2020-21 Catch Up: We [Had] the COVID

Continuing our 2020-21 review with this post that I actually wrote 11 months ago and never published.  

Aaaaaand we have the bug.  It was only a matter of time; rates in our community skyrocketed in just a couple of weeks.  We made the calculated decision to send the kids to school and let Henry play hockey (because he is insufferable when he is not exercising daily).  Both schools and hockey had extensive health protocols in place, the health risk to us was low even if we were exposed, and the value of doing them was very high.  

Things were really clicking along well until early November.  Edina tends to be fairly insular, and it seemed like we cake-eaters had done a good job of keeping the virus out.  Then it suddenly broke in and -- Edina is insular -- once one family had it, everyone had it.  Including us.  Here's our experience:

Saturday, Nov. 14: We receive notice that twins on Henry's hockey team tested positive.  The last day the kids were at practice was Monday.   Henry does not have much physical contact with the kids so we are not terribly concerned.  Unfortunately, Carol and Dave had picked Henry up from hockey the night before (Friday) and had him sleep over.  We had otherwise not seen them in a week because infection rates were getting so high.

Sunday, Nov. 15: We have dinner with friends.  They know about Henry's hockey exposure and do not care.  The kids have been together every day this week; they figure if we're gonna spread it, we've spread it.  Turns out this will be the last time we see other humans for quite awhile!

Tuesday, Nov. 17: We receive notice that Fritz's teacher also tested positive.  They spend 3.5 hours a day together in close quarters; this seems close enough for concern.  I make appointments for me and the boys at one of the official testing centers for the next day.

Wednesday, Nov. 18: Henry spends the morning teaching Fritz to spit.  At noon, we drive to another suburb and pull into a strip mall parking lot.  One whole mega-store space has been cleared out.  There are two very long lines and about 100 folding tables spread around the space.  The room is full of people who presumably fear they have COVID exposure; the tables are 6 feet apart but not cleaned in between users; we all just walk up to the exit table and toss our spit tubes into a cardboard box together.  If we did not yet have COVID, we do now.

Thursday, Nov. 19: We feel fine all day.  Fritz randomly falls asleep on me at 4:00 and feels warm.  He has a low-grade fever, so I give him Tylenol and take him to bed early.  Henry has a rough night, also complaining of fever and achy body.  Karl gives him Tylenol. 

Friday, Nov. 20: The boys are both fine by morning.  No additional drugs needed.  I feel fine, go for a long run in the morning, and do stuff with the kids all day.  We get the first positive test result in the afternoon.  The report is under my name and birthdate, so we assume it's me.  We start calling family and notifying the handful of people we've seen in the last 10 days.

Saturday, Nov. 21: Karl and I feel like maybe we are getting colds.  I nonetheless take Henry on a run/skate, rake the lawn, bake cookies with the girls, and make dinner.  Karl helps the kids get out the Christmas stuff so Ingrid and Heidi can blast the house with early Christmas cheer, and he hangs the lights on the outside of the house.  By evening, we are very tired, but not feeling nearly as bad as when we had the flu two years ago.  We get the other two test results; these also both come in under my name because apparently it's linked to the e-mail address instead of the name on the test tube, but since they're all positive, we know the boys and I all have it.

Sunday, Nov. 22:  Karl and the girls do at-home tests and return them by UPS.  Karl feels more like he has the flu, with some fever and body aches.  I still feel like I have a weird cold.  The symptoms are like the flu, with heaviness in my chest and some body aches, but at only "cold" level of discomfort.  We can still taste and smell.  The girls are fine, other than being annoyed they can't see friends.

Monday, Nov. 23: Karl and I are both very tired.  We could totally function if we had to, but since we don't have to, we all just loaf around all day and watch a million hours of TV.

Tuesday, Nov. 24: I feel 95% normal.  Karl feels like he has a bad cold.  The kids are getting booooooored.  

Wednesday, Nov. 25: I feel totally normal.  Karl's head feels stuffy and he's tired.  We decorated for Christmas because we are running out of things to do in the house.  We get the three other tests back, and to our surprise, even the girls test positive.  

Thursday, Nov. 26: Happy Thanksgiving!  It's the only time we've celebrated with just our household members (ever).  I feel fine in the morning, but after cooking for a few hours, feel lightheaded.  I rally to finish dinner after a rest.  Karl still feels like he has a cold.

Friday, Nov. 27:  I'm back to feeling fine.  Karl's perpetual cold perpetuates.  We feel like fresh air would do us all some good, we walk to an empty park and play Red Light/Green Light in the field to keep the kids from contaminating the playground equipment.  

Saturday-Monday, Nov. 28-30: We all feel fine.  Karl and I maybe (?) still have some sinus things happening, but that's hard to separate from normal Minnesota winter.  Mostly we are just getting tired of being inside.  But Henry has learned to play Settlers of Catan so that is a COVID win.  

Tuesday, Dec 1: We're freeeeeee!  10 days of isolation from when Karl and I noticed symptoms.