Day three is where it is happening! It has been 48 hours since my test was taken and my doctor has called with the results; this is scary stuff!
South Africa (25 June 2020) – Today I felt like I aged another 30 years! I always expected day three to be tense as I knew it was the most likely day results would be available but I never imagined the toll the stress would take on my overall health.
Last night we finally heard from our helper, she still has no power so she quickly messaged an update and then switched her phone off to preserve the battery. She advised us she got tested and would have to wait for the results. Pretty much the same as us. Just a waiting game.
I went to bed with a busy mind, trying to fathom this experience and try to understand the situation. After a restless sleep, I woke at 4 am unable to sleep any longer. Do you know those nights where you process every life choice under the sun? Well, I did this at 4 am, trying to recall every person I may have come in contact with over the course of the last seven days.
I tried to understand the protocols of reporting a possible infection too. Should I be contacting the grocery store where I bought food from on Saturday? Do I need to notify my estate? Someone, where we live, has been confirmed positive and they told the Home Owners Association who then sent out a message. We will probably need to let them know as my helper would have been in close proximity to the security team when getting her daily temperature test.
How to get the results.
I learned today that you can get your results if you used Lancet Laboratories, by downloading the app. You register with your ID number and then all the test results you have ever had will be there. My partner got the results first thing this morning by checking the app. They came back negative.
I quickly registered and to my utter disappointment, my results were not available. Immediately, my mind went to that space that said my test is positive, why else would it take longer?
I checked that app about a hundred times and then my doctor called. I knew the second I saw her number pop up on my phone. My results came back positive.
This body-numbing chill covered my skin, I had to sit down and I may have sworn in my doctor’s ear. Oops! She once again reassured me that being young, healthy and fit, my odds are very good that it will be mild and easy to recover. My doctor did send through a script for symptom management which contains a painkiller for any aches, vitamin c and b as well as zinc and a few stronger meds for if my symptoms get worse.
She has also said she will call me each morning to assess the symptoms from the previous day and we will go from there care-wise.
The weight of the world!
After processing that I was positive, I started to realise the enormity of that fact and the very real threat that I am to other people. I pulled my pen and paper out, writing down which days I felt what and where I could have come into contact with anyone.
Thankfully, the list of people exposed to me is only two people long. A relief if ever there was one!
I called everyone that needed to know, informed family and friends and of course, let everyone at Good Things Guy know.
So what are the next steps?
This is a question I have received from everyone who now knows me personally, what happens next? The answer is simple, listen to my doctor, stay home and locked away and just wait for it to be done.
I really hated the thought of doing the test again but according to the NICD, you don’t do a second swab as it could still come back positive due to dead cells.
We have been inundated with offers of help, people wanting to bring meals or collect meds and the likes. As loved as I feel by it all, I have put my foot down; help is not needed, we will weather this storm with everyone safely on the other side of a phone or computer screen.
I have been doing some reading on the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) and they say a government official might come to the house to check up on our isolation. If that happens, I will let you know.
Other than that, I feel fine to stay home and keep the rest of the world safe. Once again, it’s all much simpler than expected and easy to follow. My doctor will call each day and life will go on.
Today will be the last daily diary entry. I will do an update in a few days but at this point, we just wait the 14 day period and see how we go. I am currently on day six since my first symptom and day three since my test so already through the thick of it. They say you isolate for 14 days from the day of your first symptom which means, all going well, next week Sunday I will be in the clear.
Stay safe out there and follow the rules, they will help protect us all!
If you would like more information, the South African COVID-19 website is a wealth of knowledge and zero-rated so you don’t use data accessing the information. If you too test positive, you can access the NICD isolation information here, and remember, don’t panic!
If you missed the previous diary entries, you can find them below.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 & 5 | Day 6 to 11 | Recovery | A Year Later
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