Thread 1/

I began to have a runny nose & sneezing on March 2nd. My eyes burned a little & I felt a bit headachey & tired. Still, that “virus thing” was in other countries.

MY BRAIN SAID -

Get a grip slacker. Get to work. It’s just seasonal allergies.

#OneVoice1
#ComeTogether

2/
So, I showed up at my office campus - WHERE 5,400 other people work, meet, eat at an on site food court, have child care and go to on site fitness centers. FORKING BRILLIANT!

#OneVoice1
#ComeTogether

3/
Feeling a bit wonky at 5PM, I stopped on my way home to get OTC remedies for allergies and some Theraflu - JUST IN CASE that flu shot I had didn’t work.

I’d heard about #Covid_19 - BUT DIDN’T HAVE FEVER OR DIFFICULTY BREATHING so I didn’t worry

#OneVoice1
#ComeTogether

4/
Got an OK night’s sleep, but woke twice feeling a little hot. I coughed a bit, blew my nose, took some ibuprofen and went back to sleep.

Woke feeling a bit achy, but the Mucinex, NSAIDS and other OTCs tamped down my symptoms, so - I went to work.
#OneVoice1
#ComeTogether

5/
Lots more sneezing & a stuffy/runny nose

Did the needful. Sat in isolated work space, coughed into elbow, consumed box of tissue & washed hands lots for 20 seconds because I MIGHT have seasonal flu instead of bad allergies.

My COUGH changed.

#OneVoice1
#ComeTogether

6/
While my cough worsened and became wetter and more frequent, I still had on my tuf girl underwear.

My brain was starting to accept that this was a cold or seasonal flu. I went to work the rest of the week. On Friday, my team works from home. YAY!

#OneVoice1
#ComeTogether

7/ Sat in bed Friday with my laptop, grateful for food delivery & hot tea. Knocking back max doses of OTCs, my symptoms improved, until they didn’t.

Woke up from a PM nap to a feeling that the crud had moved into my bronchi. Cough became wheezy.

#OneVoice1
#ComeTogether

8/
Saturday morning the 7th, woke up with no improvement & a painful, tight band around my chest. The news about the #Coronavirus was starting to heat up. Still the rapid onset, high fever, pneumonia symptoms weren’t a match for mine, so

I DIDN’T WORRY

#OneVoice1
#ComeTogether

9/
Sunday - Sick. Horrid cough. Sore, tight chest.

Found online doc. 5-1/2 Hour wait to speak with her. Reviewed symptoms, exposure, med history. I couldn’t document travel or exposure to Coronavirus, so no way to get tested. If it gets worse, go to ER

#OneVoice1
#ComeTogether

10/
There were no available CV tests in Houston & going to an ER would expose me to more bugs & expose other people to me.

Self isolation & hoping that my immune system would kick ass was my option.

It is likely the ONLY OPTION for most people.

#OneVoice1
#ComeTogether

11/ Fast Forward - last week my company said everybody works from home.

Spent the week seeing slow improvement each day.

Still dealing with mild headache, fatigue, runny nose, infrequent sneezing and cough.

I still don’t know if I had #COVIDー19

#OneVoice1
#ComeTogether

12/
I don’t know if, once I’m well, I can go volunteer safely at my local food bank.

I do know that I could have exposed 1000s of people at work, stores & restaurants before I began to see the possibility that I was infected.

#OneVoice1
#ComeTogether

13/
I do know that the government is not coming to the rescue & that their cocked up calvary is incompetent at best & venal, greedy & self-serving at worst.

We are the army. We must #FlattenTheCuve

#OneVoice1
#ComeTogether

14/
#SocialDistancing works
#WashYourHands works

Being responsible for yourself and your actions at this time is the only thing that will work to reduce the infection rate & death toll until there is a cure.

Act like you have #COVIDー19 & save lives

#OneVoice1
#ComeTogether

15/

#StayAtHome but stay connected.

Start planning now for when this gets worse - because it will.

Make a plan to check in daily with friends, family and neighbors - including your online family.

Figure out how you can help pitch in to save lives

#OneVoice1
#ComeTogether NOW

Fast forward. So. CDC left out some things.

Imagine that! Our government (& the 1 agency we should get the BEST possible info from) effed things up royally.

Don’t wear masks, Wear masks, 3 symptoms, 10 symptoms, Spread by cough, Nope-by talking. https://apple.news/AvR-nOWHdT7OXl9aAZpcvYw