CEPHALALGIA.

In covid time, if a person had, a sore throat, fever, aching bones, sneezing, coughing, runny nose, or eyes, wheezing it was clear before the covid test that it was covid!

It was a scary unreal, uncertain time. It is still strange to see people, wearing a mask, to me they just stand out, but back then it was normal.

I have never had covid, but that is because I had two of the vaccines, I didn’t want to have any of the vaccines, but work gave me no choice, another unreal, surreal time, that I didn’t think I would ever experience. Having said that, most if not all of my co-workers did have covid and they too had the vaccines, some more than two. Near the end of covid world, some would pretend that they had covid, so that they could have time of work! For if anyone at work had covid, they had to stay home. So, some of my co-workers had covid record number of times, so much so, that, some would confide with friends to tell them this.

When some at work would describe their symptoms, I would say, “You have just described, having the flu.” It didn’t make sense that SO many people sadly died. We all know that in the past when there was an outbreak of flu, hundreds did die.

I remember just before it was called covid, the December before, our son must have had it, but it wasn’t called covid, it was called flu, he was SO poorly, his actual words were, “I feel like I am dying.” Then when covid arrived, 6 months after, his words were identical, “I feel like I am dying,” Now it was called covid. The same symptoms, with two completely different names! I have had flu very bad twice in my life, age 17 and 21 and both times I was laid low in bed and felt certain the end was near! Everything hurt, even my eye balls if I moved them, let alone PAIN when I coughed or sneezed! Since that day, I have not really had bad flu, nothing compared to those two times. Sometimes I will simply get a sore throat, a little cough, a runny nose, and that’s it! Or I get a touch of the flu.

About a 10 days ago, I had a sore throat, this lasted for 4 days, I didn’t think anything of it, as it wasn’t the worst I have had. Usually in the past I have Tunes, or Halls extra strong if it is very sore, but it felt mild, and when I was in the town, I didn’t bother, I thought I could save myself a bob or two.

After the sore throat, my nose was blocked, and then lots of snot came out of my nose! Where it was all coming from, I just don’t know, it just seems too much from nowhere! It was my 5 days to be with Mum, weekend. Mum will be 90 this month, so I needed to keep her safe. I decided there would be no hugging or kissing on the cheek like I usually do when I arrive or leave her flat.

Poor Paul, he lost lots of sleep as I tossed and turned and coughed, and struggled to breath. He suggested I use vicks up my nose, I think not, I am not putting anything up my nose. He suggested I instead put some on a tissue and just under my nose, I decided to do that instead. It was a strange sensation, it tingled. I had felt extra cold recently, so had been sleeping in one of my dressing gowns and when I got up wore another dressing gown on top! Maybe had was coming down with something before the 10 days, I don’t know. But when I got into bed, with my pj’s and my dressing gown I felt as snug as a bug in a rug!

Saturday night, when I returned home, I felt, quite ill! I was very tired, I had fallen into a deep sleep at Mums, and she had walked past me with her walker into the hall! Thankfully she is not one to ever go out the front door! That scared me, that I was SO tired and drained.

Paul said, on Saturday night, “Can’t you ask one of your brothers to swop with you for tomorrow?” I said, “No, it is too short notice, I will be ok, I will go.”

By Saturday night all my bones hurt. When I coughed, my lower back really hurt, it was so painful and my legs hurt and arms, I felt so weak. Sunday was washing all Mum’s clothes that was in the linen basket and bed linen to be changed, so amongst cooking us two meals that had to be done too, I just hoped the communal laundry rooms, that a washing machine and then a dryer would be available, as it would mean a lot of waiting around.

All I wanted to do was sleep and do nothing, but that was out of the question.

Mum loves Judge Judy, so on Saturday, we watched that for most of the day and in the evening, Sister Act one and two was on, we have seen that many times on this channel, Mum loves it, it always makes her laugh. Then yesterday evening, after we had watched Columbo, for Sundays at Mums is not just “The Lords Day,” As Christian’s used to call it, but is also Columbo Day! After Columbo we watched another favourite that Mum loves, Home Alone and then Home Alone 2, we loved those films and Mum laughed and laughed.

At around 7pm I wanted to sleep, if I was at home I would, but I just chilled on the sofa. I had found some of Mums cough sweets in the kitchen cupboard but they were too week to help my strong cough. I knew it would be with Mum Monday, I felt so ill. Last night when I got home, I realized I had run out of my Panadol soluble, I had the last two Saturday night. I knew I had co-codamol, that work mates has cautioned me, “Don’t take them, they will make you very ill.” I ached SO much, I got the water ready to pop 2 in, but at the last second decided against it.

When I came home, I was too ill to even have mince pie and custard, I had a good sleep on the sofa, I felt sick but safe. I text my brothers when I woke up at midnight and said, “I have the flu, quite bad and I feel wretched, all my bones hurt, including my lower back when I cough, my nose has been blocked up and Paul hasn’t had much sleep, because of me and I have had a sore throat, if no one can swop with me, I will still be with Mum tomorrow night.”

I decided, sleep would be healthier for me, than the tablets, that I was told not to have, I got myself all wrapped up, with Vicks under my nose, dressing gown on, with lots of tissues under my pillow.

I woke up, feeling a fraction better, I was still in pain, not only was my back hurting but my lower tummy was too. I went downstairs, Paul also got up too, he said, “You didn’t cough in the night.” I text my brothers on our group chat, 07.45am and said, “I will go to Mums later on, I feel a tad better, then Tuesday I will rest before I go back to work on Wednesday.” The second that I sent the text William sent a text too to the group chat and said, “Sis sorry you are unwell, I will be with Mum today, you rest.” That is just sweet of William, you can always count on him, I replied, “No I will be with Mum later and I will rest all day tomorrow and thank you. x” He text back and said, “If you are not well it is best you don’t be with Mum. Sick people usually feel reasonable in the morning but not so good as the day goes on, so why not rest and let the brothers sort it out this week.” I said, “OK, thank you, I will send you the shopping list of what I was going to buy food for Mum for tonight for this week, let me know how much it cost you and I will repay you back.” I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing I was in for the day.

It had been a rough few days, sore throat, bones aching, coughing, pain in lower back, today, pain in lower tummy, blocked and runny nose, feeling weak.

There would have been only one thing, that would have stopped me going to Mums tonight and that would have been a blinding headache! That is what would have laid me low! Thank goodness I didn’t have that. It did cross my mind, last night when I felt wretched, I wonder if I have covid?