A Dubbo takeaway food bar owner says she was so sick with COVID-19 that for three days she felt like she was "going to die". Monique Gray described the severe symptoms and slow recovery after she and husband Wayne contracted the virus at Christmastime. The couple is finally well enough to reopen their small business, The Lazy Grayzer, and happy to be back serving customers. They had closed the Jubilee Street shop doors on Christmas Eve, not knowing it would become an extended break until January 20. Mrs Gray said they contracted COVID-19 from out-of-town visitors. "We were shocked when our visitor tested positive on [December] 26 as they on [December] 24 prior to visiting us did a RAT [rapid antigen test] and tested negative, so we thought we were ok," Mrs Gray said. The start of the illness was not too bad - "sore throat, headache and a bit of a cough", but it quickly progressed to fevers, migraines, body aches, chest pressure and breathing issues. "Being an asthmatic I suffered the most," she said. "We were sick for a few weeks, I guess as you get older you just don't bounce back as quick. "It was a slow recovery. "After a week and and a half of feeling like I was dying - I thought I was actually going to die for three days I was so sick, but one day out of those three I actually hoped I would, it was unbearable - I was prescribed a course of steroids to help recover and that really helped. "Although we are now well, the fatigue is real. "We have found we tire a lot easier than before, a lingering annoying dry cough here and there." It capped off a gruelling time for the sole traders who have been enduring the pandemic's pressures since opening their business at Dubbo a year ago. Last year as COVID cases grew, making people more aware and concerned about going out, and with Greater Sydney residents locked out of the regions, trade had slowed or stopped altogether for most businesses, Mrs Gray said. She and her husband decided to temporarily close for about five weeks to look after both their family and customers, she said. The business tried to adapt by doing pie drives, ready-cooked meals and grazing boxes. "Before our temporary closure we had the busiest little business, once we reopened it's been slow," Mrs Gray said. "We are a takeaway who just happen to make really good pies. "We were selling roughly 120 pies a day among burgers, chips et cetera. "We are now lucky to sell 40 a day, we have closed an extra day and operate Wednesday to Saturday." The Lazy Grayzer owner said they had the "sweetest customers" who not only supported their dream but also offered help while they were sick. "We really can't thank them enough, it meant so much to us," she said. Mrs Gray says she also appreciates their "amazing" suppliers who are also feeling the effects of the pandemic but despite that are patient and supportive. Mrs Gray said their worries going forward are the same as every other business. "We just don't know what's around the corner, we don't know if this, COVID is going to get better or when, it's hard to plan for the unknown," she said. "We just hope that people walk through our doors so we can continue to open them and operate." Mrs Gray said their hopes for the future would be to never have COVID again, because it was "horrendous", but she also hopes the community can throw its support behind businesses. "It's more than just a bad cold for some us, it's super important for everyone to look after their health but we feel it's just as important to live your life and support your favourite coffee shop, takeaway, newsagents, butchers et cetera because behind all of those small businesses is a family just like ours who needs you," she said. Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
