Well, no doubting it today.
- Aches
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Chills
- And fever
A friend pointed this out yesterday and I think it’s an important observation:
I was exposed on 10/26-28. We were unmasked, but I wouldn’t have considered us to be in close proximity. My contacts were not symptomatic at that time so they didn’t know to be concerned. I was only maybe within 3 feet of each of them for maybe 15 mins over the course of those two days. Definitely not considered a “close contact”.
My contact tested positive on 10/28 and the second one on 10/29. I was tested on 10/29 simply as a precaution and tested positive and began isolation.
I felt great on 10/29, 10/30, 10/31, 11/1, and 11/2. Five solid days of being positive and obviously contagious, but I wouldn’t have known that without a positive test.
I began mild symptoms on 11/3 and definitely am feeling it on 11/4. So, let’s recap:
- Exposed by two people 10/26-10/28, >15 mins, >6 feet, but no less than 3 feet.
- informed of positive exposure 10/28.
- Tested positive 10/29 and began isolation.
- Symptoms developed 11/3.
If I hadn’t known to get tested, I could have potentially exposed at a family get together on my birthday:
- My 75 year old mom
- My 44 year old sister and her husband
- My 51 year old brother and his wife
- My nieces and nephew
But because I knew I had been exposed and because I knew I was positive, even if I was asymptomatic, I was able to cancel and keep them safe. Would I have loved to have seen them, YOU BET! Gosh, I miss them so bad. But our family has already watched someone dear to us suffer and die after COVID complications and I could never forgive myself if I passed this stupid virus on to anyone else.
I say all of this to say this: does it feel like the science changes and the media sensationalizes this? Absolutely. Is it hard to know what to trust? You betcha. I stopped going to news sources for my science a long time ago. I listen to our Governor (Democrat) and our President (Republican) and our state and national doctors and the CDC and my friends who have walked through this. The ones who were asymptomatic and the ones who were very sick or lost loved ones. I don’t rely on a viral Facebook video or Twitter post for my medical news. I seek out medical experts and my own trusted physicians. And I know that science is not an exact. There is trial and error and constantly learning more and more and more. 30 years ago, people with MS were given a death certificate. Today they are encouraged to live their lives thanks to 12 disease modifying meds and tons of research on nutrition and exercise. We keep learning. And I know we will keep learning more and more about COVID and hopefully one day soon have a vaccine or a prevention and answers for why it’s deadly to some and an annoyance to others and more treatment options for those who have complications. I believe it!
Shew. Sorry. Apparently the fever has made me long winded today 🤣. Here are the rest of today’s vitals:
Not Today, MS 