Despite being extremely careful about preventing my immunocompromised self from catching everybody’s least favorite virus, it found me. I am writing this post with “brain fog”, so there may be typos.
My best guess is that I caught coronavirus at the dentist’s office. I was due for a checkup and cleaning. NO ONE in the office was wearing a mask. I decided not to wear one that day because I knew I’d have to remove it.
After the checkup (in which no problems were found), my husband and I went for a walk. It was nice out, and it’s good to get some exercise. While we were walking, I realized that I forgot to bring a mask with me. Covid-19 is airborne, and that means anyone I walked past could have given me this damned virus.
For years, I always made sure I wore a mask if I was planning to go outside. I’m not sure why I didn’t bring one with me to use after the dental appointment.
Yesterday, I started feeling some symptoms that pointed toward coronavirus. We had some unused Covid-19 tests, and I took one — which came out positive.
The first thing I did was go on social media and alert some of my friends that I had coronavirus. They know that I am immunocompromised, and are probably worried about me.
Today, my husband and I went to a somewhat local health care place that is within an outdoor shopping center. (We live in California, which doesn’t get snow.) This time, I remembered to wear a mask.
The woman behind the counter was wearing scrubs and was very nice. She asked what I was here for, and I told her I took a Covid test that I thought came up positive. She directed me back to the sidewalk, and I got out my phone and showed her the photo I took of the at-home coronavirus test I did the day before.
She took one look at the photo and, if I remember correctly, made it clear that I had caught COVID-19. “Don’t worry,” she said “It’s mild.” She suggested that I go for walks and not stay in bed all day.
At this moment, I’m starting to get tired. The “brain fog” could be from the covid virus, or due to a neurological condition that I have (which started when I was fifteen.) So far, I’m doing ok.
The thing that bothers me the most about this is that almost no one wears masks outside anymore. The result is that people like me, who forget to wear a mask one time are punished for it in ways that people with healthy immune systems don’t have to worry about.