Well, Gentle Readers…after 5 long, healthy years (not so much as a sniffle!) and multiple vaccinations I have finally contracted Covid-19. And it kinda sucks.
Here’s what happened:
My sister (on the mainland) was in hospital and I wanted to visit. So I rented a car to make the 9 hour journey (including a 2 hr ferry) to go see her. (I didn’t want to take my electric car as I wasn’t sure where/if I could find charging stations and also didn’t want to make the journey any longer by having to stop to recharge several times.)
As I am pulling into her town and seeing the big red billboards scaring welcoming me (JESUS LOVES YOU. DO YOU LOVE JESUS?), I get a sweary text from my sister announcing that she has contracted Covid. Does your girl immediately turn around and book it back home like a sane person would? Hell no! I put on an N95 mask and trotted right over to that den of germs and said hello, sister how ya doin? Spent a couple of days visiting with her (and eventually her newfound roomie, also with Covid) – always masked and sanitizing my hands every 5 minutes.
Then I awoke at 1:30 one morning because I had turned in bed and my nose was running like a proverbial faucet. Uh oh. My sister had a Covid test kit in her apartment (where I was staying) so I did the thing and this happened:
One thing about me – when I get sick I get flattened. When I was younger, I could sail through anything. I could work all day and party all night, even with a heavy cold. But those days are long behind me. So I knew I needed to get home and fast, before I became too ill to drive. I had to return the rental car too, as I had only contracted it for 6 days. So I packed everything of mine up and by 2:50am I was on the road. Thankfully there was a full moon to guide me through the mountains and help light my way. I kept giving myself a pep talk the whole way: You got this! You’re killing it! You’re not gonna hit any animals on the way home! (I did see 3 deer and a bear along the route, but nothing jumped in front of me so all was good.)
By a little after 9 am (hell yeah, I was booking it!) I was in line for the ferry and luckily only had to wait for one sailing before I could board (on the 11:30am boat). I stayed in my car except to use the washroom (masked, of course) and slept most of the time. Then I disembarked and headed for home. Once in my driveway I unpacked the car and then crashed onto my couch, where I slept for 4 solid hours.
The next morning I had to think about several things including how to return the car and get home again, and about potentially cancelling several appointments I have booked for the following week. I couldn’t ask my family to drive me home from the car rental location and expose them to the virus so what to do? I could take the bus and risk infecting many people. I could take a cab and risk infecting one person. Or….I could call Budget and ask to return the car to the airport location instead of downtown and walk myself home and infect maybe no one? So that’s what I did and thankfully they agreed. In fact, they praised me for my kindness and thoughtfulness in letting them know the situation. Strange, I thought. Isn’t this just common decency?
Once home again (and after another crash on the couch – 2 hrs this time), I called my car dealership to let them know that I might not be able to bring my own car in for the maintenance appointment I booked a month ago, as I didn’t know if I’d be testing negative by appointed time. Once again I was praised for my kindness and thoughtfulness (so weird!) and the service advisor told me that he would get me in again as soon as possible if I couldn’t make it (not another month long wait) because of my extraordinary thoughtfulness. I just didn’t know what else to say except thank you.
So Gentle Readers, is this where we are now with regards to Covid or any contagious illness? Have we learned nothing from the pandemic? The service advisor told me that customers come in all the time coughing and sneezing and throwing dirty tissues at them, to be disposed of. There seems to be no regard for anyone else’s health; no taking of even the most minor precautions to prevent infection – just as things were before March 2020.
Well as for me, I am going to stay isolated from humanity until I test negative. Take that, you fucking nasty virus Covid-19. You die with me! Ummm….I mean YOU DIE but not me. Ugh, I’ve been sitting at the computer way too long. Time for my next dose of Tylenol and my 3rd nap of the day.
Cheers! Stay healthy and keep those elbows up!
The WB
Thinking of you my friend. Sending warm, germ-free hugs your way! ♡♡♡
Thank you, my friend! Enjoy the concert. Wish I could be there. 💕
Me too!
You handled it with more grace and care than anyone I know. Stay home and rest. Let people leave you soup on your front porch. You will feel better soon.
Thank you very much, Dawn 💕 It might be the fever talking, but your words are bringing tears to my eyes.
Covid ain’t fun. I hope you feel better soon. Take care.
Thank you very much, TG 💕
So sorry that you are down for the count. Isn’t it amazing how common curtesy just ain’t so common anymore? Feel better soon, my friend. I’m sure that Bowser misses his buddy too!
Thank you very much, Janis 💕
I hope you feel better soon and test negative too!🥰
Thank you, Deborah 💕 That’s my plan!
Ah, man, driving all that way while sick and having to work out logistics sucks. You definitely did rock it. And you took what I consider appropriate actions which obviously not everyone is doing. I hope you feel well soon.
Thank you very much, Bernie 💕 I’m trying to do all the right things, both for others and myself.
Hope you are feeling well again soon. Nasty thing that covid. I ended up with long covid and a pacemaker because of it playing with the electrical system of my heart- so hope you get healthy and stay healthy real soon!
Oh no! That is awful, Caroline! I hope you are doing better now. Thank you 💕
Ahhhh… Deb. So sorry to hear that you got the bug. It does seem rather mysterious in many ways doesn’t it? I escaped all kinds of travel and situations (despite 4 booster vaccines) until last fall and then wham….I got it pretty bad too. Surprisingly Thom never did. Lots of sleeping of course and feeling like sh*t but in two weeks it was gone. So hang in there. I hope you have people who can bring you some food/beverages when needed. But I’m surprised that you felt people were overly thankful to you for “doing the right thing.” After all you are Canadian and that’s what you all do so well!!! Keep healing! ~Kathy
Thank you very much, Kathy 💕 I wish it were true that all Canadians do the right thing always, but sadly it is not. I was under that assumption (at least wrt Covid) hence my surprise to find out that people are still just as inconsiderate and selfish as ever.
Hope you have a swift recovery
Thank you very much, Sheree💕
Common courtesy seems to be missing so often these days. I’m not surprised everyone was grateful.
I hope you are feeling better soon!!
Thank you very much, AJ 💕 Common courtesy is quite uncommon, it seems!
I’m so, so sorry this has happened to you. I am as surprised as you about the lack of “regard for anyone else’s health; no taking of even the most minor precautions to prevent infection….” Hoping that now that you’re home you’ll be able to rest and heal. ❤️
Thank you very much, Ally 💕. That’s exactly what I’m doing. Day 4 and stomach muscles I didn’t even know I possessed are aching from all my coughing. Not recommended as an abs workout 😉.
Ugh. So sorry to hear this. We finally succumbed last Xmas after a restaurant owner brought her two infected children to work. I had to cancel a planned vacation but unlike the thanks you received, our resort just kept stressing the fact they wouldn’t refund our money. I told them I didn’t care, but I wasn’t going to come and infect everyone.
Hope your symptoms stay mild and you’re over it soon.
💕
OMG Rivergirl, how awful for you! And how irresponsible of that woman. You stuck to your principles even though it cost you – that makes you a hero in my eyes 👏. Thank you 💕
Deb, when someone says ‘I have Covid,’ run the other way, no matter how much you love them. We all think it can’t happen because we were vaccinated to the max, but that shit is real. Seriously, you are a good egg for visiting your sister, and I’m sorry this happened to you and to her. Sending you virtual chicken soup and hoping you feel better soon. We had it well after the pandemic, and all those vaccines, so I feel your pain. Sleep, fluids, sleep…and when you are awake, look at pics of Bowzer!
Very good advice, Suzanne! Thank you very much 💕
I have not had it yet. I was the one in the family that did all the shopping and errands for the elders in my family during the pandemic and I never caught it…yet. I could have been asymptomatic or have some sort of natural immunity or just lucky. I got all the vaccines. I’ve been people get sick for weeks with it so I wish you a quicker recovery.
Thank you very much, Kate 💕 May your streak remain unbroken!
Oh my. Sorry you got it. Wishing you patience and fortitude as you get well! I find that good Salish Sea air through open windows helps with healing.
Absolutely! Loving the Salish sea air. Thank you, Kitty 💕
After reading this, I realize you and I are very much alike in how we regard other humans, and how we think things through to get ourselves back home — because I get flattened by illness too. I’m not surprised by the lack of regard for others, but I live in the States, so… It took four years for me to get COVID — last year we all got it at my dad’s celebration of life! I hope you feel better soon, my friend. Sending lots of healing love and hugs.
Thank you very much, Kari 💕 I’d like to think that there was someone at your dad’s life celebration who was spreading and didn’t realize they were getting ill and not someone who was aware and actively ill but after hearing the horror stories from the service advisor, I wonder.
That is exactly what happened. It was all good. We needed the rest anyway. 💜
I hope you’re feeling a little better.
Oh my, you’re the second to last person I know who hadn’t caught it yet. I’m so sorry that you’ve finally fallen and hope that you’re on the road to recovery. Well, at least from the immediate symptoms, the longer terms ones can take a bit more patience. It is a shame that people behave the way they do, so kudos to you for doing everything you could. I felt very fortunate that we were able to hunker down at home when we caught it, but then we’ve become deeply anti-social! 😉
Me being deeply anti-social is what spared me so long, I am convinced! Thank you very much, Debs 💕
Hi Deb, I am so sorry to read about the ordeal and getting sick. Your post is a great reminder about Covid. I see more and more people wearing masks again, and ‘measles’ may be part of this. I hope you are on the mend. 💕Erica
Thank you very much, Erica 💕 I am getting better. Coughing much less although still testing positive, so home I stay!
Hi Deb – I’m really late – but I must have had Covid – lost my sense of smell and of taste … but didn’t notice anything – so I feel for you … I hope by now you are feeling easier … take your time – with thoughts – Hilary xoxo
Thank you, Hilary 💕 I finally tested negative 2 days ago. On the mend!