Covid. Take Two.

The last thing I did that was parently was my kids' shower last Tuesday evening. In the hotel I basically laid on my side and asked the kids to tell me everything when we got home and I was better. I couldn't even have a conversation. I felt so awful. The entire way back from Marrakech, I basically said, "please ask dad." "Dad can help you." "I'm so sorry I can't listen to your story right now - I want to hear it all when I feel better, but I can't concentrate on what you're saying." "Please move a foot to the right so you're not near me." etc. I needed to survive, and that was all. 

When we got back to London, I felt awful, so after I had my pho that I craved, I apologized to Matt that unpacking was all on him, and I sat on the couch in my cozy robe with my cozy blanket. Elie (who truly has a magnetic force with me and always has - he just moves in and in, always) asked if he could cuddle with me. I said he could if he didn't move. So we did sit together on the couch for about fifteen minutes. 

My stomach then got super sick, which is when I wanted to test for covid before I walk into a clinic for my stomach. Then I promptly put on a mask and isolated myself upstairs. 

Back to 2021/22 conversations with Matt - we noted that we were LITERALLY the only people in the airport in Marrakech (there were a few in the airport in London, but truly only a few) and the ONLY people on the plane wearing masks. He said he would never be wearing a mask if it wasn't for me. I always think that in a place like that, where someone likely has covid (who knew it was ME!?), why not mask? And similar conversations about sending the kids to school. "Mel, no one cares about Covid but you. It's like the flu or anything else now. Everyone has moved on. The kids are fine. Of course we send them to school." "But how about at least we test them and they wear masks? What if one of them gave it to his pregnant teacher? Or to a friend who had a grandparent visiting? We can't decide FOR THEM that they don't care!" "Mel, everyone is constantly exposed! When you go to a restaurant, school, anywhere, you can assume someone has Covid. They all know this - so our kids aren't any different. They're exposed anyway." 

Our first night home, Matt said that I had already exposed them all so he insisted on sleeping in our room with me. So in case I hadn't already given it to him, I probably did then. I begged, and he has moved downstairs for the last two nights. It sucks for him - I get it, and I feel awful, but the worst for me is passing it together people (and them passing it to other people and ruining people's health, plans, etc.).

I know what we're both saying is right. And I know I am a WAY more emotional thinker than a statistical thinker, even though I understand the points (and that reminds me of this podcast I listened to the other day, which I recommend).

Matt has no symptoms and tested negative yesterday and today. We all got bivalent boosters on the 23/24 Dec (we are not eligible in the UK so got them while we were in the US), exactly two weeks and one day before I SUPER exposed them all traveling together. MAAAAAYbe that will help? (Didn't seem to help me!!).

The kids all have no symptoms and tested negative yesterday and today and went off to school. We (really I) asked them to wear masks. Elie said he did in the morning, but then forgot in the afternoon - and he did participate in swimming. Sam did all day but also participated in water polo (!!! WATER POLO??!!!). Koby also did in the morning but forgot in the afternoon. Hopefully they are wearing them today.

From the one minute conversation I had with them while they were eating dinner and I was across the room masked, I gathered they were all happy to be back at school (Elie seemed moderately happy). Returning to a new school after THREE weeks off could be challenging, but they were excited when we drove by it on the way home from the airport, and they seemed generally pumped to return. Phew.

Matt, meanwhile, is a super superstar single working parent with three kids. Yesterday morning he launched everyone solo for the first time. Then he came back and worked from home, went to pick them all up and do the Monday football run, which is long and cold. Pick up at 4. Walk over to the park and play until 5. Boys have soccer until 6. Then bus home, usually getting home around 6:45. Usually then I am freezing and tired and so is everyone else and THEN I have to prep dinner, but I made a full meal for them, so at least he had that right when they got home. Matt has done it all. (I have tried to get somewhere on the Crown, which I have been watching for about a year - I don't really do TV, but I want to). I am so grateful.

I am feeling a lot better but still not great. I am still stuffy and coughing but a bit less. I had a low fever last night but generally my body feels about 80% ok. I keep getting weird stomach aches. I ate two pieces of toast and a bowl of soup the first day. Yesterday I added a baked sweet potato to that. I went for a walk yesterday (there was SUN!), and I could only go about 20 mins, and I was EXHAUSTED. I REALLY hope I can pick up the kids tomorrow (an hour of walking), because that is the part that is REALLY hard for Matt to do with his work - I feel awful but I know I can't do it today, so he has to figure it out. I still have ZERO taste or smell. Though I can sense saltiness.

One of Sam's friend's moms texted to see if I could go for a walk on Friday (first potential plan with a potential friend!), and I told her that I was sick, and she offered to help, as did Stephanie, so at least we have a mini-SOS-village. That's improvement.

I will have to whip my body back into shape. In Michigan we basically did nothing for a week, because it was a blizzard and we were in the suburbs. I end up walking almost not at all while we're there. And definitely I did no exercise. Then we did have one day of trekking in the mountains, but otherwise we mostly drove (though the sane dune walking was not joke for two days). And since last Tuesday night I have loafed. That's a lot of days. I truly hope today is the last.