I Have Covid.

 I Have Covid

Sunday, March 20: I have Covid. I don’t expect it to be as bad as some experience. I was vaccinated. I had the booster. Don’t misunderstand. It is yucky. My head feels like a balloon about to burst. (No “airhead” comments, please.)

 

The onset was Saturday evening. I tested today (Sunday). I didn’t even have to wait the full fifteen minutes for the rapid test to know I tested positive. I feel tired, worn out, achy, and stuffed up. And this is only the first day.

 

To be honest, I thought I had dodged the bullet. While others tested positive, I stayed healthy. 

 

On Saturday night, I rummaged through my medicine cabinet for some cold and flu meds. I came across some ibuprofen I bought in Kosovo but it was sorely out of date. The Nyquil was within its expiration date so I took two gel caps and headed to bed.

 

Four and a half hours later I woke up with the stuffy head and took two more gel caps.

 

This morning, Sunday, my son-in-law, David, brought me a rapid Covid test kit. I barely had the swab in the card when the line started appearing. I have Covid. 

 

This is a reality check. No one is exempt. No one.

 

My daughter, Allison brought me some real meds. The typical stuff like painkillers and Walgreens version of Nyquil. But when I say REAL meds, I’m talking stuff like a Hershey bar, Pepsi, Sprite, and my all-time favorite cure for anything that ails you…chocolate pudding.

 

Monday, March 21: I slept intermittently last night. Coughing and congestion is par for the course. I don’t know if it is the stuffiness causing my headache or the coughing. It doesn’t matter. My head hurts. I’ve slept the day away.

 

My daughters are checking in. My mother is praying. Friends are offering help if I need anything. 

 

I am by myself…but I am not alone. It is a good feeling in light of all I'm experiencing.

 

Tuesday, March 22: I must be improving. Today I watched a couple of old westerns on television without the noise hurting my head. I prayed a fairly coherent prayer for people under attack in the Ukraine, though God knows my heart so even when my thoughts were a bit disjointed these past couple of days, I’m sure he heard the prayer deep within me.

 

I made chicken fettuccini for dinner. Much better than opening a can of chicken noodle soup even though I’m grateful for having some of that on hand yesterday when the thought of cooking anything sounded daunting.

 

By my calendar, I think I will be able to see other humans face-to-face (or maybe mask-to-mask) in little over a week from now. 

 

If you haven’t been personally touched by Covid, sing praises to God. 

If you have been vaccinated, know that you are not immune but will likely not face the serious consequences of hospitalization or death we saw happening in the early phases of the pandemic.

If you are not vaccinated, go to your local pharmacy and get vaccinated.

 

And to be prepared, include these items in your pandemic emergency kit: ibuprofen, a cold and flu remedy, extra tissues, and plenty of chocolate pudding. 

Author's Note: I do not intend to be flippant about Covid 19 in any way. I personally know people who have died from the virus and only this week spoke on the phone with a close friend who spent a month in the hospital with a Covid 19 variant. When I write about chocolate pudding or aim for a bit of humor, it is because I tend to handle stressful situations best if I maintain a positive attitude. Please don't let your guard down. Wear the mask. Even in the grocery store or hardware store and restaurants. Wash your hands. Follow the guidelines as if they were rules. Do your part. And I'll do mine.