Real Life and Candid Experience with Covid in 2022

What a way to start 2022…with Covid! Ironically, we said that 2022 was going to be the year we got back to normal and have more of a set routine BUT the exact opposite happened. Thankfully, I am on the mend and the boys continue to be healthy! I am so grateful for the vaccine that hopefully prevented some of the symptoms and kept Drew negative throughout my covid ordeal.

My Covid Story:

Starting on December 21st, I had a super high fever (102.5 plus) for a couple of days. We assumed that I had covid and I took a rapid test (at a drive up location) with the boys on the 23rd which came back negative as well as a PCR test that confirmed I was negative. The following day, on Christmas Eve, I went to the Minute Clinic and was tested for strep, flu and covid–all came back negative. I was placed on an antibiotic and medication for my throat. Christmas Day and the days following, I continued to feel better each passing day. On the 28th, Drew and I took the boys to see Sing 2 (wearing masks, of course!) and we went on a date that evening. We thought that everyone was in the clear and that with the turn of the new year, we were going to be healthy…

Well enter New Years Day and we were at a neighbor’s house when I was complaining about my constant sore throat and lower energy. I woke up the next morning thinking that I had mono and googling if you can have mono more than once. The next day was Monday and I tried to take Scout for a run, but was only able to muster energy to walk her around the block. Tuesday, after attempting to do a peloton workout and talking to my friend who just recovered from Covid, I decided to take an at home test…and it was POSITIVE.

Enter trying to figure out what to do after you test positive for covid (I honestly would have though we would have a playbook for this by now!). Lots of phone calls to friends and our doctors. I was instructed to wear a mask (since Drew was negative and still able to work as usual) and use lysol every time I left a room. It was pretty much life as normal with the exception of me wearing a mask, cleaning and resting as much as possible. My boys were amazing at playing together and I’m pretty sure this experience brought them even closer together!

Experience with Covid and young children

Each day passed and I felt a little bit better. My throat went from feeling raw and so.so. sore to being scratchy and less irritated. When I was almost out of the 5 day contagious period, Walker (3 year old) spiked a high fever! Luckily, it only lasted 24 hours and was able to be controlled with Motrin. We tested him and found that he was positive too.

Thankfully, we have had mild symptoms and are mending. Drew continued to test negative and was able to continue working. Reid has continued to be healthy and has been so patient with all of this. Under the bizarre rules, Walker (who tested positive) will be able to go to school after 5 days of quarantine with a mask on BUT Reid will continue to quarantine for an additional 5 days (10 days total and 5 days after wearing a mask). I understand that they are worried about him being asymptotic or testing positive after being exposed to Walker, but it just seems a little backwards to me!

All and all, we are trying to focus on the positives. We are grateful for the extra time together, that we are healing and had mild symptoms, that I am a stay at home mom and Drew was able to continue to work without interference, that our boys are in preschool and have not missed “real school,” and ultimately, that we are able to heal and live our lives as normal.

Omicron was not the way we planned to start 2022, but like everything in life it happened for a greater purpose. And maybe it was a sign to continue to slow down, focus on our family and health, and enjoy time together as a family 🙂