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My doctor called in a prescription for #Paxlovid, which I'll start taking as soon as I spouse gets home from the pharmacy. The person I caught #COVID from on Thursday morning started taking Pax that afternoon and was already feeling significantly better by yesterday. So I'm hopeful.

So far, 11yo (exposed when I was) and spouse are fine.

#covid19
#CovidIsNotOver
#COVIDisAirborne
#WeAreStillInAPandemic
#LongCovid
#MaskUp
#MaskUpSaveLives
#MaskUpMastodon
#MaskUpForOthers
#IndividualismKills

#covid update:

#Paxlovid is working. I'm not dizzy all the time, the way I was the first time around (Feb '23). Currently on Day 3.5 since symptoms onset & I feel less exhausted than I did yesterday.
Also, Pax leaves just as yucky a taste in your mouth as advertised. Except it doesn't actually leave a taste; the ritonavir in Pax activates the mouth's bitter taste receptors. Ritonavir was originally used in HIV meds, and the bitter taste was a known side effect.

It's yucky. I've had worse.

1/

Note: Apparently, some of y'all out there are refusing to take Pax because of the taste. THAT'S FOOLISH, PEOPLE. Having a bitter taste in your mouth is immeasurably worth avoiding a worse and longer bout of COVID. And the shorter your bout, the less likely you'll be to spread it to others.

Imagine you could've prevented your kid, partner, parents, coworker from getting #LongCovid if only you had put up with a bitter taste in your mouth for 5 or 6 days.

SUCK IT UP AND TAKE THE MEDS, PEOPLE.
2/

I think the bitter taste is actually good news: if nothing else, it's proof I haven't lost my sense of taste. Beyond having a slightly stuffy nose, I haven't lost my sense of smell. That tells me I'm avoiding brain damage. Yet another good reason to keep taking the Pax.

So #MaskUp, y'all--especially in crowded public spaces.
#VaxUp & get your boosters.
If you feel the slightest bit sick--stuffy nose, scratchy or sore throat, pounding headache, diarrhea--STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM PEOPLE.

3/

I wouldn't have COVID right now if they had just told me I shouldn't come to their house because they had a scratchy throat.

Stopping COVID starts with YOU.

4/4

#covid update

Currently Day 4.5. All symptoms are improving (thanks, #Paxlovid), but I haven't kicked this low fever yet. I'm tired of quarantine. I want to hug my family and cuddle my cats. Especially this ridiculous orangey who trills at me and tries to kick my legs every time I come out of the bedroom to go to the bathroom. She doesn't understand why I don't pick her up. And I want to help my kid prep for the start of 6th grade next week.

This sucks.

#CatsOfMastodon
#catstodon
#cats

#covid #CovidQuarantine Day 5

I miss hugging my family and cuddling my cats. This is literally the longest I have ever gone without physical contact with another human. Even with shows and movies to distract me, my anxiety level has risen a little every day -- and it's not just COVID worry. I can see why long periods of solitary confinement make people lose their minds.

#CovidIsolation sucks.

Coming up on the end of Day 7.

All symptoms are improving, but I'm still running a low grade fever. It's only 1 to 1.3 degrees above what's normal for me, but it's enough to cause discomfort and exhaustion. I haven't napped today, which was probably a poor choice on my part. But I'm going to try to sleep early.

#CovidQuarantine still sucks. I want to be with my family and my cats. Also, spouse and I were supposed to be on a double date with our closest friends right now.

#MASKUP, PEOPLE.

Well, Day 10 is drawing to a close. Things are not great.

I took a downturn symptoms-wise yesterday, Sunday, Day 9. Increased congestion, horrible sinus pressure, increased fatigue, sore throat. Today has been miserable with all of that, plus a temp that's 2.5°F above my normal. And there's gunk in my eustachian tubes as well, and a dull pain I suspect might be the start of an ear infection.

We borrowed a blood oxygen monitor from a friend, and my blood ox has been 96-99 all day...

1/

...so that's a relief.

But yesterday, Day 9, I took a rapid test and got about the strongest positive line I've ever seen on a #covid test ever.

And Day 10 has been unrelenting misery. So, to quote Darwin, "I am very poorly today and very stupid and hate everybody and everything."

Tomorrow, I will miss my daughter's first day of 6th grade. I'll probably miss her whole first week.

This is some bullshit.

2/2

#MaskUp
#VaxUp
#COVIDisAirborne
#CovidIsNotOver
#WeAreStillInAPandemic

I am ready for my cyborg body now please.