I Thought It Was Bronchitis

 Over several years I have developed allergies, which blows by itself. This summer I had the usual symptoms: slight sore throat, watery eyes...you know the drill. And then the cough started. That deep, bronchial cough. I hate having bronchitis. It was Sunday, so I knew there would be no going to work on Monday.

Monday the back ache started, right across my bra line. Ugh: all of the coughing was now causing the body aches, but weirdly not in my ribs. So I was sucking down cough medicine and taking Tylenol like a junkie. However, it didn't seem to be helping. I had no appetite and because I wasn't eating, I wasn't taking my actual daily medication. Ugh.

Then Tuesday rolled around. It's summer but I was going from hot to cold. I finally ate a banana so I could take my meds. That evening, I don't know what happened. I woke up, stood up, and felt woozy. I have never fainted in my life but this came really close. "Mom, what's the matter?" Brie asked. "I don't know." "You look terrible!" It felt like my eyes were rolling around in my head, and I had never felt like this before. "Maybe I just have to use the bathroom. I'll be right back." I stumbled to the bathroom and sat down.

When I came out I went back to the couch and collapsed. "Um, mom: do you think you need to take a covid test?" Brie asked. "Nope. I take one every week at work and it's always negative. And I'm always very careful." "I think you should take one." I didn't have the energy to fight. "Okay, if you set it up." She did.

The box said that you would get results in 10 minutes. In 20 seconds it came back positive! I was so offended, I didn't know what to do! I wanted to cry, but didn't have the energy. I told the girls to take tests and thank God they came back negative. So I was quarantined with only the dogs for company. They were so happy to have Grammy home with them! Selfish little dogs.

I think that if I'd had any idea that I had covid, I would have panicked and it would have been worse. But I thought it was bronchitis so I treated for bronchitis and body aches, which is what my doctor (when I called her the next day) said to do: just treat your symptoms. So in the grand scheme of things: I was very lucky. I never lost my sense of smell or taste, I lost a few pounds, no one else got it and I was better by Friday. God is good!

The funniest incident from this is one night the girls were begging me to eat but I wasn't hungry. I was laying on the couch half asleep and then I informed them that I was going to order prime rib from Texas Roadhouse for delivery, and also steak frites from Gaslight in Lake George for delivery. Brie said, "Um...neither of those places deliver mom. Did you want something else?" "No, that is what I want for dinner." Then I fell asleep.

When I woke up 2 hours later, I asked Brie where my food was. "What food?" "I ordered delivery from Texas Roadhouse and Gaslight." "Mom, you didn't order anything and they don't deliver. I'm sorry." "No one cares about me! TJ could have brought me my dinner from Gaslight! I have no food!" "Mom, I'll make you something. What do you want to eat?" By this time I had fallen back asleep.

The morale of the story is this pandemic has been going on for almost two and a half years. Numbers are down: but that still doesn't mean covid is gone. You can be vaccinated and boosted yet still get covid. So remain vigilant!

Lastly, here's a pic of my souvenir from my brush with covid. It's a patch of vitiligo on my wrist. It's not contagious, there's nothing you can do about it and I'm praying it doesn't spread. It's caused by a virus: just like covid. Bummer!