. https://t.co/VCtdtnsIde
Thompson grew up in Bradenton and played at Lakewood Ranch High prior to enrolling at UF. When she received test results last month, she said her family in Florida was "kind of shocked." Her mom moved on quickly. She asked as a recovered COVID-19 patient if Thompson planned to donate her blood plasma to help current patients.
The answer: yes. She has an appointment to do just that with the American Red Cross.
Thompson wants to help any way she can.
"This is a real thing that's happening,'' she said. "There's a little bit of anxiety on the health-care providers and workers as well because we are trying to do the best we can. The people who haven't had it are really risking giving it to their families and their loved ones and potentially getting sick themselves. That's pretty scary."
