Dawn Ward is opening up about her recovery from COVID-19 after she and her family tested positive last month.
If you recall, the Real Housewives of Cheshire star along with her husband, Ashley Ward, and two younger daughters, Charlie (13) and Aston (11), tested positive for coronavirus. They were diagnosed just 24 hours after they were tested after initially displaying symptoms.
Dawn revealed she instantly became anxious and expected to suffer breathing difficulties.
"We're fine now, thankfully – all back to normal. At first, I was a little bit anxious thinking, 'Oh gosh, what's going to happen now I'm positive? What am I going to feel like?' she told the Daily Star.
"For me, I was panicking, I was waiting to not be able to breathe but that didn't come, I never got that."
Dawn claims that she spent several weeks in bed after she felt worse than her family. Ward's symptoms included aching, shaking, and headaches.
After being diagnosed, she was forced to isolate with her husband and their children at their Cheshire mansion.
"We've got a decent-sized house so we can all do our own thing," she said. "It was nice to take a break and spend some nice time with my family. For me, it was like a treat – the kids couldn't escape me," she joked.
Dawn revealed that filming for season 12 of the ITVBe hit reality series had been "difficult" due to the new coronavirus guidelines.
"It's been very difficult, not just on the cast but on the production as well," she shared. "I think if anything, filming this time around feels different for me. I had a tough season last season and I wasn't feeling myself – I didn't feel the best when we finished filming."
Dawn claims she discovered that she had extremely low levels of estrogen and needed medication to boost her levels but now feels like a "brand new person."
So what can the viewers expect in Season 12? "I think with the cast, there's that much going on in the world, there are bigger things to worry about," she said. "This season has been a lot more about having fun, I've not been in any arguments – but then again, we are only halfway through," she said while laughing.
Dawn also shared an update about where she stands with her co-stars after falling out with some of the women last season.
"I've sort of moved on with a few people and there are people I haven't," she told the Daily Star. "There are relationships you can't fix and you have to accept that."
She added, "If you said to me 12 seasons ago, you'd be doing 12 seasons I'd have been like, 'Hm, no way,' it's addictive," she said. "It's tough sometimes, every season I think is going to be my last and next thing you know, I'm here. It would be very strange for me to leave."
Photo Credit: NBCUniversal; Monkey; ITV