My covid test

 I had a little bit of a off week.  

Already previous week we all alternated running noses and sinus complaints. And I am working crazy like hell for quite some time now so my energy levels aren't exactly always at top level.  In previous weekend I already felt that I was battling a cold but I could take it easy. But picking up work on Monday was hard.  And by Tuesday night I was struggling and a sore throat popped up. I woke up exhausted with sore eyes, head and a sore throad on Wednesday. All fitting right in with a bad cold which made sense since I was not the only one with a running nose in our house.   

Doubt

But this is 2021.  

We're in the midst of a pandemic for a virus that can contaminate you with our without symptoms. Some symptoms can be those listed or different. So what to think of this.   In any other year I'd just struggle on.  But now you doubt whether you can pick up your children from school, you worry that you've brought them to their swimming class.   After a few hours of emotional doubt (after all I felt exhausted and even choosing your sandwich spread in the morning can be emotional at that point), I phoned the doctors to ask for advice. I knew what the answer would be..."let's do a test to be sure".

Getting tested

And so after the children's bedtime I walked downtown to go and get my first Covid Test. After all, don't we all need to experience that once before this pandemic is over ;).  I was a bit surprised that I could simply go to my regular doctor's office as I had anticipated an appointment in the test center. But apparently our doctor's office reserves some time slots late in the evening for some testing.  Weird since some other doctor's in the shared office were clearly still having some regular patients as well. 

The test was as annoying as predicted.   Fortunately it's also quick as predicted because I wouldn't entirely call it painfree but while I mubled "aaaargh, uuugh, damn, pfff zeg " it was over.  The doctor already confirmed my red swollen throat, the great amount of snot in my nose and the clear sound of my lungs, so I walked home quite confident that I was suffering a cold. Yet I felt relieved to have decided to get that test. 

The result and the publication of the result

I had generated a code for the test in the Coronalert app and communicated these 13 numbers to the doctor to code it with my test.   Hmm very fault-proof like that.   

While Jan this summer still had to wait over 3 days to get his test result, they promised me to find it the next morning.  But the app didn't have the result yet. 

A little later in the morning I scroll through my ever-spam-invaded mailbox to find a mail from mynexushealth, the app used by a majority of Flemish hospitals.  The mail was sent in the middle of the night.   I logged on and found my negative test result! That didn't feel like a surprise but it's good to know when you are not feeling well lately.  I also checked the official health government portal and logged on into my own medical files and noticed that my negative test result had already been posted at midnight,  2,5u after my test had been taken. Quite good that. 

Coronalert on the other hand,  is still claiming my test result is unknown after 3 days.   Yep, doesn't make me trust that app at all.  Its effectiveness already depends on the use of it by all Belgians and that seems declining, but I am already suspicious for the app as it always gives me different alerts on both phones which I carry together.  Is that because both phones have a different bluetooth sensitivity? or is the app random???  And now my result isn't available and I am not the only one claiming this.  Either it's the apps fault or my doctor made a mistake in coding the 13 digits in the test.  Who knows.  At least it was negative so I didn't need to push the result to potential contacts. 

It was quite funny how everyone responded to my negative test result with comments how great that was. As if my symptoms would all of a sudden be better. Objectively of course the test result is just a label and explanation which virus did or did not cause this, yet it didn't change the state of my body.  On the other hand, yes, it was psychologically a big relief not having to alert school, cleaning lady, etc etc and organise a big isolation period for myself but also for the rest of the family.  So yes, it was great news after all. 

Rest day or rest days

So I was just battling a cold.  But nevertheless I had inquired to the doctor whether I was fit for work as she didn't spontaneously pick up on that point.  She confirmed I was probably struggling because I wasn't rested enough and prescribed me a resting day.   That felt like a relief yet weird at the same time.
I decided to take it and not open up stubbornly my laptop to do some urgent things. But it was so tempting.  My mind wasn't sick enough to forget all the cumulated waiting tasks.  My sore eyes on the other hand were happy by the time out and I avoided screens altogether most of the day. 

By the end of the evening my energy level slightly started to pick up so yesterday I logged on for work again.  A lot of my colleagues however worried that I'd need some more resting time. Hmm I guess they all realize the number of hours I've put in.   This time I was stubborn however and I worked, knowing that a weekend was right around the corner and that I exceptionally only had 1 meeting scheduled so I could work at a slower pace.  And I can confirm that I truly felt better already, but I'm not done yet with this virus either. So more rest on the agenda this weekend! I promise.