Pan(dem)ic: I Finally Got COVID

After two years and change, I finally tested positive for COVID in early August

I woke up at four in the morning on a Sunday after a cycling event with a mild sore throat. I ignored it and went back to bed, sleeping in until about...1130 #recoveryiskey Then, I went out to lunch and ice cream with a friend because I felt fine! 

Until I didn't...my body progressively became achey and my throat increasingly sore. But an initial COVID antigen test showed negative. Huh. 

The following day (Monday), I was feeling worse for the wear and a second antigen test showed a faint second stripe. I texted my friends a photo, "I think I'm positive!?" And so began my solo COVID journey. 

The official notice supplied by Kanagawa Prefecture for COVID positive cases sheltering in place. I submitted an application and received this certificate three days later (personal details have been whited out).

Wednesday and Thursday - around Day 3 to 5 - were awful. 
Swallowing was excruciating - like a thousand little paper cuts in your throat or maybe several little knives stabbing your throat. Even ice cream and jellies were painful, especially anything with any kind of citric flavoring, which is most jellies for the unwell. 

From Monday through Thursday, I was very tired with a low-grade fever.
I slept most of the time, occasionally spending time to scroll listlessly on my phone. I also had no appetite and barely ate or drank, causing a 5lb weight loss over the course of a week. 
On Friday, I began to see the light - my throat felt marginally better and I began to eat mushy things. 
I had received a hefty care package from my parents on Wednesday, which was a lifesaver once I started the recovery phase
In hindsight, I did not have the appropriate shelf stable foods and beverages to sustain me while I sheltered in place.
It admittedly worked out because I had no appetite anyways, but moving forward, I plan to stock up on pantry items to tide me over in case something similar happens again (plus, emergency preparedness in Japan is important). 

I have no idea where or whom I caught COVID from - and it's a fruitless exercise to think too deeply about it. 
I don't believe I became sick from the event; rather, I was probably spreading it (but no other participant reported coming down with COVID). 
The toughest part was just being alone to fend for myself - but at least I was not putting anyone else in harm's way. 
I was finally "released" from home quarantine yesterday and have been feeling much better. 
Training will resume gradually and cautiously; I'm just glad to put that in the past and move forward now!  ​