FUCKING COVID

 *heavy sigh*

Welp, our house has been hit by covid, and we are knee-deep in quarantine. It started a couple of weeks ago when my mom tested positive. Since she had just been with my son for a day, we had to all get tested; luckily everyone's test was negative. We stayed away from her for ten days, and when we did finally go see her, we masked up while indoors with her. Then, that weekend, we had my brother and his family over with their daughter to hang out. Three days later, my SIL was sick, and then a day or two after that, my husband took an at-home covid test because he had minor symptoms and tested positive. He immediately masked up and proceeded to isolate in our basement as much as possible, which didn't seem too difficult since his office is in the basement anyway. But he was also eating and sleeping down there in order to avoid getting anyone else sick. I also tested at this time, and I was negative. My MIL also ended up testing positive, which she could very well have gotten it from my daughter, who she babysat the same days that my son was exposed at school.

Unfortunately, whether it was exposure from my husband or my SIL or my kid's school (there was a positive case at my son's preschool and he was considered a close contact), my kids ended up testing positive for covid shortly after my husband did. Luckily, my son has virtually no symptoms other than some congestion/runny nose. My daughter experienced several symptoms--fatigue (she's currently taking 2.5, 3 hour naps), slightly elevated temps (but no fever) for a couple of days, a minor cough, some congestion, and extreme crankiness which has led to extreme clinginess to me. As of today, though, both kids seem to be feeling fine and aren't exhibiting symptoms. Baby girl is still all up in my face, though, and still taking super long naps.

Which is probably why, after testing negative four separate times in a two week period, I finally ended up testing positive. I had symptoms here and there for a week or two, but they were all symptoms that could be attributed to allergies or a cold, and I tested negative every time. But alas, I noticed my taste waning late one night, and the next morning it was completely gone, along with my sense of smell. I figured it was just due to the congestion I was experiencing but thought it best to get tested anyway. Sure enough, I was positive for covid. So now I get my own 10-day quarantine. Woohoo. 

I don't really want to go into all the details; I feel like I've been eating, drinking, breathing and living covid nonstop now for the past two weeks straight with no break and no end in sight. But if there's anything to take away from my experience, it's this:

        -Get vaccinated! Symptoms were relatively minor for most of the adults in this clusterfuck, probably because everyone is vaccinated. No one ended up hospitalized or on a vent, so it would appear the vaccine is doing its job. My MIL did end up checking herself into the ER for several hours due to dehydration and feeling extreme nausea, but she had tests done, symptoms treated and was able to go home.

        -Wear your mask! I wear one all day at work. My son wears one all day at preschool. Is it really that deep to wear a face covering for 30 minutes in the grocery store? No, it is not. Mask up!

        -Consider the health and well-being of others. We're all in this together, for better or worse. 

Stay safe out there!