Diary of An Isolator

By Danila

(Tuesday 22 Dec)

I am currently sitting in my room listening to Fly to my Room and waiting for someone to bring me breakfast. 

It’s 10:29, the song has changed, and I’ve just returned from having my first ever coronavirus test. For a few days I’d been feeling under the weather and though my temperature had been high it hadn’t been at the isolation level just yet; yesterday morning I took my temperature once again and it was at 38.5 – basically above covid level.

The song has changed again. Yesterday, due to my symptoms of high temperature and headache, I began isolation in my room. The doctor told me I was doing the right thing when he phoned, and recommended I get a test as soon as possible. Until I get the results, I have to stay up here with minimal contact, venturing out only to go the bathroom which I have to completely disinfect after going. If I do have to go into a communal are that is not the bathroom, I have to cover my face.

The song has changed again. At first it was terrifying. The uncertainty, being cut off from my family, and the sense of having nothing to do because I was ill. I won’t lie, I cried more than a few times yesterday just from the fear of being positive. It felt like I already was considering the situation.

The song has changed again, and my mum just brought me eggy bread. I am not fast at typing. My sisters brought me everything I could need when I’m isolating with a fever and cannot think; the laptop to stream from, water, snacks (I’m brought the main meals), my chargers, a table, and a few extra cushions because my room is tiny, and my bed is wonderful for sleeping, and uncomfortable for sitting.

It’s 10.42 and my sister has just checked my temperature again. 37.9. Up from this morning and down from yesterday. The song has changed again.

Anyway, back to yesterday. My period also started, and I normally get fevers when it does, but not that high so I have to continue isolating until my test comes back negative. Let’s not think about if it comes back positive.

The song has changed again. Though I broke down a few times – am I allowed to blame the time of the month? – yesterday was mostly spent watching YouTube, bingeing on my sister’s Netflix, and catching up with the new drama I was watching with my sisters. Though that show was a boost when I needed it (shout out to my sister’s Netflix, and my other sister’s friend for Viki premium) it was sad to watch the drama I had been watching with my 3 older sisters, alone in my room. Added sting was that I found out about a cameo that would happen, and I was excited to see their reactions when they watched Eps 4. I’ll have to watch that alone now.

The song has changed again. Monday felt much longer than it sounds, despite the streaming services. But, despite a very restless night, I woke up feeling much better. While yesterday my temperature fluctuated by .1 degrees, this morning, it was 37.6 – still high but not covid-level.

One of my sister’s favourite songs just came on. My appointment was at 10:00, but we arrived earlier; I sanitised and picked up the testing kit, and nurse talked me through what I had to do from a distance. It was one of the most uncomfortable 30 seconds of my life. Ugh. We came home right after, and it was so quick that even now at 10:57, it feels like a dream.

Oooh, one of my favourite songs! Even though I normally get fevers in winter – who doesn’t? – and last winter I had a temperature of 102 (38.89° Celsius). The song has changed in the middle this time (haha, this song is called I’m in Trouble – how apt), partly because I was busy jamming out, and partly because I had to look up 102 in Celsius. Anyway, this year, getting a fever is scarier, because of Covid; the doubt surrounding the fact of a high temperature has meant I’m just here, in my room, distracting myself from what the reality might well be. I prayed yesterday, just sitting on my bed, that my test be negative, and that me being stuck here in my room was just a precautionary measure, but ultimately unnecessary in terms of Corona.

The song has changed twice now. Oh no, this one’s kind of emotional.

I’m going to finish this up soon, because nothing else has happened today since it’s only 11:09. Maybe I’ll write more later, but I have a feeling that this day will pass much the same as yesterday, only with a slightly lower temperature (hopefully) and I just have to pray for a negative test result coming in the next 24-48 hours. The song has changed again. I’m going to try to write something each day, because this has been a historical year, and it feels like something I should record. Anyway, YouTube beckons.