COVID 2022
Next, I WAS off to Minnesota with Sam as part of his 8th grade graduation trip and to attend the Celebration of Life for our dear friend Bill Dunlap … and to tour some parks, of course! On the list were Mississippi River National River and Recreation Area where we were going to ride bikes and Voyageurs National Park where we were going to take an epic boat tour. Then I was off to La Quinta, California with some high school girlfriends to play pickleball and hike at Joshua Tree National Park. However, all will have to wait for another day and not good news to share … I tested positive for COVID.
I wore a mask everywhere in Chicago … on the airplane, in the cabs, indoors always and outside often. James and I had a boozy lunch and I might have slipped on my protocol then .. or could it have been that coughing girl in the lounge? On Monday, when we arrived home, my throat was slightly sore. On Tuesday, I felt like I had a head cold, which I was by now officially blaming on the little girls in the lounge 4sure! I rested, got Ryder started with day #1 of his Summer VIBE program, took Sam to his workout and tried to shield my getting more raspy by the minute voice from my mother on on our daily call (yes, I call my mother daily. It is a family tradition!). Then on Wednesday, after I dropped Sam off at school for his last day of 8th grade, I coughed up some unpleasant and not normal stuff … and knew then that I wasn’t in head cold territory any longer. I wanted to test before I attended Sam’s graduation that night on Wednesday, June 15th … and I tested positive.
My first thought was that I was wasting a test. There was no way I could have COVID as I was so careful during my travels. After I administered the test, I was convinced it was a frivolous act and that it would actually come back inconclusive as I probably didn’t swab correctly. And yet my voice was really raspy, I had a really stuffy nose and a pretty healthy headache (and I am not the headache type). Needless to say, It was a very long 10 minutes to wait.
I am still in shock as I wore my mask (almost) everywhere in Chicago and have been so super careful for over 2+ years. But alas, it is omnipresent and spreading like wildfire in this climate. I am so thankful Ryder did not get sick too and still super bummed I couldn’t attend Sam’s graduation … but thankful it is a semi-mild case. It did spread to my lungs pretty quickly, so I was fortunate to have an awesome pro-active doctor that got me on PAXLOVID immediately. And I am forever grateful for vaccine and my double boosters … they definitely helpedI I got a mild case and am feeling better already. WHEW!
And heartbreaker to share … Mak got COVID up at Camp Collins and now he is home for the week in quarantine on his side of the house. He shared that over 14 counselors at camp tested positive, so it was definitely making its rounds everywhere. Super bummed for him as he was going to be trained on the challenge course this week. He so hopes he can still have that position this summer, but only time will tell. Fingers crossed that he can test negative by this weekend so he can get back up to camp. I bought him 5 tests to start daily testing and today, Tuesday, June 21st, he was still positive.
For me, I am done with my solo quarantine and now just need to wear a mask until Friday. I will test again on Saturday and am wishing upon my lucky stars that I am negative.
Stay safe out there my friends! 😷
UPDATE: On Thursday, June 23rd, Ryder woke up with a scratchy throat and runny nose. He announced yesterday that he was immune to COVID and science tells us otherwise today. His test showed a positive within 30 seconds. Now he is in quarantine … and our goal this summer was to get him out of his room more. But alas, back in he goes for 5 solid days. I will go buy more test kids tomorrow.
After a healthy does of family drama yesterday (not my immediate family, but my greater family), I decided to test one day early … and I am so excited to share I tested negative!