When I woke up Thursday morning, I stumbled to the bathroom feeling a little nauseated and rather dizzy. I noticed that my thighs felt quite warm.
I went to Allyson's room and asked for the thermometer; she'd been battling cold symptoms since the prior Saturday, but she never had any fever.
My temperature was 100.3 degrees, quite elevated compared to my typical 97.5. I also had a headache and a mild sore throat. I felt too nauseated to eat, but I made myself drink as much water as I could force down. Then I called myself in sick.
I called Allyson in sick as well; this was the first day she had not felt up to attending online classes. Shortly after this, we learned that her Covid-19 test had come back positive.
I couldn't sleep in my bed because lying flat made me too nauseated. So I spent the entire day propped up on the couch, wrapped up in fluffy pajama pants, fluffy socks, and a blanket. Most of the time, this sweet nurse kept me company.
I ordered some canned soup, coconut water, and toilet paper online. When it arrived, I didn't feel up to eating yet, so I just drank some of the coconut water and heated Allyson's soup in the microwave.
At 2:00 I had a virtual visit with my doctor, who warned me to watch for diarrhea, vomiting, or shortness of breath. He said I should get tested and assume that I had Covid-19 in the meantime. "There's nothing we can do for you at this point. Just drink plenty of fluids and get lots of rest. Call if you get worse," he said.
I drove 15 minutes to the drive-through testing site run by the county for a free mouth-swab test. There was no line, and I was thankful to get in an out within 10 minutes because the sun beaming on me made me feel even more sick and dizzy on this unseasonably warm winter day.
As hot as I'd been in the car, by the time I climbed back onto the couch, I was freezing. My temperature was now 100.8.
By now, Allyson had gone to her dad's house. I didn't like being alone in the house because I'd read too many horror stories about cases suddenly turned deadly in adults who are single like me. I called my mom, and she prayed for me. That made me feel better.
My neck was stiff from my awkward position on the couch, so I decided to sleep in what is now the cats' room, on a lovely bed with an adjustable base that is usually covered with a clear plastic table cloth to protect it from the cats' claws. The only obstacle between me and my comfy bed was two dirty litter boxes and two hungry cats. I rallied my strength and fed the cats, then sat down to catch my breath before dumping the boxes into their sifting pans and dumping the mess into the Litter Genie. I sat down again and then carried the large plastic pans and the litter boxes into the hall and the living room, where they will remain for the duration of this illness.
My teeth chattered as I washed my hands, and I sank into bed gratefully and pulled the covers up to my chin. I raised the head of the bed so that I was halfway to a seated position; that kept the nausea at bay. I'd neglected to shut the door, so the cats were both in bed with me through the night, but they didn't bother me too much with their restlessness. I slept pretty well, considering.
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Vitals: 113/69, 95 beats per minute, temp 100.3 to 100.8
Symptoms: fever, chills, joint pain, headache, mild nausea, dizziness, fatigue, mild nasal congestion, mild sore throat
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