Day 1
Tested positive. First time. Notified folk I saw recently. Daytime normal, but mind cloudier by eve, like dragging brain through a swamp. I’m accustomed to a brain with 100 tabs open but it’s currently not responding. Woke up achy in the early hours, unsure if soreness caused by gym 2 days prior. No sleep tonight.
Day 2
Heavy head continues. Can’t focus. Drank 2 litres of water. Attempted work, pointless to try. No appetite. Many teas drunk. Reaching 48 hours no sleep, eyelids fatigued, it stings. Slept a couple hours overall. Changed sweaty t-shirts 3 times as body burnt up throughout the night. Kneecaps can sweat?
Day 3
Morning shower. Heavy head subsides but not body soreness. Throat feels rough, shallow breaths to prevent painful chesty coughs, and a constantly running nose. Resorted to toilet roll as soft face tissues ran out. Strepsils delivered. Focusing on reading unsuccessful. Hot lentil soup delivered. Body burns up throughout the night once more.
Day 4
Throat feels polished by sandpaper. Nostrils sore from blowing nose. Ordered Nando’s. Peri-tamer. Don’t wanna go out without trying it. Missed out on warm sunny days so far. Didn’t complete Ghosts of Tsushima or binge Netflix either. No appetite for any activity. I pace up and down the corridor, popping in an occasional Strepsils.
Day 5
Feels like a scarf tightly knotted around my neck. More Strepsils. More untried Nando’s menu items. Appetite constantly absent, but nourishment is required, particularly one which I’d never deny. Generally better by the evening. Mild cold symptoms.
Day 6
Better. Humble. Hungry. Nando’s.