J10.1

Day 4

By now my fever has gone and my temperature hovers at 37 degrees Celsius. I had almost forgotten what it felt like not waking up in a cold sweat.

I attempt to assist my daughter as she gets ready for Kindergarten. I have been avoiding her the last 3 days, in fear that i may pass on whatever virus i have. The last thing i need is to be sick AND have to take care of a sick child.

Lucky, in a sense, that my husband has also been down with the flu also and has been told to stay home. I'm not alone but we do keep our distance since his symptoms started a few days before. Paranoid we may cross contaminate, he sleeps on the sofa whilst i cough up my lungs on the high-bed in the bedroom.

I have to admit, i am lucky to be on the receiving end of the 5-star treatment, i'm talking about fresh lemon in my water bottle, hot tea and reminders when i should take my temperature and/or paracetamol.

I think he feels unappreciated.

Perhaps because when he started showing symptoms, i brushed it off as a case of "Man Flu". We joke around that he got the 1-star treatment.

I only got bumped up 1 star because i made him fresh soup.

As he rushed my daughter to Kindergarten, i got ready so we could be meet back at the doctors and be first in line at 8 o'clock.

But before the receptionist even sat down and started the day, there was already 5 patients waiting.

She greeted us and began by saying, it's only protocol that she asks if we were in Heinsberg or China in the last 2 weeks.

We said no.

She asked what were our symptoms  and asked if we had fever and our response was yes, 40 degrees.

At that exact moment, there was an undeniable pause before she continued.

Her eyes widened slightly.

She nodded and told us to come back at 10:45am.

...

So yeah after the check-up, the doctor tells me i have the Influenza. (J10.1 to be exact). Which translates to Influenza with other respiratory manifestations, influenza virus identified.

The doctor writes me a sick note and wishes me well.

And out of curiosity i ask whether or not i have to be tested for the Corona virus but was quickly shot down. Apparently, my husband and i are are not considered a risk and therefore were not thrown into isolation.

Although we both had the common symptoms:

• Sudden high fever
• Shortness of breath
• Breathing difficulties
• Cough

I reckon, they should make it mandatory that all that have the common symptoms to be tested.

But sadly, nobody wants to or have the capacity to test us. I live in Cologne, Germany.

So as the World Health Organization scrambles around trying to figure out what to do next and the rest figure out where they can buy their next stash of toilet rolls from, i'm going to take a nap.

I'm tired.