I’m sick but not with Covid

Friday morning I awoke with a (very) sore throat. “O no,” (not an exact translation) thought I, “it’s Covid!” LWJ examined my throat as doctors do and pronounced my throat filled with visible exudate, basically pus, which didn’t necessarily mean it wasn’t Covid, but could also be Strep throat, a common and unpleasant malady of the throat usually suffered I imagine by unwashed children but evidently others as well. If I did have Covid, it would have been a complete disaster. My class would presumably have to be converted into online format for some long period of time while I recovered. Also, I might well get even sicker, the presumptive Delta variant having overcome my vaccine, which might, depending on whom you believe, mean I was in for a nasty bout with the son-of-Wuhan virus.

Thus Friday morning found me at my walk-in clinic where I was seen in due course by a cute physicians’ assistant who appeared to be a senior in high school but was in fact a fairly recent graduate of the University of Miami. She swabbed my throat for Strep and later told me that test was negative but that I had a 25 percent chance of having Strep nevertheless, as the quick test was only somewhat accurate. This was bad news. I wanted to have Strep as that would mean that I almost certainly did not have Covid. Since I never go anywhere or do anything, except recently am going to school, where nearly everyone is vaccinated and wearing masks, I felt strangely serene about it being Strep, notwithstanding the negative test. This morning my more accurate test came through, and as I anticipated, it was positive for Strep Throat. I felt glad but not particularly grateful. I cancelled by Covid test, which would have cost me $50.

As a bacterial infection, Step Throat makes your throat hurt and otherwise makes you feel lousy. Sadly, I feel lousy a fair bit of the time, but Strep makes it even worse. This makes me realize that I expect to feel great and often fail to live up to this perhaps unreasonable expectation. Winston Churchill reportedly said that 80 percent of the work of the world is done by people who don’t feel at all well, and I believe it. The only time I feel good is after I exercise, so I try to do that most days. As my high school friend Steve said, he likes having exercised, and that’s precisely how I feel about it. Swimming is the thing when it’s so hot outside; otherwise hiking is good. Otherwise, it’s just sitting very still and reading. LWJ should be back with my antibiotic soon and it’s supposed to work wonders. But in any event, I’m sick, but I don’t have Covid, so that’s the good news. It’s the gladdest I’ve ever been to have Strep Throat. I know, it’s not cancer and as LWJ frequently reminds me, I am a perfect wimp and coward when it comes to disease. I think I will go for a short swim today, after my antibiotic.