Quarantined

On Saturday, I noticed something was weird. I was out of breath, tired, and generally needing to sit down every twenty minutes or so. It was a huge inconvenience since I was trying to make food at the time. I had been feeling a cold coming on for the last few days–but it seemed odd that a cold of all things would make me feel like I’d just given doubles at the Red Cross blood drive. So I did the most sensible thing anyone in my age category would do. I phoned my parents to see if they had any insights.

Also it’d been about a week since I had talked to them last.

After explaining what was happening, they recommended I go see a doctor. We’ve got insurance (thank God, I have to say), so I went ahead and found a clinic and got checked out.

After about two hours, a blood test and a throat swab, the doctor came in with a face mask on.

“You can probably tell by the mask you’ve got something,” she said rather casually. I immediately liked this doctor. I replied that, yeah, it seemed so. So what was it? “Lucas, I’ve seen a lot of patients over the years, and you are one of three people I’ve ever seen to have both mono and strep throat.”

Ah, so my “cold” was a bit more than that.

“I’m gonna write you a prescription for an antibiotic, and you’ll also need to throw out your toothbrush, get some ibuprofen and keep yourself isolated for the week.”

The whole week? What if I get a mask and gloves and stuff? I have classes and church to go to.

“Nope, you gotta stay in isolation. No interaction with others.”

So now, one day into my quarantine, I’m already going stir-crazy. Not so much because I can’t go anywhere or see anyone, but something a bit deeper than that. Aside from that tiredness I had on Saturday, I have acquired no new symptoms. Mono is either the world’s most deadly (to some) virus ever, or it’s the world’s most inconvenient one. I’m heavily leaning to the latter. After all, I have to skip all my classes this week (including one where I have a test), and I had to let my pastor know at the last minute I couldn’t come to church this morning. And I don’t even feel sick.

I am extremely frustrated by it. When you’re little, laying out of school because you’re “sick” is a great thing. Or, you might be sick and you get to stay home from school and watch TV or read books or whatever, but even so you have no problem with it. Well, now apparently I have a big problem. I’m not sick, so far as my mind can tell. A doctor told me I’m sick, and I need to stay away from people so it doesn’t spread. If she hadn’t told me that, or if I had never seen the doctor to begin with, the most I would’ve done is told people I have a cold. And I don’t even feel like I have that.

So this week will be a test of patience. A discipline, if you will, to follow what I’m told even when I don’t believe it. By week’s end I’ll probably come up with some theological connection, but for now I’m just a bit frustrated with my not-sick sickness.