Well That Stinks!

 Last Friday I felt a little bit of a tickle deep in my throat. I wasn't really coughing much at all, just feeling it now and again. My grandkids had been recovering from a cough while I was in Florida, nothing serious, just a cough, so I didn't think too much of it. I did, however, make sure to keep my mask up over my nose at work. 

Saturday came and went. Saturday evening I decided to do a test, just to be sure. Negative. Phew! Sunday morning I stayed home from church because I thought I should play it safe. I felt fine, just had that little bit of a tickle. Monday morning I went to work. Kept the mask on and made it through the day without incident, but found myself needing to clear my throat a little more often. I had no fever, no body aches, no sore throat, no fatigue.

Late Monday evening my nose started to prickle, almost like when you get water up your nose in a pool. It was slightly concerning but I've never had good luck calling into work and my test had been negative. I went to work Tuesday morning feeling okay. I had a sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich on the way and drank my coffee soon after arrival. It wasn't until my early morning potty break that I began to be concerned.

Sam mentioned something about one of the babies having a blowout. "It's probably Mara," I said, "I'll change her when I get back." There was a comment on my return about her having stunk up the whole room. I popped her up on the changing table and sure enough, she had pooped. There was a good amount there, but I wasn't smelling a thing. I held the open diaper closer to my face and sniffed, hoping no one would see me. Nothing. I smelled nothing. I smelled nothing when I changed the second soiled diaper. Now I was really concerned, but I still felt pretty much okay aside from a nose that was a little prickly.

I mentioned something to my boss who said maybe I should make an appointment for a test. When I got home later, I did a second test. It was negative too. Still uneasy, I called Urgent Care and they agreed to test me again. There was a long line of people waiting inside so I gave them my information and went to wait in my car. When my turn came they called me in, looked me over, asked a few questions, and stuck the swab up my nose. The result? Negative. 

I called my boss and told her the tests had all come back negative. She said she had me covered for Wednesday of I wanted to stay home so I took her up on it. It was a good call. On Wednesday I did not feel so great. Stuffy face and ears, stiff neck, diminished taste, and loss of smell along with a cough that threatened to go deep. Early yesterday afternoon I sent her a text and told her I hated to do it, but had decided to stay home for the rest of the week. 

I felt a bit stuffy this morning but the stiff neck is gone and my face isn't hurting. Maybe the vaccine I got back in August helped, or maybe it's the vitamin regimen along with the Musinex I've been taking. Maybe it isn't the dreaded virus at all and the negative tests were accurate. Either way I'm feeling pretty good today. I still have the cough and a runny nose, but I'm not feeling the level of concern that I had yesterday. I could smell the peanut butter this morning, my deodorant is scented, and my sense of taste has returned. 

I still plan to stay home tomorrow and lay low for the weekend, just to be safe.