Checking my journal, I first wrote I may be suffering from seasonal allergies last Sunday. After a few days, it became clear that this was more of a cold, not allergies. I am still feeling the effects five days later, mainly in terms of coughing (mostly in the evening and early morning) and tightness in the chest, and some intermittent stuffiness. It could be worse.
But this is also only the third time I’ve been sick since January 2020, a period of four and a half years:
- April 2022: I caught the big one, Covid-19, after my partner brought it home from the university. I don’t blame him.
- June 2023: I caught something similar to what I have now, also after my partner presumably brought it home from the university. I still don’t blame him.
This time, my partner is blame-free. Er, I mean, I still don’t blame him, and he hasn’t gotten sick. So now I wonder where I caught this particular virus, since I live a generally hermit-like existence. A summary:
- I first experienced symptoms on Sunday, June 16
- I went birding on June 8, about a week before. This feels like too long a gestation period, but I had exposure to strange people. And birds.
- I rode public transit the same day, June 8, but again, it seems a long gestation period. I don’t remember anyone coughing on me.
- I went to the grocery store multiple times. A possibility, though I’m never up close and personal with anyone there, and the building itself is very spacious and well-ventilated.
- I walked around public parks and trails several times. This seems an unlikely source.
- Maybe it was my partner and he just hasn’t shown any symptoms, so I can blame him!
- Aliens?
In the end, I suppose it doesn’t matter. It just makes me a little paranoid. Mostly, I’m just annoyed because I had just finished my first post-injury 5K run and was looking forward to more exercise this week, not a lot of naps, feeling blah and popping Tylenol. Also, being sick only three times in four and a half years is pretty good. The irony is that of the three times, Covid-19 was actually the mildest. I am not advocating catching Covid-19.
