Covid Christmas
Last few days has been feverish and slightly insane. I finally went and got tested for the 'Ronas yesterday but it took jumping through some hoops.
Back in April I was tested when I went to the clinic with my asthma out of control asking for either methotrexate or some other chemotherapy agent to turn off the asthma. One chest xray and blood test later and before I could say "Just give me the chemo" I was told bloodwork showed a virus, required to be tested for Covid. The health dept came out that afternoon and used a very fine plastic tubing up my nose to lavage the sinus and pull the fluid out for the testing. Quick, easy, painless and 100% free.
This time not so much, but it needed to happen as I was getting sicker and my lungs ache like they are crispy Kentucky fried buzzard it's a deep burning feeling. Call the clinic, they say come in. Go in and explain that I likely need testing as I was exposed 8 days before to someone with the 'Rona. Sent out to sit in my car while they started the process. Sent home to fill out a survey online with the Costa Rican health department to generate an official health department testing number.
We go back to the clinic later for the actual test instead of the health dept coming out to test me at home. I get the doctor I call mentally "Doctor Baby" because he's so young. The way medical school runs here you can be out and practicing under an experienced doctor at 22. No such thing as residency or internship here. Dr. Baby is the low man on the medical totem pole, so he gets to suit up in MOP level 4 gear and poke me with that hideously BIG q tip.
You guys! Everyone kept saying how badly it hurt, and I've been the smug, smirking, smart ass that thought everyone was exaggerating based on that early Covid test I took. It. Hurt. That swab is way larger than the tubing used the first time.
Spent some of yesterday and today with a cut up tampon up my nose. Apparently my blood is super thin again, which might not be a bad thing considering Covid can cause blood clots. I've been taking some otc pain and fever relief and they can thin your blood.
So now I'm waiting. Dr. Baby promised the results by the end of today but that didn't happen with the upcoming holidays. I am resigned to not knowing until Saturday or Sunday at this rate. I do feel very slightly better today, but that might be because I have that lovely liquid narcotic cough syrup and some liquid pain and fever reducer along with everything they can toss at my lungs.
I am back in mask production for us and a few friends. Here's the only rainbow around here, what I made a few days ago.
There is unrest here, and forces fighting over what happens next.
From the La Nacion newspaper a few days ago. The situation here is that we've started having U.S. level high rates of Covid. Beds are running out in the hospitals, yet they are letting in tourists left and right. We're in the middle of the insanity that is Christmas week here where every hotel room is filled and every beach swimming in tourists.
It sort of blows my mind because the U.S. State Department has issued a recommendation to not come to Costa Rica, citing the high infection rates here. C.R. initially handled the pandemic well, just literally shut down for six weeks, dropping the rates to one or two cases a day before reopening too quickly. Now our rates are like the U.S.
In the past few days the government here has issued new shut down orders, for their citizens and those of us who are residents. Beaches open only until 2, more severe driving restrictions again, and nighttime curfews again starting Dec 30th. Unless you are a tourist here. Tourists are still allowed no curfews, no beach restrictions and no driving restrictions. They are talking about a total lockdown except for everyone working in the tourist industry and the tourists. This is not the way to end a pandemic!
While clueless virus deniers walk around infecting others. I don't know if I was infected. Looking at the infection rates by stopping to talk masked with an unmasked guy with Covid I have a 30% of contracting it. Jim's possible infection rate is way way higher. But per usual Jim had two days of sore throat and I got so sick I'm up in the bed.
Tomorrow is Christmas and it's going to be a quiet one here. The infection rates are far too high for us, or our kids to consider traveling, so we're all having the holidays alone. I'm cooking tamales, the local Christmas meal, and banana bread. No big meal, likely we won't do much. It's going to be a silent Christmas. Jim, big plague rat, is out at the church I cannot stand's Christmas Eve service. I cannot I'm still quarantined until I get a negative test.
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