Completed 3rd September. I’ve not been my usual (?) chipper self: I’ve dutifully been making my contribution to Covid-19 research since its introduction in March. It’s run by King’s College, London and I sent the link to all my contacts so if you aren’t doing it, it’s not my omission. It has contributed immensely to understanding of the coronavirus, including providing the data so loss of smell/taste were added to the official list of core symptoms, so it feels worthwhile. It’s simple enough: 2 questions daily. Unless something is amiss - and that’s when I question my civic duty in the face of such confusion.
Instead of clicking ‘I feel the same as normal,’ I clicked the alternative because my IBS had sneaked back. In fact, I had a tummy upset following my first foray to the pool at Cookridge Hall (I have this plan that swimming will help build up some of that missing muscle mass I apparently have and also build up my stamina. If you’d seen how little I managed first time, you’d question if it was worth it). The questions that followed in the survey were simple yes/no responses. Yes, I had an upset stomach and yes, my appetite was poor, unsurprisingly. The next thing I knew, I had an email saying my responses indicated that I had (or didn’t have) some of the symptoms of coronavirus so would I be willing to take a test? They were asking people with and without symptoms. So I agreed.
Meantime I was faced with ethical decisions. I knew I didn’t have coronavirus but I didn't have the proof. I had to tell my potential visitors even though they would be sitting outside. End of visits. So then I thought what if they are right and I’m wrong? I’d have to do the test. The test arrived very quickly but not quickly enough - a home test has to be done within 4 days of onset. I didn't even understand the posting directions - within not more than one hour before the time stated for collection. Eh? Did that mean I had to post it in the last hour or before that last hour. It was Saturday anyway so it was academic. No test!
You’d think that would be it but no. My tummy settled and back on track for swimming, did I have the moral duty to stay away just in case some algorithm was right? If it was right, I’d be putting others at risk and risking people’s jobs. So I decided I’d better not go till 14 days since the tummy upset had passed.
Then it was back in my cossie, manage to swim further and do more leg exercises like water-walking (bloody difficult when you’ve not much strength) and then a UTI, from which I have yet to recover. Sadly, no swim this weekend, although my GP did say both the tummy upset and the UTI are just bad luck, not the pool. My oncologist says the reverse. Why does no one deal in facts any more?
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