My Quarantine Diary

On my first day of Covid (did you just sing that to the tune of “On the first day of Christmas”? haha), I did a facebook post to mainly get the info out to friends, family, and anyone that I had been around. Then my phone started buzzing with questions via text and messenger. As Covid sucked up my energy, I used my daily facebook posts as a diary. I cannot even begin to explain how surprised and grateful I was for the reactions… It seems that a lot of people had questions about my symptoms and although mine was not as bad as others, it became an experience that people took an interest in.

One of the first messages I received was from a friend that is a nurse, with information about sleeping and meds ~ Take zinc, magnesium, vitamin D and C. Lots of water or Gatorade. And sleep on your stomach. Although the sleeping on the stomach is generally only used if in the hospital and having an issue with oxygen, I have asthma, and the first couple of nights, my concern was to keep this out of my chest.

The great news is, I was already taking these vitamins. After having the flu / pneumonia combo a few years ago, I began to research normal vitamins to build up my health. Zinc has been in my medicine cabinet for 15 years. I take it daily during flu season, if I’ve been around sick people, or if I start to feel run down. Magnesium is supposed to help my blood pressure and enhances my quality of sleep. My doctor told me awhile back to take Vitamin D since blood work showed low levels (come to find out, Covid patients that end up having awful symptoms, are low in Vitamin D). Then there is Vitamin C… Who doesn’t have this? This was supposed to the the cure-all when sick as a kid.

First, my personal disclaimer – I am not a doctor, so please DO NOT use this for medical guidance! Ok, here we go…

Day 1 of being quarantined… Well, when my boss ended up with Covid, I was fine. Unfortunately, with my co-worker having it, I’m not. I haven’t seen her since last Tuesday and figured all was good until I woke up this morning. Honestly, it felt like my allergies were bothering me, but then I couldn’t smell my body wash. No biggy because my nose was a bit stuffy from what I thought were allergies. Made a roast beef and horseradish cheese omelet and while eating that at work, I realized I wasn’t tasting the horseradish. And also started to realize that I still felt tired and a bit achy, that should have been gone with my morning meds. Went to a place that does rapid testing and they were awesome! 20 minutes later, results were back. She was so super nice and explained that it is transmitted when being less than six feet apart for MORE than 15 minutes. I’m not running a temp, in fact it was 97.7 while wearing leggings, boots, long sleeve t-shirt, sweater, and beanie. Proves I’m a bit more cold hearted than some give me credit for. LOL She did check my lungs and said that they were clear, which I am super thankful for. So, what have I done today? Cried, been in and out of sleep, watched NCIS LA… Can’t really smell and it seems that the only thing I can taste is Sweet & Sour and Sricha Mayo (not combined- haha). My boss is being fantastic with this and is not making me feel guilty. I know it’s not my fault but I have a tendency to feel guilty if I’m disappointing someone. Anyways, come to find out, he is required to pay me for 14 days of quarantine. If one of the other girls starts to work from home, I may end up going in to the office since I will be alone in there. I’m really surprised it took this long for me to get it so I’m glad I can get this over with. And now I need to finish adding to my online grocery cart so I can pick it up tomorrow. Good times!

Finishing Day #2 of quarantine… Woke up thirsty and had a sore back, but wasn’t really stuffy. Still can’t smell and can only taste the sweet & sour sauce (it’s really good on eggs, fyi). I don’t feel massively exhausted but just like I could doze… Best way to explain it… You know during the summer when you have had a couple drinks and you are laying in the sunshine and doze off for a bit and you feel like you just napped for an hour but it was only 10 minutes? That’s what this is like, can’t really get a super long sleep but don’t have the energy to do much else. Thank goodness for ION and their all day showing of NCIS New Orleans! A special thank you to those that have called, texted, or messaged to keep me entertained. Not sure how I’m going to handle another week and a half of this…Have a great night!

Finishing day 3 of quarantine… Still feeling groggy and especially today since I only had one brief nap. Something I’ve learned is that even if you don’t have any taste / smell, you still crave food. Last night, I wanted chocolate so bad so I made a protein chocolate waffle then realized there was no point because I couldn’t taste it. LOL I had an orange popsicle tonight which is shocking because I hate orange popsicles. (except for dreamsicles because those are amazing!) But since I can’t taste the orange, why not? I wanted spaghetti for dinner because when I am sick with a stuffy nose, I usually like that because the flavor is strong. Well, my cheeks could feel all of the red pepper flakes I put in, but nothing else. LOL Even added honey to my hot tea to sweeten it up, then wondered why. So, that’s been a whole learning process. When away from friends and family, ordering groceries online is the way to go! It did remind me of how thankful I am for my friends back home that whenever I need them to jump in with a meal for my family when there is an illness or death, they do so instantly. I didn’t cry though, so I’m making progress. Anyways, my grocery cart included yarn to start on a temperature blanket for the highs and lows since I’ve been here, a massive heating pad since my other one finally died after 18 years, popsicles, crackers, and coffee. (Even though I can’t taste it, I’m still refusing to use my yucky emergency stash).Today’s viewing pleasure has been Blue Bloods. Taken me a bit to get in to it but after 9 hours, I’m no longer looking at Tom Selleck as Magnum PI or Monica’s boyfriend. A special thank you to those that have went through this and have messaged me with what to expect and how to deal with it or meds to take. I have to admit though, I’m getting tired of my couch.

Finishing Day 4 of Quarantine… Same symptoms, different day. A little bit of a tickle in the throat that I’m hoping stays out of my chest, but I don’t feel like it’s anything to worry about. Little bits of pain pop in around my forehead, but it doesn’t seem to last long. I did have an emotional morning and had my own personal pity party for a bit, but I’ve realized that that is what I do when I’m sick. Today’s TV viewing has been Chicago P.D. Great show and plenty of eye candy. Goal for tomorrow? Hawaii 5-O. Thank you to all that have kept me entertained with texts and calls

Finishing Day 5 of Quarantine… Well, I woke up happy so something must be wrong. Just kidding. But, I did wake up rather pleasant. Decided that I was going to start my bed washing because that is what I do when I feel like I’m getting better… Wash everything in hot water and totally over dry! LOL And then the upset stomach set in, but luckily this was the only time there was this issue. It affects others more often and I just cannot imagine! For the most part, I’m feeling better. Actually did some crocheting, had a couple of phone conversations, and I had the energy to laugh. Not feeling as groggy so hoping I’m headed back to normal. Still can’t smell / taste. Still craving food. I’m telling you right now, when my taste is back, I’m having a burger for lunch and dinner will be pizza with a few glasses of Pinot Noir! Oh! And today’s viewing pleasure has been Hawaii 5-O. The lead guy is my new man crush. This is what happens when you haven’t seen another living soul in awhile.

Finishing Day 6 of quarantine… It’s been a rough one. Woke up emotional, thought I had energy to water, fertilize, and trim plants… Wiped out afterwards… Stayed emotional. I’m tired. I’m tired of having to cook for myself. I’m tired of not tasting food. I’m tired of being alone. I’m tired of having to add things to an online grocery cart so I can place an order that I need to pick up. I’m tired that the only thing I seem to have energy for is watching tv. I’m tired of crying alone. I’m tired of my legs feeling so achy. I’m tired of Ebby wanting to stay so close to me that I can’t stretch out and sleep well. But, I have to remind myself that I have a lot to be thankful for. I’m thankful that this is the extent of it. I’m thankful that I will recover. I’m thankful that every day I hear from my boss and co-workers. I’m thankful that this time of being quarantined has clarified my intuition of people… It’s been an eye opener for sure. So there. I’m just hoping that by reading this, if you know someone that is alone, you reach out to them. Don’t think that someone else is probably helping them, because that is what everyone else is doing, and the person is left alone. Please don’t put sympathetic words on here because I do not need any more emotions. Just reach out to people! If they’re sick, grab them a pizza or McDonalds or cookies or a homemade meal and leave at their front door. Or make a card and leave for them. Just acknowledge their presence. Single people when sick are completely shut off from everyone. There isn’t even anyone in the house to ask me if I want water. Ok, off my tangent… Today’s viewing pleasure has been SVU. No eye candy but I will probably have nightmares. It was the episode where Olivia is kidnapped and tortured that I just watched. Ugh!

Finishing Quarantine day 7… First of all, I want to thank those that reached out via messenger or text. Your prayers or words of encouragement mean more than you know. So, how was this day? Well, I started to get excited when I thought I could smell my body wash so I tried to smell it again… Nope. Made a cup of coffee and walked down to the river to look around and enjoy the view for a bit. I really do need a bench down there so I can just sit. Wouldn’t have made a difference since everything was covered in snow. I must say, I’m adjusting to this cooler weather and find it refreshing. Being that the groceries I grabbed last weekend were mainly dinner items and I’m out of eggs, (and can’t taste what I’m eating anyways), my meals are kind of weird. So, breakfast was sweet potato fries with Sricha Mayo for dipping. I can feel the heat from the Sricha, but not the actual taste. Had my first long nap today. Generally, my naps have been 10 – 20 minutes and I’m always groggy. But today, it was 2 hours and felt soooo good! I did dream that someone was coming in to check on me and I was upset that I hadn’t locked the door because I had no desire to see this person and I knew that my response to them waking me up from my nap was not going to be polite. Luckily, it was a dream and I continued to sleep. Tonight, I made homemade chicken noodle soup and started laughing because there I was opening each thing of seasoning, smelling, and throwing some in. I started laughing because I realized I can’t smell any of it! BUT, when I did have a bowl, I think I may have tasted a bit of the broth. That or I could just feel the textures and warmth. I’m feeling very clear headed this evening and hopefully that means I’m on the upswing. I’ll put in for a grocery pickup tomorrow because I will have a few more days of this and I’m wanting some fruit. And spaghetti. And tacos. And cereal. I just want food I can taste. LOL

Finishing Day 8 of Quarantine… One week of this. I almost have a routine for my mornings… Make coffee, sit on the hope chest in front of the bay window while watching the snow, return texts / messages, stare out the window, do some dishes… But, what was a bit different about this morning is that I could tell my coffee was strong. Lunch time rolls around and while talking to my oldest and eating Perogi’s (feta & spinach which are so good), I told him that I thought I might be able to taste them. A couple hours later, grab a couple of popsicles and I could remember why I wasn’t a fan of orange. Thinking I’m imagining this, I go to the next one and I could taste the difference. (Cherry. Soooo good!) Well, let’s try this and see if it’s real so I headed to McDonald’s and had the best tasting fries EVER! So, I’m so happy to say that my taste is back. Not at 100% but at least I can enjoy food again. I was told by a friend today that the mental toll this takes on people can be just as bad as the symptoms, which I feel is so true. Plus, as my co-worker and I talked about, the lack of smell/taste, makes you feel like you are going a bit crazy. Here’s the deal, when you’re sick, you just want a little bit of comfort. Whether that is soup, popsicles, tea… But, when you can’t taste the comfort… It starts getting to you. Sounds silly, I know. I left the tv off for the majority of the day and honestly, the day seemed to speed by. I’m not sure how because I didn’t seem to do much. But, I did grab a book from the unread shelf and I’m starting on Emma by Jane Austen. I think I read this years ago but can’t really remember. I’m just thankful that I’m not feeling as groggy so that I can actually concentrate. To those that have had this before, how long did it take you to get your energy back? I’ve had pneumonia twice, even once with the flu a few years ago when it was bad, and I’ll admit that this is not as bad as those. BUT, this is a consistent grogginess for days on end. So, is my energy going to come back with a snap of the fingers or is this going to take a few weeks? Thank you to everyone that has reached out and checked on me, or shared their covid story, or let me know they are praying. It is times like these that you see people for who they are and the true kindness in their hearts. For this, I will always be grateful. Have a great evening everyone and hugg your loved ones a little tighter!

Finishing Day 9 of Quarantine… My day started at 4am because I woke up with achy legs, which made me restless, because I hadn’t taken my nightly med combo including Naproxen. Finally decided to get up, make coffee, shower, do a load of laundry. That only lasted until about 7 because I fell asleep reading… Jane Austin takes a lot of concentration and I’m not sure if I want to devote that time right now. I offered to go back in to work on Thursday since that will be Day 11. Full day Thursday, half day Friday. I figure that will be a good way to get back in to this. They are aware that I have bouts of grogginess and since my boss still has the after effects from when he had it, they are understanding. Luckily, I have a blanket in my office so there may still be a few naps. As for taste / smell, I can taste, but barely smell. I did grab a pizza from Domino’s today when I did a grocery pickup and it was sooooo good! I’ll get back to healthy eating tomorrow. Oh! And for those that mentioned adding Jim Beam in to my online grocery cart and they will check ID when I pick up, not able to do that. In store purchase only. On Friday, I will be doing an in store purchase. LOL Even though I will no longer be contagious as of Thursday, I’m still taking it easy for another week and will keep myself between work and home. I think I need time to get some of my energy back and get ahold of my thoughts from the past week. This past week honestly feels like it has flown by. When you spend several days in a groggy state of mind, not a lot is remembered. If this happens to you, I highly suggest stocking up on Vitamin D, Zinc, Vitamin C, Magnesium, and Naproxen (which is Aleve and lasts 12 hours). I already had those on hand because I take them every day. Find a comfy spot in front of a tv and “learn it, live it, love it” because you’ll be there for awhile. And find people you can text with because that will help to keep you busy and from going completely insane. Thank you for all the love, prayers, and kind words. Stay healthy!

Finishing Day 10 of Quarantine… Last Day! Yay!!! Thanks to my grocery order yesterday, I was able to have a proper breakfast this morning that included eggs. Today was movie watching day since I was forcing myself to stay awake. The 15:17 To Paris, The Best Excotic Marigold Hotel (and the second one), How To Be Single, and Hope Springs. It felt good to watch happy shows instead of gathering ideas on how to hide the bodies. Honestly, I would say that I am back to normal, except for the low energy, which will slowly come back. My temper is a little flared these days. But, when you’re stuck on a couch for 9 days… I never intended to document this on a daily basis. But, it became therapeutic and it was an easy way to keep family and friends up to date. I can never express all of my gratitude to those that reached out to check on me, ask questions because somebody they know has it, thanked me for sharing my story, or to offer prayers. One of the things I wanted to make clear with my daily updates is that while there is a slim chance that this virus can do severe damage, the majority of the time, it is just like this. So, if you do end up with it, of course be cautious as you would with the flu, but you don’t have to fear it. Thank you to everyone for the love and now I am off to bed so I can get ready to head back to the land of working people.

Day 11 – Well, back to work I went today. The alarms had such an awful sound and I could have had an additional day and a half to rest, but I figured it would be good to ease in prior to the weekend. A company did come in within the past few days to spray everything down to kill all germies, so that is a bit of a comfort. The boss bought Chinese food for lunch, so that was a nice break to sit with everyone, have conversation and catch up. But, once 1pm came around, I really really wanted a nap and they knew that. I could have left, but I’m not about to drive 30 minutes when sleepy. So, I’d close my eyes and listen to whatever song was playing and when it was over, I’d have a bit of a second wind… And third… And fourth… LOL And finally, I’m home and my eyes are exhausted but my brain and body are thankful to have done something productive. Hope everyone had a great day!

One month later… The week after my quarantine, I started to walk my dog down the street a bit, then head back. Each day, we went a bit further. While my energy is completely back (and better than ever thanks to at least a mile walk every day), my smell is gone. Every now and then, I might get a whiff of something, but it is faint, then gone. I really don’t notice the lack of it until I hear someone say, “That smells so good!” But, it is what it is. I know that it could have been so much worse. Have I changed my “ways”? I still wear my mask when required, and I still try my best to stay away from sick people, and I Lysol everything on a weekly basis. The last two is due to my allergies and asthma. Not to mention, I just don’t like being sick.