Today marks the fifth full day since I tested positive for Covid. I’ve actually felt pretty good the past few days. My wife tested positive a couple of days ago and since I’m further along with the virus, I’ve had to step up and walk our beagle, keep the household running, and take care of her. She (and Amstel) did a great job of nursing me on my worst days. As luck would have it the Twin Cities got struck by one of the biggest snowstorms we’ve seen in years the past couple of days (as the pictures below will attest to).
It’s been an interesting journey so far. My energy levels are great during the day, stamina not so much. When the sun goes down the symptoms intensify fivefold. This is definitely like no other illness I’ve ever had. Certainly, very odd symptoms, like intense stabbing pains that appear in various places throughout the body (then go as quickly as they come) make you really wonder about the origins of this virus.
Another weird thing, I’m craving sweets! For my entire life, I’ve always been partial to savory foods and never craved sweets. These past few days it’s taken willpower not to shovel fistfulls of Christmas cookies into my mouth. This makes me wonder if the virus has altered my blood sugar.
I saved the most bizarre thing for last, for whatever reason I’ve also noticed that colors seem much more vibrant. I’ve never heard of this symptom from anyone else but I’m certain colors are popping like they didn’t before. It's actually quite cool and hope it continues after I recover. I’ve heard of psychedelics having this effect but never a virus. Aside from those oddities Covid, for me, has been a very similar experience to a mid-level influenza.
I got out into the world for the first time today (masked up in public, of course) – charging the car and picking up a grocery order we placed online. After so many days of isolation this one hour away and to actually being able to drive my car felt like a vacation, that’s no exaggeration.
I’ll be testing again on Saturday, hopefully I’ll be negative by then, my wife will be negative within the next few days and normal life will resume. Until then I’ll be taking baby steps back to my normal routine. Tonight, I'm going to try a little cardio and half of my normal kettlebell exercise routine and we'll see how that sits.
More than anything, the things this virus has taken from me these past few days have made me appreciate my health, freedom, and blessings all the more. I'm an extremely lucky man.
By all means, take any precaution you can to avoid catching this virus, despite what you might hear it's no joke.
Attached below are a few photos from our recent “Snowpocalypse”.
All for now. Trust your instincts, invest in you, live boldly, and take chances.
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I'm glad you're feeling better... I've never heard of colors becoming more vivid, but this virus is definitely weird.
From what I understand, it was created in the UK (but escaped in China). Ironically, they claim that it was meant to treat a respiratory problem. Bronchitis from what I remember, but would have to check.
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Thank you! Unfortunately the vivid colors were the only "good" symptom and that's gone now. Covid was created to treat a respiratory problem? I hadn't heard that one. I'll have to search for more info on that.
I'll look for the file if you can't find it, a friend uploaded it when the whole mess started. But unfortunately he's passed since then :( I have no idea where he found it...
I haven't tested, but a week ago my stepson's wife tested positive and she was with me all day the day beforehand. I thought it might have missed me again but Monday...when you say it's a weird virus, that is no joke. It's the same for me with night symptoms, while generally in the day I feel fine. I had it back in late February/early March of 2020 before it hit the news and it was exactly the same. For me it's almost like pre menopausal symptoms- hot flashes/fever sweats, anxiety/unsatisfying deep breaths, hormones behaving as if I'm PMSing, with a dash of congestion and abnormal exhaustion. All starting at around 6pm each day. Last night was much more mild so hopefully that's the turn. Right now I feel pretty normal other than just a little bit of congestion.
I know in my gut that this is not a naturally occurring virus, or not entirely at least- it is modified in some way. I have never before had trouble identifying when I was sick and what it basically was. Certainly didn't confuse it with hormones. So strange!
Hope you're feeling better my friend!
Oh no! I hope you're feeling better. For us, it was a process of asking ourselves, "What strange symptom will we develop today?" every single morning. Our chiropractor had it a few months ago and it kicked her OUT of menopause and she's having periods again. Strange strange virus. Also we're finding through speaking with others that those who didn't get vaccinated are having a stronger natural immune response (higher fever), which potentially kills the virus faster. We each have three vaccinations so our fevers weren't nearly as high. We've decided that we're done getting vaccinations at this point.
We're feeling much better now, thanks. We still get chills/fatigued when the sun sets and have lingering post nasal drip/cough in the morning. Other than that life is back to normal. How are you now @dreemit?
Oh Sad to know about it that you and your wife had tested Covid positive, as you got negative result, how is she doing ? I hope she is doing great and will get out of this Covid thing as soon As possible. In this hard time she only her partner attention and care.
Yes Covid and other deceases like this affects massively at night, but you can get a bit of relief in the day time. Have a happy and healthy life mate. I am reading your posts after 5 days @ericvancewalton as i was busy in my daily life.
Thanks! We're both much better and testing negative now. It was an interesting journey, one I don't care to repeat.
Glad to know that, wish you healthy life ahead mate.
Get well soon my friend. I have just recovered, but it was not Covid thankfully. However, I still have some cough and phlegm.
Thank you! I just tested negative last night after seven days. I'm glad you're feeling better!
Glad you are negative. I am recovered ;)
Glad to hear it!
so sorry to hear about all this, For us here, we don't hear COVID anymore on the radio, so i assume its gone with 2022.
The night sickness and being fit in the morning makes the diseases very funny
Thanks! Covid faded into the background on our news as well but we're seeing more and more about it now.
I wish you and your wife a speedy recovery and your life will return to normal. The view of the city filled with snow is simply amazing. Amstel also enjoys the atmosphere filled with snow. Photos of plants covered in snow look absolutely extraordinary. God bless you, Eric.
Thank you Eliana! I tested negative last night but still have a bit of a lingering cough. My wife should be testing negative within the next few days. Amstel LOVES the snow, he has since he was a puppy. Bless you, my friend!
I'm glad to read that you are feeling better now eric, you did awesome job taking care of yourself and your family, this disease is not a joke, it can get serious if we dont take care well... i'm really happy for you that you can go out now normally...
did you take any of the vaccines before?
Thanks man! I can attest to how potent even the weaker variant is. We've taken a total of three vaccines since 2020, the first two and just one booster. Our immunity was gone from our last vaccine that we took in December of 2021.
wow and you even have a lot of vaccines! i only took the first two!
Its a snow wonderland. For us down South, snow is always magical. I have experienced snow when I was up north in Sweden, and it was amazing, but for us here in South Africa, snow is something foreign. Thank you for sharing those photographs!
And I am so sorry to hear of you having covid. I had it a couple of times, and the symptoms, like you say, is radically different from other diseases. I never had so much pain in my life. For 24 hours I felt the most intense stabbing pains in all of my limbs. The second time having covid it was less intense but still there.
I hope you test negative and get well soon, so that you can bake again! Best of luck.
You're welcome! It's so beautiful to see...from afar. Lol. We've had tons of vehicles stuck on the roads but it tends to bring the best out in people. I saw a lot of folks helping others get moving again.
Thank you! I hadn't heard anyone mention the stabbing pains until I experienced them myself. My wife had them worse than I did. I wonder what could cause this?
My starter is ready to bake! Maybe this weekend?
I remember the childlike joy when I saw snow for the first time, but the disgust when we walked home with it slowly melting and turning a strange green or brown because of the dirt.
I love the idea that it brings the best out in people; helping others that got stuck. That is really beautiful!
Same here, my mother had them and I could not understand until I experienced them for myself. It is hectic.
Oh yes! Nothing like a fresh bread. This reminds me that I also need to wake my sourdough asap. I haven’t baked with it for two weeks. I tried some recipes this week calling for normal yeast. What a pleasant surprise though. The taste, not comparable to sourdough, was still surprisingly good!
I hope your baking expeditions go smoothly!
I can't even imagine how magical that seemed to you. I grew up with it so, although I do appreciate the beauty of it, I also take it for granted. I've also noticed my tolerance for the inconveniences of it get shorter every year.
Bad weather really does bring out the best in people here in Minnesota. It's been great to be reminded of that, especially with all of the crime we've had these past few years.
I hope your Mom got through it okay! It's so strange how those pains would just hit out of nowhere and in such random places. I felt it in my lower back/kidneys a lot.
Glad to hear you're baking! I started with artisan-style whole wheat loaves years ago and, after getting used to baking sourdough, this would now seem easy in comparison.
Thanks, I wish you well in your baking too!
Same thing. I think it is human. We live close to the ocean and mountain, and people who visit us say the same thing. “How can you take the ocean and mountain for granted?” They always ask. I think we cannot live a meaningful life by always being amazed at the close surroundings; but we can always appreciative though.
Wow, that is good to hear! Here in South Africa, people are so used to crime. If you need help people are always already sceptical of you.
Yes, mom got off okay! But after almost two years, she still hasn’t gotten her smell and taste back fully. Psychologically she might not be off so well! But she is coping. I hope you and your wife will be okay in that department, I think the new variants are not that bad?
Yes! It is funny how our skills grow and become better and when we look back we cannot fathom why it was so hard at the start. I remember the first sourdough loaves I baked. They were as flat as pancakes. It was rather funny. Now, I cannot think what led to that disaster.
Be well my friend! Stay warm.
We do tend to take what we experience every day for granted! I've heard from others that crime is bad over there. We just watched a Trek Trendy's Youtube channel last night and he took.a lux train through South Africa and my wife and I were wondering how safe it would be.
We learned that zinc can help with loss of taste/smell due to Covid and it worked for us! I guess the virus strips zinc reserves from your body and it's difficult to replenish them without zinc supplements. You may want to suggest that to your Mom. I'm sorry to hear she's struggling. This is such a strange illness with long lasting repercussions.
Sourdough was like rocket science to me at first! Now it's so much easier. We have to etch those neural-pathways when we learn something new, I guess.
Thank you, be well, and best of luck in 2023!
Oh yes, sourdough is a tricky science, but when you snap it, it is a whole new world open and at your disposal! Pizza, pasta (sourdough pasta is awesome) and bread, and everything in between.
The crime is bad in SA, you just need to be aware of that and live with that in your mind, then things are fine in some sense. There are some trains running, but we locals rarely use trains or public transport due to the safety issues. And when they are "safe", they tend to be very expensive.
Oh I will tell her this, about the zinc. That might work, or I hope so! It is really frustrating, because things she used to love are now so bad that she cannot even stand the smell, as thing smell funny to her, the little she can smell.
We all are facing very strange experiences these days... hmm these years.
Meanwhile I think those viruses (I at the moment have no covid but a different strange flu virus, wich makes me like NO sweets!!!!!!!!!! bäääh and this at Christmas time) are made to make people more think about what is important in life.
Get well soon :-)
Strange indeed! Oh no, this is definitely not a good time to have the taste of sweets taken away from you. I hope my cravings subside or I'll have to buy new clothes. Thank you!
Oh, no I didnt explain right. I can taste them but they are too sweet somehow.
Good luck with your clothes size ;-)
You are a fighter. I am definitely sure you are going to win over COVID
My Father raised my brother and I to be resilient, that's for sure. I feel 95% better at this point, just trying to not "over do it" and take steps backward. Thank you for dropping by!
Out here in the western burbs, we’ve had something like 11 or 12 inches. I’m running out of places to put the snow. Our driveway has rock walls on each side of it and the snowblower can toss the stuff just so high. And last night the city’s snowplow deposited a 30-inch mound of snow and ice blocking the driveway which took me more than an hour to clear.
Now if I can just talk my wife into retiring somewhere with a more reasonable climate…
It's crazy, isn't it?! We have much more now than when these pictures were taken.
I'm so sorry to hear that! I used to HATE when the plows would do that when we lived in the house. I can remember one time in particular. I had worked all day, came home and had to shovel three times that night to stay ahead of the snow fall, only to wake up the next morning to find my car was plowed in.
We're on the same wavelength @preparedwombat. It's just not worth it to put up with this anymore, especially with the way the taxes are escalating. If it were up to me we would be living someplace warmer full time. I would miss family/friends and the access to amazing nature here but, honestly, that's about it.
Stay warm!
The relationship between husband and wife is very deep and strong and they must support each other in such bad times. We pray that your test is negative and you can get back to your normal life. Its my dream to live in snowy area because If we want to see snow, we have to go up to 7,000 feet. One of the biggest disadvantages of a COVID-19 is that if it happens to one member of the household, the other must also because we all live together. When a person has to stay in a room for fifteen days, then he realizes how much more beautiful a normal life is.
I agree, it's requires a tremendous amount of teamwork and, if done right, you're much stronger together than you would be apart. I, personally, would rather travel to snow. It's definitely beautiful but it is very inconvenient to have to travel in and shovel. It creates a lot of extra work, expense, and planning.
Yes of course you are right if we don't reply then we have to take many things. And it costs a lot. But I think we should go to such places because it refreshes our mind. And it is very important for our health.
One of the few times in life where you really want to fail the test!!!
Get well soon and then treat the wife like a queen until she tests negative.
You are correct, Sir! I'm going to test again tomorrow or Sunday and am pretty confident I'll fail with flying colors! Raymi should test negative around mid week next. Enjoy your weekend!
Some beautiful shots! I love the older style look of the buildings. Feel better and keep on crushing it
Thank you! This is the largest preserved Victorian neighborhood in the US, I believe. The snow really brings out the beauty and detail of those old structures.
This is really interesting because my dad had many of the same symptoms as you. This was before he knew he was positive though. Sharp pains that come and go, skin sensitive to the touch. He said it felt like his legs were on fire most of the time. He also had a really hard time managing his diabetes. You might be onto something about your blood sugar. I'm glad you are doing better! My dad is color blind, so I am not sure about the other one. He got so pale and hollow looking, it was scary.
Thank you my friend! Ugh, the pains and the sensitive skin are the worst! I didn't have the leg burning, thank God. That's interesting about your Dad's diabetes. I've never heard of a flu throwing off blood sugars, have you? I'm glad he managed to get over it okay. Did his diabetes stabilize after he recovered? The color thing is super strange, it's like It's like my brain is in total awe of bright colors now, especially reds and purples.
No, I haven't heard of that. The color thing either. I know when I wear my orange tinted polarized sunglasses colors seem more vibrant, but I am sure that isn't the same!
Oh and yes, his diabetes seems better. I think he had a blood infection from some dental work on top of Covid.
Glad to hear his diabetes is better!
A strange symptom, perceive the colors as more vibrant. It's the first time I hear about it.
I hope you and your wife make a full recovery soon.
The photos of the snow are beautiful. Stay warm and take care.
I thought it was very strange too! It's still happening on my sixth day. Thank you very much! We're on the mend!
This is the first time I hear/read about anyone, who received a good thing from COVID-19. I am still glad that I have not went through it. Or if I did, then I did not even noticed it. I do not know. I have not tested it so far.
My brother and some of his friends went through it. Fortunately/luckily it was not serious for them. But I heard from some of my friends that multiple people died from it. So it can indeed be serious. Either way, I hope that you will be fine. It is also interesting to read that you suddenly started to like chocolate. It would be good to know whether this sudden change caused by the virus, or it is because of something else. And if the virus did it, then what it did/caused to you to have this sudden change in your liking (maybe it indeed altered your blood sugar level, as you wrote). Hopefully you will not have more serious symptoms. And hopefully soon you will be fine.
Happy New Year.
Have a nice day and have a nice weekend.
All the best. Greetings and much love from Hungary.
This is the first time I hear/read about anyone, who received a good thing from COVID-19.
This is exactly what my wife said! She didn't get this. Just today I saw a bright yellow car and couldn't believe how vibrant and interesting it looked to me. I hope I get to keep this gift after Covid leaves.
It's so strange how different people develop completely different symptoms from the exact same virus. It has to be DNA differences. I've heard people with European DNA can have a stronger immunity to it due to all of the diseases that our ancestors suffered from in the past. I'm unsure how true this is but it makes sense.
The cravings for candy and sweets are gone now! I'm bad to craving savory things again. I've lost almost 5lbs in six days so I'll be giving in to those cravings for savory things in the coming days.
Happy New Year, my friend! I wish you continued protection from this virus. Much love from the US!
It's good that you're healthy, I'm happy for you. Take care of yourself and your wife. We have little snow this year, almost none, and the frost today is -33
Thank you! We're feeling better and better each day but I can tell it'll be a long road to get back to the stamina I had before I got sick. Take care and enjoy the weekend!
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