Musical journey (136)

I'm still slowly recovering from COVID symptoms with the main killer being the total loss smell and taste. You can't taste anything you eat or drink, not even smell perfume sprayed directly at you! Although it feels very strange, it's a really great chance to lose weight. Once recovered, I need to resume gym and cardio straightaway as I can feel my strength and fitness quickly withering away.

As of midnight last night, the Victorian rules for COVID-positive cases have changed i.e. the isolation requirement has been reduced from 10 to 7 days, which means that I'm now out of isolation, 2 days after Ision. I'm still not feeling fully together so I'm definitely not venturing out of home other than to buy groceries. The nastily-hot and draining weather these few days doesn't help either (today is 39ºC!).

The handover meeting for my next work hitch has been postponed for a few days as I'm not 100% well-enough for work yet (my manager has just approved the medical leave application). My departure for PNG has also been delayed by a week. Apparently, people who have recovered but are still shedding the virus (resulting in a positive COVID test) have been denied boarding flights for PNG as it's up to the discretion of the check-in staff (crazy, I know). Hence, the company's latest travel advice is to get both a negative pre-departure PCR test and an all-clear-from-COVID medical certificate (I guess in case I test positive for some reason at the Port Moresby airport). This means that my flight to PNG will be delayed by a week at a time until I get a negative PCR test i.e. there's a chance that I won't ever get to PNG this hitch (shedding can persist like for 80 days!), not that I'm complaining.

I was told the all-clear certificate is no longer issued by the Department of Health and can only be provided by a GP i.e. the you-are-now-released-from-isolation SMS I got last night is the "certificate". For fear that PNG wouldn't recognise something this unofficial, I've booked an appointment with a GP next week to get an official letter. THIS IS ALL SO PAINFUL!

Last but not least, here's my musical sharing for this month. It's a cover of my idol Faye Wong's "传奇" when I was busking with my sister in Singapore's Chinatown before COVID changed the world (other posts in this busking series are here: 1 2). Even though this rendition is a little pitchy at certain points, the important thing is I had great fun doing it. The adrenaline rush I get from performing is like nothing else in this world and I so wish there were a drug that can replicate that sensation. I look forward to a future existence when I can do this again.

Oh, I almost forgot. Happy New Year everyone! I sincerely hope 2022 doesn't suck as much as 2021!!!

Goodbye 2021 and hello COVID

I must admit I'm quite a lazy person and added to that, I'm a hermit and a home-body, so I'm no stranger to vegetating at home but I never thought I could experience a whole new level of lethargy, both physically and mentally, all gifted to me and Ision during this festive season in a nice little package.

 

A package called COVID-19

Ision got it from work and naturally I got it too as we live together. Honestly, seeing that he works in one of the riskiest settings i.e. a supermarket, I'm surprised he hasn't gotten it sooner. There's currently a backlog in testing due to the holiday season and travel requirements and that's why I got my results 4 days after my test (usually it takes only 1). Below is the screenshot of the SMS bearing the news.

 

Because we're both double-vaxxed, we're only experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but the Department of Health does call you and check on you to make sure you're not dead and breaking the rules. They are more concerned that you're not off to places with vulnerable people than anything else.

What I'm going through now include body aches, sore throat, fever, dry cough, phlegm, runny nose, loss of smell and taste, grogginess, fatigue and lethargy. It's actually not much different compared to other colds I've had other than perhaps this being slightly more protracted.

Because it's not serious, I'm recuperating at home and don't see the need to visit a doctor. I only informed my siblings and asked them not to inform my mum so that she'll not get overly-worried (she always does). However, it looks like gym would have to wait till I feel better (perhaps this is a blessing in disguise?).

I now have to isolate for 10 days and can only be out after 02/01/2022 (Ision gets out of isolation a few days before me). My flight back to PNG is a day after that so this doesn't affect my departure but I'll need to consult with work on how I can satisfy the negative pre-departure testing requirement as I'll continue to test positive for the next few months.

Getting sick always sucks regardless of whether or not it's the holiday season and you just want to cut yourself off from the rest of the world and retreat into your own little hole. I simply spend my time watching YouTube clips on my computer or Facebook videos on my phone in bed while waiting for meal times. I'm so glad I'm facing this together with Ision, otherwise it'd be MUCH more unbearable.

I have not been to any public places or social gatherings since I was symptomatic. With Omicron in the air, I'm sure no place is safe (just look at the crazy numbers in New South Wales). I'd advise everyone to stay at home if there's no reason to be out. Though my COVID strain is not known to me, I'm pretty sure it's Omicron, not that it makes me feel any different.

Australia has recently changed its laws to allow booster shots 4 months (first it was 6 then down to 5) after the second dose but only from 04/01/2022 so I'll miss my chance before I'm due in PNG. My second jab was in September so I can only take my booster when I'm back in Australia after Valentine's Day in the new year.

I don't exactly celebrate Christmas or New Year's so getting COVID during this period is sort of a "positive". I always try to see things from a positive angle as things can always be worse. Now that we've got it, there's a lower chance of us contracting it again in the coming few months, which can only be a good thing. You always hear and read about COVID but you kind of never expect it to happen to yourself but here we are.

So this ends my quick update to let all of you know how I'm tracking. With the nightmare year almost behind now, 2022 can only be better right?