The hunter-gatherer is away for a week doing what he does: hunting, or more precisely fishing, and gathering. Following on from our time north of Auckland I have been hankering for some beach swimming. Yes, there is beach in Wellington but sadly the great unwashed emptied their toilets into it for three weeks and that makes it less appealing. Anyway, the Kapiti coast is quiet.
Monday I drive to a lovely AirBnB up at Paraparaumu Beach for a few days: set back from the beach and with a private lane through to the sand, there’s a very nice view, lots of sun, and miles of beach to walk along and ocean for swimming. Kapiti Island looms large. Terns and gannets swoop and dive.
Tuesday No symptoms: I walk two kilometres up the beach to a cafe for the best mushrooms on toast I’ve ever had, and a great coffee. The cafe is very popular with locals and the usual suspects are all in attendance: lycra clad cyclists; mums and bubs; tradies fuelling up on bacon and egg butties; older couples out for a walk. Sorry everyone, but that’s how Covid rolls these days. Scanning in, which I did, is unlikely to help with notifications, and yes, I have let the cafe know.
Walking back along the beach I have a kilometre or so to go, when I know I need to go. An abdominal gurgle and spasm has me scanning the dunes for urgent relief – not happening. Diarrhoea is one of the less common symptoms of Covid and I’m not sure if this is my early warning notice, but suffice to say it is an uncomfortable butt clenching waddle back home. It is only when I have the key in the door my body defies my will. It is lucky there’s a washing machine available.
By afternoon I feel fine and happily go swimming in the sea, which is warm and quite calm.
Wednesday Bodily functions return to normal but I feel a bit feverish – hot and cold sweats, runny nose, but no sore throat or cough. I exercise deep denial as I have another two days here and it is beautiful and I don’t want to leave and most of all I don’t want Covid.
Responsibility trumps denial so I mask up and drive to get RATs. There’s a queue, of course. Two in fact. For the first one, which you only find you need to be in once you reach the head of the second one, you register and get an order number. Then you re-join the queue you were in in the first place (grrr), show your order number and pick up the tests.
I then drive home, read the instructions, screw my courage to the sticking point, perform a lobotomy though the nasal passage and there you have it. The positive line appears within one minute so there’s no denying it, but I wait the full 15 before melting down.
Time to call the AirBnB host and the cafe – which is the only place I’ve been since Sunday – then sadly pack up and drive home.
When I call our building manager to tell him I’m Covid positive, he answers croakily from his bed – his whole family is down. An email from our property manager lets me know our tenant is down. Notifying friends and family, return emails and texts list people they know who are also suffering or recovering, along with many offers of help with shopping and so on. I am not alone.
Or I am. The hunter-gatherer is still away and there’s no point him returning. If he gets infected we would have another seven days isolation. We are off to a family gathering in Taranaki next weekend and don’t want to miss it, or infect anyone else. We’ve also promised to bring, pāua, fish and crayfish. Showing extreme concern for my well being, one of my brothers, that’s you Steven, asks if we can send the seafood.
Like good boy and girl scouts, we have a stock of paracetamol, ibuprofen, nasal spray, throat lozenges, a pulse-oximeter, tissues, oh – and toilet paper, though isn’t quite as urgent now.
Thursday Wake up feeling tired after a slightly feverish night – still hot and cold sweats, runny nose, bit of body ache.
A kind neighbour drops off a coffee outside the door. Did I mention our coffee machine is at the doctor’s? Worst week ever for that to happen. However, very kind friends drop off a spare machine and coffee. I assemble it and there is only one piece that doesn’t fit – it’s making coffee anyway. So far there is no impact on my taste or sense of smell.
My doctor phones. Clearly some Health system somewhere is working: she has a notification identifying me as positive. I assume the aforementioned order number connects to my vax certificate which connects to my NHI which connects to my doctor. She tells me the diarrhoea is more common in children, but won’t discount it as a symptom. We agree I am smart enough to call if I need help so there’s no need for a nurse to ring me every day. We disagree on which day is day one of my seven days. I win and she will never know.
Thank God for Netflix. Thank God for Aloe tissues.
Friday
It occurs to me I have not taken my temperature at all through this time. I haven’t felt as though I have a fever even though my body temp runs hot and clammy at times. I definitely feel better today though still have a tap for a nose. Aches minimal, still no sore throat.
I feel I’m through the worst. By my calculations I’m Day three, so I do another test. Sadly, it looks much like the last one. Oh bugger. Still positive.
So sorry Bev, what a bummer… do you know what strain you have?? Good to hear taste & smell not affected.. that would really really suck!!
Wishing you a speedy recovery so you can enjoy all that seafood!!🙏❤️
thanks – still to have a drink though xx
Oh dear ! Bev. Sorry to hear. Hope you’re feeling better soon.
You’re so strong being on your own … I hate being on my own when I’m sick. (Big baby that I am). And I definitely need soup. I hope you’re enjoying good healthy food given to you by your loving friends.
Thanks Paula – already feeling better xx
Oh my lord, if you get it anyone can. Take care, and I hope your freezer is full of the prizes from the hunter gatherer.
Yes, there is no escaping the lurgy….
Greetings Bev, glad you can read the RAT test I will wage there are lots of positives being misread as negative. Hope your recovery proceeds at a good pace – so the family gathering can be attended. Oddly most of the cases I hear about are acquired through children – anyone’s! Has HG headed to the hills – or at least stayed out to sea?
Not sure how you’d misread it, unless it was wilful!!
Hi Bev yet another friend catches it, we are thinking of you. Lately quite a few close contacts have come down with it and one thing that stands out is that the RAT seems unreliable. It seems it is not good at picking up the early infection so useless as a pre travel screen. My sister Tonia had a negative test to confirm she was safe to travel to Auckland with very mild symptoms and then positive when she got home the next day (same mild symptoms). When she logged her positive result the MOH told her most early tests during the infective stage show negative and it may show positive for up to 3 months after infection which seems a bit flawed. The Auckland family are holding their breath…
Heal well
Mark And Eian
There’s no escape….
Good luck for a speedy recovery with minimal negative symptoms, Bev (and warm regards to Scott)!
Regards,
James
Thanks James
Ian here, I concur with Steven. Love you
For the first time ever?
Bugger! Sounds like you had the Full Monty, Bev 😜 Does not sound pleasant at all. Steve and I had RAT tests this week and apparently we are not pregnant 😂 Luca started isolating last week but it appears we dodged a bullet . The Airbnb you were staying in has exactly the same view as the one we stayed in a month ago. the beach was very busy – must have been about 2 other people!! We had a great time of doing nothing 👏 Do hope your full recovery is speedy and big virtual hugs to you and Scott xx
Thanks – feeling better today, so hopefully on the recovery bit now xx
Sorry to hear you’ve been unwell Bev. Hopefully by the time you’re reading this you’ll be on the mend & enjoying Scott’s catch at the family reunion.
Sending a big ehug. X
thanks darl. Day 4 of self isolation at the moment so hopefully all good to go up to Taranaki xx
What a bummer Bev. You managed to avoid it all through Australia when it was rampant there…now this. Thinking of you and wishing a speedy recovery…it obviously hasn’t affected the part of the brain that nurters humour xxxx
thanks xx
Goodness me I should not giggle but your story of your waddle got me…! I hope you’ve feeling better and the coffee machine is also on the mend. Take care…x
Coffee machine fixed and delivered by a friend. Both machine and me in good working order!
Typical Bev advanced leader of experiences and brilliant teller of same. I trust you are now fully recovered. Xx
thanks xx
Hi Bev,
Thanks for the detailed description of your suffering….
Stephen and I are at present in Stratford and are about to do the 2 day golf cart
on the old railway to Taumarunui stopping off at Whangamomona Hotel for the night.
Our friends then head home and we will spend some more time around New Plymouth
There looks like a bit of weather coming in mid week so we will see….
Talk soon
Jan Baker
Good to hear Bev’s recovery by her level of perkiness over the phone but 4 days of boat jobs has its limits. Had to put to sea to empty the black water as it was chocker, no washing machine in the boat bilge.