So I have been a little social media shy, lately.

The book of faces has been addled with entirely too many talking dog videos telling us to socially distance. The pizza guy my husband watches regularly is now confined to his small apartment, reviewing frozen pizzas. False information is running rampant, so it was time to pull the plug, or at least cut back on it, much like I’ve done with the news.

Yesterday, however, after receiving numerous private messages regarding, what has, apparently become a glaring absence from work, I posted. Probably not my best idea.

I wrote:

“I’ve gotten some PM’s about my absence from work, so I’m just going to put this out there…

Yes, I’m on quarantine. Yes, I’ve been tested.

No, I don’t have the results back, yet. On Thursday, when I was tested, I was told it would be up to 14 days before I would get my results. I tested negative for flu and strep throat.

The test is no joke. I honestly believe my sinuses are still feeling what can be best described as a roto-rooter to behind my eyeballs.

What were minimal symptoms on Wednesday are now reportable symptoms, today; shortness of breath and dry cough. I’ve had a low-grade fever throughout.

While it’s nice to be reading in my hammock in these warm spring days? I’m more than a little paranoid over every chest discomfort, hoping that all of this s pollen-related.

Thank you to all the people who have PM’d and texted me to make sure that I’m okay? Thank you❣️

To those that think that going out, casually is okay? I went from work to home, rinse, repeat, until I had to get groceries at the Pikeville Food Lion a week ago, Saturday. People still need to eat, and I stayed the hell away from Walmart, given their parking lot looked like Black Friday.

I’m just saying: #staythefuckhome”

I had zero idea that I’d get 77 comments on that post.

Today? I received two calls from UNC Healthcare; one to further explore the newer symptoms I’ve been experiencing and the second was to give me my test results. Can I just say that this was the most happy I’ve been about a negative test result since the pregnancy test as a teenager and the biopsy I had done some number of years ago.

But then, there is also that barb that kept me from doing cartwheels (as if I could actually DO those); my nurse was kind enough to inform me that one out of every three tests is a false negative.

After having posted last night’s entry, I felt obligated to post the results. There is always that one; the one that publicly questions how I can have a negative with so many symptoms and then asked via pm if I was going to be retested.

To which I say not only no, but no with a capital F!

It’s like this, people: unless you personally know the pain of testing? You wouldn’t be so quick to suggest re-testing. My biggest fear from the possibility of being positive was the two or more re-rests!

Also, I suffer badly from seasonal pollen allergies every single spring, to the point where I’m on antibiotics at least once a season because of sinusitis. This also causes shortness of breath, headaches and a low grade fever. In the 23 years prior I don’t know if I had shortness of breath because I wasn’t looking for it.

My fever has been no higher than 99.2, and that was after I’d spent a few days in the hammock, reading, because being outdoors is good. Evidently, it also causes shortness of breath, too. Sound familiar? Yeah, me, too.

That being said, I’m going to ride it out at home, per the letter they gave me telling me to continue to self-isolate until I’ve been fever free and have had drastically reduced symptoms for three days.

If this was a false-negative, this is a mild case, so the rules for re-entering society and the workforce are the same.

Either way? I will sleep soundly, tonight. I hope y’all will, too. ❤️💜

Until next time…