I couldn’t clear my throat, and my packed sinuses gave me a headache. I took a rapid antigen Covid test early the next day (4 a.m., couldn’t sleep anyway). It came up negative. Continued to feel worse with fatigue, body aches and a low-grade fever. I tried the test again the next day, and the T line turned an angry dark red. Positive.
Fifteen days later, I feel much better. I sound less like a cigar-smoking bullfrog. I sleep better at night and haven’t felt feverish in two weeks. I’m starting to cook, wash dishes, mow, and trim. The only symptom that lingers is fatigue.
This kind of energy shortage doesn’t feel normal. I don’t feel exhausted like I would after taking a long hike or working outside on a hot day in Florida. This feels like I’m driving uphill in the wrong gear. I’m in fourth but need to downshift into second or third. I can move forward, but the power is missing.
My stamina has improved somewhat over the last ten days. When I had to mow the lawn about two weeks ago, I slow-zombie cut it in two twenty-minute intervals spread over two days. Yesterday, I did the whole yard in forty minutes. No breaks. Afterward, I managed to run to a hardware store, work on the wooden awning I’ve been building for the studio door and cook a stir fry for supper. However, my dimmer switch turned down to half-power right after we ate. I trudged through washing dishes and putting a final layer of paint on the awning. When I sat down to spend time with Judy, I wanted instead to retreat to a quiet place where I could stare at a wall and perhaps fall asleep.
My daughter told me her Omicron version of Covid left her with a cough lasting three weeks. My brother’s Delta infection affected him for a month. I’ll hit the three-week mark this coming Tuesday and hope that I can return to normal by then. My mild dose hasn’t completely shut me down, but I’m beginning to feel like I’m living with a dead-beat roommate who steals and never cleans. I want to get the back rent and kick him to the curb.
dennisnarratives 