Mennoooooooocccchhh...

This is a journal record of my recent bout with COVID-19 (or a variant of it) and you are not obliged to read or respond to it. There may be TMI for some readers, and there will be links to medical research - you've been warned.

What I had forgotten to mention on Monday's post, was that by Friday morning my throat had more or less closed over. I had been unable to consume anything other than fluids (and a small amount of porridge) since Wednesday evening. By the time I was getting ready to settle down at Carnwath, I knew I had more than just a resurgence of Chronic Fatigue, or just a nasty cold. A fortuitous call from Mac1 who, when she heard me and the symptoms, grimaced and said that the previous month she'd had similar and tested positive for COVID, put me on alert.

It reminded me that I had testing kits with me - so immediately did one, and... well, that's where the wheels fell off! I lay down at about five that Friday evening, and slept right through to nearly nine the next day. Somehow I pulled myself together to drive the next six miles down to New Lanark, the forested car park where I have been several times now. It's a proper little haven and I knew I could sleep for however long there and be perfectly safe. And sleep is mostly what I did, in between swallowing down as much fluid as possible. Beyond, the throat (the headache had gone off mostly by end of Saturday), the lack of hunger, by Monday it dawned on me that I was having a couple of symptoms that had come upon me during that first infection way back in February 2020. They are not pleasant.

Back then, I had the fever for about three days, not just one night. The chest was very badly affected, this time less so, but still not great. I was bedridden for a week - though probably would have been longer, but there was a father to care for. This time, I had to get going by Tuesday morning, but definitely still needed to be abed. 

In 2020, despite taking on board ample fluids, I did not urinate for eleven days. There was very minimal kidney pain then, but when fluid did flow, it took three or four days to stop showing the blood and protein content that indicated AKI. At the time, kidney injury from C-19 was not recognised - now it is. Naturally, there was related constipation.

I have to report, this symptom not only returned with this attack, but there was also much more marked pain radiating from the kidneys and over the whole abdomen. One of the worst things to take in whilst in kidney distress is potassium - so once I started eating again, it could not be my beloved bananas or potatoes. I had indicated in my Sunday gratitude post that there were lingering symptoms, and the AKI and constipation were two such. At the time of scheduling this post, which is a week following that admission, things have improved, but not entirely returned to normal (though by the time of you reading this, it is hoped that will be the case). 

Another symptom that has come this time around, but I escaped in the first bout four years before, is anosmia. It took several days for me to recognise that I was not smelling anything. Not a whiff. This is very disturbing to me, who has, till this point, had a keen nose. There are those who may make light of this and call it an advantage. 

They'd be wrong. Not only is smell an essential safety mechanism - what of fire, gas, other foul odours with possible injury inferred??? - but it is also a key part of taste. Without the sense of smell, taste is almost entirely eliminated. Food becomes nothing other than one amorphous blob of fuel. I have found one or two items that are highly seasoned reach through, but there has been no enjoyment of summer berries, or other fruit (pineapple manages to get through), all bread is just texture only, even my curries are bland compared to what I know them actually to be.

All the research that is being done doesn't avoid the fact that this symptom could well remain for a long time. Some folk recover at least some olfactory sensation after a few months, but many are still without full use of their nose, and a few are completely anosmic still, after four years. I confess I find this as upsetting as the ever-worsening tinnitus that threatens my hearing. Just as I no longer know the truth of silence, now I cannot appreciate the smells of the pines and mosses and wildflowers that surround me on my forest visits, the clarity of the air with the seaweed and salt upon it as I stand beside the Clyde...

On that Tuesday after three days of R&R at NL, I had to get The Grey up to Glasgow for his annual appointment. I was still testing highly positive and had to declare so at reception. We were turned away. Although hugely disappointed, because it had taken some effort to get that appointment in the first place, I was actually perfectly glad to drive away and back to Dunoon. As you will have read on my posts during that little respite, I stayed in Grey, just popping up the once to the Hutch. Those few days continuing my rest and recuperation by the water were indeed helpful, but by the Saturday of mid-May, I knew I needed to be moving again, despite still testing positive. I wanted to get over to Balfron to visit a quilting show that Mac1 was helping to facilitate. The coughing had set in by now, and some unpleasant, very sticky catarrh was manifesting.

What was truly disappointing was that my test that morning turned out to be as strongly positive as the first one, and this was now day 12 after the onset of symptoms. It is difficult to find any current research on COVID, but generally speaking, it seems that after 10-14 days, one can reasonably consider no longer being infectious but should still take all precautions - such as wearing a mask and keeping a distance. Anyone who did approach me too closely, I quickly advised that I was recovering from the infection, and they approached at their own risk. I was able to enjoy the show, spend some quality time with Mac1, had some good conversation with a group of ladies over afternoon tea (chairs at a good distance) and then went and charged Grey at the local CPS tower, did some grocery shopping, and parked in the spare ground at Balfron for that night. Thus began another week of a different level of R&R...

As for the testing positive, apparently, this might happen for weeks! 

😕

POST SCRIPT; LATEST. The scheduled post was updated Tuesday morning (two days ago). Finally, the test result was negative!!! Still coughing and croaking a bit, and the anosmia continues, but otherwise on the up.