A few thoughts on having COVID-19: I had a mild case, but it was no fun

One fine day a few weeks ago, I worked from home like normal, went for a jog, worked out in the yard and then tested positive for COVID-19.

It was quite a day.

The day before I tested positive, I had a little cough. It was spring, though, and it is normal to cough in the spring. I didn’t think anything of it. I had already received my first COVID-19 vaccine shot and was feeling pretty confident. Also, my hair was looking perfect that day.

On the day I tested positive, my stepdaughter called to say she had a fever and didn’t feel well. My wife suggested she go to a clinic to get a flu test and also ask about a COVID-19 test.

“Why would she do that?” I thought to myself. “That seems like a waste, but I guess it will make everyone feel better just to see the negative test.”

And when her test came back positive, I thought, “Well, I guess I should go get a test so that everyone will feel better when it is negative.”

And when it came back positive, at first I thought it was a mistake.  Did they test me correctly? Maybe they mixed it up with someone else’s test. Did I misunderstand what they said? Maybe she said she was positive that I don’t have COVID-19.

Of course, I did have it, and then everyone else in the family got tested just to make everyone else feel safe when their tests came back negative. And that’s when my stepson’s test came back positive.

So, suddenly, not only was I stuck at home quarantined with COVID-19, but my stepdaughter and stepson also moved back home for their quarantine. My wife was fully vaccinated, so she stayed with us to take care of the children and abandon me.

She probably got us all sick on purpose just so she could spend more time with them!

Actually, she took very good care of me and of all of us.  We were very lucky, although it was different having everyone home.

Suddenly, our quiet home turned into a much fuller COVID Cabana of sorts.

Pizza and door dash-in are always in fashion at the COVID, COVID Cabana.

So, here is how COVID-19 went for me and the kids.

• My stepdaughter had a fever for a few days, felt fluish and was very tired for several days.
• My stepson was tired and got a rash.
• I had a steady cough for a couple of days, kept getting headaches, got a rash, and was very tired.
• It felt a lot like I had a bad cold, and I was more tired than usual.
• Even just going up a short flight of stairs made me tired.
• We all kept our senses of smell and taste, but we all lost our appetites for a few days.
• Seriously, nothing sounded good to eat until we ate some doughnuts after a few days.
• It took about a week to get to feeling normal.
• I credit the doughnuts to a big part of my recovery.
• It was also odd staying at home all of the time, especially when the house was suddenly full.
• It’s only when you can’t leave the house that you find you really want to leave the house.

When we finished our quarantine, it was still odd to be out in public. I felt like people who knew I had COVID were being extra cautious and didn’t necessarily want to be around me.

“Yeah, that’s why they don’t want to be around you,” one of my co-workers told me. “You keep telling yourself that.”

And then when I was feeling great, I went to get my second vaccine shot. I was thinking it would be easy since I already had had COVID-19, but my doctor told me it might affect me more.

So, of course, the shot did make me feel lousy again. I didn’t sleep at night and then was tired all day. I had no appetite once again.

The only positive of feeling sick was that it was a good excuse to eat doughnuts once again.

Still, the whole things seems a little unfair. I was so close to getting past COVID-19, and then I got sick after the first shot and felt sick from the second shot.

I would like to lodge a complaint.

Now, though, I am past having COVID-19, I’ve had my two shots, and I am feeling pretty confident once again. And to be perfectly honest, my hair looks great again today.

I was very lucky that my symptoms weren’t any worse than they were, and I am thankful for all of the help I received.

Still, I wouldn’t want to go through that again, and I have no desire to ever return to the COVID Cabana.

I just want to stay healthy, enjoy staying home while knowing I can leave, and eat lots of doughnuts.