What an average dose of “The ‘Rona” looks like
How it feels to have Covid-19
Day 1: Monday 16th March 2020
Mondays are always tough, aren’t they? My brain struggled to fumble it’s way around planning my week of work, on this groggy Monday morning. Overwhelming desire to eat carbs, especially crisps.
Day 2: Tuesday 17th March 2020
Woke feeling ill, which was a genuine relief. It explained that Monday’s fumbling pace wasn’t a belated hangover, it was the early stages of illness putting pressure on my immune system. Finished the day feeling excited at the prospect of getting Coronavirus done ASAP.
Day 3: Wednesday 18th March 2020
Full blown Covid-19 symptoms. Woke up late with aching joints which hurt when pressure is applied to them. Temperature has risen and my headache requires constant paracetemol consumption. Dry cough has appeared, a slight, mild cough that’s causing very little disturbance. The sore throat is always there alongside a gentle rasping tightness of the lungs. The most frustrating symptom is the woozy brain fog which has made reading emails or cooking dinner into disorienting activities. The virus has reduced me to a bed-bound Netflix bucket, only well enough to watch a single episode before taking a nap, then repeat. Testing unavailable for me as symptoms are not critical.
Day 4: Thursday 19th March 2020
Woke up bathed in sweat, so I moved to the empty side of the bed to feel dry bed linen against my body. Turned the bed down to dry the sheets after waking. Symptoms persist as yesterday, easing slightly as the day passed.
Day 5: Friday 20th March 2020
Hope appeared on the horizon as the symptoms eased again. Paracetemol no longer needed as the aches and pains have lowered to a mild level. Tried to do a press-up but stopped when my wrists felt arthritic as pressure was applied to them.
Day 6: Saturday 21st March 2020
Cooked eggs on toast for lunch, topped with excessive quantities of tomato ketchup. I cut a large chunk of the food and lifted it into my mouth, only to be met with an acidic twang shooting up my nostrils and the absence of any other flavour.
I poured an espresso and sipped it — no flavour — just hot, thick, tasteless liquid passing my lips. Sense of taste and smell officlally gone. God damn this virus, when hope had appeared as the worst symptoms eased, it swipes away one of the few pleasures those in isolation have, the enjoyment of food.
Day 7: Sunday 22nd March 2020
Hoping for a full recovery by Monday, so that my work and life can continue as ordinarily as possible under the circumstances.
Day 8: Monday 23rd March 2020
Returned to my desk with a head shedding the last few days of illness, a lingering ‘was recently ill’ sensation. My nose and throat feel like they’ve had a beating over the last week and need a few days to recover. No taste or smell. Cough has progressed to that slapping hack that accompanies recovery from illness, which I take comfort in.
Day 9: Tuesday 24th March 2020
Basically I’ve had enough of this. I feel 90% recovered, except for an aching face and a brain that’s not functioning at full power.
Day 10: Wednesday 25th March 2020
After another day of malaise, I moved to the sofa at 6pm to watch Netflix. By 9pm, I felt so tired that I went to bed. Maybe I could wake extra early tomorrow and really Get Shit Done.
Day 11: Thursday 26th March 2020
Woke up feeling rough, somewhere around the day 4/5 symptoms without the joints aching. Back on the Paracetemol. Binged watched 10 episodes of Sex Education and ordered a massive pizza.Took photographs of fruit in dangerous places in my flat. Got out of bed for a Zoom meeting at 3pm and felt like vomiting or fainting after about an hour. Went back to bed afterwards and slept well.
Day 12: Friday 27th March 2020
Ordered a hand stick and poke tattoo kit. Feeling like my head is fuddled but the symptoms have eased again. Desperately hoping for a full recovery now, because 12 days of feeling grotty when all work deadlines have turned to mush is the perfect storm to get zero work completed. No smell or taste, I wish for their return like a lonely partner staring out the window for their travelling soulmate to return.
Day 13: Saturday 28th March 2020
To follow…
