"Not like that!"

 A few weeks ago I was complaining about how I had had no "new experiences" in a very long time and that made me sad.

Well, I had one today,but not the kind I wanted.

 

Yeah, my doctor wanted me to get tested, just to be sure, even though right now I'm all but convinced what I had was either food poisoning or a 24 hour stomach bug - I never vomited, but it's exceptionally rare that I do, but the chills would be very in line with what happened.

I went in for it; apparently they WOULD send a person out to the car but you need someone to go in and tell them, and those of us who are solo flyers in life don't have that option. It did seem to be a lot of waiting - waiting to be given the paperwork, then I was sent into the (TINY!) chapel to fill it out (and that was where they tested me, I suppose because it was a room that could be isolated from other patients).

I had to sit for a long time and it did seem the drive-up people were maybe seen first. Or maybe they had to find the official orders from my regular doctor - I think by her FAXing over orders, that meant more of it would be covered by insurance.

(Update: yes, the way she wrote it up in my patient records - that my symptoms were "very similar" to COVID-19 and that I had had "close contact" with someone who had had it (well, sort of: I mentioned having a student who tested positive but she and I were not in close contact. But I bet those are the magic words that says "Insurance pay for all of this")

I was very anxious. I had heard it was very uncomfortable and I have issues with my nose and sinuses any way.

It was not as bad as I feared. It was weird, and I will say it was briefly uncomfortable, but for my fellow lady-parts havers: it isn't quite as bad as a Pap smear. At least it was fast. Though I learned some slightly cursed knowledge: apparently we have a "mucus pocket" way up in our sinuses, and that's what they're grabbing out of. It's kind of gross to contemplate.

But anyway. Now I wait. My doctor's office said it was a rapid test they did so most likely they'd have the results by the end of the day today, and they will call me. If it's good news, I can go back on to campus and teach tomorrow. I assume it will be since I have been fever-free for over 24 hours and I have zero other symptoms of COVID - definitely can still taste and smell, no body aches, no cough, no headache.

I did throw all the clothes I had on in the wash and took a shower and washed my hair (and yes I can still smell, I know because I used the "cake scented" sample-size body wash I got from Ulta a while back). Just in case. I know they say fomites are a much less common transmission route than they once thought, but still. 

I have to stay home this afternoon, until I get the word of a negative result. One of my colleagues is covering my intro lab, but I feel okay about that because HE had to isolate a while this fall and other people covered for him - and perhaps eventually I will wind up covering for someone.