COVID RESPONSE TEAM

A couple of weeks ago, I talked about having a Covid Response Team.

They are a team of nurses that check in with you when you have Covid-19.

They make sure you are checking your oxygen levels, your temperature, eating, and resting when necessary.

They sent a box to containing my "Covid Kit".

Yep; they came up with a ''survival" kit for Covid-19.

It was delivered by FedEx a day after being diagnosed. 

The box was huge. 

It had flash cards with everything from how to wash your hands to how to disinfect. 

Did you know that if you have Covid-19, they recommend that you wipe down surfaces that you come into contact with but that you don't deep clean until AFTER all of your symptoms have gone away. 

It also contained the following: 150 masks, 1 bottle of disinfectant, 6 small bottles of body wash, 2 bottles of hand sanitizer, another thermometer, alcohol swaps, 50 hot/cold cups with lids, 50 biodegradable paper plates, 50 spoons, knives and forks and 6 blue trash bags. 

Yep blue trash bags. The kind they use in the hospital. The kind that has tape attached that says "biohazardous material"

Did you know that you aren't supposed to use regular dishes while having Covid-19? 

I didn't. 

It's because even though you are washing your dishes, you still have to touch them once they are clean. You are contaminating them again before using them.   

You must put your trash in the blue bags because everything you touch will still be infected with the Covid virus after you use them. 

Now that they are saying you have to double mask, I have enough masks to last at least two months. That is if I go outside every day; which I don't.

My Covid Response Team, or someone from my team, calls every day. 

Without fail. 

My phone rings at 9am every day and I am on the phone with them for at least 30 minutes. I have had a nurse come by to check since I'm an "over achiever" and have so many symptoms.

It's good to know that someone is looking out for the ones of us that are not hospitalized. 

I just wonder; if you don't have insurance; do you still get this level of care?

WHY CAN'T I TASTE MY FOOD

Why does my mouth feel like this?

It feels like my taste buds have become swollen at the same time. My mouth is watering like I'm about to vomit. 

I have a blister on the inside of my mouth but I'm sure it's because I have been drinking so much orange juice that it's from the acid.

I make myself dinner and although I'm a pretty good cook, I burned the oil I was going to use to fry the chicken in. 

Hmmm, why don't I smell that? I guess I'm spraying way to much LYSOL.

I outdid myself today. Even though I'm sick it doesn't mean he can't eat well.

I make fried chicken, asparagus and sweet potatoes. 

I am not hungry but I try and eat anyway.

Hmm, that's strange.

I take another bite. 

I say out loud, to no one, funny I don't smell the fried chicken smell.

Then I take a bite.

Hot and nothing.

Wait, I can't taste the chicken. WTH! I can't taste the chicken. I CAN'T TASTE THE CHICKEN OR THE SWEET POTATOES OR THE ASPARAGUS. 

Sweet baby food Jesus!

I've lost my taste and my sense of smell. No wonder I didn't smell the oil burning. No wonder I didn't smell the chicken cooking. 

Ahhh Lawd! 

This is horrible. No wonder my coffee tasted funny this morning. Or maybe the lack of flavor. I kept adding sugar and cream. I thought maybe I forgot how to make it. 

Geezus! Of all things that is happening to me; this is the absolute worse! 

How can you eat when you can't taste food/ 

Eating is pure torture. Drinking is even worse. 

I tried having a glass of wine...yep; can't taste it. I can't enjoy food. 

This has to be the BEST DIET EVER!

Said NO ONE!

WHY AM I STILL FEELING LIKE THIS

Today is February 11 and I feel like crap.

I can barely sleep. I'm exhausted. My body feels heavy and I am sweating like its 100 degrees. 

I don't have a fever but the damn cough and sneezing has come back. 

Shouldn't I be feeling better now?

I am boiling water with ginger, lemon and orange peels. I'm standing over this pot like it's my life line. I am still trying to NOT go to the hospital but today, I have no choice.

It has to be better than this.

I dress, which takes almost an hour. Not because I am trying to be cute but because I have to keep stopping to get more energy.

WTF!

Man, they don't tell you about this. 

As I dress I just hope this is not the last time I will see my house. I hope it's not the last time I will chat with my kids or my friends. 

Yeah, people that don't wear masks don't understand that the people who do everything to protect themselves and still end up with; have to deal with this.

Ask me if it's a hoax! Ask me if it is fake news!

Dehydration is the cause of this. I try and eat but I really can't without having an upset stomach. 

I cook but still can't eat.

What's the use of eating when you can't taste the food?

Oh I didn't tell you about that?

Well, next week I will.

Thanks for hanging in here with me and this journey. 

STAY AT HOME AND DO WHAT

For an author this is the best time to get some major writing done.

We normally have so many things going on that we have to "schedule" time to do what we love.

Now because of the pandemic, we are getting as much time as we need to, to write.

Are you using this time to write? or do you still need some motivation?

I have found that this is the perfect time for me. What else could be better for a setting than staying in your house, trying not to kill your husband and children.

This is the perfect time to come up with a murder mystery. How could you kill them and get away with it during this time? How could you use this time to wisely?

Well first you have to go back into that writing room that you set up a year ago with the intention of writing every day.

Then you have to sit there and dream up of so many scenarios that you have to have a white board to keep up with the ideas.

Next, call up Staples and have them send over ink and paper because the words will be flowing out of you at a fast pace.

Ok, so that may not actually work but now is the perfect time to stir up those creative juices and get to writing that next installment or new novel. 

How are you spending this time during the pandemic? 

Are you writing or still find an excuse not to write?

Let me know on my FB author page, Author B Swangin Webster.

As for me, I am still editing but I have a new novel in my head and as soon as these edits are finished, that new novel is already written. All I have to do is put it on paper.