Had COVID? What Tipped You Off Before A Q-tip Verified It?

What Was The Symptom That Convinced You It Was COVID?

For me, it was my eyeballs about to spring out of their sockets like ping pong balls. But everyone has a different story.

Unusual times when you're shivering in bed thinking maybe it "just influenza". Been a lot of talk recently about a surge in influenza cases, which makes sense it is the flu season.  

Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptoms begin from one to four days after exposure to the virus (typically two days) and last for about 2–8 days.

So that was me on Friday night with a scratchy throat and general body aches. So, I figured I had the weekend to sleep it off and be ready to bounce back for work on Monday.  So I hit the sack hoping for the flu but surely wary of the possibility it was COVID.  Never had COVID so how would I know the difference?

My first suspect was a headache. I'm truly fortunate that I never get headaches.  Seriously other than sinus infections or a blow to the noggin, my head's generally pain-free. That was going to change over the next 24 hours.

It wasn't a standard headache, instead, it was a pounding, throbbing swelling behind each of my eyeballs.

So there I was in bed all day Saturday wearing a t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, hoodie, two pairs of sweats, and wool socks.  Spinning slowly like a rotisserie chicken trying to stay cool while trying to stay warm.  I figured maybe I should go to the COVID site testing people told me about on South 22nd in Bismarck.  But I figured I should wait out the pounding headache.

You've surely had a real painful long-lasting charley-horse.  Even after the intense muscle tightening is over that muscle still aches a lot.  That was my head Sunday.  I went in at 7 AM got the test and no surprise came up positive. My brain was too scrambled to check Facebook, binge-watch Netflix, reply to e-mail...it was back to sleep. Heck with y'all.

Monday, blessed me with a pretty good day.  Went outside and shoveled some snow and actually ate a real supper. Onward and upward!  Somehow Tuesday turned into another bed day.  Just because it seemed like the right thing to do.  What other recovery options are there?

I feel fortunate that so far COVID has not been a respiratory predator for me.  I've got a bit of a cough and a little phlegmier than usual but I'm not struggling to catch my breath.  I'm not in a hospital facing time on a ventilator. Of that I'm thankful.  I tested positive, but for me so far so good. I truly hope the same for you.

Could be because I've been vaccinated. I don't rightly know.

Probably going to take another nap...another one of those six-hour naps.

If you've had COVID what tipped you off before the Q-tip verified it?