Where Has Cat Country’s Chris Coleman Been? The Answer: COVID

If you have noticed I haven't been on the radio in quite a while, that's because I had COVID.

Since it seems like everyone's experiences with COVID are different, I figured I might as well share my story.

Let's start all the way back at the beginning of the pandemic. Right as COVID was just beginning to make its way into New Jersey, I got sick. It lasted about 10 days. I had a fever that peaked at 103 degrees with a dry cough. But, back then, getting a test wasn't easy at all. And since I couldn't get one, I was told, "it could be COVID," and I rode it out at home with HBO, Tylenol, and orange juice. Luckily, I had no lasting side effects. Was it COVID? I really have no idea. I'm pretty sure it was.

So this most recent illness might be my second bout with it.

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Between then and now, I got the Pfizer vaccine back in March and I had a few run-ins with people who were positive, so I got tested three times and each one was negative.

My streak ended at four a few days ago.

I should mention that while being vaccinated, I have not received a booster shot.

Last Sunday morning, I felt OK. By Sunday evening, I felt like I was getting a cold. You know how you feel when you think you are getting sick? That's how I felt. By Sunday night, I was sick.

Thinking it might be COVID (since everyone left and right was getting it), I jumped onto CVS's website to see if I could get a test (I'm not endorsing CVS, they're just my 'go to' place) and I got one the next morning in Marmora.

By Monday morning, I had a fever and a stuffy nose. It came on pretty quickly. My biggest ailment: I had no voice. It really hurt to talk. But I didn't have a sore throat and I didn't have any chest congestion. But I could barely talk.

I went for my COVID test, which was a PCR test, so I had to wait for the results.

Tuesday morning -- fever was gone. It peaked at 100.5 the night before and it quickly disappeared. Woo hoo! No headache, no aches, no pains, just a little stuffy -- but it still really hurt to talk. And I still didn't have a sore throat or anything.

By Wednesday, I'm feeling pretty good. Just a little stuffy and my voice is coming back! Oh, and I get my test result (now that I'm feeling better): positive for COVID.

It's now Saturday and I'm pretty much back to normal (relative to COVID, thank you).

I was lucky in that what I went through was very mild. It was no worse than an average head cold. No side effects. I can taste and smell everything. I'm sleeping no worse or better than before.

So, that's my story. I've been well enough to work from home all week, just not the part that involved me actually being on the radio.

Thank you for all of the well wishes and, with fingers crossed, I'll be talking to you on Monday.