Friday, February 4, 2022

C-Positive Part II


This place just opened on our high street, greatly amusing Dave, who is from Michigan. "What's so special about Michigan flames?" he said. "Do you think they serve venison?"

And then, a few minutes later: "Hey, I'm a Michigan flame!"

Yesterday morning, feeling annoyed at my continued negative Covid test results despite my obvious and intensifying illness, I booked a PCR test through the NHS. I walked to a testing center not far from our flat and navigated a process that involved speaking to people through heavy plastic windows and barriers and swabbing my own throat. (I thought, "Well, if I don't have Covid yet, I probably have it now after visiting this epicenter of infection.") I left the completed test kit there and about 9 p.m. last night I got a text saying my results are positive.

Not that there was really any doubt. I just wanted to be able to tell work that I'm positive so they know I'm not malingering. Now I'm under orders to self-isolate for ten days, so I won't be working next week at all, unless I recover quickly and test negative twice in a row after five days.

This morning my lateral flow test (which I took just out of curiosity) was strongly positive too.

So yeah, there's no doubt. I have Covid. And as I said, I did feel sicker yesterday. Still not terrible, but a bit headachey and sore throatey and tired. My temperature in the afternoon was 99.5ยบ, which isn't much of a fever but it's headed in that direction.

Dave and I lay down after lunch, and after reading "Shuggie Bain" for an hour or two I got up to make some coffee. "Would you bring me water and some paracetamol?" Dave croaked from his side of the bed.

"We're so pathetic," I said.

Fortunately Dave ordered a grocery delivery a few days ago, so at least for now we have all we need to hide out at home while we recuperate. Olga's dog walker is still coming in the afternoons -- I crack open the door and push her outside so he doesn't have to enter the house. He won't come over the weekend, though, so I suppose I'll have to walk her then. I can stick to quiet streets and steer clear of people.


Meanwhile, in our garden, our lungwort is already blooming. It's pretty early to be seeing flowers on this plant, but the other day I was reading an article that said plants in the UK are blooming a month earlier on average than they did 50 years ago. Maybe this is an example. I'm not sure there are any insects around to pollinate that flower yet.

Pandemics, climate change -- it's a brave new world!

67 comments:

Mike O'Brien said...

Well, darn it. Sending healing wishes to you and your Michigan flame. Thank goodness for grocery deliveries, Olga's dog walker, and February blooms - and the NHS.

Chris from Boise

John Going Gently said...

Get well soon x

Moving with Mitchell said...

Well, glad you know for certain and can now get on with things. Hope you BOTH feel completely well right away.

Frances said...

Sending wishes for a speedy recovery and that you don't feel any worse than now!

Anonymous said...

It wouldn't be so bad getting Covid if it prevented future infections, but it doesn't. Stay well and safe.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Very sorry that you have COVID Steve and I wish you a speedy recovery along with your Michigan flame. I was just wondering, do you think it is possible to contract COVID by reading your blog which may of course also be infected? Just to be safe I think I will wear a mask whenever I visit "Shadows and Light".

I hope you are enjoying "Shuggie Bain". In the end, I must say I loved it.

Jennifer said...

I'm so sorry, Steve. I hope you recover quickly, and Dave too of course. Take care of yourselves!

Debby said...

Oh no. It seemed inevitable. Perhaps you could walk the dog in a hazmat suit. I'm sure the rest of the world would give you wide berth.

Take good care of each other.

Boud said...

Sorry to hear you're sick too. Let's hope you have a mild case. So for the next few days we'll get your Diary of a Plague Year, well, week.

Good wishes to Dave too. I'm glad you have each other.

e said...

I echo Jennifer above. I am sorry for you both and wish you a complete recovery.

Colette said...

I'm sorry you "got it." Hope you both recover quickly. In the meantime, rest and relaxation are the Doctor's orders. Love, love, love the lungwort. There's something so magical about blue flowers.

Bob said...

It's no comfort, really, but it's nice to know for a fact.
Take care feel better.


Sidenote: I'm a Michigan Flame, slayed me.

Marcia LaRue said...

Sorry to read you've caught the miserable virus ... since you're both vaxxed, it should go a bit easier on you! We can only hope it works that way!!

Ms. Moon said...

Well, it was inevitable that a test would finally come back positive. Take care of yourself. Rest. Is it possible just to let Olga go out to the garden and attend to her needs? A walk seems a lot to ask of you right now.
Dave's comment cracked me up.

Ellen D. said...

Hope you and Dave feel better soon. Don't overdo! Let Olga walk herself in the garden.

Ed said...

Well now you know for sure. I always hate not knowing. Hope you and Dave both heal quickly.

ellen abbott said...

Glad to hear it's mild as these things go but being sick sucks mild or not. You should probably stay home and rest and let Olga use the garden.

Mary said...

Wishing both you and Dave a speedy recovery.

Anonymous said...

I hope your symptoms stay mild and easily manageable. Please take care there and get well soon. Thinking of you and Dave and sending good healing wishes from California.

Sharon said...

I guess it was inevitable. Take care of yourselves.

Red said...

Sorry to hear that you tested positive, Keep well.

Wilma said...

Has Dave noticed any positive effects from the antibody treatment? I bet Olga is enjoying having you both home with her. I hope you both recover quickly.

Linda Sue said...

Olga made a wish, that her Dads could stay home with her and lounge around. Magic - and all is well. I assume you have had all three jabs so you won't die. Make the most of your ten days and snooze, Chicken soup and sleeping best thing i can think of. Sorry for you two, be well eventually.

Edna B said...

Here's hoping you both heal quickly. However, make the most of this time off from work and watch some good movies or read some good books. Hugs, Edna B.

Margaret said...

I'm glad that the symptoms aren't terrible. The only positive is that you'll now be super immune with the antibodies from the infection and the vaccines.

The Bug said...

Sometime in a land across the sea, a Michigan Flame and a Florida Flame came together & the future was bright indeed!

Hope your symptoms remain mild!

Sabine said...

Look after yourselves, hope this passes quickly.

gz said...

Sending Virtual hugs...hope you both heal well soon xx

Kelly said...

On the plus side, now you can travel to FL next month without worries of getting Covid! I felt fairly invincible in the month or two following my case of Delta. Then along came Omicron...

At least now the three of you can pile up in the bed or on the couch together and not worry about germs! Hope you both are back to 100% soon.

Jeanie said...

I should just start reading with the current posts and work backwards. I'm sorry to hear you got Covid, although it sounds like no big surprise. It sounds like you are set with food and Olga care, so that's good and I hope the symptoms don't get too bad. Sending good vibes for a full, quick recovery.

Allison said...

Your spammer above my comment looks a lot like Ratana. Why do these people waste their time. Anyway, hope you and Dave are much better very soon, sorry this happened to you both.

jenny_o said...

Aw, dang ... well, I wish you both a speedy recovery. Flowers in your garden already ... we are so, so far from gardening yet. I envy you folks your milder winters!

River said...

Does the blooming lungwort mean Spring will arrive sooner than expected?
Sorry to hear you are Positive, but it was expected and maybe you won't have a bad case. At least you have enough groceries for the quarantine time. I hear lots of sleep helps.

Steve Reed said...

Thanks, and yes, thank goodness!

Steve Reed said...

Thanks, J.

Steve Reed said...

Yeah, it's better to have an answer.

Steve Reed said...

Thanks, Frances!

Steve Reed said...

Yeah, that's a drag, right? I think there's a limited period of relative immunity but it's not very long.

Steve Reed said...

Maybe you can view the computer through a perspex screen? Of course, a computer already HAS a screen...so maybe that's not necessary.

Yes, I liked "Shuggie Bain" a lot.

Steve Reed said...

Thanks, J!

Steve Reed said...

Ha! I assume you mean I would wear the Hazmat suit and not the dog. :)

Steve Reed said...

Yes, exactly, I will be the Daniel Defoe of Covid!

Steve Reed said...

It's a drag but it's not too terrible. More boring than anything.

Steve Reed said...

It felt good to look out in the flower bed and see it peeking up from the dead leaves.

Steve Reed said...

Dave is a card!

Steve Reed said...

Yeah, I suspect the vaccines have helped.

Steve Reed said...

Olga can go in the garden but she needs a bit of exercise. That's the conundrum.

Steve Reed said...

Yeah, the garden works in the short term.

Steve Reed said...

Exactly. I wanted to know and I especially wanted work to know.

Steve Reed said...

We'll try but I think she'll need more exercise than that. Although I think one of the weekend days is going to be rainy so that will motivate her to stay inside!

Steve Reed said...

Thank you!

Steve Reed said...

Thanks so much, Robin!

Steve Reed said...

Yeah, we all saw it coming!

Steve Reed said...

Thanks, Keith.

Steve Reed said...

He's still coughing and it's hard to tell -- who knows where he'd be if he hadn't had the treatments.

Steve Reed said...

So Olga is to blame for this? After all we've done for her?! :)

Yes, we're both triple-vaxxed so I think we'll be fine. As I told E above, this is mostly just boring.

Steve Reed said...

I do have plenty to read, that's true!

Steve Reed said...

Well, one would hope! I've heard different things about how well and how long that immunity lasts, though.

Steve Reed said...

Awwwww...that sounds like the beginning of a children's book! :)

Steve Reed said...

Fingers crossed! It's going to be a minimum of ten days, though, according to government rules. (Unless I can test out early.)

Steve Reed said...

Thank you!

Steve Reed said...

Well, that's true. We share everything here, even our viruses!

Steve Reed said...

It's always hard to know whether to read backwards or forwards! Yeah, we won't starve to death, that's for sure.

Steve Reed said...

I deleted the spam, but yes, it DID look Ratana-like. Maybe Ratana has changed his/her/their identity?

Steve Reed said...

It is truly just the one flower so far. Well, that and the snowdrops. Even the daffodils aren't blooming yet! (Should be soon, though.)

Steve Reed said...

We can only hope re. spring! And yes, I have been resting a lot. I do feel kind of lethargic.

Riverside Hermit said...

The Michigan Flames sound like a cheerleading squad!

Sorry to hear that you're feeling unwell with it - are you enjoying Shuggie Bain though? What an roller-coaster that was for me.
Feel better soon!