I got Covid but WE all got Midnights

I got home from Texas around early afternoon Sunday, 8/28/22. I was tired and you guessed it, needed a nap. I took an extra long one and woke up not feeling great. I had a very minor sore throat that morning but I just thought it was from all the scream singing I did at the AM | DC concert. I honestly didn't think much of it until I woke up from that nap and my throat was on fire. I took a Covid test and it was negative so I just stayed in bed for the evening and watched Taylor kill it at the MTV Video awards. 

When I woke up Monday morning I was feeling worse but I started the day like I normally do. I took a shower and then hopped on Instagram where I found out courtesy of Maggie that Taylor had announced a new album at the VMAs (clearly I didn't watch until the end because I didn't think she would be back on the stage!) Then I saw a message from Kaycee about it too. I thought to myself - am I dreaming? am I hallucinating? is it the sickness? NOPE. Midnights is coming October 21! I went from pure elation to pure devastation real quick though. 

 

 I thought it would be best to take another Covid test before leaving the house. 

And for the first time in 2.5 years it was positive. 
Womp womp. 

   

 

I called Dustin and texted my boss and then went back to bed for many many hours.  I was out of work all week, obviously, and since the following Monday was Labor Day I got one extra day to rest. Each day I was up for a few hours watching TV and then I'd sleep for 3 hours. Repeat. I slept so much and still didn't feel rested. Olive rolled up into a little ball next to me a lot of the time instead of her poof (which is her preferred daytime napping location). 

I didn't leave the house for 6 or 7 days before I was finally able to drive to Starbucks for breakfast. I was so happy I tested negative and was starting to feel a bit like a human for the first time in awhile. It felt like those early pandemic days of never leaving the house and getting excited to be in my car for 15 minutes. 

DAY ONE            Sore throat, exhaustion, ears hurt, low grade fever

DAY TWO           Sore throat, exhaustion, ears hurt, congestion

DAY THREE       Sore throat, exhaustion, ears, hurt, congestion, low grade fever, lost taste

DAY FOUR         Exhaustion, congestion, no taste

DAY FIVE           Exhaustion, congestion, no taste

WEEK ONE         More energy, mucus and snot, coughing

WEEK TWO        So much coughing

WEEK THREE    Occasional cough, lots of clearing my throat due to mucus

I'm so thankful for all of my vaccinations because that shit was no fun. I couldn't even imagine what it would have been like without modern medicine. And I'm extremely grateful I didn't have trouble breathing. I certainly got winded easier but that was the extent. The BEST part was that Dustin somehow never got it (that we know of anyway - because he never had symptoms). We can't quarantine in our 1,000 SF place so he and I were still sleeping in the same bed each night. Although maybe it was his Darth Vader mask aka CPAP machine that protected him during the evenings. He would drop off food and medicine but we didn't have any physical contact and I missed hugging, kissing, and just hanging out with him. Erin also dodged it this time around but Meagan (another first timer!) was positive the same time as me. 

Dustin just got his 3rd booster (the new and improved one) Thursday and has felt kind of crummy from it this weekend. I can't get it for a few months since I just had Covid. But when I can, you betcha I will. 

4 Days for the 4th

I was lucky enough to have both Monday and Tuesday off work in honor of Indenpendence Day. I haven't had a 4 day weekend with no plans since maybe, Thanksgiving, so I was all about it. I made a check list of things I wanted to accomplish with all my free time. You know, important activities like watching TV and reading and what not.

• Grocery shopping - Dustin and I knocked that out Friday night. 
• Finish Kimmy Schmidt - Check! Hashbrown no filter. I love that show. Titus Andromedon is one of the funniest characters ever. Maya Rudolph as Dionne Warwick was everything.  Also you can't beat all of the pop culture references they throw in there. 
• Finish The Handmaid's Tale book - I've been meaning to read this forever but since the TV show came out on Hulu recently it gave me the added push to get it knocked out. It was good and oh so scary. But good. 
• Start The Handmaid's Tale show - Not only did I start it but I binged that sucker. I couldn't stop watching it and was done within 24 hours. It's very rare that I recommend a movie/show over the book but this is a rare exception. The show gives so much more detail where the book can't because it's strictly from Offred's point of view. Also I read on wikipedia that season 2 is being filmed this fall with a release in 2018.
• Trim my bush - The bush in our front yard grows so damn fast and at a certain point just gets wild and out of control. Not only is trimming this an amazing arm workout but it's oddly satisfying. You could barely see our 'Let's Go Pens' sign before and now all of the neighborhood knows we root for Pittsburgh. They might have also figured that out by the stickers on our cars and Dustin's constant Pittsburgh t-shirts but STILL. 
• Work out all 4 days I'm off - Totally did this! I even went to the gym when I wasn't feeling good which I'm not sure is commendable or just plain stupid. I only walked on the treadmill because I didn't want to push it but I was determined to meet my goal.
• Watch 4 new movies - I failed. I only watched two - Power Rangers (which was surprisingly good) and Moana (which was surprisingly boring).
• Move succulent - The succulent at my office was growing too big for it's pot and window sill so I brought it home and repotted it. I also bought a smaller succulent to bring back to work. I don't know what it is with my work window sill but every succulent I've had there flourishes. 
• Hardcore clean my house - Ehh. I cleaned for sure but I didn't get to the hardcore part. Maybe I'll try again this weekend. 
• Take 2-3 naps. Napping is one of my best talents and I aced this one with flying colors. 
• Watch lots of Roseanne - Dustin and I are just about to finish up season 3!
• Listen to at least 2 episodes of My Favorite Murder Podcast - I listened to 3 so totally killed it. I'm on episode 23 or something so I have a long way to go before I get caught up. 

'

Things I accomplished that were not on my checklist:

• Save a turtle - One day while driving to the gym I noticed something scurry to the middle of the road but I passed it too quickly so I turned around. Turns out it was a baby turtle and he had made it across the road just fine except he couldn't hop the curb. So I picked him up and placed him in the grass. 
• Start a new book - I am currently reading Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine which is apparently "soon to be a major motion picture produced by Reese Witherspoon". Who knew? 
• Get a sinus infection - On Monday night my nose started to run. By Tuesday both nostrils were 100% congested. The 4th was a miserable day of laying in bed not being able to get comfortable or sleep. I had body aches into the evening. I had a slight temporary fever. All of this was happening while Cheeto was burrowing his way up my ass to safety while the fireworks were going off. The four of us did not get any sleep. I got into see my doctor today and got some meds for a sinus infection. I can breathe slightly better which I'll take. My head is still pretty fuzzy but I'm better. 
• Binge GLOW - This show is so great. You don't even have to love wrestling or the 80s to appreciate it but if you do it certainly helps. Alison Brie is perfection. I love how original and hilarious it was. Also each episode is only 30 min. so you can breeze through it fairly quickly. Dustin watched it on and off as he checked on me and would get all the references to the old wrestlers Rick Flair and Hulk Hogan and all the others. 

Down With The Sickness

Last Tuesday I got to work and everything seemed normal until I got a tickle in my throat. You know the one. The one that makes you panic because it's 99% the start of an awful sickness. I tried to go about my day like it wasn't there but by lunch it was getting worse. So I ran over to Publix and got Airborne. By the end of the day my ears were on fire and my throat was extremely sore. I really thought I had an ear infection OR strep.

I woke up in even worse shape the following day and called in to work - or texted in to work as we do nowadays. Thankfully, my doctor's office was able to squeeze me in the day before a holiday. He told me my eardrums look healthy and that the pain must be from the pressure. When all was said and done he said I have a viral infection. He gave me a couple antibiotic prescriptions but said they really aren't going to help and told me I just had to tough it out. BUM-MER.

I was still able to enjoy Thanksgiving. Our only plans were to go pick up Boston Market. However, I did make green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole myself. I haven't lost my appetite at all but it's been hard to eat because every time I do my body throws itself into a coughing fit. If anything touches my throat EVEN AIR then it's all over. Thanksgiving night was probably the worst night of the whole ordeal. I woke up at 2AM and didn't fall back asleep until 4AM(ish). I was so miserable. I have woken up every night at 2AM since - either coughing or congested but always miserable.

So with the symptoms being as bad as they were and the fact that I wasn't really getting much sleep Dustin and I made the decision to postpone our Savannah trip. I was heartbroken over that. I had arranged for that trip back in summer and was really looking forward to it but I knew if we went I would be miserable and probably end up sick in a hotel room the entire time which is so not the point of going on vacation. We were able to cancel our original hotel with a full refund and found another hotel (actually the same one Erin and I stayed at last year) for around the same price so we booked it for this weekend! Whew!! So glad it worked out that way. Stupid viral infection ruining everything!

 It's now been over a week and I just slept through the night last night for the first time since Thanksgiving. I'm on my third BAG of cough drops and I've been through a bottle and a half of cold meds. Dustin bought me 5 cans of chicken and stars, throat spray, and little mini sprites. I have been living in my bed or on the couch. Back and forth. It's been years since I was this sick. What a pain in the ass. But I'm finally starting to feel like myself a little more each day.

Dustin is always the best but he really shines when I'm sick. He brings me whatever I need, forces me to take meds, makes me food, and will sit next to me for hours when I ask him to. He even put up the Christmas tree all by himself this year. Typically I'm the one putting it up and he'll help out with an ornament here and there but he did everything by himself. I tried to help but he wouldn't let me.

Tweets from the sick:

11/25/14
Of course I'd get sick right before a holiday weekend. OF COURSE.

11/26/14
Just wide awake at 2AM from an earache and sore throat. I want to cry but I'll just post this whiney status instead.

11/27/14
Just being a mopey mopester. I'm NOT thankful for this damn cold. I don't even have the energy to put the xmas tree up. Who am I?

11/28/14
Can't sleep night 3! Throat still on fire! Worst Thanksgiving since 2011.

I haven't stayed up all night in probably 10 years. And I'm sure back then I was having fun not feeling like death.

The cure for a sore throat is a Frosty.

11/29/14
Thank you NyQuil for letting me sleep through the night and yeah I totally think waking up at 6AM on a Sat. is keeping through the night.

All of the days this week have just blurred together.

CANNOT. STOP. COUGHING.

11/20/14
Oh hi 2:22AM. So glad to see you again. NOT.

11/30/14
I feel sick after watching that TWD ending. Whoa!

I guess I feel sickER. Because I already felt sick. Ha! The cold meds are getting to me.

12/1/14
When will I not see 2AM?! Ever? Totally exhausted and can't breathe.

12/2/14
It's 3AM and I must be lonely. Nope just sick.

I also started a video diary of my misery. Enjoy. 

I'm so sick so sick of being tired and oh so tired of being sick.

(source)

A timeline of events.

Sunday: We got back from our trip (I'll write about that at some point this weekend) and I took a little nap. I woke up with a scratchy throat but didn't really think much of it. But I took an Airbourne JUST IN CASE. 

Monday: Full on sore throat but no other symptoms. I stopped by Walmart before work and picked up Ricola and DayQuil. I was in good spirits regardless of my sandpaper throat. Little did I know this was the beginning of hell...

Tuesday: Shit hit the fan. Work was insane. My sore throat had turned into ear aches, sinus pressure/pain, congestion, lots of snot, and a super fuzzy head. I came home and sobbed for a good 20 minutes to Dustin about my day from hell. He went out and bought me crackers, soup, juice, and pop ice. He waited on me hand and foot. Yes, I'm bragging about my husband. He made me change into "comfies" and then he tucked me in bed. He unfolded the bed tray and laid it over my lap. He brought me a drink. Then he brought me soup and crackers. He made sure I had both remotes for the fan and TV. And when I was done he cleaned it all up. He asked repeatedly if I needed anything else. I just wanted to sleep so he let me sleep.

The saddest lunch in the world.

Wednesday: I took DayQuil and sucked on more Ricolas but it didn't really help. Work was a bit easier even though it was busier than ever. I wanted/needed to see a doctor. I don't have a PCP (primary care physician aka a family doctor). I have a gyno and that's it. I called 5+ MD offices and although they were all supposedly accepting new patients, none of them could get me in until July since I was not an established patient. So wait a second, let me get this straight...I have to schedule a visit when I'm feeling fine just so I am able to come in at a later date when I'm actually sick? That about right? How is it that a sick person can't make a appointment the same day to see a doctor?! Does this make sense to anyone? OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS FUCKED UP. I just can't even. Ugh. So then I called clinics. CentraCare. Solantic. Etc. They told me it would be $150 WITH INSURANCE. Yeah, I have insurance and it costs $150. More fucked up healthcare. 

Side note: A few years ago when I couldn't afford and/or didn't want to pay out the ass for insurance therefore choosing to decline insurance from my former employer, I would go to the local Walk In Clinic for illnesses and the government funded Health Department for all feminine annuals. Both were cheaper than insurance. I once got bit by a brown recluse spider and it cost me $75 at the clinic to get checked out and get 3 different prescriptions so I didn't end up with a hole in my leg. Same when I had vertigo - $75. Oh and pleurisy (chest x-rays included!) - $75. It was always $75 without insurance and I was totally game for that. So fast forward to full on adult hood (aka being insured) and I have to pay MORE out of pocket than when I didn't have insurance. Yeah yeah I lived in a different county then and sure Obamacare has made changes (some awesome and some not awesome) but it still baffles my mind. I only have insurance at this point because I know that I'm supposed to. Most of the time, I don't see the point.

I left 30 minutes early and although I was originally headed home to sleep, I called one other clinic to see what they charged. The lady said $120. It's no $35 co-pay but cheaper than $150 at those other clinics. I immediately veered off the next exit and headed for the clinic. It was super clean and nice. The best part? NO ONE WAS IN THE WAITING AREA. Score! I'm the only one sick on this part of town. I filled out my 'paperwork' on an iPad and thought to myself "whoa, the future is now". I waited maybe 10 minutes before being called back to the little room. A nurse took my vitals - all A-OK. The MD came in and checked me out. Diagnoses: sinus infection. I had suspected as much. She gave me prescription for amoxicillin and flonase. She told me to get lots of rest and fluids. Also, to make sure I didn't come down with a fever. I was out within 45 minutes. Pretty unheard of. Pretty awesome.

I forgot how wonderfully awesome pop-ice is and I didn't have to bum .25 off of a kid I don't know.

I drove straight to my pharmacy to get my prescriptions filled. My insurance "covered" both which means I still had to pay $15. Silver lining? Ugh, I guess you could call it that. But there was still a problem. The amoxicillin that was prescribed was a damn horse pill. I don't do pills. There are two pills I can and will take. Birth control because duh and it's super itty bitty. And the oval shaped blue Aleve. That's it. Thankfully the MD and pharmacy helped me out and gave me the liquid version. Another silver lining. Things were looking up for the first time in days.

Yes, that's a hippo cup. 

When I came home Dustin had me lay down in bed straight away. He brought me my medicine and I gladly took a shot of the pink amoxicillin. The flonase was a new experience but I think I did pretty well. When you are that sick you will do just about anything to feel better. He set me up just as he did the previous night. I stayed up until 8PM and then I started to drift away.

Thursday: I woke up at 3AM miserable. Couldn't breathe at all. Couldn't sleep at all. So of course I used my time wisely - responding to texts and random social media comments. (Sorry if I disturbed anyone. I was only half awake. I can't be held responsible.) I woke up when Dustin did and took my meds. I called texted in sick to work. I felt really bad about that. I literally haven't called out sick in YEARS. At my last job, I left early sick twice in two years. Never a full day. Seriously! I can't remember the last time I was even sick. It's been over a year at least. I was certainly overdue I suppose. I needed to rest. I knew my body just wasn't going to make it at a full work day. Thankfully it wasn't a problem.

I fell back asleep until 9. I literally stayed in bed all day. I only got up twice. Once to get a drink and the other to use the restroom/take a shower. I could care less how dirty I was but showers really help relieve congestion. And it did help for awhile but it didn't last long. I watched lots of Friday Night Lights and then the back of my eyelids. By the time Dustin came home the sinus pressure was ridiculously uncomfortable and painful. I was kind of a bitch (which I apologized for today). I tried to sleep but the pain was too much. So I laid there, eyes closed, listening to music on my iPhone.

 

Siri was a whole lot of help.

 Friday: I woke up without any pain and only minor congestion. I wasn't exactly 100% but I was feeling worlds better than I had all week. I went to work and had a pretty busy but good day. I still have to clear my throat every three minutes and I'm still blowing my nose (not nearly as often! small victories!) but I'm starting to feel like me again.

I've always had this theory on anything sick related. It takes one week, seven full days, to really get back on your feet. It was true for the surgeries I've had and all the other random illnesses I've suffered through. So I'm hoping to be 100% by Sunday. Fingers crossed!

* * *

To Dustin: In sickness and in health. Through it all, you are there. You are the one person I can rely on for everything and I hope you know how much that means to me. I never have to ask because you already know. You just fucking know. You are the best. 

To Nicole: I STILL feel bad I had to cancel our plans. Thank you for being so cool and understanding, not that I ever expect anything less from you. You are such a good and genuine friend. Next Thursday, it's ON!