I Got The Covid!

So, it finally happened. I knew it would happen one day and that day is finally here. I got the Covid. And to be honest it’s not been too bad for me so far. I know I probably have the Omicron variant. Which is supposed to be mild. But compared to other Flus in the past this has been easy. At the moment, all I have had to contend with is a headache that feels like someone has placed a weighted hat on my head. Also a chesty cough that sometimes feels that I have a weight placed on sometimes.

It all started when I woke up for work one night,14th Dec, and the wife was complaining about loosing her taste buds. Red flags went straight up and, of course, I was concerned. But not too concerned that I knew what had to be done. I called my work and explained the situation and asking for advice. I was told to come and take a Lateral Flow test. The father in law was also informed and he brought over a test for the wife. I got to work and after speaking to security. I waited outside the gate house for someone to collect me to do the test. Over an hour later two of the managers had turned up to speak to me. During this time the wife had taken the test and sent me a picture of the results. I showed them and they confirmed that it was positive. As I didn’t know either way. They then told me that they only do the test for particular reasons. And I did not fit the bill. So, I was told to go and get a PCR test and inform them of what was going on. So, I went home again.

Now at this point I was feeling fine apart from a occasional cough which they told me was a symptom. So… Great!

Getting home. By 11:50pm I had gone online, booked and received my email confirming my PCR test for myself and the missus.

15th Dec. I went to bed about four that morning and we got up around nine and got ready to be at the test center for twelve. Now I was feeling a little different. My head was feeling weighted. I grabbed some paracetamol. Then got ready. My chest felt, I don’t know, it wanted to have problems with breathing but didn’t at the same time plus. wasn’t sure if it wanted to cough either. So after a while, I ignored it as best as I could and carried on.

The test center, we went to, is located at Grays beach car park. We got their about half hour early and went straight in as there was not many people about. Security scanned our QR codes and we were sent along to a tent where someone was waiting for us. She told us to take one of the packages each. That was on a table for us. We were then taken to a large cubical and then was taken through the procedure of doing our own PCR test. They weren’t kidding about those swabs. Sticking something in to the back of your mouth was bad enough and then using the same swab to stick into the back of the inside of your nose. I did think this was really weird. But we carried on with the procedure. Place the swab into a tube and sealing it up in a bag. We tidied up. Threw the leftovers in to a bin and then we walked to an another booth. A man stood behind a plastic sheet. The wife had to help as I could barely hear him. He scanned my appointment sheet and scanned a piece of paper with a bar code on it. This I believe made it so the test I just did could be associated with myself. The wife did the same and we left and that was it. Less than ten minutes and we were done. Cool.

We got home eventually and this is where we have been since. One little realisation hit me when out and about. The Covid headache doesn’t like the cold. So a tip. When at home wrap up if needed but do not turn the heating on. Or even better open a window. The virus will heat you up. The cold helps with trying to keep your head clear. If you’re able maybe stand in the back garden. Or on a balcony. Just so you can take advantage of the cold.

16th Dec. I had received a phone call the night before, from work, asking for an update. Seeing as I was still waiting for the results there was nothing to say. Important rule. The virus will instantly make you tired. All you will want to do is go to sleep. Which I supposed is a good thing. But remember to keep your energy levels up. Eat when you can. Even if it’s something small. And drink plenty of liquids. You are fighting a virus so the body is always loosing energy. I have noticed I am getting more hunger pangs. Even if I don’t want any food. If you taking pain killers. You need to eat plenty of fiber as pain killers can make you constipated.

It was late afternoon when the wife got her results and a couple of hours later, I got mine. And it was confirmed that we both were positive. I informed work, giving them copies of all the emails and went online and filled in an isolation form for work. Just so my arse is covered.

I then had to give the bad news to the father in law and family I would normally meet up with to hand out presents and said we will meet up after Christmas.

17th Dec. No different this morning. I woke up. No pain killers today. I can’t be bothered. The headache, while still there, I can get away with ignoring it along as I keep my mind occupied. The wife is still a little worse than me. But she’s bearing up. Wanting to do chores around the house and wondering why she doesn’t have the energy. Stubborn as usual. She still says she can’t taste anything. So I don’t how long that’s going to take to get back to normal.

That’s pretty much how we stand at the moment. At home. In isolation. For Christmas. The father in law has offered to get us some things if we need it. But this is it. I am not back to work until the 26th Dec. We just have to take it one day at a time and see what happens.