Covid Christmas

[chenda]

Is anyone here having to self-isolate over Christmas ? I tested positive yesterday and have to spend the next 7 - 10 days in isolation. Its pretty devastating to be honest, to be alone over Christmas is fucking shit.

I am double vaccinated plus booster, which I think has helped minimise my symptoms as I only have a mild cough and cold. I can still smell and taste. I tested negative on Monday on a lateral flow, but Wednesday I had what I thought was just a cold so went for a PCR as a precaution as I was seeing parents over Christmas. I can not believe it was positive; the last times I got checked I had far worse symptoms and they were both negative. Though I am glad I had some symptoms otherwise I might not have got tested. Fuck knows how I caught it. I did another lateral flow at home yesterday and the second line did appear so the PCR must have been correct.

But I shouldn't complain, there's people alone tonight in hospital on ventilators and I'm sat here downing bucks fizz with a mild cough so it feels a bit self-indulgent to complain. There's a lot of people who would love to be in my position right now. Going to do a deep clean tomorrow and use the time constructively if I can.

I hope y'all have a great Christmas wherever you are.

[mooretrees]

I had a similar, almost, experience over Thanksgiving. I cried when we heard that I'd been exposed. I agonized about spending time with older friends. In the end, we stayed home and it was mostly awful. I can't decide if it was worth it because we didn't end up getting covid. So, we stayed home for nothing! But, yes, being alone on any holiday is the PITS. At least you can tap into that virtuous feeling of not passing it on?

I'm sorry you're alone on Christmas. I raise my wine glass to you!

Hears to deep cleaning and the 'super' immunity you now will have.

[mountainFrugal]

Feel better soon @chenda. I raise my porter to you!

[theanimal]

My brother is undergoing the same experience as he was in close contact with someone who tested positive. The person ended up almost immediately after testing negative twice so it seems to have been a false positive. Nonetheless, the family won't let my brother join until he gets his 2nd negative test results back.

Hang in there Chenda, Merry Christmas to you.

[Ego]

I am double vaccinated plus booster, ...

Original sin of a different sort.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_antigenic_sin

Our Christmas was cancelled as well. One of the hosts tested positive yesterday and now the entire household has fevers and scratchy throats. Last week my favorite Christmas party went ahead as scheduled but without the Christmas Caroling Competition that usually descends into a geriatric mosh pit of revelry with the Twelve Day of Christmas. We were sad it was cancelled but knew it was probably for the best.

Hope you feel better and find a way to enjoy the moment as it is.

[Tyler9000]

COVID hasn’t been an issue for me, but I’ve been pretty isolated in my apartment for the last 2 months with a broken knee. Crutches suck. So I relate to your struggle.

While I was pretty down for a while, eventually It got better. I can’t really credit one thing, but counting my blessings instead of the things I can’t do definitely helped. And in the grand scheme of things, I’m very blessed. Compared to that, my temporary adversity feels a lot smaller.

So hang in there, Chenda. And to all my fellow EREers, have a very merry Christmas no matter where you are or what you’re dealing with. It doesn’t have to be perfect to still be special. Make the most of it!

[Sclass]

Covid has given me a really great excuse to avoid my family for two years.

Be happy you have people you want to be with when things clear up.

It’s still Christmas after all. Merry Christmas.

[DutchGirl]

Merry Christmas, Chenda. If it's any comfort: you're not alone in spending your Christmas alone. It might help to call and/or video chat with your family (although it may also make you feel sad for a while, too). And I hope you'll feel completely healthy again, soon!

[rube]

That sucks Chenda, hope you can still enjoy Christmas a bit somehow.
Merry Christmas, happy holidays for everybody who are celebrating this period.

[Dream of Freedom]

Sorry to read that Chenda. Get well and be sure to make phone calls to the people you can't be with.

[fiby41]

Get well soon chenda.

[jennypenny]

I'm so sorry chenda. Feel better soon.

Our christmas fell apart as well. Aunt and Uncle tested positive a couple of days ago so we cancelled the big get-together and switched to only doing our individual families. Then yesterday DD and her partner, who were with his family, were exposed when people there tested positive, so they went back to their apartment to quarantine. We've decided to zoom in with our extended family during dessert today so we can all eat together in a way, then do some jackbox games together. We'll make it work. At least everyone can drown their disappointment in egg nog since no one will be driving.

The biggest disappointment tradition-wise for me is that the Liverpool game is postponed tomorrow.

[J_]

Dear Chenda I suggest a little dvd to cheer you up.
I have just seen "a daughters portrait of Gregory Bateson An Ecology of Mind" by Nora Bateson.
Inspiring, it stimulates the joy of thinking.
Wish you all the best.

[Western Red Cedar]

Joni Mitchell just released a video for River for the 50th anniversary of Blue. It is a Christmas song for people who are lonely at Christmas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLHxxBTl71I

Best wishes to the ERE community.

[chenda]

Thanks for all your lovely comments, it really helped reading these this morning. Sorry if you've also been affected by covid this Christmas but I hope you still all had a good day.

It's so eerily quiet around here today. No one about and most of the young families who live around here seem to have gone away, all their Christmas lights are switched off and even the church was shut. Not that I could have gone in of course but it is weird. Though my parents dropped some food around so we had a very socially distanced masked meeting in the street which was nice.

Good news is that I'm now half way through self-isolation and most of the symptoms have gone, just intermittent feelings of sudden tiredness. Hopefully will test all clear on Monday.

[Seppia]

Hugs from overseas, sucks to get covid at this very time, but happy to hear that it’s a very mild version.
Get well!

[chenda]

Thanks @seppia - you are not back in Italy for Christmas?

Lateral flow this morning was positive which is annoying, as I need two consecutive days of negative tests to be released. So earliest release date will be Wednesday depending on tomorrow's test.

Despite this I'm having a kinda fun time eating lots of crap guilt free, sipping prosecco for breakfast and enjoying the 2 hrs of daylight between getting up late and sunset, which is like 3.30pm. Deep clean is been postponed...

[DutchGirl]

Glad you're doing okay, except for the flow test.

[chenda]

Thanks @dutchgirl. I'm still testing positive so I think I'll have to do the full 10 days self isolation, after which time I may be released if I have no major symptoms. Apparently some people still test positive on lateral flows months after they are symptom free. But I generally feel fine, although I look a complete mess and am living in one too.

[AnalyticalEngine]

My sister got sick before Christmas, tested negative with an at-home, came to Christmas, then tested positive on the PCR test. Now everyone has COVID (including me). My symptoms have been mostly low-level flu-like, not really that bad, but I have had two vaccine doses (no booster).