HOUSTON — Wesley Wallace is in his final days of quarantine after contracting monkeypox.
“Passed my contagious period," Wallace said.
And what a difference a week can make.
“Tomorrow is doctor, haircut and gym," Wallace said. "I'm so excited because it’s going to make me feel human again.”
Especially when you’re recovering from Monkeypox.
“Today is day ... wait, what’s today? Thursday. Day 25," Wallace said. “I’m ready to get out there and see the world again.”
Last week, monkeypox blisters covered Wallace's chin, which made eating, drinking and even just talking, excruciating.
Wallace thinks he got the virus when he was out at a bar on the Fourth of July weekend. He thinks he may have gotten it from kissing another person. He said the blisters first appeared on his face and one was even inside his mouth.
“I’m hoping my face will go back to normal. Hopefully, in a couple of weeks. We’ll see," Wallace said.
He made it through with the help of pain meds, his partner and love from across the country.
“My inbox was filled with not just well-wishes for me, but just messages of gratitude saying, 'Thank you. Because of you, I got a vaccine. Thank you, because of you I got an appointment,'" Wallace said.
While Wallace is more than ready to get his life back, he wants to remain a resource for anyone else battling the virus.
“Providing that experience, they can feel maybe just not so alone. And to also let them know that, 'Hey, I came out the other side looking OK, doing fine. You’ll get there too. Just grit your teeth. It’ll be over soon,'" Wallace said.