day 4, upon waking

Still no fever. However, I slept poorly due to coughing and...generally just not being able to drop off; and woke up at 6am because I had all the windows open and thus, all the curtains. (Mem: blindfold?) And, woke up with more coughing and a sore throat; which is not sore in quite the usual way I get with colds, but feels more like it might be swollen? I do think there's still a deal of contributing post-nasal drip, anyways, as I can feel my nose running down the back there. So today we move from Mucinex-D to pseudoephedrine + diphenhydramine and see how that does. Might also help with sleeping.

Yesterday, the meds did let me feel enough better to let me do a little hand-sewing, but washing the cat's water fountain was exhausting (as was making tea this morning), so clearly springing into any degree of action is premature. I haven't yet taken tomorrow or Friday as sick days, because I'm feeling guilty about how little time I'll have to do things between Sick and Vacation (if Vacation actually happens), but perhaps I am being a dingus. Will see how I feel at the end of the day.

Still only slight and intermittent metallic mouth from the Paxlovid, usually about 30-60 minutes after I take it. I'm not complaining! but I am curious.

S is still testing negative so far, though I calculate we're only now getting into the time window where he's most likely to develop it, so there's that to worry about.

day 4, midday

I judge the sore throat to indeed have been from post-nasal drip, as it pretty much dissipated after hot beverages and being upright for awhile. Cough also seems to be in abeyance for the moment. On the other hand, my lower guts have been extremely unhappy today, to a "ope better bleach the toilet"[1] extent. I suspect this might be more the Paxlovid than the disease itself - possibly triggered by my one (1) morning coffee -, but whatever the cause I'm feeling rather more debilitated again. Currently sipping ginger beer and trying to keep out of work email/Slack. If only I could nap.


[1] I was disconcerted to find that using the Clorox cleaning spray on the toilet seat seems to be removing its paint or finish or something.

day 4, evening

Growing headache this afternoon, but still no fever - I am pretty sure it's weather-related, as the day has been growing increasingly oppressive. I am indeed recovered enough to be cranky about lots of things, including and especially work stuff. Trying really hard to not do that, but there were a few items were firing off a quick one-line email would save several people (including Future Me) some grief, so did anyways.

It Turns Out[tm] that although I can (assuming all goes well) come out of isolation on Friday, one is still supposed to mask around others, including household members, for an additional five days. I was not mentally prepared for that and I would like to speak to the manager.