A Forced Break

Throughout our travels, we have been so fortunate to remain healthy, which makes moving around a whole lot easier.  Well, our luck ran out! 😐 I started hearing from friends and family all over the country that they had recently gotten sick from Covid, and knew cases were on the rise again.  In Washington DC we experienced large crowds indoors for the first time in quite a while, so I resumed masking up indoors.  We also spent a day in Philadelphia, during which time I masked up indoors to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.  However, two days later, Matt got sick. 🤧 We think it was while waiting for sandwiches at Campos, since he was inside this small deli, packed to the gills with people for 30 minutes while I was outside.

I wasn’t experiencing any symptoms, so he wasn’t sure if he had a sinus infection or if it was something else.  As such, we laid low for the remainder of our stay in Pennsylvania and moved to Connecticut.   Although Matt’s symptoms were starting to subside, we were concerned about spreading Covid, so it was decided to go get a drive-through Covid test to be on the safe side.  By this time, Matt had been sick for 5 days and I was still fine.  Our test results came back quickly: I was negative and Matt was positive.  Crud.  

The day after we got our test results I started getting symptoms.  No!  Not now!  We were so excited to explore western Connecticut.  My friend Tali and her sister had shared so many great places to explore: Kent Falls State Park and Steep Rock Preserve, to name a few.  Another friend of ours had recommended a few spots in New Haven to eat as well: Frank Pepe’s Pizzeria and Louis’ Lunch, the supposed birthplace of the hamburger sandwich.  We even had grand plans to visit Rhode Island since it was just a few hours away.  In the end, we didn’t see any of these places. ☹️

I had been so worried about getting Covid, because of complicating factors.  When I turned 30, I got mononucleosis for the first time, and it went undiagnosed for 5 months, during which time I was still training and racing bikes.  The virus that can cause mono is called Epstein-Barr, which remains a latent virus in your body and can resurface again if your immune system is severely compromised.  This virus combined with a late diagnosis led to four years of chronic fatigue last time, and I have been so fearful of ending up with chronic fatigue again.  It was horrible, because it took away my active life, many people told me it was just all in my head and I became severely depressed.  Though I am trying hard not to dwell on the fact that I might get chronic fatigue again, it’s hard to quiet that voice in my head. 😬

Asking friends and family about their Covid experience, I thought it might not be that big of a deal.  Well, I was wrong.  I haven’t been that sick in over 10 years.  By day four, both Matt and I were concerned that I might need to go to the ER, because my symptoms kept progressing.  Basically, I felt like death warmed over. 🤒 Thankfully, my worst day was also the day when I turned the corner and my symptoms started to subside.  We are now asymptomatic, but still more tired than usual, trying to be patient as we slowly recover.

During most of our illness we stayed in a lovely place called the Cozy Hills Campground, just outside of Bantam, Connecticut.  Though we did not use many of their facilities since we were sick, this place did live up to its name.  Most of the sites were spacious, especially ours: Site 370.  The grounds have three ponds and several amenities, including a well stocked general store, firewood bundles, and activities for kids. It was so peaceful during our stay as I convalesced in the trailer, watched the turtles sunbathe, waterfowl paddle across the water, and listened to the trees rustle in the afternoon breeze.  We could not have asked for a more relaxing stay, to be honest.  

It was fortuitous that Matt and I had somehow staggered our sickness so we could take care of each other.  We had plenty of food in our pantry, so we didn’t have to leave the trailer or spend unnecessary effort on meals.  Plus, the weather was warm enough that we could open the windows and doors to get fresh air and not feel so cooped up inside.  We didn’t have any raucous neighbors stressing us out either.  This wasn’t the experience we were looking for, but we were thankful that it went as smoothly as it did.  The jury is still out as to whether I will have any long term effects from Covid.  As is often the case, only time will tell. 🤞