Your Result: COVID-19 Positive in Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of HAPPINESS

Yep, you read it right. No I’m not vaccinated (nor am I anti-vaccine) and yes I ALWAYS wore my mask.

So, I was sick on Friday (the first day of school was Thursday). My symptoms were irritated throat (itchy), headache (I ALWAYS have headaches so not a big deal), diarrhea and a tummy ache, low fever, slight chills....I kid you not, and by the end of the day I felt better. A little tired, but I didn’t think anything of it because I hadn’t slept well the night before.

Saturday: I felt GREAT! However, because I work in education, I wanted to do my due diligence and have a covid test. I went through Walgreens (they have you administer your own nose swab through the drive thru pharmacy window). I just really felt a little tired that day, and since I had been sick the day before I thought nothing of it.

Sunday: MY ANXIETY FELT LIKE IT WAS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH. It was weird…it was like I felt overwhelmed and on edge. How I often feel when my anxiety is through the roof. It was like an out of body experience and heightened senses…I felt good though otherwise. I had a TOUGH day with my kids that day, so I honestly attributed it to them. Plus, I had given my daughter the day off from her ADHD meds. YIKES.

Monday: I was literally getting out of bed to get ready from work. I felt groggy and a little sluggish and then I saw that I had an email notification that I INDEED have COVID. As soon as I read that, EVERYTHING made sense. My heightened senses, my body felt so tired, i was achey, and internally I feel warm, but the air conditioner and fan make my shiver. I also have intense eye pain (which I also have from time to time anyway, so I didn’t think anything of it). My biggest symptom that day was really what they call “Covid Fatigue”…I was literally moving at the speed of a snail. I did manage to clean my kitchen and wash the dishes.

Today: I woke up feeling LESS sluggish, but my eyes have been hurting all day. My senses are still extremely heightened. Almost so much so that it hurts....like instead of not being able to smell things, my ability to smell has magnified. Much like a pregnant woman, which is really funny because before I knew I had covid, I kept saying that I felt like a pregnant woman and like I could smell everything from miles away. I was able to make myself take a shower this morning, and I managed to go through the kids clothes and pull out things that didn’t fit. I really should sit down and relax because I AM EXHAUSTED....plus my back and arms are achey and I keep having random pings of pain (not intense pains, just out of the ordinary).

How on Earth I’ve been able to manage my anxiety I have no idea! I just thank the powers that be that my symptoms are mild and that I’m able to get up and function and still be a mom. Also, isn’t it crazy that in my previous entries I was going on and on about not transferring to my new building location until this Wednesday, and now I’m out until Tuesday of next week.

FUN FACTS ABOUT MY JOB: There’s no longer any funds for Covid Leave, so I have to either use my sick time or go unpaid. Also, I was called by a district Nurse who told me that I could return to work on Tuesday as long as I am symptom free. I asked if I needed to test negative first. THEY DO NOT REQUIRE ME TO TEST! WOW! I for sure still will, just to be sure. I mean, I work in education. I’m around hundreds of students and educators per day, I would hate to pass something along.

Do I know where I got it from? Well, like most people I do not know. I DO know that when we first were back in the school building almost 2 weeks ago, MOST teachers and staff were not wearing masks (as they feel safe for being vaccinated). I wore mine. Good thing, I only attended the first day of school which was last Thursday, so I didn’t have MUCH one on one time with students, but I did have a handful of names to turn in as close contacts. Also, why does it always feel like the person with Covid is the bad person? Like somehow I was supposed to know that I had it and steered clear from everyone. Anyway, the only other thing I can think of is the daycare that my kids are going to. My son was sick at some point last week before I was sick. He had a runny nose and sneezes and a cough. I just chucked it up to him being in daycare. Any time school starts or a child starts daycare. THEY USUALLY ALWAYS GET SICK! It’s just what happens. Anyway, I never thought anything of it. No one wears a mask at the daycare facility except my daughter. I always wear a mask in the building because I know that I work in a school and would hate to exchange germs. Even other parents don’t wear a mask that come in. My son has also had a change in behaviors lately and sometimes is inconsolable screaming and crying, so I’m now thinking maybe there’s some body aches or something that he couldn’t verbalize to me. He never had a fever though or anything else. He’s doing great right now. My daughter feels great, and my boyfriend is doing great…

So here’s a list of those symptoms again

-low fever (only one day)
-diarrhea (only one day)
-eye pain
-heightened senses (strong sense of smell, cold water is like ICE and the fan is like a WINTER WIND)
-headache
-muscle pain and aches
-chills
-severe fatigue, sluggish
-back pain
-every now and then I feel my organs rearranging much like pregnancy