I Need A Break

It's irritating. Having symptoms of being ill while in the middle of a pandemic.

Because the symptoms of COVID are similar to practically every other symptom of colds or flus and the like.

So every time I experience a potential 'symptom' of COVID I have to wonder "Do I have it?"

Like...is this a normal headache or a COVID headache?

Is this tightness in my chest just from stress? From the bad smoke filled air? Or from COVID?

Is this sore throat from talking too much while training a new coworker, from the smoke? From COVID?

It's...well it's irritating.

Especially because there's been a huge spike for us this week with multiple days in a row having over 1,000 cases reported.

And with how many people I have to constantly be around as customers just love to come into a pet store to look at the free zoo and ignore the mask mandate stating they should be wearing the freaking masks....

It's honestly only a matter of time before I end up catching the stupid thing. 

Even despite me wearing masks and barely going anywhere besides to work and home and occasionally to the grocery store.

It's stressful. Knowing that I could have already had it and not known. Or that I may have it now, but who knows for sure because the symptoms aren't consistent. Like I've had a sore throat for three days but today it was better...coincidentally today the air was also better as well...so was it smoke? Or overtalking? Or stress?

I'm sure the easiest way to know for sure would be to just go get tested.

At the same time I don't have the major symptoms of it. Coughing, Fever, Difficulty Breathing...

So yah.

I'm hoping most of it is stress related.

And if I can just hang in until this weekend when I finally can take a long break from work...maybe everything will get better. I'll be able to relax and breathe and just chill for a bit and not have to stress about interacting with people because I can just stay home and stay safe for a bit.

We'll see how it goes.

The rise in cases is definitely encouraging me to hermit though. 

No need to risk myself more than necessary when people in my town are causing our current spike. 

Until you next read these words;

I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi