1. In weekly meetings with Jenn, the Nurse Coordinator of my kidney transplant case, Debbie and I have repeatedly inquired about my vulnerability to illness and what precautions I need to take, especially in these early weeks after the transplant.
I've been meticulous in following Nurse Jenn's advice, especially staying out of public places. She's told me things I could do, like, say, going to the store during times when business is slow, but I haven't done even that.
I've been very cautious.
Simply put, I haven't wanted to deal with illness.
Here's the other thing Nurse Jenn has repeated to me: "If you do become ill, you aren't doomed. It'll probably just take longer than usual for you to get over it."
I kept this in mind when Debbie called me from Alaska a week ago to tell me she'd been exposed to the Covid virus.
I kept it in mind when she came home and the next day tested positive for Covid.
Debbie and I isolated ourselves from each other, wore protection in common areas of the house, and did all we could to keep me from also contracting the Covid virus.
But, as I thought would likely happen, the sly virus found its way into my system and Monday I tested positive.
I have braced myself for this virus to take a while to be done with me.
But, if you go down the checklist of Covid symptoms, so far, I'm not experiencing many of them. No sore throat. No fever. No headache. My senses of smell and taste are intact. No foggy brain. I have some minimal flu-like aches and pain.
Ii sneeze once in a while. I have an off and on runny nose. On occasion, I cough.
Mostly I'm tired.
I don't feel doomed.
I do feel patient.
I iust hopę, as many of you have also said, that however long it takes to recover, that the symptoms remain mild.
2. I tested after I returned home from having my weekly labs done uptown.
When the test came up positive, I immediately messaged Nurse Jenn and let her know.
To my relief, Nurse Jenn did not respond back with alarm.
She didn't freak out.
She told me to stay hydrated, monitor my temperature (be on the lookout for fever), and told me how much Tylenol I could take per 24 hour period. She also checked with the doctors to see if I needed any adjustments in my meds.
(It's Tuesday. I just got word to reduce the dosage of one of my immunosuppression drugs. Makes sense.)
She also told me this will likely be a ten day process.
3. Repeatedly, doctors, nurses, and other staff at the transplant clinic have told me that essentially everyone who has transplant surgery experiences setbacks or bumps in the road.
The bump in my road (I hope it's not a setback) came seven weeks after surgery.
I've been grateful for how well things have gone, but always in the back of my mind I've kept in mind what the transplant professionals have told me: sometimes things go back a few steps before they move forward again.
I accept that.
I'm prepared within myself to rest, be patient, follow orders, and remain tranquil. I've never let myself get too excited about the good progress I've made and I'm not down in the dumps about having contracted Covid.
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