It was my hope that I could go through the entire stupid pandemic without getting infected with the SAR-CoV-2 virus, but alas, it was not to be. I woke up yesterday morning and took a COVID-19 test. It showed I was positive.
I was the last one in our home to contract it. My wife tested positive on Monday. My mother-in-law tested positive on Tuesday. I tested negative all week until Saturday.
We’re pretty sure my wife got it at work. For the longest time, she was able to work at home. A while back, her employer decided everyone should work at least three days a week in the office. This was right around the time everyone began pretending the pandemic was over.
So far, my symptoms are fairly tame. No fever, I’m just congested. I woke up last night and blew my nose. The room began spinning like crazy.
My only concern is that my symptoms will get worse before they get better. I have quite a few comorbidities. It’s why I wear an N95 mask anytime I’m going to be indoors around other people. I’ve also been vaccinated a total of four times. We haven’t eaten in a restaurant or gone to a movie since early 2020.
The good news is after this, we’ll have some pretty strong immunity for at least six months. It means I can forgo wearing an N95, or taking any other COVID-19 precautions. We can attend the 2022 Baltimore Comic-Con without any worries. I’d like to go to a concert and eat in a restaurant.
I don’t fear death. I fear having to get admitted to the hospital. I remember the horror stories of people in the hospital, hooked up to a ventilator for weeks, and cut off from their families. They were forced to die alone without their loved ones at their side.
I want nothing to do with that.
That nightmare scenario doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. COVID-19 has become no more severe than a head cold. If I didn’t take a test showing I had COVID-19, I’d think I just had a simple head cold. My hope is that by 2023, we can finally put COVID-19 in the rearview mirror.