Allie's Archives: a recovery journal

[alliematt]

I am finally well.  Unfortunately, last night I dreamt that someone had gotten into the house and I was trying to figure out how to scream without getting hurt. I think that may qualify as a stress dream.

I worked eight hours on proofing yesterday. I told my husband I didn't know what to make for dinner. So he made dinner. I'm afraid the thought crossed my mind, "I'll gag if he's made spaghetti again (which is his go-to for a fast dinner.)"

Guess what he made?

I thanked him, but something must have shown on my face because he told me later he got the impression that I didn't want spaghetti for dinner.   Poor guy. He's trying to help and that's the reaction he gets from his wife. :-(

Last week while dealing with the sore throat, I dealt with another proofing job from Hades (as an example, starting about 40 pages in, the transcriber started labeling every paragraph with Q or A — I work with legal depositions, for those who don't know — *including* attorney's objections, which are neither Q nor A, and the job was nearly 300 pages long.)

I can't get any of my own writing done. I am learning to delegate, but it just seems like everything is a priority.

[alliematt]

I tested positive for COVID last night.  I'm guessing I've been ill with it since the beginning of September; I got sick, got better, then relapsed. Finally went to our local drugstore Sunday, got tested, and it came back positive.

I've been told to quarantine for 10 days and family members must be tested also.  My son is semi freaking out because he got the vaccine, so "why do I have to get the test?" (We all got vaccinated.)

At the moment, I am not that sick; I have a mildly upset stomach and I feel congested, but I felt worse last week and felt worse at the beginning of September.  What I'm really irritated by is the phone calls and emails I'm making because I need to change appointments and schedules! 

But I am also grateful for medical care, and the poor people in the medical field are really having a tough time. I feel slightly depressed, but things for me alwayslook worse when I am sick.

Until I get better, virtual chocolate is always welcomed. :-)

[Papa Coco]

Allieematt,

I'm SO SORRY this happened to you. Statistically you are going to be fine because you're vaccinated. But I'm sure the nerves are still on edge, especially with your son freaking out over this. I don't blame him. I'm vaccinated too, but when I got sick last month I got tested anyway. It came back negative, but for a few days I was feeling pretty uneasy.

We're here for you. I've been in quarantine twice because of close contact with friends who got COVID, so I know how annoying it is to be stuck at home and forced to cancel appointments, or convert what you can to ZOOM meetings. If your quarantine gets boring or lonely, you can chat with us online to pass the time and calm your nerves. Good luck with your son. I hope he tests negative and is able to calmly accept that everything's going to be fine.

[Armee]

Here's some virtual chocolate and I hope you can find someone to bring you real chocolate. 💛🍫

I'm sorry you've been so sick and you have the added stress of explaining why your son still needs to deal with testing despite doing his part and being vaccinated.

I hope you recover soon because it's already been a long time.

[alliematt]

My son tested this afternoon and I just told him he wasn't going to work tomorrow. Poor kid. (I may have just guaranteed that his test will be negative because I told him he wasn't going to work.  It's the same principle as, when you bring your umbrella, it doesn't rain; when you don't have it, that's when it rains.)

On the other hand, I don't want to expose him to anyone who's not vaccinated if he's positive.

The people I work for have said they'll send me stuff that's not very long to proofread and I thanked them for working for me. I think it's just going to be the isolation that'll be rough.  I'm drawing on a snarky sense of humor to help me cope!

Waving from sickroom.

[alliematt]

Well, good news:  I feel well, had my follow up test yesterday, crossing fingers for a negative result.

My husband has tested negative.

My son's follow up is on the 2nd.

I'm able to take longer proofing jobs.

And I still hate COVID.

But it would have been a lot worse if I hadn't been vaccinated!

[Hope67]

Hi Alliematt,
I am glad you've had good news, and that you feel well.  Fingers crossed for you, as I know you hope for a negative result. 
Hope 

[alliematt]

{inserting bad words here} My test results came back. I'm still positive.
I went for a rapid result test, taking my son with me.
My rapid result also came back positive.
Still waiting on son's results.

I am angry and disappointed. I will probably have to cancel an anniversary dinner I was planning; the place we were going to go to has *nonrefundable* tickets.



I'm sure I'll get over it but right now, this is how I feel!

[Armee]

I'm so sorry Allie.

[alliematt]

I just realized that the emoji I picked was throwing a serious tantrum!   

[alliematt]

Some good news:  Friday I put a call in to the doc after my positive COVID result.

Doc's office called back and said that since I'd been in quarantine and I was pretty much symptom free, I could get OUT of quarantine!!!

After I hung up, I went into the bedroom and did the Snoopy dance!

Now I'm suffering the aftereffects of a month being sick/not sick/sick again.  I feel totally discombobulated. I've rescheduled one doc's appointment, have to reschedule another, need to call the dentist about a CT scan I had done, and need to call Social Security about my son's application. Dinner must be cooked tonight. And I'm sure I'm going to get work to do this week. I also do not have the car so I sent my son to work on foot and if it rains, he'll need to contact Uber or Lyft.

This is not an "I'm depressed and overwhelmed post" as much as it is, "I'm trying to get back on track after a difficult month and I do feel somewhat overwhelmed." Someone on social media suggested adding the phrase 'in the middle of a deadly pandemic" to everything you're trying to do. That helps put things (especially feelings of being overwhelmed) into perspective!

[Hope67]

Hi Alliematt,
Glad you had some good news. 
Hope 

[Armee]

Hoorah for being released from quarantine !!!

[alliematt]

I participated in a FB thread this morning where one of the people talked about how she and others had been pretty much told that they weren't welcome at their church anymore if they disagreed with the direction the congregation was going.

I know that person, and it's my church she's talking about.

I also know our preacher and his wife reasonably well, and I wrote a long email to both of them. saying what I'd read, and I bluntly asked the question:  have people been told that they aren't welcome at my church if they disagree with the way the church is going?

I havent' gotten an answer yet; I don't except one immediately because I know they're up to their eyeballs in stuff.

Part of me is wondering, did I do the wrong thing, did I come off as offensive .  . . and while one can argue about part A of that question, Part B? I don't think I was. We've had a lot of people leave in the last year for various reasons, and it breaks my heart because so many of them all seem to be heading for one particular church.  I think there is a disagreement with our leadership by some of the people who've left; and I understand if people want to leave and go somewhere else.  But if people have been told that they're no longer welcome if they disagree, that's scary to me. And I said that in the email. That just does not sound like the people in leadership that I am familiar with.  I can picture them saying, "If you don't think you can worship here anymore, I pray God's blessings on you as you find somewhere else to worship."  I can't picture them saying, "You're no longer welcome if you don't go along with the program."

It breaks my heart when I hear stories like this.

I told them both that I knew they carried a load, and I appreciated it.

[alliematt]

My preacher wrote me back a very nice email. Which I appreciated.