I finally popped my COVID-19 cherry after 2.5 years of avoiding the virus. Who'd have thunk mask mandates and social distancing maybe worked in delaying all of us getting the virus at once? I gotta say, this virus is not 'just like a cold' for me. Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Including my blog 'cause I know a couple of people who had slightly sniffly noses from COVID. Sadly, this has not been my experience. It's been nearly two weeks and I still can't shake my phlegmy cough so I haven't been out in public. Sometimes, not sharing is caring.
My sore throat appeared overnight. I woke up feeling lucky that I could swallow because my throat hurt so much, but besides that I felt fine. So I went to work (from home) and after a few hours I realised my forehead was burning up and that was probably why I was struggling to focus on a meeting I just sat in. I knew I was ill because it was lunch time and I didn't feel like eating. The thought of trying to host my next meeting made me so tired I was ready to face plant on my keyboard. I let the team know I was going offline, cancelled my dinner plans, and went to bed. Where I stayed for 6 hours.
Even though my forehead was hot I couldn't get warm no matter how many layers of blankets I piled on top. I dozed on and off as Boyfriend Pham came home from work, then went to our neighbours' house for dinner. They dropped off delicious, hot lamb curry dinner for me, which I ate but couldn't fully taste. Then I went back to bed and slept for 12 hours.
Day 2 my fever broke overnight and then a river started running out of my nose all day. I had enough energy to watch a bit of Netflix between naps. I had a scare after waking up from a nap on the couch where I couldn't get enough oxygen in my lungs. At first I panicked which made my breathing quick and shallow, which didn't help at all. But then I got my nerves in check and started some deep breathing exercises. Consciously deep breaths got me back into a good place after about 20mins, and I spent the next 40-ish minutes doing mindful breathing until my breathing and oxygen levels returned to normal. Well, sick normal.
Day 3 I managed to sit upright for some of my Netflix binging. Though, the naps and snot continued. I had well and truly lost my sense of taste over the past 24 hours and was on a plain crackers diet. I also spoke in a whisper because trying to project my voice like normal made me feel out of breath.
Day 4-5 my runny snot turned to phlegm and my sense of taste started to return. I thought I'd be over COVID in another couple of days. I was wrong.
It's day 12 as I write and I still get the odd coughing fit where I sound asthmatic and then feel short of breath and have to do deep breathing to feel okay again. I am coughing up less phlegm, but it's not the dry cough that would mean I can venture outside in a mask so I remain in isolation. I need to rest after doing basic chores like laundry, unloading the dishwasher, or moving about the small kitchen too much while I cook.
Here's hoping I get some immunity from having the virus. I was looking at getting a fourth vaccination the week I got sick. I'd hate to see how badly the virus would have impacted us if we weren't vaccinated. It has not been a fun time. I don't know when I'll be recovered enough to do a proper workout if walking up the stairs makes me puffed.
