Out of the Woods

Tim tested positive a week after I did. This virus works very strangely. The girls headed back to school. Tim just got out of his quarantine this past Saturday. I don’t think he was as bad as I was. 

Both our coughs are gone, but lasted until about Day 14 after first symptoms. I can taste, but I can tell it’s not 100%. Same with my sense of smell. It’s there, but not as strong as it was. I hope it all bounces back eventually 😕

The girls are getting their 1st vaccine dose today. Multiple doctors have said to proceed. Tim and I will be getting boosted with Moderna here shortly too. We’re going to stagger our boosters in case we’re down for a day. 

Cases are rising everywhere, in case anyone hadn’t noticed. (This is just our county)

COVID Rd.2 Update

 So we decided to test the girls on Saturday after we got free tests dropped off by our local library (a very nice perk). I think Hannah was acting a bit off Saturday which prompted us. 

Both girls’ tests were positive. Which I think we were glad - ? It immediately nixed my isolation. If the girls are I were positive, Tim had been around us for DAYS by then and had already been exposed plenty. So at least we could congregate together. 

Hannah had a fever for maybe a day if not less. It peaked at 100.2˚. Nora’s only symptoms looking back at the week was a sore throat and aches back on Monday the 1st. 

I’m on Day 10 of having symptoms/side effects. My cough has not subsided and I know some people have it for a while after the virus leaves. I still cannot taste or smell. I’m trying to read up and some folks use mouthwash daily, others just eat intense-flavored foods every day to train their tastebuds. Today I had brown rice, a fried egg, and threw pico de gallo on top with lots of raw onion and some chili lime salt. It hit hard; my sinuses were burning. Then I ate a small amount of mac-n-cheese and I swear I could taste it a bit better. 

I can taste salty, sweet, and bitter profiles, but not the detailed flavor. It’s hard to explain. 

My quarantine ends Thursday. But the girls will end Friday, so Thursday we have to both work from home and manage their schoolwork. 

Tim had to move two days of PTO and take 3 days unpaid leave to manage the girls while I still worked from home. It’s a lot to move around for a working family who gets hit. 

As disruptive as this has all been and as hard as it hit me, I’m glad we’re all okay and now we’ll have a great gift for the holiday season: immunity 🥴

I Have COVID. Again.

 I'm kind of out of words anymore about this virus. 

Yes, I’m vaccinated (J&J), and yes, supposedly I had COVID already in July. Tim supposedly did too. Are two false positives common? Did we falsely cancel half our July for nothing? Sigh. 

I started feeling crummy on Halloween; just fatigue, achey. I took some DayQuil and gained some energy for Trick or Treating. 

Monday I didn’t feel awful, worked out that morning, went to work (!) and mustered through the day with some chest congestion. 

Tuesday woke up and worked out again, felt okay. I was home with the girls for their day off (Election Day). I was able to keep up with them for the 1st half of the day, but once mid-day hit, I went downhill. Aches, chills, sneezing. I spent the 2nd half of the day on the couch under a blanket. 

Wednesday I had a sore throat and I worked from home, not feeling super again. As the day went on, I realized I couldn't smell or taste anything. I stuck my nose in a jar of garlic - nothing. No way - I already had this damn virus, no way could I be positive again. My Mom had given us some free at-home rapid tests and I took one - it was positive. @$%&*

I talked to a county nurse again. She said if I isolated from the family and the girls tested negative on Day 5 (Monday) after their last exposure from me, they could return to school on their Day 8 - which would be Nov 11th. That’s my release date, too. If I stay exposed to the girls, they wouldn’t return to school until Nov 18th - two days of school until they are off for a stupidly long Thanksgiving Break until Tuesday Nov 30th. We want our girls in school, so we’re making a tough decision to isolate me in our bedroom.

Tim of course tested negative because nothing makes sense anymore. He does not have to quarantine because he’s vaccinated, but needs to wear a mask if he went out. 

The girls are fine. Hannah had a cold last week which makes me wonder if she brought it home again - I swear that kid has been exposed more than anyone I know and nothing has happened - I truly wonder if she’s a carrier or immune. 

Cases in Nora’s school have ramped up again after Halloween - the same thing happened last year. The girl next door is positive and a partner at my office tested positive the same afternoon I did. She had travelled last Friday and had been out to dinner Monday for her birthday.

I had gone to a brewery on Friday - my first public eatery since early July. Maybe I caught it there? 

I’m just frustrated. We do most everything we’re supposed to and it’s been a hard year of pivoting with this virus. Meanwhile, I know others who don’t play by the rules and they just skip around with no consequences. I can’t help but stew.

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I’m taking Aspirin every day to thin out my blood, moving as much as I’m able to keep my lungs open. A friend dropped off a pulse ox and thankfully my O2 is 100%. I tried to sleep on my stomach last night - that wasn't happening. I don’t know how I did that pre-children. 

I have no hunger or thirst cues. You have no idea how important those two senses are until you lose them. I only eat and drink b.c I know I have to. The feeling of my stomach tells me when I’m hungry. I really, really hope those senses come back in a timely manner. It was one thing that really freaked me out and now it’s affecting me. 

I don’t ever use sriracha - it made my nose run, but I didn’t taste its heat.

My temporary office + entertainment system.

Tim and the girls FaceTime and we text.  

It’s going to be a long quarantine. Again.

School Photos 2021-22

Fourth and First Grades : ) 

October Fun

 Had a good October! 

Hannah lost both front teeth! #3 fell out after tripping and falling at school - whoops! And #4 came out on its own here at home - we actually collected it! 

We finally got a small swingset after years of me saying we had no where to put it. Tim found a small space in a side part of our yard that wasn’t being used. And a modest two-swing set. Hannah is in heaven! 

We had a great time at our local farm. We were treated to a hayride by our local Down syndrome Association. 

Halloween was decent - Nora went out with her school friends - it was a large group of us : ) 

Hannah only made a handful of houses - too many dogs were walking around and barking and yipping so Hannah was triggered and wouldn’t go out : (