COVID Positive

Well, it finally got me. Nearly three years into this pandemic, millions of people lost to it, vaccines, restrictions, livelihoods in turmoil…and I finally turned up positive this week.

Life, as I said in my last entry eight months ago, was mostly normal. We all had come to the understanding that we needed to live with COVID, the same as we do with seasonal flu. For some that means being more careful: vaccinations, masks when in public spaces, or when exposed to those who are elderly or unwell. But overall things are back to prepandemic routines.

I switched schools over the summer, back to a public school. It felt odd to set up for this year without any of the things I’d worried about the last two years: no worries about distance between desks, or placement, or masks. No virtual learning. No need to submit seating charts for quarantining…we don’t do that any more. In fact, the only way we know a student comes down with COVID these days is if they share it with us themselves.

But rest assured, they definitely are coming down with it. About three weeks into the year we had a bit of a spike at my school. Multiple teachers out, a few students in every class. Then it calmed down. But a few weeks ago the flu started to ramp up. Stories of kids with insanely high fevers, out for a week or two.

I traveled twice this fall, being careful to wear my mask on the airplane (no longer required, and I was one of very few who did). I had several friends who traveled and came down with it upon their return. My oldest son, who is not vaccinated at all, came through town last week with his kids. He warned us the two girls were not well and offered not to stop for the overnight respite. Of course we did not take him up on it. However, by the next morning he too was sick, and by the next day they all were. It was either the flu or COVID, not sure which.

On Saturday night my husband and I went out to dinner. I felt fine throughout the meal but when we came home I felt an overwhelming sense of fatigue. I attributed it to the wine at dinner. But by the morning I knew something wasn’t quite right. I still got up and went out to run the 5K I’d signed up for that day, and felt much better afterwards. Any physical activity always makes me feel better. By 3 in the afternoon I was having chills and by 5 I was down for a nap on the sofa. When I woke, my temperature was 101.

I’ve been sick a few times this year, but haven’t always bothered to take a COVID test. I guess I kind of just knew that the illnesses were run of the mill colds. This felt different, so I took a test. Sure enough, it was positive. I couldn’t believe it. Three years have gone by, three years I’ve dodged this bullet. Three years of being careful and cautious. Of vaccinations and masks.

Whether I got it from my son or a student (I have two that emailed me saying they were positive over the weekend) I guess doesn’t really matter. I’m sick.

The first day, I mostly slept. I ran a fever of 100-101 and had a mild cough.

The second day, I felt much more alert. My fever dropped to 99-100 but the cough increased as did the congestion.

Today is third day. I am at about 99 which isn’t really a fever, but is definitely elevated (I usually run 97 or sometimes even below that). I am far more congested and coughing and have muscle aches.

I had hoped to go back to work tomorrow. I had a friend who had COVID earlier this fall and she was fine in three days. I’m starting to think that won’t happen. 😦 It’s a terrible time of year to be sick. I have to isolate in my room and work from my bed, which isn’t helping the muscle aches. I’m trying to wrap up Christmas shopping online. I’m sad to be all alone.

I know. What a ridiculous rant. There are so many who died from this disease, who have been hospitalized, whose lives are forever altered by it. I need to remind myself of that. This is inconvenient but it will pass. That makes me lucky. I just need to remember that.