My Life after CELTA

It's been three weeks since we came back from Graz and been down with COVID. We are sure the initial COVID infection is over; it's the long-term side effects that affect our days, moods, and quality of life. Not being able to concentrate for longer than ten or twenty minutes is a terrible symptom. The low energy level both of us experience makes us inept to do anything longer than ten or twenty minutes. Even taking Abby for her walks seems like an expedition in the vast snow-covered fields of the Arctic. Practising the tai chi set seems like a real workout for Olympic athletes before the championship. And the sheer thought of buckling down to studying or preparing the next lessons is a far-fetched idea for our wee mind. Even though we know that recovery takes a long time, it is tough to live with the difficulties it entails. What a lovely ending life brought for us at the end of 2023, innit? Anyway, my morning was all about planning. I had to think through my convalesce plan, ...

It's been three weeks already that we've been suffering from COVID. Even though the word part of the infection is over, we can experience some of the typical, lingering long-term side effects. The brain fog is not as thick as it was a week ago, but it still affects my wee, already demented brain. Despite my relatively good and stable energy level, I still can't do as much as possible before the infection. Fortunately, there are no other sinister symptoms besides the common cold, fatigue, brain fog, and lost mojo. Ági's not that lucky, poor thing. She's been suffering from the severe side effects of the common cold. She can't sleep through the night, which is unusual for her. I wish we were healthy! The weather is still unusually warm for December. According to the weather forecast, the first days of the new year will bring significant changes, such as colder temperatures, wind, and rain. Brilliant. As New Year's Eve gets closer, some of our fellow human bein...

Even though my physical condition has improved, I still don't feel the Jedi spirit wanting to break out. Full recovery from COVID can take weeks or even months, and one can only hope it won't leave any long-term symptoms. Even though my physical condition has improved, the lingering flu remains an annoyance, albeit a rather irritating one. Anyway, my head was much clearer today, so I buckled down and planned out my recovery and normal schedule. I need to rediscover my mojo and find my way back to intensive learning. I must focus on my English teaching and CPE exam paths, so it is high time I take action. I need to kill two birds with one stone; therefore, I devised a plan that helps me keep my summer biorhythm without the terrible side effects of the daylight saving time settings, and at the same time, it ensures that I stick to the plan, allowing me time for studying and teaching, taking care of Abby, and reading. I hope I can stick to this seemingly brilliant schedule. Surpri...

Apart from some nasty flu-like symptoms, COVID is history for me. I hope I won't relapse, touch wood, and there won't be any lingering side effects or long-term consequences of this disease. The only interesting symptoms I've been experiencing after being infected with the virus are brain fog, disorganisation, constant fatigue, and sleepiness, which irritates me tremendously. Waking up in the morning is a challenge. Even though I've got so many nice plans and thoughts for the day, somehow, these plans vanish into thin air. The entire day is like a dream, and when I come round, it's already evening, and I can call it a day. Bloody brilliant. I must do something about it because it is beyond vexing. I know I must be patient and let my system fully recover from this infection; however, it's not always easy to do so. Anyway, spring took over in December and sent winter to have some rest. Even though it is nice to go out without the expedition clothes, it is still no...

We've never had such a Christmas we've been having recently. Even though we are aware of this holiday's significance and love it very much, we don't feel we need to celebrate or experience it. This terrible disease makes the Festive Season blurry for us. It's like watching Christmas behind frosted glass in an isolation ward. The brain fog and the fatigue we've experienced recently are quite scary. COVID not only makes you sick but also makes sure that you'll suffer during and after being infected. I tried to get back to normal with baby steps, so I tried to do the early morning physical activity - which is mainly moving my neck and body and doing some squats - I used to do before this disease. However, even this insignificant set of movements that hardly elevates one's pulse was so painfully tiring that after a ridiculously low number of repetitions, I had to sit down and rest, just like the members of the nursing home, who, after finishing breakfast, wa...

This Christmas is one of the weirdest Christmases ever for us. When I woke up this morning, the temperature was already +13°C, which gradually got higher during the day. The peak temperature today was around +15-16°C over here. Not very Christmassy, is it? According to the weather forecast, this week's weather won't change significantly, so spring took over in one day. The human meter service predicted dizziness, blood pressure, mood fluctuations, and headache. These symptoms go hand in hand with COVID-19 symptoms - such as fatigue and lack of strength - which make us terribly moody and lifeless. Even the most insignificant moves or tasks require tremendous effort from us, and Ági's stagnant condition makes it difficult for her to cope with the disease and the capricious weather. I wonder when we can call ourselves fully recovered!?

Even though today is Christmas Eve, we couldn't decorate the house. What is more, the holiday menu went into the deep freezer because neither of us could think of food. This nasty virus made us so frail that even taking Abby for a walk seemed like going on a Marathon running competition.  Anyway, the weather is not from this world. The 25-30 cm snow that had fallen yesterday melted completely. Today's highest temperature was around +10°C, and the next two days will be warmer. We haven't had a white Christmas for quite a while now. I know it is rather annoying that all my recent entries have been about COVID and the weather. However, the effects of this disease are truly shocking. One loses all their strength and power and becomes a moaning old git that complains about everything, a bit like Mr Meldrew, but worse.

The weather was terrible today. At 4 a.m., the wind was blowing and temperature was around +1°C. The cold remained, but the wind stopped eventually when the heavy snowfall started in the afternoon. By 6 p.m., there was a thick layer of snow everywhere making everyone hope for a white Christmas. However, the warmer front is imminent meaning it'll bring warmer air, so the snow will melt and disappear during the night. We are still under the weather. I'm getting better day by day, although not at the rate at which I'd be glad to see the changes. Nevertheless, Ági's condition is still bad which makes Bothe of us feel down in the dumps. It wasn't the best timing to catch this nasty virus. And the fact that neither of us can focus on anything complex is frightening. I wanted to read a lot, but my wee mind finds it impossible to concentrate. There we are then.

Even though I feel much better than two days ago, I still can't find the Jedi in me. Merely a 1k sloth-like walk with Abby makes my back as foamy as a racehorse's during the Darby. Ági's condition is stagnant. She has a nasty cough and headache, and the virus ate her overall strength. This COVID is as nasty as it can get. I wish we were healthy again! Anyway, I had to run some errands today, and by the time I returned home, my shirt was soaking wet. The shops were brimming with nervous customers trying to buy the next unnecessary item for their family, friends, or the hated neighbour. The roads were jam-packed with cars, and getting out of the mall took me 12 minutes. Tomorrow, I'll have to buy some food, so I decided to drive to the local store at 6 a.m. in the hope of avoiding another nervous crowd. The weather is terrible. The cold Northern wind brings grey clouds, much rain and snow, and colder temperatures. Tomorrow's highest temperature will be around +3°C, bu...

While I felt much better this morning, Ági's condition deteriorated. The headache returned, her coughs worsened, and her power left her. The loss of our gustatory and olfactory senses has a positive aspect, we don't need to worry about anything. We wouldn't even notice the stinkiest pair of socks. We sat in front of the TV set and binge-watched the last season of Green Green Grass with Boycie and Marlene. We loved this show as well. Truth be told, we wouldn't have been able to do anything else because of this horrendous virus. Somehow, COVID managed to take away our ability to focus on more complex stories or tasks, so this led to us sitting before the TV and watching several episodes of one of our favourite series.  Today is the 21st of December, and in three days time, we celebrate Christmas. This means one more week, and 2023 will be over. This means it'll be New Year's Eve, which means fireworks, which means a stressed dog. For eff's sake, I wish those b...

I had another terrible night. I was waking up for the onset of coughing, not to mention the stuffed nose, which inhibited normal breathing. However, even though these symptoms remained active during the day, I feel much better compared to how I'd felt two days ago. It was agony. I hope this disease disappears by tomorrow! Nevertheless, there are a couple of new symptoms that bother me. We lost our olfactory and gustatory senses, and I might have some hearing impairment as I hear my voice, as if a gelded Popeye had moved into my throat, taking over the control over my vocal cords. After all, I ate almost a package of Swiss anti-cough pastille, no wonder I was standing on the parapet shouting RIIIIII-COOO-LAAAAAAAAA!

The fourth day of my COVID-19 infection is almost over. However, it wasn't a day to remember, if I'm being honest. It all started at 1:00 a.m. when I woke up to change my sweaty pyjamas and couldn't go back to sleep due to my stuffed nose. Since nothing could clear my sinuses, I spent the rest of the night awake, watching silly videos on YouTube. I wanted to read Sir David Jason's book, but I couldn't focus on it because my mind was not in the mood for reading. It simply refused to follow what my eyes tried to pick up from the book, so I thought I wouldn't stress my system because I wasn't in lethal danger after all. After breakfast, Ági persuaded me to take a nap, so I laid myself down. When I woke up almost two hours later, my head wasn't throbbing, I couldn't feel the sharp pain in my muscles and joints, and my body temperature was +37°C. I felt better; only the stuffed nose and the persistent coughing dragged me back to reality. I'm still utt...

It's the third day of my battle with COVID. Due to persistent symptoms, I had to call my GP, who prescribed antibiotics. I have never experienced anything similar before. The regular flu we had been infected with was only a flea fart compared to COVID. The unrelenting pain in my body, the initially runny nose that turned stuffed - and the constant coughing make enduring the challenges this illness entails difficult. One of the most peculiar symptoms is sweating like a pig on ice while sitting still. Mind you, would a pig sweat on ice? Anyway, I got a bit better today. I didn't have to take as many painkillers as I'd done yesterday and the day before. However, as the sun set at 3:52 p.m., my condition began to deteriorate. I hope it is an unequivocal sign of getting out of this nasty disease; I truly wish it is!

This is the 300th entry, and I wish I could celebrate it properly, but I’m feeling rather unwell. Since my condition deteriorated after waking up, I had to call a medical emergency. After describing my symptoms - pain in my entire body, throbbing headache, fever, and high pulse rate - the doctor’s diagnosis was COVID. To make sure, he asked us to check it with these rapid tests, so Ági went to buy it at the pharmacy. I had to put this thing into my nose, then put it into the solution, wait for a minute and add it to the test thing. According to the test’s description, in 15-20 minutes, the test showed positive, negative, or failed test signs. As soon as I dripped the solution onto the test, it immediately showed I was positive for COVID. It could have at least waited ten minutes before stating the obvious. Anyway, I feel like a weevil after a thunderstorm. My power left me. Despite the painkiller, the constant pain in my entire body starts to be unbearable. After the coughing bouts, my...

Ági's condition has improved, but not as much as we would have liked. Fortunately, the throbbing headache had gone, but the cough and the overall fatigue remained. We can't decide if it's COVID or the usual influenza virus because neither of us showed any of the major symptoms the current coronavirus mutation causes. The only thing that makes COVID-19 suspicious at this stage is that our general well-being is not like when we get the "normal" flu. Anyway, enough of this barrage of moaning, we'll survive this nasty infection, eventually.  The weather was fairly good today. The Sun shone, and the Northern wind swept away the dark clouds and dried the roads. Only the big plane at the end of our street is flooded. The extent of the area is probably as big as our little town, and it is covered in water. The latest precipitation has reached the impermeable layer in the soil, which can no longer absorb and drain away the water. It looks like a giant pool. According t...