#strep?

Let's see how long I last while wrestling horses in 95F/70% humidity weather tomorrow.

Last Saturday night (August 3rd), my parents came over so we could eat birthday cake; obviously, we were unmasked while we did so. We also had birthday dinner the previous evening (8/2).

Last Monday (8/5), my dad woke up with a fever of 102 and feeling awful, so he went to the doctor. His rapid Covid test was negative at the time, but his PCR test was positive. My mom rapid-tested positive on Wednesday (8/7).

I took a rapid test at home that same day, which was negative. I also started taking my temperature at various intervals, just to be on the safe side. My temp was under 98.

This continued until Thursday night (8/8), when I started feeling ... unwell, and my temp started to rise a BIT. However, it still stayed under 99.

I took a second rapid test on Friday morning (8/9) - it was still negative, but since I didn't feel good and my doctor had said a rapid-test might not register a diagnosis until 2-3 days after symptoms, I cancelled a hair appointment, stayed home, and rested.

I took a third rapid test on Saturday morning (8/10) which was negative. My temperature was still elevated FOR ME ... but it was still under 99. Even so, I stayed home from work.

I continued monitoring my temperature and resting all through yesterday (8/11), and was feeling better. At one point, my temp was 99.1 ... but that was also while I standing over the stove in a hot kitchen, cooking dinner for the rest of the week.

This morning (Monday, August 12 - a full 8 days after exposure and over 3 days I started feeling not-great), I took a FOURTH rapid test.

It was negative, so I moseyed on into work (with the KN95 I wear everywhere, I'm not an animal) ... and now I'm feeling tired and not great again. Temp still 98.4 though.

UGH.

So, I'm going to say that it's safe to assume it's just strep...!? I mean, I won't know until tomorrow (or possibly friday because of the snowpocalypse)... either that or it's the placebo effect from taking that penicillin... I don't know, though. Why would my throat pain and swelling go down after taking an antibiotic if it isn't strep, right? (Yes, my lymph node swelling went down a bit... like, a small bit. It's still almost visible swelling.)

now might be full-blown strep or something.

The back of my mouth, y'know, where the uvula is or whatever, feels kinda swollen. My right ear is killing me. Just moving my tongue is incredibly painful. I don't think I can eat like this.

And guess what the best part is.

In my cinema history class tonight, we were gonna watch Singin' in the Rain.

This is the FIFTH TIME I haven't been able to watch that movie. Something always happens.