I’ve long been vaccinated and boosted, but finally caught COVID just in time for Thanksgiving. I wonder how many people it’s been through between the bat and/or escaping the lab in Wuhan and my lungs. By most accounts I’ve had a mild case, but it’s the most miserable sickness I’ve ever had. My memory of events is kinda fuzzy, shoulda been writing more frequently.
Monday morning I was tired and had a bit of a hoarse voice, meh, just another Monday. By Monday night however I had a deep dry cough that kinda tasted metallic-ish, headache, a bit of chest tightness, and a runny nose. It actually reminded me a lot of getting sick from galvanize poisoning from welding, but I haven’t been welding. I started feeling like I had a fever so I took a rapid test. Positive, fuck.
Then the chills set in. I experienced these after my 2nd shot and my booster, this time they lasted way longer. I spent all night, Tuesday, Tuesday night wrapped up in a blanket with my head propped up on the couch in front of my space heater. Even getting up and going to the bathroom I had to be bundled up in my blanket and unwrapping just for a bit made me shake hard. Roll over, get shivers. Drink water, get shivers. Only had a mild fever, 99.7.
I would sleep for an hour or two, then spend the next hour mindlessly scrolling through Twitter and Reddit over and over until I could sleep again. I really didn’t feel like doing anything, not even looking at my laptop or watching TV. Coughs were deep, unproductive, unpleasant, and felt better when I’d sit up and lean over when one came on. I was chugging water every time I coughed or got up, and had a mountain of TP from blowing my nose. Sore throat, headaches, and chest tightness pretty much went away.
By Wednesday evening the chills finally let up. Now I just started cycles of hot and cold with a fever of 100.7. I’d either be laying there uncovered, baking in a puddle of sweat, or have to cover up, only to repeat later. The coughs were starting to be minimally productive, just enough to be satisfying. I was starting to wonder if this is how it was going to, if my temp would keep going up and up, my lungs filling up more, and if things were going to get worse somehow. Oddly enough the cats didn’t care much for me when I was roasting, I figured they’d be with me soaking up the warmth but they largely decided to sleep in the chair.
Fortunately I never lost my sense of smell, taste, or appetite. I had pizzas delivered and I gobbled them down. I also never experienced any shortness of breath, which I was really concerned about. Anything to do with touching my eyeballs and not being able to breath are two things I lose my shit over. I was frequently taking deep breaths to make sure I still could without any pain or difficulty. I had a pulse ox and it never got below 96% SpO2.
Thanksgiving morning, I was feeling better … I thought. The fever finally stopped, still coughing, and had a stuffy head. I took a shower and felt really tired after and took a nap. That continued throughout the day, I felt fatigued more than I’ve ever felt before, just ugh. I was hoping I could pick up a hot turkey dinner from the grocery store, but I was so tired I didn’t want to deal with calling and picking it up. Then I wound up having to go pick up my pizza anyways because nobody was doing delivery.
Friday I was feeling better yet. Not tired anymore, I was up vacuuming, taking out the trash, and doing laundry. Still testing positive, blah.
Today I’m feeling much better, but I’m realizing through typing this and a phone conversation with my bank that my thoughts really are cloudy today. It’s taking some focus to stay concentrated, I find myself retyping the same parts of sentences in a row, spelling errors, and memory of the week is a bit more fuzzy than I’d expect. I don’t really feel sleepy or tired, no other symptoms, not even sinus congestion, just thinking is .. off. I guess this shit is real, and I really hope it doesn’t linger!
