First things first: Happy New Year!
I hope 2022 is a fantastic year for you and your loved ones. (I’m optimistic — especially given that 2020 and 2021 weren’t exactly stellar.) I wish you happiness, health, and prosperity. And great travels. Thank you for reading Eye of the Flyer, providing comments, offering suggestions, and participating.
Our 2022 arrived the same way 2021 went out: sort of disappointing.
We were supposed to spend a long holiday weekend with my parents, as well as most of their kids and grandkids (we’re a blended family). A new family member, Noah, officially joined the family when he married Monica last night. (That’s not the disappointing part, trust me.) A Malibu beach house was rented. Parties were planned.
But then I had an itchy throat Tuesday. And I suddenly became exhausted that afternoon. I wanted to make sure I didn’t have COVID — especially before getting together with family and going to a big wedding. But same or next-day COVID test appointments are darn near impossible to get here in Los Angeles. Then our daughter came home from school. She complained of a sore throat and had a runny nose from hell.
Her symptoms were worse the following day. Plus, she had a fever of 100.9 (Fahrenheit, of course).
Our pediatrician’s office was able to see us late that morning. The doctor said our little girl looked like she had a sinus infection. But he exercised extra caution and gave her a COVID-19 test. (Holding a screaming child’s head with one hand and her arms with your other arm is miserable.)
We received a phone call two hours later: our daughter tested positive for COVID. Given the amount of snot on the cotton swab, I guess that was a reasonably accurate test result.
So we called everyone with whom we were in physical contact for the past week. Then called and texted my family to tell them we’d miss out on the family reunion this week. Then we phoned to bride to explain why we’d miss her wedding. None of that was pleasant.
My wife and I assumed we, too, contracted COVID. Both of us received the Moderna vaccine, plus a booster in November. (Full disclosure: I own stock in Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson&Johnson). We decided to get tested at some point during the next few days. But priority number one is our daughter.
Two hours later, I rattled the dinner table because my arms and legs shook so hard from the chills — even though I wore a winter jacket on top of a sweatshirt on top of a t-shirt.
A few days later, our daughter still has a runny nose. But in between snuggles and cuddles, she’s jumping on a trampoline, (loudly) singing songs, and playing on her tablet. My wife’s throat hurts a bit and she’s a little sore: effects she felt after getting her Moderna shots. I’m getting more energy and have a bit of a sore throat. Definitely on the upswing but eager to get some more rest.
So getting a COVID test seems like a formality now. We’re certain we have the ‘VID.
We’re glad we received the vaccine (or, perhaps, therapeutic is a better term). This experience felt like the flu — and that’s never fun. Experiencing worse symptoms wouldn’t have been fun.
We found it ironic that we traveled a bunch last year and never contracted COVID. But the Angel of COVID somehow found us in our hometown during the week or so. That’s probably something to do with the Omicron variant.
If you can, I encourage you to get the COVID-19 vaccination. I think it makes things less severe when Omicron bites you in the butt. Which it eventually will.
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Happy New year you too.
Happy New Year 2022
Happy New Year Chris! Glad to hear that you recovered and everyone is OK.
Last January a friend who is a physician told me “either get vaccinated or eventually you will get Covid…….it’s that contagious.” That was long before delta or omicron. Our family all got vaccinated & a booster. So far so good. Hopefully if we do contract the virus our symptoms will be mild as yours were. (Full disclosure I don’t own stock in any drug company. I do listen to my doctor.)
I got the vaccine but no booster and got COVID the days ago. Went on ivermectin and hydroxy chloroquine. Felt miserable for less than 24 hours. My 17 year old son unvaccinated caught it, about the same length of illness. It’s just a mild variant. My vaccinated friend got another variant over the summer and it wiped him for a week. The vaccine doesn’t work.
Ok “Dr Ed”, whatever you say. Ive had both shots and a booster, I work with the public. Ive been around people sick, testing positive, hacking, sneezing, coughing. As for men…….nothing. Im still waiting to catch this crap. Don’t tell me the vaccine don’t work.
Happy New Year Chris. In the same position as you, I had mild body aches, fatigue, and some throat scratchiness. A close contact of mine was positive so I assumed I had it and quarantined, hoping that my grandfather (who has cancer and who I live with) doesn’t catch it. It’s sort of inevitable at this point with how contagious this thing is and since my dad is a doctor and I am hospital/practice admin.
Unfortunately it’s definitely going around and I caught it literally before my delta one flight to Thailand. Smh, 2nd year in a row to the exact day!!! So unreal that I’ve canceled two straight years of my nye events due to catching covid.
Glad you’re better . Vaccination is very good at preventing severe illness and complications such as MIS-C and MISC-A and reducing risk of long Covid . I work in a large outpatient center and some of our young unvaxxed patients have suffered tremendous amount of Covid morbidities including pneumonia , hospitalization, blood clots vascular events , POTS , chronic lung disease etc . The vaxxed ones and especially boosted ones have not for the most part .
Vaccine is still the correct term. No vaccination is completely perfect, and the notion that since breakthrough events happen, then the covid vaccines aren’t really vaccines is an erroneous one, and one that plays into the hand of the anti-vax crowd.
The reason we’re so used to the idea of vaccines working extremely well to the point of near perfection is that most of the illnesses we vaccinate for are no longer endemic, with many even being locally eradicated. With pathogens that are properly endemic, such as influenza, we see a lot more cases of people getting vaccinated but still contracting the illness. (Influenza has the added complication of many strains and of ease of different strains sharing genetic components with each other, but hopefully the point is still clear.)
So sorry Chris. Hope it’s all gone now. Many of our friends have finally gotten even with Vax and boosters but Monoclonal Antibodies really got them feeling better in less than 24 hours
Thank you for sharing, glad you are all on the mend and that your symptoms were lessened because you were vaccinated.
Sorry you got sick! My family also got Covid just before Christmas. We are all vaccinated (and adults boosted) as well.
Hi Chris. So glad your family is recovering easily.
I believe the vaccines and boosters mitigated
A prolonged Illness. We all had smallpox vaccines
And look at the wonderful world results!
Enough… so I have a DL run to anchorage and then
a run to BOG on Am. I am agonizing about taking Them
Or canceling. The indecision is because I have 2 medical
Appointments in-between the runs and am concerned about catching the “C” and I referring with my appointments. Anyway
Healthy happy, prosperous, traveling new year
To you and yours! Hope to see you in a club after March
Be well.
Hey Chris, Happy New Year to you and your family. Sorry you/ they got sick… I’m glad that your on the mend. May the rest of the year be healthy for you all!
Thanks, Jeff! HNY to you and yours. We’re getting there!