Some years ago I contracted glandular fever. It was probably one of the sickest I've been in my life. The worst thing was my throat swelling to the point where I couldn't eat without taking anti-inflammatories an hour beforehand.

It left me struggling with chronic fatigue since.

Most mornings I wake up exhausted, aching all over, and it takes me a while before I'm even able to get out of bed Today I woke up, and I managed to last a couple of hours before I had to go back to bed and rest. Still feel like absolute hell after my rest, just... drained.

I remember what I used to be like before the illness. I was studying Japanese at the time, and I remember being able to jump out of bed and start studying almost immediately, I was very driven. Now? I'm tired and in pain and my concentration is just gone, I had to give it up.

There's so much I used to do that I've lost to this illness. I have good days and bad days, and sometimes really bad days like today where I feel so awful the entire day is just a write-off. I can't do anything but just be in pain, barely have the focus to do much of anything.

And the reason I bring this up now, is that I caught a viral infection; Infectious mononucleosis, and while I was only sick for a couple of weeks, it wrecked my body and left me with a condition that has completely entirely altered my life.

Coronavirus is leaving people with what they're calling "post-covid syndrome"; fatigue and pain, problems with memory and concentration or brain fog... Sounds a lot like what I've been living with for the past 5 or 6 years, doesn't it? Something I wouldn't wish on anyone.

My point with all this is, take the pandemic fucking seriously! Wear a mask and keep a distance between you and others, do everything you can to slow the spread of this disease. You don't want to end up like me. Please take every precaution, and stay safe.

I'm going to go back to bed again shortly, and just pray that I get a good rest and that tomorrow isn't a complete write-off like today is.