Well, it happened. I got the COVID. 

I don’t know who, what, when, where or why I got the COVID, but I do know how. It was from thinking it was behind us. Well, not entirely, but certainly I was living life as I had way back in 2019. Remember the good old days? I sure do. 

I know many of you have already experienced it, but it seems like it’s so different from one person to the next. Like my wife, for instance, who was also blessed with the COVID diagnosis at the same time as me. She had fewer and less severe symptoms (and yes, we’re still married despite co-self-isolating for five days).  

Likely more for the benefit of those who’ve yet to experience it, (which I know is a quickly diminishing pool), I’ll provide the following… 

My experience started with a head cold. Even though I’d just tested negative, there was something about this head cold that seemed a little different. Within hours my sinuses were plugged. And when I say plugged, there was pressure in my sinus cavity that was giving me mental images of the classic ‘80s David Cronenberg movie, Scanners. If you don’t know it, YouTube it. You’ll be glad you did. 

I was mouth-breathing like a neanderthal, which was bad enough during the day, but at night my sleep was interrupted by Richard Dry-mouth every half hour or so to have a drink just so I could swallow. Two nights of this was followed by a morning test with a positive reading.  

At the start of Day 1 it was a cold like any other cold. The sinus pressure had subsided, but by lunchtime I started to notice that taste buds were off. By supper time I couldn’t taste anything. But I still had my sense of smell. But by bedtime I had no sense of smell either. 

What a weird sensation. Albeit more comforting than losing my sense of sight as I did a few months earlier (albeit temporarily). I’d say my sense of hearing is in jeopardy except that my wife already thinks I’m deaf. 

A had a bit of a reprieve on Day 3 when I could taste the broth of the wonton soup that had been delivered. But it was the exception, not the norm. But after nearly two days of blandness, it was the best tasting broth that you could imagine. 

It seems the worst of the symptoms (Lord willing) had peaked by Day 3, as things began to get better with each passing day. 

If boredom is the birthplace of creativity, then this should be the most creative, awesome and wordsmithy message that you’ll ever read. But alas, it’s far from it. I recognize that it’s lacking in style, substance and, as I struggle to provide more insight, I concede defeat. It’s also lacking in length. 

Perhaps I’m not as recovered yet as I’d like. But there’s always tomorrow. 

Until next time, be safe, be smart, be considerate, be well, but most of all, be kind. 

Keith Moen 

Executive Director