So, on the 3rd January, I wrote to the kid’s nursery and asked if they were planning to reinstate the bubble system they had before. When nurseries first reopened back in June after our first lockdown, they had to split the children into 2 bubbles, with separate areas for them to play in and separate entrances for the parents to reduce contact. This at the time was Government-mandated, though the Gov lifted this guidance in July, and our nursery kept it in place until the holidays in August, but when they went back in September they had gotten rid of it so all the kids could play together again.

I asked the nursery if we shouldn’t consider putting this precaution back into place even though the Government hasn’t required it this time around, as a voluntary measure we could take to reduce the risk to everyone. They decided not to do that, unless the Gov changes the guidance.

The kid’s nursery went back on Tuesday 5th Jan and then closed on Thursday 7th after a staff member tested positive for Covid so we got a letter saying the kid has to isolate for 10 days.

Ironically I didn’t have to isolate, only she did, but it’s fairly moot as I can’t exactly pop to the shops and leave my three-year-old at home alone. So I was going to be entertaining her while attempting to work and not climb up the walls. Thankfully I have an army of kind friends and neighbours who have offered to do my shopping and fetch things for us.

Sunday 10th Jan

On Sunday morning I woke up with a sore throat and a hoarse voice, and a bit of cough, though not a persistent one, and it’s just impossible not to assume the worst and be a total hypochondriac these days so I ordered a test just to be sure.

Monday 11th Jan

On Monday I felt a lot worse, woke up with a mild fever and my cough had definitely become persistent. Cracking headache all day, and even the kid complained that her head was hurting too. Our tests arrived and I had to hold the poor kid down to get her swab sample, which was awful and she screamed blue murder, and I felt like I was torturing her. 

I struggled through the day trying to work and manage the kid, who after 4 days isolating at home was climbing the walls with boredom. I had a couple of presentations and big meetings to attend so my lovely mum did a video call with the kid for almost an hour and kept her entertained so I could concentrate on work. 

By Monday evening my fever came back and got worse, so I crashed out super early. The kid was up at 3am (partly because she’s not getting enough physical activity stuck in the house so she just isn’t as physically tired) but she went back to sleep and I tossed and turned for an hour and went back to sleep too.

Tuesday 12th Jan

Woke up on Tuesday morning with an unbearably sore throat, every cough was agony, though thankfully my fever had gone back down. My temp was still a little higher than normal but it had gone back under 38 degrees. Took the day off sick from work and slouched around at home in my pyjamas trying to drink some tea, and my lovely friends have called to occupy the kid for a bit so I could have a rest. My mum also called and chatted to the kid for another hour so I could lie on the couch for a bit. Today I was just exhausted from head to toe all damn day. Complete and utter fatigue.

I have put a sign on the front door to say that we are isolating and won’t open it for deliveries until they have gone, and my lovely neighbours and a friend have all done some bits of shopping for me so we are well-stocked for the time being. 

It feels a lot like living in a plague house from the 1400’s or something, front door locked (might as well be boarded up), sign on the door marking us as a plague house, can’t leave the house, waiting to see if we have the plague or not.

Wednesday 13th Jan

Wednesday morning I got a text message confirming that I do in fact have the plague. My Covid-19 test was positive. The kid’s test was inconclusive, but I’m definitely not putting her through that again, we are just going to assume that she has it too. The nursery told us another kid has had a positive test, and several more staff are sick right now, and a few other kids are waiting for test results, so it’s clearly an outbreak. It feels really surreal after hearing about this disease for an entire year, to actually have it. I keep thinking it can’t be true, and have to re-check the messages again and again.

I spent most of Wednesday lying on the couch exhausted and feeling incredibly nauseous, and throwing up a lot. The kid had a zoom nursery rhyme singalong thing, so she sang old macdonald with some strangers while I threw up into the kitchen sink.

Wednesday felt like it lasted forever, and I got my mum to take over entertaining the kid for the last hour until we could both crawl upstairs to bed as I just couldn’t do much of anything at that point. I put the kid into my bed and we both crashed out at about 6.30pm.

Thursday 14th Jan

On Thursday I was shocked how exhausted I felt after sleeping for 12 hours. But still, all things considered I felt a little better for a while, until I started throwing up again.

The kid was very quiet and subdued on Thursday too so she was happy to sit and watch cartoons for hours. I think she was a little warm and under the weather too. The nausea keeps coming and going in waves so I’ll feel better for a little while, then worse again. My cough has almost gone, and sore throat has subsided, so it’s mostly just nausea, and dizziness. My sofa feels like a boat on rough seas at the moment, I’m dizzy and vomity all the time.

I called the doctor on Thursday afternoon to check in. Explained that I’m lucky I don’t have any problems with my breathing, and my fever is down, but I am worried about getting dehydrated as I’m struggling to keep water down. She was very nice and prescribed me some anti-nausea pills which my kind neighbour went and got for me that same evening. Crawled off to bed with the kid again at 8pm.

Friday 15th Jan

On Friday morning the kid woke up at 6am full of beans and wanting to jump around on me. I responded by dry-heaving into a bucket by the bed. Friday morning started off rough – I felt just awful and sick and exhausted from the minute I woke up, and the kid is clearly feeling better and is now utterly sick of being cooped up inside. Bless her she has been SO good all week and it’s now our 8th day of isolation (6 more to go). She’s done so well to stay quiet and watch telly while I’ve been feeling so ill, so today she had some screaming tantrums and was generally pretty cross with me. I really haven’t got the energy for it so I’m bribing her with snacks and more telly at the moment. 

I’ve been blown away by so many kind offers from friends and neighbours asking if they can bring me shopping, or cook me dinners and make us soup. One friend brought me hot chicken soup, another is making my daughter some pasta and bringing it round. One of my neighbours is so desperate to help that I had to invent some stuff for her to get for us at the shops so she would feel useful! It’s lovely that so many people are keen to help us. 

I’ve also had offers from a couple of friends and my sister to come and help if it all gets too much. I’ve put my friends on standby as obviously if I feel I am too ill to look after my daughter I’ll need to call in reinforcements, but at the same time it’s very hard to ask someone to come, knowing you will definitely infect them, and knowing how awful this feels. So far we have been managing, and I keep thinking (hoping!) I am over the worst of it, but then feeling just dreadful again. 

My mum has been amazing and will sit on the phone with my daughter for hours playing shop or doing jumping jacks to keep her amused and give me much-needed rest breaks. 

By Friday evening I was feeling a little better, the anti-nausea meds seem to be working and I was able to keep some food and drink down.

Saturday 16th Jan

Woke up this morning feeling a little better in general. Less nauseous though I have a cracking headache and my cough is back again, but still pretty mild. I suspect I’m quite dehydrated and that the headache will probably go soon if I drink some more tea and water. 

Really hoping I am over the worst of it, even though I’m still exhausted and a bit weak. I’ve lost 3kgs this week, though that’s probably mostly water. Keeping my fingers crossed that this is the start of me feeling better, even though so far it’s been coming and going in waves so I might feel worse again later. 

Fingers crossed that I’m over the worst of it now…