I've got COVID - with very minor symptoms

[MickinMD ★]

I tested positive for COVID (picture below). I might have caught COVID Wednesday in Church at my nephew's 8th Grade Catholic School graduation - the first time I didn't wear a mask in a crowded public place, though usually it takes a couple days for symptoms to appear, but it's not likely I caught it before then: I always wore a KN-95 mask.

Was that the wrath of God for skipping masses?

Below is the test from one of the 4 the government sent us - the box says the test is good until 2024.  If a line forms under both C and T it is positive for COVID.

The directions say to wait 15 minutes for results and the lines may be faint: my lines showed up in less than 2 minutes.  Of course, I'm a certified master chemist: I know how to take samples and mix solutions!

So the first symptoms were late Wednesday and the first full day of symptoms Thursday. The MD Health Department says that's day 0 and I should self-quarantine for 5 days through Tuesday. I'm glad I got all my food shopping done early in the week! The symptoms are really mild: there's no problem eating crunchy stuff like potato chips, but I'll call my doctor's office Monday to see if he wants to see me at any time about COVID.

I had decided not to get the 2nd booster shot until September so it would still be strong at the next high-point of COVID in January.  This infection should cover me until then.  Apparently, the old vaccinations wear down but they still protect from serious cases - knock on wood.

At first I felt just a very minor sore throat late Wednesday and assumed it was because I was using my voice a lot in Church -singing, responses, etc. for the first time in ages.

But Thursday evening, the throat got a little more sore, and I did 25 oz. of decaf tea with 1 tbsp honey, woke up 3:30 am Friday and did the same and it helped. In the next couple of days, I'll add rum to it and make it a real hot toddy!

Friday morning I had muscle aches, my nose was running a little, and I was sneezing.

At no point have I had chest congestion or headache - just sinuses going crazy and an always-minor sore throat.

By 2 pm I felt a lot better, the sore throat much diminished, thought it must be a 24 hr virus, and that some exercise would get me back to feeling right.

So I spent 4 hours working outside, mostly raking the garden patch, preparing for transplant and planting 10 tomato plants, and pounding 20 2-foot stakes 1-foot into the ground as supports for the cages.

I felt fine throughout the work, though I it was a little more tiring than I expected.

But after I finished around 7pm The sore throat returned from being almost gone, my nose is running a lot, and I'm sneezing a lot.

So I decided to use one of the four COVID test kits that the government sent out.

 

[maddmaxx ★]

I'm doing a foolish thing today by going to a movie theater.

[donkpow]

My episode of infection last year was also minor. The most impactful symptom was that I tired easily. Take it easy, drink plenty of fluids, get good rest. All the same as treating the flu.

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

May your symptoms stay mild and fade quickly. Did you tell your family that was at the church also? They need to know. As does your sister with the husband recovering from cancer. 

[MickinMD ★]

1 hour ago, maddmaxx said:

I'm doing a foolish thing today by going to a movie theater.

You've gotta live!

[team scooter]

Its been going around at work again. The way its been spreading, who knows, maybe I've already had it, just didn't recognize the symptoms. I've been double vaxed and boosted. Seems at work those that got vaxed are having little or no symptoms. Those that didn't get vaxed are getting hit harder.

[Parr8hed]

1 hour ago, maddmaxx said:

I'm doing a foolish thing today by going to a movie theater.

I don't think that is foolish. 

[MickinMD ★]

I got the iHealth app from the Google Store for Android and pretended to do the test with it's instructions on my smartphone because it sends positive reports to the CDC.

When I reported a positive result at the end, it allowed me to enter information that is then sent to the CDC.  Strange, my age and illnesses like Diabetes weren't among the questions.

I also went to my family doctor's portal and sent him a message that I have a mild COVID case, am home-quarantining and medicating on occasion with hot toddies of tea, honey, and rum (which he originally introduced to me), and will contact his office if it gets any worse.

I talked to my neighbor, Lauretta, yesterday but she was on her back porch about 15 feet away from me.

She, her brother and her 92 year-old mother all caught COVID last winter.  The mother died and Lauretta, 71, was hospitalized for a couple weeks, then on oxygen for almost a month.  Of course, Lauretta hadn't been vaccinated!

[Wilbur ★]

1 hour ago, maddmaxx said:

I'm doing a foolish thing today by going to a movie theater.

File your review quickly... just in case!   

[maddmaxx ★]

1 hour ago, MickinMD said:

You've gotta live!

That's what people say.  It's also resulted in too quick retractions of those mandates that might have nipped this in the bud some time ago.  Folks got bored with covid

If I was smart I's simply wait till this came to cable.  Unfortunately my family will go whether I do or not and they would probably bring it home anyway.  Covid could be my birthday present this year.

[BuffJim]

Get well soon, Mick. 

[ChrisL]

Nearly everyone in our bubble got it.  We think my SIL is patient zero and was an asymptomatic carrier.  He gave it to both of his parents, his son then got it and as we were together in the mountains over Memorial Day my wife, me and then my daughter got it.  My son and his GF have been holed up in his room and we mask up when leaving our room so hopefully they miss it.

Everyone but me has had mild symptoms.  Even though I’m double boosted the chest congestion was really bad and coupled with a sore throat made clearing phlegm a really painful chore.  I also lost my voice.  Add in fever, body aches, disorientation loss of appetite and fatigue and yeah it’s been a good past few days…. I do feel like I’m turning the corner. 

[Airehead]

@MickinMD, hydrate well and nap. Let your body fight it while it is minor. 
 

[maddmaxx ★]

2 hours ago, Parr8hed said:

I don't think that is foolish. 

You're not 76.

[Parr8hed]

3 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

You're not 76.

Some days I feel like it!

[MoseySusan]

Mild symptoms can be annoying, too. Take care. God is not punishing you with an illness. 

[Road Runner]

2 hours ago, MickinMD said:

I got the iHealth app from the Google Store for Android and pretended to do the test with it's instructions on my smartphone because it sends positive reports to the CDC.

Excellent.

[Ralphie ★]

2 hours ago, MickinMD said:

You've gotta live!

Living is in the eye of the beholder. I never liked crowds so I Shirley don’t like them now!

[Road Runner]

4 minutes ago, Philander Seabury said:

Living is in the eye of the beholder.

I haven't been in a movie theater in several years.  Big screen TV and cable is fine with me.  

[petitepedal ★]

Well..I tend to get cough/ chest things pretty bad..so I am watching this.

[Road Runner]

It looked like a spike was starting here recently, but it now has taken a slight dip.  Hopefully the dip will continue to dip.

[MickinMD ★]

3 hours ago, team scooter said:

Its been going around at work again. The way its been spreading, who knows, maybe I've already had it, just didn't recognize the symptoms. I've been double vaxed and boosted. Seems at work those that got vaxed are having little or no symptoms. Those that didn't get vaxed are getting hit harder.

Same among my friends and relatives.

[MickinMD ★]

4 hours ago, Old No. 7 said:

May your symptoms stay mild and fade quickly. Did you tell your family that was at the church also? They need to know. As does your sister with the husband recovering from cancer. 

I emailed or texted everyone I was with at the church.   My sister was also with me on Thursday - I got some short term CD's and I have her down as co-owner in case I ever need her to handle money for me in an emergency.  We did not come in close contact with anyone at the Credit Union: they have a glass partition in front of their live people and they have remote tellers you interact with on a display screen.

[MickinMD ★]

1 hour ago, Airehead said:

@MickinMD, hydrate well and nap. Let your body fight it while it is minor. 
 

Thanks, I'm going to do just that.  I was originally planning to mow the lawn today but, after 4 hours of mostly hard work in the yard yesterday before I found out I had COVID, I'd be foolish to take a chance on getting fatigued and the virus finding less resistance.

[Kzoo]

53 minutes ago, Road Runner said:

It looked like a spike was starting here recently, but it now has taken a slight dip.  Hopefully the dip will continue to dip.

That’s what Michigan’s is looking like.  Several months ago they went from daily reporting of new cases to 3 times a week and then weekly.  They chart 7 day averages.  Charting by the day, 7 day averages from one weekly number makes the graphs interesting but it works the further you hold the graph away.

[MickinMD ★]

I went to the liquor store today due to need of a medical ingredient!  I Purelled the hell out my hands, credit card, and wore a KN-95 mask. I chose a liquor store where you don't come close to the cashier and that had no customers.

I needed a bottle of Bacardi Rum to make hot toddies to sooth my sore throat.  I think have a bottle somewhere - set aside for just that purpose, but couldn't find it today.  I may have tossed it when I moved from the Apartment to the 1 month in a hotel or from the hotel when I moved back into my house.

My family doctor introduced them to me and they are a great sore throat relief: 25 oz of hot tea, 1 tbsp honey, 2-3 shots worth of rum.  They're best consumed late in the evening when you're not going anywhere;

As soon as I open this bottle, I'll probably find the other one!

[MickinMD ★]

3 minutes ago, Kzoo said:

That’s what Michigan’s is looking like.  Several months ago they went from daily reporting of new cases to 3 times a week and then weekly.  They chart 7 day averages.  Charting by the day, 7 day averages from one weekly number makes the graphs interesting but it works the further you hold the graph away.

Maryland went from 4.62 daily cases per 100000 on March 23rd to 37.57 last week.  Multiply that by 60 to get the total number of daily cases.

Maryland went from 110 total Acute and Critical COVID hospital beds on April 9th to 509 now.  Despite the fact the only 7.5% of those 5 years-old and above are NOT vaccinated in Maryland, the unvaxxed represent 76% of those hospitalized.

Maryland was really good at wearing masks when it was required and even for a while when it was not required.  But now it's rare - 1 in 10 or less than that wear masks in stores, etc.  At my nephew's Catholic School graduation mass/ceremony, I only saw 2 people with masks.

[maddmaxx ★]

5 hours ago, Road Runner said:

I haven't been in a movie theater in several years.  Big screen TV and cable is fine with me.  

The same this decade.  However today's foray was for a sequel to one of last centuries most entertaining movies.  We timed it carefully for a Saturday morning first show of the day on a great weather beach day.  There were only about 30 people in the theater.  I'll probably live even though the easiest way to not get covid is to not go.

[bikeman564™]

prayers & vibes sent

[MickinMD ★]

I spent a half hour on the phome with a very friendly guy who called from the Maryland Department of Health, then another hour and a half either informing people I had been near recently and were either over 65 or had diabetes that the Health Dept. was going to call them or just letting friends know I have COVID.

My voice is really shot now.

The Health Department will text or call me each day through June 7th - 5 full days after I first noticed symptoms - and make sure I've been staying self-quarantined, then will do the same through the 12th to make sure I've been wearing a mask when I go out.  Or at least make sure I tell them what they want to hear, but I'll have no problem complying.

If you use the iHealth app - that's the company that make the COVID test kits the government sent me - and let your phone walk you through the testing procedure, at the end you're asked if you want to report your positive test to the CDC.  I did and that resulted in the call from the State Health Dept.

I was told that even though it seems very mild, that could change, so contact my doctor and ask him to prescribe for me - if my insurance covers it as it probably does - either monoclonalantibodies or oral anti viral pills, whatwver he prefers.  I left the message and will call agian Monday.

I was told not to do any more yardwork besides watering the tomato plants.  I need to borrow my brother's lawn spreader, soak the lawn with a hose, then apply Scotts or other "Weed Control for Lawns" on a day when dry weather is forecasr for the next two days.

My lawn hasn't had any weed contril since the firre over 2 years ago.  But I'm not going to apply it until after the 5 quarantine days, at least.

 

[Airehead]

Do rest. 

[Square Wheels]

1 hour ago, MickinMD said:

My lawn hasn't had any weed contril since the firre over 2 years ago.  But I'm not going to apply it until after the 5 quarantine days, at least.

Take care of your health first.  I have not watered, used fertilizer, or weed killer in 15 years.  The grass (weeds) is still there.

[shootingstar]

Take care Mick.

I did get covid in early Feb. One of the things in last few wks., see if my breathing was affected. So biked small hills every so often to see. One of the hills, I was abit surprised my upper lung area hurt slightly as I got to top of the hill ...even though I made sure I drank some water at home.  Then I did the hill again today and the pain-irritant wasn't there.

So test yourself carefully, for breathing effort in a few months Mick, after you recover.

[MickinMD ★]

Sunday morning report.

I woke up around 3 am and the swollen gland/sore throat feeling had spread to where I felt a pain in my right ear when I swallowed.

The throat hurt when swallowing, mainly because I was on the phone for 2 hours yesterday.

I went back to sleep, woke up at 7 am and had breakfast with hot coffee.

I the sore throat has backed off, the ear pain if barely noticable, but the runny nose is still going on.

There's still absolutely no chest congestion or fever, the two things I fear most because they'd represent a stronger infection.

And it's nice to be able to take a deep breath without hearing the bronchial tube rattle and wanting to cough.

I went outside to check my Friday-planted tomato plants in the garden.  I buried the stems as deep as practical, as recommended, so more roots will grow, and it seems like there's a couple inches of stem growth going on and the plants are standing straight up:  so growing plants from seeds in the small 2" x 2" cells has worked out fine.

Thank God I got 10 of the 12 tomato plants and their cages in the ground before I realized I had COVID while I was doing it and that it didn't wear me out.  The plants I'll begin hardening-off today should be ready for the garden Friday or Saturday when I should be recovered.

 

[Airehead]

Sounds like a mixed report. Keep sipping tea and nap

[MickinMD ★]

I had to fill out a text message questionaire for the Maryland Dept. of Health and at the end it generated a computerize reply, "Sounds like you're not feeling well. Continue to isolate. We will follow-up again every day."

The original direction when the Health Dept. contacted me was to isolate through Tuesday. We'll see.  Right now, I'm feeling a little better than I did at this time yesterday, but it's about the same.  I've avoided talking on the phone today, so I'm hoping my throat feels a lot better tomorrow.

[MickinMD ★]

Monday Morning Report:

Feeling better today.  Still have a minor sore throat and a lot of runny nose/post-nasal drip stuff going on but it's a little less severe.

I slept fairly well and feel well rested for the first time in a few days.

At 3:45 pm today I have a Zoom meeting with a provider from my PCP's office.  We're going to go over everything and talk about a possible prescription for monoclonal antibodies or oral anti viral pills or whatever else is preferred.

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

Keep the healing trend going. Saturday evening I attended a retirement dinner at a Mexican restaurant. About 30 people were in a separate room from the main restaurant but there is still a chance I could test positive. I feel fine for now, but I still have that thought, what if?

[Razors Edge ★]

6 minutes ago, Old No. 7 said:

Keep the healing trend going. Saturday evening I attended a retirement dinner at a Mexican restaurant. About 30 people were in a separate room from the main restaurant but there is still a chance I could test positive. I feel fine for now, but I still have that thought, what if?

We had a family wedding on Sat with a couple hundred folks.  I imagine that could spell a few COVID cases for sure, but for the most part, a younger crowd was in attendance, so fingers crossed no older folks get sick.

[ChrisL]

2 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

We had a family wedding on Sat with a couple hundred folks.  I imagine that could spell a few COVID cases for sure, but for the most part, a younger crowd was in attendance, so fingers crossed no older folks get sick.

I found it interesting that I attended my Uncles funeral with about 100 people and came away fine.  The following weekend I went to the mountains with my daughter & her family & got taken out.   You just never know…

But the way it spread within my family shows how infectious it is. We believe my SIL got it first and for the most part felt fine.  He never tested positive so we think it ran its course through him and was gone before being tested. He than passed it on to his yet to be vaxxed son who we mistook symptoms for teething symptoms.  It then spread to both sets of grand parents and mom within days.  Fortunately my son & his GF didn’t join us in the mountains and both tested negative yesterday.  

[maddmaxx ★]

Two days after the movie theater and I'm still fine.  It might be difficult to tell however as it's high allergy season and everything is covered with green pollen dust.  Any trip outdoors leads to a runny nose, scratchy throat and itching eyes.

[Razors Edge ★]

21 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

I found it interesting that I attended my Uncles funeral with about 100 people and came away fine.  The following weekend I went to the mountains with my daughter & her family & got taken out.   You just never know…

But the way it spread within my family shows how infectious it is. We believe my SIL got it first and for the most part felt fine.  He never tested positive so we think it ran its course through him and was gone before being tested. He than passed it on to his yet to be vaxxed son who we mistook symptoms for teething symptoms.  It then spread to both sets of grand parents and mom within days.  Fortunately my son & his GF didn’t join us in the mountains and both tested negative yesterday.  

Several hours on the dance floor with a bunch of 20-somethings would be a place it could be spread - even with good circulation and really high ceilings. 

All the attendees would have to know the risks, so I can't really worry too much about them at this point.  Like you say, it's crazy how infectious it can be, so you can only hope the attendees are also protecting the folks at home who they might later come in contact with, but with the "light" or no symptoms many might have, it's easy to be left wondering even where folks might catch it.

[MickinMD ★]

I had my medical Zoom meeting with my family doctor's office.

Right now I do NOT have a sore throat, my nose is barely running, and the medical opinion was that I don't need anti viral pills or monoclonal antibodies - I was told they're not doing monoclonal antibodies anymore due to other, more effective stuff.

I was told that letting my vaccinated body make its own antibodies to wipe out COVID is better than using a crutch which would result in my body not needing to fight as hard and not training itself to make loads of anti-COVID antibodies, T-cells, etc.

So no prescriptions needed or wanted!

I have one more day of self-isolation then 5 days when I need to wear a mask whenever I go out in public.

This is - I'm knocking on wood - a much less scary condition than I imagined I'd have if I caught COVID.

Of course, this disease has come back strongly in some people, so I'm not out of the woods yet and will keep myself rested, hydrated, etc. until I'm well in the clear.

[Airehead]

Great news @MickinMD

[Scrapr ★]

Good luck Mick

I went to a wedding last Sunday afternoon. Tuesday reports started rolling in with positive tests. Over 10 that I know. About Wed/Thur Sara with an H started feeling poorly. We both tested negative. I started having runny nose  & brain fog Saturday. Tested this am & the test line got black within 2 minutes. Been taking some antihistamines to help w the runny nose

[Prophet Zacharia]

13 hours ago, MickinMD said:

I have one more day of self-isolation then 5 days when I need to wear a mask whenever I go out in public.

Is this your doctor’s timeline, Maryland Department of health, or something else? They seem to be shifting a lot. It used to be 5 days quarantine followed by masking in public was for ASYMPTOMATIC people with a positive test. For symptomatic people, 10 days quarantine.
 

By quarantine, they mean stay home, not going shopping at off hours at quiet stores. I don’t believe that has changed.

[MickinMD ★]

On 6/4/2022 at 9:28 AM, MoseySusan said:

Mild symptoms can be annoying, too. Take care. God is not punishing you with an illness. 

We can't be sure of that.  Think about all the Egyptians who got the Plague of Boils - along with locusts, river of blood, angel of death, etc. in Moses' time!

[MickinMD ★]

1 hour ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

Is this your doctor’s timeline, Maryland Department of health, or something else? They seem to be shifting a lot. It used to be 5 days quarantine followed by masking in public was for ASYMPTOMATIC people with a positive test. For symptomatic people, 10 days quarantine.
 

By quarantine, they mean stay home, not going shopping at off hours at quiet stores. I don’t believe that has changed.

Yeah, they've definitely made the requirements much less rigid. 

The isolation timeline is the order given to me by the guy on the phone at the Maryland Health Department.

He said to self-isolate (stay home, don't interact with people, don't use items other people use) through the 7th (today): the standard for MD is 5 days after the first day symptoms are noticed.  He said I then need to wear a mask anywhere in public for the next 5 days after that (through the 12th).  I get a set of YES-NO text questions sent to me by the Health Dept. about 8:40 am each day and so far they've ended with "continue to self-isolate."

I looked it up and the rule of thumb is that a COVID victim is contagious for 10 days after first symptoms for a mild illness and up to 20 days for a severe illness.

Personally, I'm going to continue to self-isolate until the symptoms go away even though today, the 7th, is the last day I've been ordered to self-isolate.  The symptoms are almost gone.  What's left is a slightly runny nose and post-nasal drip causing an occasional cough, and a hint of a sore throat when I cough.  I've been wearing a mask in indoor, public places except for my nephew's 8th grade Catholic School graduation mass and ceremony.  I'll be wearing a KN-95 mask from now on out in public even beyond the health dept. order to the 12th, even though I'll have a higher-level of immunity:  the daily cases and hospitalizations for COVID have multiplied alarmingly in Maryland over the past two months.

 

 

[MickinMD ★]

On 6/4/2022 at 9:52 AM, petitepedal said:

Well..I tend to get cough/ chest things pretty bad..so I am watching this.

The silver lining for me is no chest congestion at all.  When I get sick and have a congested chest I hate the feeling of limited breathing and coughing when I take a deep breath.  That this illness might evolve to include chest congestion has been my biggest worry. I began to feel much better yesterday afternoon and this morning, so I hope the worst is over.

I've had bronchitis infections and "24 hour viruses" that hit me harder than this. The 3 vaccinations through mid-October of 2021 definitely are still working!  Thank God and Saint Pfizer!

[MickinMD ★]

On 6/4/2022 at 5:48 AM, donkpow said:

My episode of infection last year was also minor. The most impactful symptom was that I tired easily. Take it easy, drink plenty of fluids, get good rest. All the same as treating the flu.

Yesterday, I took a couple trays of plants outside to harden in the sun, then carried my heavy county-supplied trash can and recycling bin in from the street and I was breathing a little heavy from that alone.

So I know not to do too much.

The biggest physical thing I need to do is mow the lawn, wet the lawn, and apply Scott's Weed Control with a spreader.  That will wait for at least a week.

Meanwhile, I have 2 tomato plants and 6 bell pepper plants to transplant into the garden in a few days. That won't wear me out.