COVID SYMPTOMS

Well, that was a hellishly bleak week and I can only reiterate again how desperately lucky we’ve all been to be the beneficiaries of such effective vaccines (and their rollouts) so quickly after the Coronavirus emerged. Two of my girlfriends caught it at the same time as me and we’ve been sharing notes all week from our “deathbeds” or at least that’s how it felt at times.

It’s a nasty little f**cker of an illness as we all know. All three of us went through the entire gamut of classic symptoms; the high temperature, the persistent cough, a burning chest, lethargy, headaches, aching eyes, nausea – lots of typically flu like symptoms. Additionally it seems that only I managed to subsequently developed an all over itchy, blistery rash as well as a loss of taste and smell which has meant it’s very unattractive to eat or drink very much. Coffee tastes horrid, as does Marmite and if my wine didn’t taste so revolting, I would be using my newfound skill to get rid of all the awful bottles of wine I have in my house that not even my children want to drink – if I can’t taste it, I could just pretend it’s something far superior.

Now that we’re all thankfully out the other side, I’m left with exhaustion, a residual cough, a bit of brain fog and a lack of balance. I suspect most of that might be because I’ve hardly moved from my bed for a week and so am feeling very weak and discombobulated. However, I’m also left with a huge sense of relief and joy that we’re all through the worst of it. My daughter has been able to go back into work today having managed to avoid catching it from me (whilst looking after me splendidly), so I’m finally free to scuttle out of my room and sniff various things in the hope that my smell sensors are coming back to life. I’m looking into the garden, the sun is shining, the autumn leaves are golden in the light and it’s a beautiful day to feel alive and thankful (oh god, do you think Covid has turned me into a terribly cheesy poet?).

If I wasn’t so exhausted I’d be dancing around my kitchen. I need to get moving again, get back into the park and do some walking. My back is very painful – which is a reminder that the worse thing you can do for a bad back is to keep it lying down. It’s got to move. Our backs are designed for movement and the sooner I can get it moving and do ordinary activities again, the sooner it will feel better. One fact I know is that the people who cope best with back pain are the ones who stay active and get on with life despite the pain.

Over 2,300 years ago, Hippocrates described walking as “man’s best medicine.”  How right he was.

Thank you to my friend who sent me this lovely “Get Well Soon” pressie – very thoughtful.  There are so many lovely things you can order online these days to brighten up a day. I’m going to remember to do that more in future, it made such a difference to my mood and that can only be a good thing:-

Present from a good friend

ANYWAY. MOVING ON FROM BORING OLD ILLNESS… IT’S NOVEMBER!! BIRTHDAY MONTH FOR MY DAUGHTER AND MEEEEEEE!!!

My youngest son is coming back this evening for reading week and to help celebrate his sister’s birthday. I hope he makes the train – he had a Halloween party last night to attend and so one can’t be too sure.