WTF!

It's Saturday evening as I'm writing this. I should be in Brussels with Clay, but instead I'm home alone with Covid. 

It was Wednesday I guess when I began to think I was coming down with a cold. By Thursday I was pretty sure, but I was also pretty sure that's all it was. Preparations continued. We were packed and ready to go, just knocking off a few last minute items from my "to do" list. The very last thing I wanted to do before jumping in the shower to get ready was to take a covid test so that I could say with 100% certainty that I just had a cold. I was quite confident in the outcome, and quite surprised when the test came up positive. A second test showed the same strong positive result, even faster than the first.

This was to be our only joint vacation of the year and Clay had been planning it for over a year. Clay is an incredible travel planner, researching all aspects of the trip, right down to train schedules and how to get internet access overseas. He had a list of potential places to visit in each city, bars, restaurants, museums, anything worth seeing, but not set on a rigid schedule as to take away the possibility of spontaneity and surprise. Seriously, he's the best. I just have to show up. There wasn't any reason for him not to go, all that would happen if he stayed was a greatly increased chance of him getting sick as well. Besides, I had plenty of canine nurses to see me through this.

The initial feeling that I had a cold morphed into severe sinus congestion that prevented me from sleeping much on Thursday night. Friday was all about fever, chills, and night sweats, but at least the congestion was better so I could sleep in increments of several hours at a time. Saturday the fever continues but I think it has abated somewhat. I had an telehealth meeting with a nurse practitioner who prescribed an antiviral medication that I picked up Saturday afternoon and started on immediately. Between the antiviral meds, Tylenol, Sudafed, and dog kisses, I should be at least feeling better soon.

With Clay away Bailey did not hesitate at all to jump in bed and take his place.

This was the first time she has been in the bedroom at night and

the first night without being crated.

Elvis was out cold after a big day of hunting in the pasture.

Della didn't object too much to Bailey's presence in the bedroom and the bed.

Paisley took Della's usual spot.

Maya and Della on two dog beds on my side of the room.

Baby girl was pretty content to lay around most of the day on Saturday.

Closeness is the key to maximizing the healing properties of a dog.

Bailey, with Elvis and Dodger on the other bed.

This might be interesting. I made a video of the feeding routine to share with our would-be house sitter:

I have everything I need and little appetite for food at this point anyway. I'm going to enjoy this trip to Belgium vicariously, without the stress of actually leaving home.