I thought I had the super gene. I actually did research at one point as the years went by and I never got Covid and read about this gene some people have that makes them unsusceptible to Covid. I had family members get it one by one, and as the world opened up, I joined the masses in going to concerts with 50,000 people without a mask. I assumed at some point I am going to get it so it’s just a matter of when.
It still didn’t happen.
Then I thought maybe it was my booster schedule. I was ahead of the curve early on in Covid so I got on boosters sooner than many people. I thought I outran it. Even when my kids were back in school and they dropped masks being necessary, no one brought me home Covid.
I was all over Spain and France in June, trains, buses, planes, a international DJ concert in a massive bunker… no Covid.
Then of course of all places, Vegas. Of course! Sin city! My boyfriend had the remnants of Covid (he was like me, never had it before) so we took a little risk, but honestly it could have been anywhere. The poker table, restaurants, casinos, the Duran Duran concert. I had a premonition that my time had come and to be truthful, I was just ready. I was done looking over my shoulder wondering when it would get me. I came home from the weekend and tested. Negative. Wow, not one person in the free world had a mask on in Vegas and I made it through, even in a resurgence.
But then on Tuesday I felt bad. Like real bad. Like body shivers and a headache and I went to test before I picked my kids up from school. BAM. A hot red line on the T. You all know it because you have all been there. And literally three hours later I was writhing on the couch with a 103 fever, ingesting the Paxlovid I got through a telehealth call, and praying this doesn’t go on for ten days. My boyfriend was a saint, coming over and being with me through the storm. Honestly, I thought I was emergency room bound at one point but the gentle touch of another human really is a game changer with healing.
Then the quarantine began.
Now, in the time of life of Covid lock down in 2020-2021, I was very very productive. I bought a house, wrote two books and made more money than I ever had in my book coaching business. Of course, I am a high achiever and when there are no errands to run to waste time, I throw my life into my work. I was always working working working, and my business boomed. Now, with having Covid, and no errands to run, or kids to pick up, or exercise to do, I found myself recovering this week at the computer. I found even in sweats and delirium, I was creative as fuck! I thought, this getting sick stuff is amazing for writing books and being creative! You are forced to really sit on your computer and push out your thoughts!
I am not a couch potato type. I don’t like to really binge anything (except for Fleabag which was a game changing show) so I don’t waste a lot of time on television. I like to sleep but not a ton during the day. So my clients were surprised when I showed up for the calls looking all perky with a necklace and lipstick on.
“Don’t you have Covid? Don’t you need rest?”
Hell no! This is heaven. Complete exclusion from all demands of regular life to just be in my work and my livelihood! I wondered how long I could actually go before I had to buy anything. I definitely was on the web shopping a bit in some down time for my daughter’s freshman college move-in list, but I wasn’t going to go to the supermarket, or the gym, or the mall, or Target or even the gas station. I had oodles of time to work on all the bits and pieces of my life. I reflected on why in non-Covid time I convince myself I HAVE to leave and go get tissue paper and almond milk when I could be brainstorming on a great book or business idea. What is up with that? Why do we think if we don’t have dental floss by Wednesday all our teeth will fall out? I marvel at the people who live somewhere remote from civilization who have to “come down the hill” to buy their supplies once a month. I kind of love that idea. I would miss people, but if I flew somewhere once a month and saw people I enjoyed I may be fine with the bald eagles, the fennec foxes and running out of Stevia.
So Covid got me and I am feeling better already, but I have changed my stance about Covid being the next flu. It doesn't feel like a flu. I can feel it in my body almost lurking. This ailment has a more sinister aspect to it. I can feel the Paxlovid fighting it in my body. I can understand the fight for their lives some people endured, and the loss others had of their lives. The energy of Covid is no joke. And until you have it, you don’t understand that truth.
For those of you, the unicorns who have not yet gotten Covid, good luck to you. Maybe you’ve had it and had no symptoms. I hope so. That would be awesome. My time came and I am making it through. But what I do feel is the emotional coda for me of a time that we all weathered so much change emotionally and physically. I feel I hit a marker and I get to now fully move on from the Covid time. That feels good, even as a wave of sweat washes over me.
PS Excuse typos. I have freaking Covid!