Personal Post: Post-COVID-19

 Hey, everyone!

I know it's been a while, but right after my last post, I ended up getting a full time job, and I needed my extra time to devote to grad school. I've only got one class left, and I graduate in December! EEEEEP!

Anyway, today is more of a personal post, and I really hope no one gets offended by it.

Last month, on Independence Day, I came down with COVID-19 despite mostly staying in and not having contact with anyone with symptoms or who had gotten the virus. It was scary to think that I could get it that way.

If you've seen little inklings about it on Twitter, I want you to know I'm okay now. However, I am still suffering from a lingering cough, and it seems like the virus has permanently taken my voice. I can still talk, but it's very raspy and painful.

Please, please, please take this virus seriously. I'd been taking everything seriously - wearing a mask, gloves if I needed to, washing and sanitizing hands, social distancing, etc. I hadn't made any unnecessary trips since mid May because I was afraid of increased spreading due to Memorial Day and other summer holidays.

For me, it started with a little cough around 10:30 PM. Literally eight hours later, I was bedridden with a much more serious cough so bad my neighbors heard it across the street, body aches, a high fever, and the chills. It got worse from there. My fever was constantly between 102-104 for ten days. Yes, ten days. I was so scared the fever would kill me, but it managed to break that night.

Luckily, I survived, but let me tell you, during the month that I had this, I wished for death. A lot. I remember telling my mom that I would rather die than deal with the pain of the cough and all the pain my body was going through.

Again, now I'm pretty much okay. I'm probably going to need to be on my inhaler and nebulizer for a while, but I'm okay. I'm grateful for that, and I realize that despite how bad my case was for me, others haven't been so lucky.

While we move forward and try to get back to normal, please be cautious. Personally, I don't think we'll ever go back to normal. We will need to find a new type of normal. Only go out for things you really need, and if you go out for more than that, make sure you're being careful. Wear your mask. Wash your hands frequently. Sanitize your hands when a soap and a sink isn't available. And please, keep your distance. It might be uncomfortable, but let others know when they are in your personal space or just too close to you.

I go back to school next week. My school is one of the schools going back in-person. I'm terrified that I'll get this again, but I'll be doing what I'd been doing and just hoping that I stay safe.

I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

Take care, and I'll see you when I have a book review for you.