’22 In Review

Part 3

            There are many affects COVID has had on people. Some fading quickly, some lasting long after the illness is otherwise gone. Among the things that COVID affected were my taste, smell and appetite. The first week or so that I was sick, I didn’t want to eat. I tried, but just didn’t want to. In the comparatively short time I was sick, I lost over ten pounds. I do not, however, recommend COVID for weight loss.

I have always had a sweet tooth. During that time, and to some degree for weeks after, I had a much lower tolerance for anything sweet and certain kinds of sweetness were repellant to me. Cereals I used to eat turned my stomach with the sickening sweetness. Bananas hit me the same way. Things like ice cream were mostly flavorless, but unbelievably sweet.

We were in Marco Island when I got my appetite back. Fried food typically is a very small part of my diet. When my appetite returned, that’s what I craved. French fries, fried fish, calamari, onion rings, deep fried cauliflower—didn’t matter what, I couldn’t get enough. Normally, my wife would have said something about me eating all that fried food. I think she was just happy to see me eating—and not passing out.

When we left Marco Island, we made our way up the east coast of Florida. I could drive, but only for a while. It seems the illness affected my eyesight, as well. It was like my eyes didn’t want to work together, making it difficult to focus on road signs. I could safely watch traffic and maneuver around the crazies but needed my navigator to make sure of exits. We stopped at the Kennedy Space Center, the Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, and a few other places along the way.

Once we were back home, my energy improved and the persistent cough continued to diminish, though there was still some tightness in my chest, especially when I’d take a deep breath. My taste and smell were still somewhat compromised. While my appetite was nearly back to normal, my sweet tooth was still acting weird. I had heard people speak of the COVID brain fog, times of confusion or forgetfulness not normal before the illness. There are times it seems I’m experiencing that. That’s what I blame it on, anyway.

Because I had felt so poorly when we left for Florida, it was almost like returning to a sick room when we first got home. The memories were strong of being only able to move from this chair to that chair to the couch, along with all the other fun stuff. But, that was now behind me, we were home, the symptoms were fading, and I was feeling much better. On top of all that, I was now retired.