Any guesses as to what you’re looking at?
Two years and three vaccine doses later, Covid managed to get us and it got us good. It broke my streak of not having been sick since a cold in 2011. I have to tell you, I actually thought we probably already had an asymptotic case or, if we did get it, it would be ‘mild.’ My husband runs about 20 miles a week, I walk about the same, and we eat a plant based diet most days, but Covid kicked our collective asses. The last time I was this sick was when I had mononucleosis in college. When I asked my RN daughter about this ‘mild case’ business the CDC touted about the vaccines, she said if you are not hospitalized or dead, you have a mild case. So, mild case it is! I’ll let you know when I can taste or smell again.In an extreme act of kindness, a coworker of my husband’s had UberEats deliver quart containers of chicken noodle and matzo ball (pictured above) soups to our front door. It was delicious and it had been decades since I’ve had anything from the famed Corky & Lenny’s Deli. Jewish grandmothers know what they’re talking about as it did make me feel better.And lastly, I discovered some very sad news. My friend Craig, who is my longest follower, alerted me that our mutual blogger buddy’s blog had been removed. A quick google search revealed that Xavier, who also went by Strangely, passed away last month at the age of 60. He had been battling leukemia for over a year. His last comment on my blog was April 9th, in which he said, “The time is coming for a long term win against Leukemia, getting closer every day. That’s my biggest ever win and I suspect it may go unchallenged!” He never gave up and maintained a positive attitude even up till the end it seems. I wish his blog had remained so that I could go back and read some of his stories once again. He had a unique perspective (and sense of humor) on life. He will be missed.If you’ve had Covid, how would you rate your illness on a scale of 1-10?Have you lost any Blogger friends? Feel free to share something about them. |
Is that a cup of matzo ball soup? I LOVE that stuff! And how kind of your husbands coworker to have it delivered. To me, matzo ball soup is like chicken noodle soup, it cures whatever ails you. It's such a comfort food.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your bout with COVID, but I am happy to hear you're on the mend. Several people I work with (actually three) got sick over the past two months. Two of them were mild symptoms, one was severe. However, they are all doing well now.
Isn't it heartbreaking when a close blogger friend passes away? I've had that happen twice. One was a blogger I had started to blog with way back in 2006. The other was one I had blog with starting in 2009. It's sad because I felt like I knew these people as if I had met them in person throughout those many years. Blogging is one of those things, that over time, you build strong connections with people. So when they are no longer there, it feels like a void.
So sorry to hear about your friend, Xavier.
"He never gave up and maintained a positive attitude even up till the end it seems. "
Sounded like such a special person.
Have a great weekend, my friend. Sending you lots of positive vibes for a continued recovery.
((((((((((((((((((((((((((( X ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Thanks, Ron. The soup was very yummy and really helped when I was at the peak of my congestion. Glad I was able to taste it last Sunday because now, I can’t taste a thing. Very frustrating! I’m sorry about your blogger friends, too. We’ve shared a few of them over the years. I wonder how Jimmy is doing? I truly enjoyed his blog.
DeleteWe will continue to hang in there. Middle Child is a few days behind us, but her symptoms don’t seem as bad. Hope your weekend is beautiful!
I am sorry you have such a bad case, but that is very nice that your husband's coworker sent you chicken soup. I have not yet had COVID unless I didn't know it, and I have tested regularly once tests were made available. I hope you begin to feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteI have lost at least two blogger friends to death. One I knew it was coming as he was open about his battle with cancer. The other had a heart attack and died and his daughter posted on his page. Sadly, we never meet even though we'd talked about meeting for a beer as he lived on 50 miles away.
Wow! You test weekly? Thanks, I’m definitely on the upswing. I’m sorry about your blogger friends. It must have been a shock to lose one to a heart attack, but I’m gla$ his daughter let people know. It’s hard when a blogger just disappears and you don’t know why.
DeleteNot every week, but if I am feeling at all bad I do. And when visiting certain people--I'm around a lot of people so I want to be careful. I have been vaccinated and boosted twice.
DeleteI didn't guess that was matzo ball soup, but it looks good. I'm sorry you got sick with "mild case." I've had one blogger friend die. She was older, snarky as heck, but had a stroke and was gone a few weeks later. Just. Like. That. She was a delight but I now follow her daughter who let everyone know what had happened.
ReplyDeleteI’m sorry for the loss of what sounded like a beloved blogger. That’s really nice that you can now follow her daughter!
DeleteOh gosh, Bijoux, I am so sorry to hear this! I hope you guys all feel completely better soon! I have to say something must have been in the water or air or Internet waves because hubby had Covid this week and I think I might have had it but I didn't test. I got symptoms first and thought it was a cold but then his symptoms started and were worse so he got a home test and it was positive. He has had a real rocky course (he was not vaccinated; I had just the two vaccinations, no boosters). He is just over a week with symptoms and each day improves just a tiny bit but still struggling with energy, etc. Two people in the office came down with it too so I probably picked it up there. Our governor had it and Mick Jagger and my brother in San Diego all had it. All in the same week! That was nice that your husband's fellow coworker sent over that soup. A small kind gesture! We didn't lose our sense of smell/taste but had no appetite. Food just didn't even look appealing. I'm starting to get it back just a little, hubby still could care less about food.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear about Xavier's passing. I didn't follow his blog but it is always sad when a fellow blogger passes on. Years ago a blog I followed, she had cancer and passed. I always felt bad because she wanted to meet up with me and I never got around to doing so. She was from Canada but was a snowbird to Arizona and at the time we lived in Southern California so we could have driven over. I've met other bloggers but just never arranged to meet her. It's a good reminder to do something about letting our loved ones know how to put a final entry on our blog that we have passed. I keep saying I need to write out instructions for hubby to do so on mine but I haven't gotten around to it yet.
Take care of yourself! This too shall pass! (So they say, but then my husband was reading about long Covid and its symptoms. I told him don't think that way, lol).
Any clue where you might have picked it up?
betty
Hi Betty! Many people in my husband’s department at work have had Covid the last two weeks, so we’re certain that’s where he got it. I seemed to be 36 hours behind him in symptoms. Middle Child 3 days behind me. It sounds like it wasn’t bad for you, maybe because you were vaxxed more recently? I hope your husband turns the corner soon. Today, I’m at about 90% normal. And I’m sorry about your blog friend, too. I figured that most of us who’ve blogged for over 10 years have seen these losses. It’s too bad you never managed to meet, but stuff like that can be hard to coordinate. Take care!
DeleteI'd rate my covid a 3. Sorry it's socking you so hard. What is the point of vaccines, then? I don't get it. I didn't lose my taste and smell, but, if you did, how could you enjoy that soup? So sorry about your blog friend. I guess it's a blessing that he had such a positive attitude despite the ultimate outcome. It would've been worse had he been depressed and defeated the whole time.
ReplyDeleteWow! A 3 isn’t too bad! My daughter said the vaccine is to just keep you out of the hospital. I get that the variants change, etc., but I feel as though we were initially told there might just be a few ‘breakthrough cases’ NOT that you’ll still get Covid and be in bed for a week! I had the soup on Sunday, but didn’t lose taste and smell until Wednesday. I really hope it comes back soon.
DeleteI'm glad you were able to enjoy the soup. Hubby has a coworker who didn't get her taste and smell back for months! But that's rare. Hubby lost it for only a few days to a week.
DeleteYeah, I’ve heard of people like that. Awful! I’m hopeful.
DeleteI'm hopeful for you!
DeleteI sincerely wish you a full and speedy recovery, dear heart. That was such a kind and thoughtful gesture of the friend that brought by comforting soup. Keep us posted on how you are doing.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Liberty. I’m feeling much improved today.
DeleteGlad to say neither Jenny or me have had covid as yet. We've more or less abandoned face masks but we still distance whenever we can. Glad to say also I haven't lost any blog friends. I hope you recover quickly from your dose of covid. Unfortunately I've read many times of people who seemed totally fit and healthy, had a nutritious diet etc, still getting covid. It manages to worm its way in somehow.
ReplyDeleteI’m glad you’ve escaped Covid. It seems to be inevitable at this point. Many people at my spouse’s work have had it recently. I was hoping the vaccine and booster would keep me safe, but that wasn’t the case. I’m feeling much better today!
DeleteI'm glad you are feeling better now. I hope you and your husband continue to recover. Neither my husband or I have ever had COVID that I know of. I've had a few colds in the past two years but never tested myself. I did get vaccinated and one booster but that's all. To the best that I can remember I have never lost a blogger friend to death. I'm sorry about your friend.
ReplyDeleteI’m shocked that some people claim it was similar to a cold for them. Most of my friends IRL have had it with varying degrees of severity. I hope to never see it again!
DeleteCOVID hit our whole family over Thanksgiving 2020. For most of us, it was somewhere between a heavy cold and a mild flu, but Jenn spent 17 days in the hospital with secondary infections of sepsis and pneumonia. I don't know for sure, but I strongly suspect that we both had mild cases of the omicron variant this past January. Not quite asymptomatic, but not enough to say for sure; we never bothered to get tested.
ReplyDeleteXavier is the second blog-friend of mine who has died. Buck Pennington, who blogged at Exile in Portales, died just before Christmas 2014, after a long run with COPD. It's funny - I never met Xavier in person (talked to him on the phone once), but it's like a close friend has died. A little disconcerting, that I didn't know he'd died until a month after the fact, but that's how it goes in blog-space, I suppose. . .
I remember Jenn being in the hospital due to Covid and how scary that was. I’m glad you are both doing well now. Craig, I’ve been so sad about our friend. I really thought he was beating it. Something must have turned around on him in the five weeks between his last comment to me and his death. I got the feeling his wife was never fond of his blog or his online presence? I couldn’t find his Facebook page anymore either. I don’t like that it seems he never existed :(
DeleteI would love to hear about your phone call or your memories of him if you ever feel up to posting about him. Whenever I see a barn quilt, I think of him and always will.
Oh, Bijoux, I'm so sorry! I hope your guys get well ASAP.
ReplyDeleteMy sister had Covid earlier this year and friend came down with it last week.
Both of them said it was a lot like a cold. They had both been vaccinated, btw.
I'm also very sorry to hear about Xavier. We can form very strong connections with our fellow bloggers.
Feel better!
Thanks for the sympathy, Rob. We are feeling much better today. I’m on Day 8. I really thought having been vaccinated and boosted, we’d have avoided getting so sick. I guess it hits everyone differently. I’m glad to have known Xavier for the last 14 years. You’re right about the connections. Hope your week is a good one.
DeleteI'm so sorry that Covid hit your house AND kicked your butts. Two weeks ago four family members came down with it; three of the four said it was bad for a few days, but all are on the mend now.
ReplyDeleteCoach and I had it in January and it wasn't as horrible as yours was. Maybe a 4 or 5 our of ten? He and I have only had the one vaccine from J & J with no boosters as they're not available for that one.
I'm so very sorry about your blog Friend. It really does hurt when we lose our internet friends; I think of those who are not with me any longer all the time as we all become invested in each others lives. Take care.
We are getting better day by day. I’d say I’m operating at 95% today, though I still can’t taste anything. It’s very weird!
DeleteIt’s amazing to hear how hard it hits some even with the vaccines and not so bad for others. I am damn near certain I had it after our NY trip in August of 2019, but we wouldn’t even hear of the virus here for another 4 to 5 months so all of the tests they were giving me showed nothing. It took me 6 weeks to start feeling better on my own. Hope you get your smell and taste back soon!
ReplyDeleteI’m sorry your blog friend passed. It’s so sad when we lose a blog buddy. Though most we’ll never meet in person, many we really come to care for. I’ve only had one pass since I’ve been blogging. Judy from Thoughts of a Twinless Twin. She also was battling an illness and eventually succumbed to it. Even after all these years, I still think of her when I see a cool bird that I think she would have liked. She really loved birds.
There’s still so much the medical community doesn’t know about the virus. All the people in my husband’s department who’ve had Covid the last two weeks have been down for the count. Ages late 30’s to early 60’s. We assume it was all the same strain/variant and spread amongst them all, so that’s why all had a bad reaction? Who knows? Being sick for 6 weeks sounds really bad though. Did they do a blood test for mono? I’m sorry about your friend Judy. Thanks for sharing something about her. It’s nice to hear about your blogger friendship.
DeleteI had every blood test and x-ray under the sun and it all came back clean. I think they thought I just crazy. Thinking back now, I wonder how many people I passed it on to and that bothers me. I was coughing all over the place. People would offer water and I'd just be like, "It doesn't help!" The doctors did put me on high doses of prednisone and that seemed to lessen the cough, but nothing helped fully except waiting it out. I hope everyone at your husband's work are all doing better now. Even though there have been many things we have learned about the virus, it's still scary to hear when people get it!
DeleteThat is so bizarre! I see why you think it was likely to be Covid, especially after having traveled to a spot like NYC. That cold I mentioned at the top of the post? Got it right after being in NYC! The epicenter of disease! LOL! I’m still a bit fatigued when I’m going on my daily long walk, but I think I’m recovered. Sense of taste still a bit weak. I told my husband maybe this is the time for me to do the Bourbon Trail. Or not!
DeleteCovid hasn't gotten us, but man-oh-man I was afraid this week that it had gotten me. I've had a lingering fever and other ailments. Two tests have ruled out Covid. Flu and RSV have also tested negative so we are now waiting on the results of test for tick-borne infections. Antibiotics have stemmed the fever, though I have yet to fully recover.
ReplyDeleteI've been away from blogging and blog reading for a while because of other real world obsessions but am getting back to reading and, hopefully, soon, to blogging, so I don't know of any losses in few blogs I have kept up with.
Covid took a sister in September who was opposed to the vaccines. (I said goodbye to another sister last month. She had very aggressive lung cancer that had spread to other organs.)
The pandemic has taken more victims than just those who were infected with the virus. The isolation and changes in society have had a profound effect on people who were struggling with other issues. My brother's middle son, J___, was bullied in school, bullied at work, bullied because he was different. The pandemic apparently just made it all worse. J___ was trans and was in the process of medically transitioning through hormone treatment. J___ committed suicide last week. I can't help but think the pandemic contributed to J___'s despair.
Mike, thanks for visiting and I’m so sorry you’ve been ill. I hope you discover the source of your fever, but I do hope it’s not tick related. That’s some scary business. How sad that you’ve had so many losses over the past year. It must have been so frustrating to watch your sister die of Covid because she refused the vaccine. I really had to talk my mom into getting the vaccine, so I understand dealing with that mindset. That is just awful about your nephew. I’m so sorry for all your losses.
DeleteI'm sorry to hear about your friend. I started my blog years ago with three friends who started their own blogs. One friend had a heart attack several months after he started his blog and passed away. I've lost 5 different friends on FB over the past 15 years to various things. It's always hard to lose a friend when you were close with them.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter and I both has Covid right after Christmas. Mine lasted a month and I felt absolutely horrid. It was bad.
Oh, that’s sad about your friend you started blogging with. Do the other two friends still blog? I’m at the point where I’m afraid to google people because there have been a number of times that their obituary comes up immediately and I had no idea. I remember you having Covid around Christmas. A month was lengthy. I’m feeling close to normal now. I still can’t taste much though and my voice sounds hoarse.
DeleteOh B, I'm sorry you all were so sick. Covid surely is a strange disease. I was the first in our family to get it, in October 2020 when my mother was dying. TG and Audrey came down with it within a day or two of me, though. My case was odd in that I felt mostly okay for about a week, but within that week I lost taste and smell (that lasted for three weeks or so), and then I got hit pretty hard with high fevers for about three days. And then it was over. TG says he felt kind of sick "for part of an afternoon." Audrey felt pretty bad, probably worse than me. Erica had it while she was expecting Rhett and it was no worse than a cold. Several of us (including me) had it a second time, last January. For me, that felt like a simple cold. Just really no different from any cold-and-flu season malady. I am so sorry about the loss of your blogging buddy. Bless his heart. I've never lost a blogging buddy to death (that I know of), but there are some who stopped blogging whom I miss very much. Your soup looks delicious and what a kind friend to do that for you! I hope as you read this that you feel right as rain once again. xoxo
ReplyDeleteIt’s interesting to hear everyone’s Covid stories, just because they are all so different. Odd that Audrey was sicker than you and TG, just because she’s younger. Middle Child definitely had a milder reaction than either me or my husband and I’m grateful for that because I was in no shape to care for her. I had spearmint tea today and could smell it (yeah!) but not taste it (boo!) but overall, I’m feeling almost back to normal. You would have enjoyed knowing Xavier and I have the blessed assurance I will meet him in Paradise. He was one of a kind!
DeleteWow, you and your family really did get hit hard, Bijoux, compared to others who have told me they felt like it was a minor cold lasting a few days. I have heard that even fully vaccinated people can become infected. Glad to read that you are all slowly recovering and that soup did look good and yes chicken soup is a definite panacea for so many ailments. I hope you continue on the road to feeling better.
ReplyDeleteAs for blogging losses, I have experienced at least 2 over the years and one within the past 6 months. There are a couple of others who are dealing with potential life-threatening issues but are still posting as often as possible. Bloggers are definitely long-distance friends and we have been fortunate to meet several. One lives in PA and we visit every time we see family who live in the same area.
Thank you, we are all feeling much better! Middle Child is returning to work tonight with a mask. My husband is working from home this week, but will go back to the office on Monday. It is indeed sad to lose blogger friends. Often, we know more about them than folks in real life!
DeleteHope you and the family are feeling better. I have had it twice and the first one was the worst. Lost my sense of taste and smell and didn't sleep well because of back pain. The second time I was mostly tired and I got it after I got vaccinated. Sorry to hear about your blogging friend. I have lost several blogging friends over the years and they hit me pretty hard. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI’ve known a few people who’ve had it twice and they did say it wasn’t as bad the second time around. Good to know! Sorry to hear you’ve also lost some blogger friends. It can come as a shock, for certain.
DeleteI hope you’re all feeling much better. That was very kind to order the Uber Eats, the soup and matzo balls looks delicious. Thankfully I haven’t had covid. My grandson had a bad cough and felt a bit ill. My son-in-law felt ill, like flu, high temp and aching all over, my daughter didn’t know she had it until she realised she couldn’t taste anything, she wasn’t ill. You had a fantastic birthday. I enjoyed "This Buyer"! :-)
ReplyDeleteAwww, thanks for going back to read previous posts. I did have a grand birthday in May. I’m very glad Covid has passed over you and I hope it never darkens your door!
DeleteSorry to here you both got it and that it doesn't sound mild to me. I hear some say they barely feel sick and it last a day or two, that's mild in my opinion. But to kick your butt, sounds more than mild to me. Glad it wasn't bad enough you needed to be hospitalized. Did you get treatment? The pill, or the IV? Hope you get your taste and smell back soon, but for some folks that seems to take awhile. Good luck to you both. How nice to have the soup delivered. I've had both vaccines and both boosters, and knock on wood...so far I've not gotten it. But, am concerned as hubby never got around to getting his booster, kept saying he didn't have time, was too busy at work etc etc. And as we speak he's at a convention with lots of people...so...if he comes home sick, I'm not going to be a happy camper. So sorry about your friend. We get to know some of our on line friends well after many years of chatting on line. Yes, I've lost a few bloggers, a few from Facebook, and a few from Fitbit. Back in the day Fitbit actually had forums where we had a group that got to know each other pretty well. Then this one person and I got to meet face to face. We did that every year for 3 years running. She had had cancer twice and was being treated for a 3rd time and each year I could tell she was failing more. I still think of her often.
ReplyDeleteSandy's Space
Thanks, Sandy. We have recovered and tested negative yesterday, so happy to not be stuck at home now. We did not seek treatment. I’m not a fan of overusing meds because it just causes more problems in the long run. Last time I was on a med, I got a terrible rash all over my body. I still don’t have full tastebuds, but it’s getting better. I hope your hubby doesn’t bring it home because I know it’s really rampant right now. And I’m sorry to hear you’ve lost so many online friends as well.
DeleteShort take on "doesn’t bring it home because I know it’s really rampant right now."
ReplyDeleteWhile in the UK, one of my brothers-in-law and his spouse tested positive after having mild symptoms. They carried on with their vacation plans, just double-masked everywhere they went. They eventually tested negative, but continued to double-mask. They were able tor return to the States with no issues since the testing requirement for return flights has been dropped. The airports and flights were very crowed. They double-masked on the return flights. They are double vaxed and double boosted.
Two days ago, he tested positive.
(Blogger is at it again. I commented above with no problem. This time Blogger wouldn't log me in so I had to use an alternative persona to comment.)
So, do they think they got Covid a second time or just that the testing wasn’t valid? Sorry about the blogger problems. I’m having lots of issues commenting on various blogs as well.
DeleteI am so sorry to hear this Dear friend! I hope you all feel completely better soon. Soup looks delicious and healthy. Here, people dont need use face making but we (my family) still use it. Even people say: "dont worry about the covid. We get rid of it".
ReplyDeleteDont need to use face mask
DeleteThanks so much. I’m still a bit fatigued but all better. I appreciate you stopping by.
DeleteI'm sorry you've all been so sick. I had read a while ago that "mild" didn't mean what most people think it does in the COVID context. To me, that's a big part of what's so scary about it; "mild" is still really bad, and while there are underlying issues that can make it a lot worse, it does seem to randomly be much harder on otherwise people than you might expect. That was so nice of your husband's coworker to get the soup delivered! I've never had matzo ball soup, or matzo balls at all, but I'd love to try them. I'm not sure they're even available here. I hope you're all feeling better and back to normal soon.
ReplyDeleteHi Danielle! I was just thinking about you and a few other bloggers who haven’t posted lately. Hope you are well! Matzo is hard to describe. I used to eat matzo crackers when I worked with people who were Jewish. They are a very dry cracker. I enjoyed them! We are back to normal, for the most part!
DeleteI am Judee from Gluten Free A-Z Blog. For some reason it would only allow me to comment anonymously. I have two friends who not only got Covid recently (after all vaccines and boosters) but it went into Covid pneumonia and they were very sick at home. I had Covid and felt sick for 2 full weeks back in December. Hopefully you will have a speedy recovery.
DeleteWe are fine now! Thanks for commenting!
Delete