It’s My Turn for the Scourge

It’s my turn. Finally. Possibly inevitably- as eventually we may all get a turn.

This Covid scourge started March 2020. That is when I started working remotely and never returned to the workplace. (Loving that.)
That is 130 weeks and one day since Covid began. Or 910 days.
That’s how long I avoided getting Covid. 

And then I got it.

How lucky I was to have been vaccinated and boosted to minimize my actual case once I contracted it. How lucky I was to have gotten the mildest yet most contagious version yet. Those two facts are not lost on me.

How utterly predictable and cliche as I eventually let my guard down, thinking I was immune. And that was the exact moment this virus waits for to strike if you are meant to get it.

Some of my most vigilant and careful friends got it by letting their guard down- going unmasked at a large gathering of people.
One occasion in time of not being ultra careful proved their vulnerability.

Still, some have never gotten it – many have not ever gotten it that they know. As a matter of fact. I know two world travelers who went all around the world and never got it. And another who traveled abroad unmasked and went to museums and did not get a thing.

At the time several months ago when I was still a NOVID, I had discussed this with a friend over lunch. She  thinks that some of us have higher concentrations of Vitamin D or some elements  in our bodies making our resistance better for this particular illness. Who knows really, why some remain untouched, especially those who do not take care.

In full disclosure, l did take some risks in my past, such as air travel and going on a cruise. I took care on all of my trips, but it still could have struck and it did not.

I stayed masked longer than most, until I stopped just recently. I found myself in a large public place. And that is where I must have caught Covid though I will never be completely sure.

Wednesday evening September 7 was my first symptom-  a scratchy throat and some chills and a feeling that it couldn’t possibly be what I hoped it would not be, or was it? Had I evaded it this long for it to finally strike?. I don’t get sick much and my last upper respiratory anything was last January with an ear infection with no Covid.

I went to bed early, kind of bundled up to see if I still felt bad in the morning. I informed my husband I was tired and had chills.

By Thursday morning, I had a headache, a still scratchy throat, and the beginnings of a head cold with low grade fever. No denying that I had to test for Covid. I called my doctor and he ordered the no mistakes or false positives – PCR test for me.

Since I had an afternoon appointment, I took an at-home test and was shocked at how rapidly it signaled positive. I took another a few hours later. Positive again. 
Still, I avoided it for so long, I was in shock. I am double vaccinated, twice boosted. My last booster was in March, meaning my immunity was nil at this point. 

This variant is a one to three day turnaround and that put me squarely in Galveston, where I spent the long Labor Day weekend in a beautiful beach home. My family and I were all together all weekend, with loads of baby and toddler kisses, wiping drippy noses, hugs, and playtime. Even with 5 days, it was Galveston, oh Galveston.

I was the only one who got Covid from our Galveston adventure. Except two days after I tested positive, my husband Gary tested positive. No other family members were affected.

We thought back and there were two times that we were vulnerable and STUPID and unmasked. One was at the Galveston aquarium where there were hundreds of people doing the family thing as we were, and the other was at a very crowded ice cream shop. 

Though I would normally mask at big indoor things, I let my guard down. Just this once! I was having fun with my family and the toddlers, and I went free of a mask to smile and laugh with them. I mask at movies and concerts indoors. Yet I risked it this time. Who knows why?
And I got Covid.

My PCR which came back 24 hours later was of course positive for Omicron. Now I am in that large number on the national counter of heads that had Covid.

Day one I guess was Wednesday though I had no symptoms until early evening. I was able to work and function well. 
Day two, felt weak, head cold and needed Tylenol every four hours. This is the day I felt like I had a mild flu and a low grade feverDay three -stayed in bed and felt weak with little appetite but only needed Tylenol in the AM. By evening I was fever free and feeling better. 
Day four- a light cough, but feeling good. No more pain or fever. Here’s something weird though – severe leg cramps. Had to keep stretching my legs.

Day five – this is the day I started testing again because I felt over it. Not over by a long shot. Still testing positive 7 days later, though I have been feeling normal for many days.

I did not ask for other medications, and did not need them given my speedy recovery.
I also did the responsible thing and isolated. When my husband caught it, we isolated together. Lots of at-home time. Even cancelled the housekeeper.
Fortunately again, I work remotely, so I never missed work as I felt well enough to work and knew I had a long weekend of laying around to really recover. And that’s exactly what I did even when I was feeling better. Photo to attest that my tan from Margate and Galveston defied my sick in bed look.

I guess I am one of the lucky ones, as Omicron proved very mild for me.
For me, the worst part of this was the fear of catching it and not knowing how it could affect me. This virus, even in its weakest state of the current version, is still quite unpredictable. Still, I am very healthy, and I probably did not need to fear this, although I am glad I stayed cautious through other versions.

I was about to check out the new vaccine, but now it says I have to wait 90 days for it. I hope I have 90 days of immunity now that I have had a full bout of Omicron, as I have two trips planned in October.

Now I am curious about re-infection or re-lapses and the actual range of immunity. Should I begin being careful again and go masked everywhere?

That’s my story. Count my number among the millions of cases of this virus. In other words, me too.