Ever since COVID-19 hit the scene, I somehow managed to dodge it pretty well. People around me called me a super immune person, and I thought, yeah, maybe I am. While some of my friends got hit by it twice, I only encountered COVID through videos, articles, and conversations. It felt like a tale from another world…
With the end of the year came many plans, and this week was jam-packed with four consecutive evening meet-ups. It was cold and a bit of a hassle, but I faithfully kept my promises. I remember heading home with a light heart after the final Friday gathering.
The next morning, I felt a slight dryness in my throat, but nothing else seemed off. Had breakfast, booked a ticket for Avatar, did my usual morning workout, and then lay down—only to wake up at 4 PM. No Avatar for me. I usually don’t nap, so it was strange. My body felt heavy, a slight fever crept in, and my head hurt. My throat was still dry, and my nose was stuffy.
‘Is this a cold?’
I took a COVID test kit, and it came back negative. I had it lying around, so why not? But I really didn’t think it was COVID. I’ve held out for three years. The doctor just listened to my symptoms and gave me some cold meds.
‘Take these meds, and if you don’t feel better, come back tomorrow. We’ll test for COVID and the flu.’
I thought to myself, ‘That’s not gonna happen,’ and went back home. I wasn’t hungry, but I had a little porridge for the meds. Then, despite the nap earlier, I fell asleep again.
The next morning, I couldn’t even get out of bed. It felt like my body was sinking into it. Barely managing to get up, I nibbled on some fruit and took my meds. I drifted in and out of sleep. My head was pounding, and now I had a cough too. My throat was parched, my nose blocked, and the slight fever lingered. I kept thinking, ‘Am I really skipping my morning workout today?’ I hadn’t missed a day in five years. It bummed me out, and I fell asleep again.
When I woke up, it was around 1 PM. I just couldn’t skip the workout. ‘I’ll at least pretend to do something,’ I thought, and got up. Almost passed out doing planks, but I powered through it. Showered—realized I hadn’t washed up the night before—and headed back to the doctor.
‘How are your symptoms?’
‘I took the meds you prescribed, felt a bit better, but woke up feeling heavy, so I came back,’ I answered politely. Of course, I hadn’t felt better. I’m always extra polite at the hospital; somehow, symptoms seem less severe there. Otherwise, it feels like they might diagnose something serious.
‘My nose feels a bit blocked, but I can breathe. My throat’s dry, but water helps. I think I have a slight fever, but my hands feel cool. My head hurts, but then, it always kind of does…’
The doctor looked at me like, ‘Then why are you here?’
‘Let’s do a COVID test.’
‘Okay,’ I replied politely. The nurses here had no mercy. It was embarrassing as they pushed my head back and jabbed a swab deep enough to check for COVID and dry eye syndrome.
‘Please wait outside.’
‘Okay,’ I said again, sitting like a reserved inmate until my name popped up for Consultation Room 1. I quietly awaited my turn.
You tested positive for COVID.
‘What?’ I replied, stunned. It didn’t feel real, but I kept my cool. The doctor gave me a five-day prescription, telling me to follow the health center’s guidelines. ‘I haven’t gotten a message yet. What should I do? What precautions should I take? Am I going to be isolated in a facility? Am I okay? How do I apply for an isolation ward?’ I wanted to ask, but feared they’d prescribe flu meds too, so I quietly left the consultation room.
Back home, I ate half a sandwich, took my meds, and informed my friends about the situation. Still in disbelief that I had COVID, I soon fell asleep again. Such a sad tale.
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