I have a Covid-19 Quarantine tale to tell. I felt more tired than normal for about a week and half or so before this past weekend. I said to myself, “But who isn’t, right?” Nothing is normal. I knew I was having a trauma response in some ways to the situation. James got hurt. I was in caregiver mode. My people needed me. I am good at taking care of everyone. I’m taking of me too. I’m okay. And did we have enough groceries? Was I protecting the kids well enough? Would I be able to pay bills? So, I was tired. Then, Friday March 27, in the afternoon, I cleaned our house from top to bottom, disinfecting everything. It was spotless. Laundry all washed. Floors clean. We were ready to really really settle in and ride this thing out. I started wheezing. I have asthma. I used my inhaler. It didn’t seem to help. Saturday I seemed okay mostly, still wheezing though. A heaviness was settling in my chest. Hmmm. No, don’t think of that, it can’t be that. I took some Sudafed- my throat seemed mucous-y too. Went to bed 10p.m.-ish. Felt the hint of a headache coming on. I slept restlessly. Sunday, 5 a.m., I awoke with the worst headache I have ever had I believe. It intensified throughout the day. At 1 p.m. I took my temperature. I didn’t think I felt warm really. Oh. It was 103.1. The headache held on for 27 hours. Going down into my neck and shoulder. I felt weak. Fatigued. Stomach felt strange. Slightly nauseous. But I was hungry!My temperature fluctuated all day. Monday March 30, morning I called my family physician. He called back on a telemedicine video call. He referred me to a respiratory therapist an hour away to be examined further and my lungs checked. The receptionist made my appointment. I drove myself there. My car was the only one in the front lot there. It was an urgent care/ physicians’ offices building. The sliding doors were locked. The building was closed. Appointments only. A guard let me in. I had a mask and gloves on already. I was directed to sit in 1 of the only 3 available chairs in the waiting area after I stood behind the yellow tape 6 feet away from the appointment scheduled behind the counter. I was told to not touch anything. Everything is very lonely about this time in our lives right now. The nurses and techs and respiratory therapist were covered from head to toe, no skin showing, face shields. The first nurse was very nervous. My heart went out to her. To all of them. To all of those on the front lines. And, here, I was in the middle of it. How did I get here? First, after an exam and a few questions (they already had my records in their system- there wasn’t much to ask) I was tested for Influenza A and Influenza B. 15 minutes passed. Those were negative. I was then tested for Covid-19 because I am at a higher risk because of asthma and I work in a school. Great news was that my lungs sounded clear, and have good airflow. I was prescribed prescription strength Tylenol and told to take 1000 mg as needed. My headache was coming back, and this sounded good to me. She said it wouldn’t hurt for me to take some antibiotics, so she prescribed a Z-Pak, on the off chance it is something bacterial, or if it was bronchopneumonia, which is bacterial, caused by a virus. I was scolded for touching a door with my gloved hand. All reasonable and necessary and understandable, but still so surreal. I was told it would be 3 to 5 days before I got a call with a result. The doctor said to go on as if I have Covid and continue to be cautious. Quarantine quarantine quarantine! Call if I’m having trouble breathing. Tuesday, March 31st headache came and went, body temperature fluctuated throughout the day from 99-100. Wednesday, April 1, woke up. This was my 3rd night of fever dream sleep. My covers were a tangled mess, half on the floor this morning. Headache again. I got the call from the respiratory therapist’s nurse! I am surprised it came so quickly. She started to say, “Your test was posit-,” then corrected herself, saying ‘negative.’ Whew, right? She did say that it’s quite possible it’s a false negative, and I still must take precautions and quarantine myself for an additional 14 days. Call if I’m in respiratory distress. It was explained to me by a loved one more knowledgeable than I that this means that there is that possibility that there wasn’t enough of the virus to have raised the level of antibodies to the testable threshold. I researched this in a science journal, and this explanation was echoed. So I will continue to quarantine myself the best I can with 2 kids in the house. I wear my mask when I’m close to them. Everything is disinfected multiple times a day. We wash our hands a lot. I try not to breathe on people. Oh, yeah, my sense of smell is partially gone, just in the left nostril. Today my temperature has been 99, 100, 101.7, and 99.7. I got a little bit of fresh air outside. I watched a cardinal, a mourning dove, a finch, and 3 robins hop about, mingling while eating the seed and bread crumbs. I am feeling better, more like myself, this evening. I made supper without getting winded. My legs didn’t feel like lead.
Before I got sick with the symptoms, I adjusted to the situation quietly. Alternatively crying (Was I sad, scared, thankful? It was all of that.) and being irritable, then jolly, all the while taking care of everyone around me. All of my loves. I was doing my best to take care of me. I thought I was handling it okay. The crying spells were difficult. Maybe hard for James to watch me sniffle and snort and weep while he told me stories and jokes. I had no control over the crying. I said, “Just roll with it. Keep talking. This is who I am now.” He would kiss me. Rub my shoulder, my arm.
Please, stay out of the stores unless you really need something. Only 1 person needs to go. Sanitize. Wear a mask.
I cannot wait for warmer days. It will help us all here in this house for sure. Just being outside more.
I am scared of everything happening. But also I am thankful for the slow-down. Thankful I don’t have to rush anywhere. Thankful I have my children right here. Sending out prayers to the universe that they don’t get sick.
I do anticipate the days when the sick are no longer sick. The hospital beds start to empty- because the patients have GONE HOME! How we will rejoice!
There is so much GOOD if you just look around. So much kindness. #covid19 #quarantine2020 #mystory #possiblefalsenegative? #whoknows #everylittlethinggonnabealright
