Life in the Time of Corona

After six months of staying coronavirus free, we finally got hit hard mid August. Jared started having sensitive skin, nausea and body aches around August 9th. I started having severe allergy symptoms (congestion, headache and cough) despite never suffering from allergies in the past, and body aches (especially my kidney area) as well as a loss of smell and taste (that has still not fully returned) around Wednesday, August 12th. I felt better by Friday but started feeling bad again Saturday and felt absolutely miserable by Sunday. Laney had allergy symptoms (earache, headache and congestion) by Sunday too. Monday Jared notified work (Gates Corporation) that I had decided to be tested for coronavirus. That meant he had to leave work immediately and Laney who had only just started work there the week before was not to come in for her shift. They couldn't return for at least two weeks. Jared and I went to the local health department and Thursday were notified that our tests were positive. We were told to expect a phone call from the Arkansas Department of Health for contact tracing questions as well as further information on our symptoms ECT (We never  received that call). I immediately sent the girls to be tested Thursday. On Friday, August 21st I started to develop severe hives.

This would continue for one full week. For days I could barely talk without having to cough. Out of the three of us, I definitely was the sickest. But I believe Jared and Laney had already had the virus back in mid March, making this infection much milder, but widespread testing wasn't being done then and they were refused tests because of the lack of a high fever and shortness of breath. It should be noted that even this time our fevers were never more than 99.7* And we were never "short of breath" either but I did breathe very shallow as to not cause coughing. And doing anything did leave me out of breath as if I had been exercising strenuously. I didn't start feeling normal truly until yesterday (I finally mowed our yard!).

Saturday, August 22nd Ashley received a text message that her test was negative. We notified the school district and were informed she could not start school on the first day back, Monday, August 24th and most likely couldn't  start in school instruction for a few weeks, not starting her two week quarantine until after the rest of us finally test negative. Laney received her phone call saying her test was positive on Monday, August 24th. Then she received her call from the ADH, she told them we still hadn't received our call. The contact nurse said she would send an email. 

Tuesday the 25th, Jared and I went to retest hoping we could get this quarantine/isolation over with but unfortunately these tests came back positive again on Thursday the 27th. When I called on Friday to try to schedule a whole family retest for Monday the 31st I was told we couldn't test again until the Arkansas Department of Health "released" us. I mentioned to the lady on the phone that we still haven't been contacted by the ADH. She said she would email them. So here's hoping we can make progress on Monday so we can get on with living. 

I started having bad heartburn and nausea yesterday and had a migraine all last night. The same kind of headache I had before, concentrated right at the bridge of my nose. Jared is starting to cough again.  I hope we're not passing this thing back and forth or that it's two different strands. Laney is completely better and Ashley still has never gotten sick. 

In the meantime, I took this down time as an opportunity to finally finish Patrick's camo crochet blanket and started back up on Laney's. 

Patrick's was a "v-stitch" and Laney's is a "shell stitch" in alternating colors ( Buff, Aran, Cafe Latte, Flecked Buff and Flecked Aran).

For size comparison, Patrick's blanket is spread across our king-size bed.

I've also left all my social media. This world is falling apart and I am tired of various "news" sources trying to manipulate us from every angle. So now, when I feel the urge to post about my life, maybe it will be over here.

Until next time, 

Becky