Oct 30 Covid test pt 2

I lay submersed in the water, soaking in the warm embrace of a mineral enriched bath. I was hoping to drown my pain, ease my aches, and alleviate my distress. Losing myself in the moments there was nothing but the pressure of the jets. I felt the release I craved and let myself go and floated away.

With a start, I knew it was time to move. I willed myself up and weakly crawled from the cooling touch of the medicinal waters. I was repeating an age-old natural cure; a hot soak in an attempt to heal what ails. I willed my body to respond and slowly moved. I avoided the mirror and my reflection; it was going to take time before I can do that with any sense of pride. I hope one day I will.

I started feeling weak that morning; I had pushed the feeling down. I ignored the scratch in my throat. I had work to do and could ill afford to be sick. Now I struggled to make my way to bed. The scratch in my throat had turned to a burn. My head was pounding stronger than usual and I sought relief and respite in a steaming hot bath. I went for the junk drawer to find the thermometer. It took two searches with my vacant mind to find the little electric temperature tester.

Fever. My anxiety rose a shadow. I had a temperature of 38, I googled it to make sure, and I was just on the edge. I felt ready to fall off the edge. I had a cold; I was sick in the coronaverse. I would go to bed and see how I felt in the morning. I hoped to be on the path of recovery.

It was my longest night of 2020. I hovered on the edge of sleep, somewhere between wakefulness and a dream world. It was a dream world where life is different, a world where covid didn’t exist. My dreams are vivid; in the seconds that I emerge from my dream world, I wonder what is real? As I lay there searching for my mental reality, my physical one became apparent. Soaked, I was lying in a feverish state, I groaned as I turned in my sweat-filled sheets. I felt bad for my amazing wife struggling through the night with me. She offered to help, she got up and grabbed a towel to absorb some of my moisture. When morning finally came I crawled out of bed, grateful to end the night.

Being sick in the coronaverse is strange, my fever had broken in the night but I was exhausted. My throat ached with every swallow and my body felt as if it had been run over by my own truck. I pushed through it and grabbed an orange for breakie and drove the kid to school. My mind raced and I told my daughter I should get tested for covid19. After all, she had a long cue-tip stuck up her nose when she had a cold. It only makes sense to be extra careful in these virulent times. Probably a mild cold, but…

I made the call to see if I should schedule a covid test. They asked me some questions, I told her every swallow hurt and I ached all over. It was enough to prompt the test and told me to be at the clinic at 2:30. I then called Norval rentals and canceled the lift I had booked. There would be no work today. Last year I would have thought nothing of ignoring my sore throat and aches. I would have gotten my job done and worried about a cold another time. There never used to be time for colds.

The day ticked by slowly, it felt somewhat surreal. I followed the instructions in the email. I donned my mask and entered the health centre in downtown Westbank. The floor, windows, and wall shone with new cleanliness that gave me comfort in a sterile way. I felt disconnected, it was like I was watching from outside myself as I waited for my name to be called.

“Victor” I heard a name being called in the distant recess of my mind. “Victor,” beckoned a voice again. Realization dawned on me in the next seconds. I am Victor.

I pushed myself up out of my chair and stiffly walked across the room and into the open door. A clean whiteness, pure, and unstained from use greeted my eyes as I entered the test room. A tall chair sat next to the wall and the nurse reassured me that it would be uncomfortable but would not hurt. I was to sit in the chair with my head to the wall and relax. I threw my head back and with a smack bounced it off the wall. The nurse’s eyes lit up and I could see the concern in them.

I smiled and laughed,” my head is too hard to hurt from that.” It was more a case of I was already in so much pain, what was another blow to the head?

“Let’s do this” I looked at the tall brunette twenty-something-year-old. She wandered over and started a countdown.

By the time she hit ten, it was over. She had her sample of my brain material, and we were done. The cue tip certainly felt like it could have extracted brains it went so deep. She handed me my paperwork and gave me instructions, I was to go home and stay there until I had results. I was to isolate from my family as well. I tried to think about what difference it made for my wife if I had slept beside her in my pools of sweat the night before.

I had forgotten to buy milk on the way; I was only a couple of blocks from home. Paynter market is right there, real close to home. I thought it was no big deal if I quickly grabbed milk on my way home. I probably just had a cold. I stopped my truck and parked in front of the market and eased myself from my seat in my truck. I ambled towards the door and the fridge inside. It would only take a second…

My phone startled me out of my thoughts. It was ringing in my pocket. I stopped and turned back to my truck and pulled it free.

There was no one there. I looked at the recent calls. No call registered. I frowned and looked around. No one could see my face behind my mask, but I felt eyes upon me. I felt an eerie sensation like being followed. I shook my head and turned back to the truck. I climbed into the seat and pulled away from the market, my honey would have to go grab milk. I looked again at my phone when I got home. I still saw no record of a call when I was about to enter the market.

I took my sign and will stay home till the test results come in. I am confident I only have a cold. But in the days of the pandemic, I must shelter from any possible storms and play it safe. I wait in distant trepidation for the text to send me the results. It’s one time I hope the results are negative.