So my optimism about feeling better last weekend was short-lived.

Sunday I felt mostly ok, though my fever came back in the evening, which was weird and annoying.

Monday I woke up feeling MILES better and had some actual energy for the first time in ages. I actually logged on and did some work for a couple of hours while the kid watched tv, and while I told my boss I’m not back yet properly I was cocky and confident that I was truly getting better.

In the afternoon I slumped a bit but figured it was just from being so refreshed and energised in the morning. My fever came back again in the evening and I sloped off to bed for another early night.

Then came Tuesday…..

Woke up feeling tired and lethargic. The kid has had enough after so many days stuck inside the house and melted down and screamed blue murder over what trousers she was gonna wear… We battled our way down the stairs and then discovered one of the cats had done a massive shit in the living room. The kid was deeply affronted as they shat in her “shop” area. I was pretty unhappy about it too, so we did a spot of disinfecting and clean up in general.

Then while organising a cup of tea and some breakfast for the kid, I very suddenly and very violently started throwing up in the kitchen sink. A LOT.

It was extremely unpleasant and required even more disinfectant.

The rest of the day I was exhausted and wiped out, and dizzy and nauseous. I spoke to the doctor again, as we were supposed to be coming out of isolation on Wed but you can’t if you still have active symptoms like vomiting or fever. I had wondered if my daughter would be ok to go out as I’ve had some kind neighbours offer to take her for a little walk, but the doctor said sadly no, she will be literally covered in my Covid germs and unless we dunk her in a sheep-dip of disinfectant it’s too risky. She explained that if I still have a fever (or vomiting etc) then I still have a high viral load and could be very contagious.

So Wednesday rolled around and I still felt totally dizzy and wobbly and nauseous, like being seasick, though I later realised it’s similar to vertigo. Even lying down I feel dizzy and wobbly, but just sitting up and holding my head up was awful. So I had a pretty rubbish day, and my temperature started to creep up in the afternoon, not quite a fever, but hovering just under for most of the afternoon. Then later the diarrhea started, so that was super fun,

Another lovely neighbour did a shop for us to keep us going in fresh milk and fruit etc and my amazing mum spent literally hours on the phone with my daughter playing shop, playing doctor, playing Elsa, and keeping her amused while I lay flopped on the couch feeling washed out and dizzy.

By Wednesday night, we had been in isolation for 13 days straight in the house without going outside at all, and I’d had symptoms for 11 days. So so tired and bored and fed up of it by now. It’s felt like forever.

On Thursday I felt a little better and managed a short work call in the afternoon, and on Friday too, I felt a bit better and did another work call. My temperature is still being a bit funny. In the beginning I had read on the NHS website that a fever is anything over 38 degrees, and a high fever is over 39 degrees. So that’s what I’ve been measuring my temp against, and on that scale I had a fever on Monday 11th, and then again on Sunday 17th, but my GP then said that she would count anything above 37.5 as a fever, in which case I’ve basically had a fever the whole time.

I double-checked with a friend who is also a GP, and he agreed that he would class my temp as a low-grade fever, as it’s been hovering at about 37.7 most evenings.

Why does it matter? Well because we can’t stop isolating until I am symptom-free for 48 hours, including not having a fever, so it suddenly matters a great deal exactly what temperature constitutes a fever. It’s frustrating that the NHS website and Gov Covid pages are so vague on such an important point!

So, overall I am starting to feel better, though I will have a good day and then be exhausted the day after, and my temp is still going up and down a little so I’m unsure when exactly we can re-enter society.

On Saturday morning, the kid had some next-level meltdowns and we decided to risk it and pop out for a short walk. It was our 16th day of isolation and we both needed it. I wore a mask and we made sure to avoid people as we had a very quick zip around the park. When we got back, even though we were barely out for 20 mins, I was exhausted so I had a nap while the kid chatted to my friends on the phone.

In the evening I felt better but my temperature crept back up again to a “low grade fever” which is super annoying, and I just don’t know anymore if it’s safe to go outside for a walk.

I’m desperate for the kid to go back to nursery on Monday, as they are re-opening partially and I need to get her outside for fresh air again, not to mention a big week at work coming up, but I also really want to be socially responsible and not infect anyone else if I really do still have a high viral load. My GP friend said I could be virus-shedding for weeks, but it’s not feasible to stay in that long. I think ideally we would continue to avoid shops and indoor places for another week or so, but I just don’t know if it’s safe for her to go back to nursery or if she’s too contagious until my temp is really, truly down below 37.5.

I don’t really know who to ask any more as even the GP vs NHS website say different things, so I don’t know who is right or wrong.

To make things worse, we decided on Saturday to have a little play in the car for something new to do. After a little play I tried to lock the car and somehow set the alarm off, and then couldn’t turn the damn thing off. The car wouldn’t start, and I couldn’t lock it. I have no idea if the battery is dead or if it wouldn’t start because the alarm was blaring and the engine was immobilised. Either way it was a bit disastrous. I finally got the car locked. and the alarm turned off but have no idea if it will start or not, and my MOT expired last week. but I was too sick to take it in, so now I’ve got to try and figure out how to get it to the garage etc.

On Sunday, I woke up feeling much better, and it was SNOWING! Super exciting! The kid and I got bundled up and went out for a little walk in the snow, then chilled out and watched Frozen in honour of the snow. It was all very exciting. I’m so relieved to be feeling better, even if it’s slow going and I still get tired easily.