I become what I believe
It was a gloomy Wednesday during winter with such bizarrely cold weather when I got a sore throat for the first time. The rain was pouring outside, my body was warm, and I felt tired. I thought it was just tiredness of having piles of assignments, worsened by the cold temperature and rain, so I decided to still attend the class. “I got three shots of vaccines already so I shouldn’t get covid.” That's what I thought, and I regretted it. During my walk I would like to faint occasionally, I was so tired for no reason and I started to cough. Okay it was just because of the wind, I kept blaming the blowing breeze slapping my face. I should be fine once I step in class, which I would never feel.
It was a hard moment to keep focus on the lecture, do in-class assignments, watch a colleague's presentation, when you felt like dying to keep your head up for 2.5 hours. I thought I would raise my hand and said, “I’m so sorry, Professor. I want to faint. Would you please excuse me to go home?” but it never happened because my ego forced me to stay.
The class finally dismissed at 12 and to be luckier my friend postponed our group discussion. I went straight to home, eh no I passed by Global Center to have myself checked. I took covid-19 take-away test free from the university, did the test by gargling it for a minute or so, and dropped it off to the box provided. Very convenient and easy. I went home, taking paracetamol I brought from home, then started sleeping with unease.
I woke up that night, it was no better but my body had been cooling down. I coughed more often and worse my sore throat was killing me. It was no ordinary sore! I believed it because I never felt that way. It was like some brush stuck in your throat, it was hot, it was dry, it was hurting your neck. I hate it just by remembering it. I did not eat much since I lost my appetite, I wasn’t sure why as I did not eat much either since last semester.
The following afternoon, 26 hours after taking the test, the result came out. I did not like surprise yet I could guess it already. It was POSITIVE! I finally got covid (not in a proud way). It was not uncommon to get positive these days, some of my friends had it and they were fine, skipped the class for a week and showed up at the next meeting. Still it was a big deal as it was contagious and that’s why I needed to quarantine myself. It was not a good time because I had no one here. How did I survive by living alone? I should be fine if I was at home. But here, here I was excluded in a custody of 6x7 meters bricks.
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| Covid-19 positive |
I was in a rush emailing my professors, telling them I got covid and asked them to spread the news to classmates, for them to get tested also. I submitted some online form provided by the university, filling out information like what class I attended for this week, where I went during this week, what symptoms I experienced, and some others I could not remember. My professors said sorry and wished me well soon. I was glad they did not judge me or anything, and told me that I should not worry about the class and the most important thing is my health. Please contact me if you need any help, they wrote it in their emails. It helped me much to pull myself together. It meant a lot.
It was funny that I still did my work and turned them in on time just like usual. Covid did not affect my activity. I was not anosmia, my fever was gone just two days after the test, my sore throat vanished in four days, but my cough remained. It was a bad bad cough. My lungs were to explode as I coughed badly. I had no cough suppressant and I could not go out (although technically you could go out to seek medical help). I still lost my appetite and ate any food I could find in the refrigerator. Fortunately I kept plenty of groceries and enough for a week (I did not eat a lot though). My friends started asking about my condition and offered their help. I said I was fine and I was literally in good condition :)
D-6 I could get tested for antigen. I went out to the campus for it. It was free and you just made an appointment online. You would also get a testing incentive of $5 for 4 tests. Really good, eh? Get the test for free and get the incentive. What a world I live in!
It was just 2 hours later I got the result and it was still POSITIVE :( I was so disappointed because my body was fine and only the cough bothered me. Hell yeah I should stay home for another week. I attended classes online, finished the work, and went to sleep. I think during a 10 days quarantine that’s what you can do, isn’t it?
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| D-6 and still positive |
I got a telephone call from the campus health about my condition on day 7, I think. The officer asked me similar things I submitted in the online form a week earlier. There was no medicine provided here, so I could not ask for it. Only if my condition got worse, I should call the number provided.
My cough was unbearable so I asked my friend to get me cough syrup. Bought it from CVS, I took it 4 times a day, enough to alleviate the cough. I drank it for another week till all 237 mL ran out. I was still tired quickly, not sure if it was because of covid or just my older age — maybe both.
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| My saviour |
My cough had not gone in day 10, when I started to worry that I would not be healthy ever again. I got an antigen test again in D-11 and not sure it would be negative. If it was positive, then I would stay at home again until after Spring break. Two hours later it was NEGATIVE! I should thank God because of it. I went home smiling, laughing, running around like a child getting an ice cream. Here I am healthy and free of covid! I cooked myself a potato and egg, gained my appetite back, and packed my bag for the next-day class. I was so happy knowing I had defeated the worst thing ever encountered in my life.
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| The best thing finally happened! |
Now it has been two weeks since I was negative for Covid. Please keep social distancing, wear mask, eat healthy food, and wash your hands. Bear down mask up!
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