I Have It

What's more, I believe I've had it for more than a week.  I've not been tested, but it would be an amazing coincidence to have an upper respiratory infection right now that checks off so many boxes that's not this virus.

Before I continue:  WARNING for the squeamish.  I may go into more detail than you'd like.

My first sign came a week ago Friday as I was enjoying my firepit.  I expectorated.  Not unusual for me, I often cough and have sinus issues more than the normal person.  Something I attribute to smoking cigarettes for close to 30 years.  But this time as I expelled it I was shocked at the bright yellow color.  Having felt something in it, I just dismissed it as perhaps a piece of food got down the wrong pipe and this was my body getting rid of it.  The next afternoon I noticed more of the same yellow color.  At this time I did not suspect anything related to this virus - yet.  Saturday night I had several drinks and woke Sunday to a terrible hangover, highly unusual and much more than one would expect for the amount I drank.  I had a terrible headache and, looking back, probably a fever.  I also think I was getting just a little shortness of breath, and my sputum became more yellow/green.  I was getting concerned, and shared this with my wife.

Over the course of the week my sputum seemed to return to a more normal color, but the shortness of breath continued to get a little worse day by day.  It's hard to say if I was really feeling normal otherwise or not as it was not a normal week.  Working from home had really thrown me off from what was normal and what was not.  But as the days passed my concern grew.

Two days ago, Friday, I again stayed up and had several drinks.  I woke up in the middle of the night in a coughing fit, and my wife awoke and noticed my fast, shallow breaths.  My alarm went off at 8 a.m. Saturday morning as I was going to go into the office to do a few things for work that cannot be done from home.  Again, I awoke in a fit of coughing and expectorating, this time it was a dirty, pale yellow/brown/gray.  Not the best description, but the best I can do.  I felt like I had been run over by a truck and my head ached terribly, I didn't even want to move it.  We also took my temperature this time and I had a fever of 100.8ºF.  I emailed my boss, telling him I would not be going into the office as I think I have it.

I spent most of the day in bed yesterday, alternately sleeping and watching TV, which is part of the reason I'm up so early today writing this.  I felt absolutely terrible.  I didn't want to move, everything hurt and I had no appetite whatsoever.  The shortness of breath has been the worst part.  Not too scary for me yet, and as long as I stay calm I can control it.  Most of the last several hours in bed I was awake enough to avoid the uncontrollable coughing fits by making myself expectorate when I felt it was coming.  And the feeling of malaise has continued.

That brings me to now, 5:30 in the morning on Sunday.  My head hurts and I feel generally terrible, but I had to get out of bed as laying down so much has just been killing my back and I don't need my back to go out on top of this.  Today will be very interesting to see how I feel and if I will even work come Monday.  I'm sure I'll have to answer a lot of questions for my work, and I do plan on contacting my doctor's office, but what more is there to do but ride it out?

Latest Listening Pleasure 36 - Poppy

Not normally what I listen to, but there hasn't really seemed to be a 'normal' for me in quite some time.  And that's really pretty good, actually.  Poppy's made the music news the last few months, which initially got my attention, and now I'm really liking her new album, I Disagree.  This is her third album, and while the first two are, well, pop-py, this album has a distinct heavier edge that still fits nicely with her character.

Poppy - I Disagree


Yes, Poppy is a character, her real name is Moriah Pereira.  As I understand it, she started making videos for YouTube and it just grew from there.  She makes very interesting and somewhat eccentric or odd videos, which is part of the appeal for me.  Her character is just off the wall cutesy, soft and odd.  The "Kids React" channel on YouTube has featured her several times and the kid's reactions to her are just priceless.  There's a playlist of those episodes here.

There's also been a lot of talk of her and her creative partner separating before this album.  That sounds like a messed up relationship, with him having a history of controlling and abusive behavior.  I won't go into it here, you can look it up if you like.  But it may explain a few things...

Poppy - Sit/Stay


And though her music videos can be elaborate I've watched a few concerts of hers from earlier this year before everything was cancelled and enjoyed the live show as well.  Enough so that if she did play in town here sometime I would definitely make an effort to be at that show.

Previous LLP Posts:
LLP 1 - Pain
LLP 2 - Nightwish
LLP 3 - Die Antwoord
LLP 4 - Pain part 2
LLP 5 - Andrew Bird LIVE
LLP 6 - Nightwish part 2
LLP 7 - Paramore
LLP 8 - Newsted
LLP 9 - U.D.O. LIVE
LLP 10 - Nightwish Imaginaerum Movie
LLP 11 - Kiss
LLP 12 - Rick Springfield
LLP 13 - Hyrax
LLP 14 - In This Moment
LLP 15 - Faster Pussycat LIVE
LLP 16 - Sebastian Bach
LLP 17 - Cradle Of Thorns
LLP 18 - Amaranthe
LLP 19 - Lindemann
LLP 20 - Halestorm
LLP 21 - Garbage LIVE
LLP 22 - Arcade
LLP 23 - Nightwish LIVE
LLP 24 - Ace Frehley
LLP 25 - Darkc3ll
LLP 26 - Dementia
LLP 27 - Rammstein
LLP 28 - Marilyn Manson LIVE
LLP 29 - The Harp Twins LIVE
LLP 30 - Diamante
LLP 31 - Steel Panther LIVE
LLP 32 - Scum Of The Earth
LLP 33 - Marty Friedman LIVE
LLP 34 - Buckethead LIVE
LLP 35 - Alice Cooper LIVE
LLP 36 - Poppy

Spring Fire

Last night, before the rain came.  50ºF, overcast and perfect.  It had been a long time coming and was a nice couple of hours.

Local Updates, More

Madison is in Dane County

It's been over a week since I last posted and it's still going to get worse before it gets better.  Since that time, schools have closed, retail has closed, restaurants are carryout or delivery only and gatherings of over 10 people is barred.  Now, as of tomorrow, all non-essential businesses in the state are to be closed.  Still not sure if that would only leave grocery stores open or what else.  We're one step away from a stay-at-home order.

The good news is we were finally able to get a grocery order in on Thursday, for Saturday morning delivery, and the toilet paper actually came.  Truthfully, we were still probably a week away from being out, but it was on our minds due to all the hoarding.  We're pretty set for food, if need be.  With the full freezer we could probably eat for months, but that's normal for us.

I forgot one key thing I needed for Friday to work at home so I had to go into work.  Today I went in for a little more than an hour then came home and worked the rest of the day - and made sure not to forget anything this time.  This was the first time I worked from home.  Tomorrow I'll have to go in again at least for a little bit to get others up to speed in the change of our procedures due to everyone working at home and not being able to print or scan anything.  (This is due to the nature of the work, not printing or scanning capabilities from home.)  Like today, I hope to be there for only a little while but it may turn into a half or all day as I know there are some things that need to be done that can't be done at home.  The good news is it's even more of a ghost town at work so at least there's much fewer people to come into contact with.

That's the state of things now and, like I said, it's going to get worse before it gets better.  Screenshots are from the site everyone has likely seen by now, CSSE/JHU.

On a different subject, I considered a fire on Friday and again on Saturday evening.  Friday was too breezy and Saturday was pretty cold.  Plus, the grass has not started growing yet and even though we got an inch or so of rain since my last post the rabbit pellets in the back yard are intact.  I think my only hope is for the grass to grow and hide the pellets until they can break down.  I've been yearning for good weather and a good fire but I think I need to put that hope back on the shelf until it is actually a more realistic time.

Overall it was a pretty cold weekend with highs just over freezing, but the extended forecast looks much better, thankfully.  Last night it snowed some, so I woke early to a light dusting still showing on cars and in grassy areas.  It may officially be spring but, indeed, winter has not left the building.  And neither should you, if you can help it.  Stay well, everyone.