Patient zero discovered ?

[rattfan]

I decided on Friday I could go to work.  Just.  I thought I was beyond the contagious point but just in case, maintained paranoia all day, washing hands frequently and anyway, didn't have much in person contact at all.  Someone did ask how I was - just a general greeting - and I coughed, making them recoil in horror, which was quite entertaining as the cough sounds terrible.   Was still not feeling terrific but managed.  

When I apologised for the coughing to the person who sits in front of me, that individual said no worries, they'd been coughing themselves.  That I knew, though my headset is good enough that I only catch the coughs when not wearing it.  Then they said they'd had a sore throat since the previous week and there was much describing of symptoms.  Uh huh.  Wasn't too impressed when I realised they'd probably been at work while contagious and possibly been my vector.   I mean, when you know several people who appear to have the same lurgy you do, but none of them could have been your vector, that tells you there's a lot of sick people around.   You mostly never know who could've given it to you.  But this character was sick a week before I was.  Had it worse, by the sound, so there's some justice.

About a year ago I had a killer lurgy with a sore throat so bad it felt like it had been cut.  I endured that for nearly a week before it faded.  I'm now wondering if that gave me a partial immunity to this one, because I haven't felt too awful in terms of the throat.  It was mainly the sneezing and dripping and congestion that were so uncomfortable.  Not sure.  My medical knowledge comes from TV and whatever Dr K manages to get through my head.  I've only today managed to do without the Ibuprofen, though.  My stocks of all the over-the-counter stuff were depleted so for once I had the brain to restock before I need them again.  My bug out bag is still pretty deficient but one thing I did this year was improve my personal first aid kit!

Today it was going to be so hot that I got up when I woke up, which was around six, watered what was going to need it and did my food run to the shops as early as possible.  So it's lucky that I feel pretty well all right again.  Went back to bed when I got home because, Saturday.  The shopping centre was already busy at just past 8 am and getting worse when I left with all the Christmas chaos.   25^C at 6 am, around 33 when I got back from the shops about 9 am and past 38^C now.   The rats are generously sharing their air-conditioned area.

Update.  Headed for 41^C.  First one of the season, probably not the last.

Comments

[leecetheartist]

So good to hear you're feeling better! I am still coughing a little but pretty good. Another night's rest should do it.

[rattfan]

Yes, same here. Have been resting today, too hot to do anything else!

[fred_mouse]

Yay for feeling better, but oh, your co-worker is a nuisance.

[rattfan]

If they did infect me; not sure that they did. Congrats to being on leave. I hope you're able to take plenty of time for yourself.

[fred_mouse]

Still a nuisance if they are contagious, even if it wasn't your patient zero. I'm having a too busy week, although the big event of today was Middlest taking me for a scenic tour of the hills in the dark to complete their night driving requirements before doing their driving test.

[rattfan]

Yikes! I'm glad you said "was" or otherwise I would have been fearing for your life! :-)

[fred_mouse]

Middlest is probably a more rounded driver than I was when I got my license. All they need to learn from a professional is parallel parking and three point turns, and unlearn any bad habits that will cause them to fail their test. Yay for compulsory hours and log books.

[siyamau]

Those temperatures are giving me The Fear! Really glad you're on the mend though. I honestly think that the one great side effect to my year of unemployment and hardly leaving the house was that I didn't get sick hardly at all because I never came into contact with anyone, heh.