My Corona

My Corona

I am not going to make you a list of fun and interesting ways to stay busy during quarantine, because I am not your fucking mother. Also, I feel like the people who are actually interested enough in my blog to actually read it are creative and inventive enough to figure out how to play or visit online museums. (Which I intend to do...at some point.) 

No, this is the story of my personal experience with Covied-19.

So here is a timeline of my March:

March 1-9:

     ● I am finally cleared to go from 12 to 28 hours at work. 

     ● I have a cough and perpetually runny nose. I think nothing of it; it's allergy season and also my whole lung thing.

     ● The toilet-paper-pocalypse has hit Michigan and specifically, my area. Toilet paper/sanitizing wipes/latex gloves/face masks/hand sanitizer are selling out and often not able to be restocked.

     ● Many of my customers roll their eyes at people buying lots of canned goods/paper towels/frozen veggies, etc. 

     ● One particular shipt shopper tells me this is all a hoax and Trump will take care of the persons responsible for it.

 

March 10:

     ● The first cases of Covid-19 in Michigan are confirmed. Two unrelated people in Wayne County (Detroit area) have been diagnosed. One has been traveling internationally, one traveling domestically. 

     ● Governor Whitmer declares a state of emergency, bans gatherings larger than 50 people. Orders bars/restaurants, etc., to close for 2 weeks.

     ● With this development, people freak the fuck out. We are SLAMMED like it's the week leading up to Christmas. Many people express fear, many people express annoyance and whatever, hashtag eye roll.

     ● MANY of my customers exclaim how they are glad they are home now from spring break. "We just got back from two weeks in Florida!" "I just got back from the Bahamas!" "Oh, I was worried I wouldn't be allowed on my flight back from Mexico!" "We just returned from California!"In my head, I am like, "Well thanks for probably bringing Covid back with you." Le sigh.

     ● Husband wants me to take a leave from work for self-quarantine.

    

    

March 10 - 15:

     ● Working every day, listening to people talk about coming back from Spring Break.

     ● Being extra cautious in the break room and at my work station. Cleaning a lot. Slammed every day.

     ● Customers give me the evil eye when I cough (into my arm). I explain that I had surgery, I am not sick. Many refuse to come to my line on the basis of my coughing. I am not really offended.

March 16:

     ● Day off, for which I am grateful. We've been so busy and I am really wiped and honestly not feeling particularly well. I am in bed pretty much all day.

     ● At least one of my work friends takes a voluntary unpaid leave for self-quarantine.

March 17:

     ● People wake up to the news of the record-breaking stock market drop. Shit is going down. And I now have a sore throat, backed up sinuses and in general feel like hell. I call into work. Apparently along with several other people. 

     ● I have a MASSIVE panic attack and once again thank god for Klonopin. I make Husband cuddle/spoon/hold me in bed for 45 minutes.

     ● I call my Dr. for an appointment and they are booked solid even though as of today, they are only open for urgent appointments.

March 18:

     

     ● I call into work again. I feel worse. And guilty.

     ● I call my doctor again. Still booked. Still can't get in. Leave a portal message for her listing my symptoms. 

March 19:

     ● Scheduled day off. First recording of a higher body temp. 99.7°.

March 20:

     

     ● Call into work again. 

     ● Call Dr. office, ask for work note explaining sick and also wondering if they think I should self quarantine.

     ● Dr. says at this point I can self quarantine but it's a personal choice. 

     ● Dr. declines an antibiotic; says my illness is probably viral.

     ● My cough is terrible now. Fever of 100.6°.

     ● While on the phone with Sister, she insists I call after hours care.

     ● I call after hours care and am transferred around from one person to the next until I eventually have a telephone appointment.

     ● The doctor on the phone asks me these questions: 

               "Are you an employee of Spectrum Health?"

               "Are you pregnant?"

               "Are you undergoing chemotherapy or have an autoimmune disease?"

               "Have you been traveling?"

               "Have you had contact with someone who has a confirmed case of Covid-19?"

     ● The answer to all is "no," so I am told I do not qualify for a test.

March 21: 

     ● I speak with my boss and we agree that I will be on some kind of leave active as of the 17th. Whether it is a sick leave or a medically ordered quarantine, we'll see. 

     ● Dr. advises to continue to treat with OTC meds and accepts that I need a medical order to have my leave paid, otherwise I'm just voluntarily quarantining myself.

March 22:

     ● Grand Traverse County (my county) has its first confirmed case.

March 23: 

     ● Finally receive note in the mail from Dr. which advises a medically recommended quarantine due to me being high risk. 

     ● Now have a raging ear ache. My fever is 101.7°. 

     ● I message Dr. my symptoms. I am still advised to treat with OTC meds.

March 24-26:

     ● I go back and forth with my Dr.'s office via phone and portal messages. I am still sick. My ear ache and sore throat are worse. My fever drops back down to a more normal 99°.

     ● I call the benefits phone number in an attempt to find out how to be paid for my leave, since there is that federal order that says people are high risk can continue to be paid while on leave if medically ordered by their Dr. I am informed that the benefits person will contact my Dr.'s office to confirm my risk and then I should get an email in a few days.

March 27:

    ● I receive orders from my Dr.'s office. She has ordered a a test for me. I also receive a phone call from the County Health Department asking for updates.

    ● I am tested for Covid-19 in the drive-through tent set-up. 

    ● People have said the test is painful and so I am anxious. 

    ● The test is not painful. It isn't fun, but after having been tested for pneumonia multiple times and also having some of the tests I've had done on my trachea and shit shoved up my nose and down into my throat, the Covid-19 test is a breeze. 

 

 

    

March 30:

  

     ● My ear and throat are hurting significantly less. I no longer have the chills and am back to melting all the time, which tells me my body temperature is back to normal. I am still stuffy, but not nearly as bad.

    ● I receive a phone call from my Dr.'s office: someone from the benefits office called and asked exactly what my underlying conditions are that make me high risk. The nurse I speak with expresses that she is appalled that someone would actually have the balls to ask that and no, they can't give any information out because it's a HIPPA issue and also, no, because respect people's privacy and just accept confirmation that I am high risk.

    ● I call several different people in a phone tag effort to hunt down exactly who asked for my info and how I can get in touch with them.

    ● I finally get the name and title of the person handling my case and leave her a voice mail telling her to please call me back and perhaps I can figure out a way to do an electronic HIPPA approval or something. 

March 31:

     ● My ear ache and sore throat have all but disappeared. I am feeling much better, finally.

     ● I receive a call from the County Health Department telling me I tested negative for Covid-19.

April 1:

     ● Michigan is number 3 in the nation for number of cases, beat only by New York and California.

     ● We are also ranked 3rd in number of deaths. 

     ● The vast majority of cases continue to be in the Detroit area. Grand Traverse County has 8 confirmed cases.

     ● In a panic, affluent people from Southern Michigan are traveling North to stay in their summer homes/condos, etc. As people continue flocking North, the number of cases in Northern Michigan continues to grow.

     ● I still have not yet heard back from the benefits lady handling my case. I am still playing phone tag with my Dr., who wants to know if I need an additional note or something. 

     ● I plan to contact the benefits lady again tomorrow. I am trying to be patient because I know they are freaking overwhelmed, but I am also worried about whether or not my leave will be paid, especially when I was just getting back to more hours and about two weeks away from full time. 

So that is how I spent my March. A lot of anxiety, fucking around on the computer, phone calls, and being sick. 

I am glad to be feeling better, but part of me still feels like I need to return to work ASAP, even though I am a high risk.

And that is where we are at. 

How has your area been? What kind of March did you have?