This is a story about how we got coronavirus tests.
Annette hardly ever gets sick. Annette was sick on Friday, July 24, 2020. She told me early in the day that she had a headache. In the early evening (around 5-6), she asked me to feel her head to see if she was warm. (She tried to take her temperature using our thermometer; however, the battery was dead.) She decided to go to bed early (around 6).
After we ate dinner and cleaned up the kitchen, I took the kids for a drive around town. We drove to the Mission Ranch development community because I had seen a house listed in Zillow in that neighborhood but did not know anything about it. We also drove south on Wellborn road and explored the backside (west) of the Millican Reserve community. On the way home, we stopped at Kroger to get milk and eggs.
Because we were planning to go to Tanner and Emily's house on Sunday, July 26, for Tanner's birthday celebration, we also stopped to get gas in the van at the Circle K on the corner of Rock Prairie Road and the Highway 6 frontage road. After we got gas, we stopped at Smoothie King for the first time to try their smoothies.
When Annette woke up on Saturday, she was feeling slightly better. However, given her symptoms, she thought she should get tested for COVID-19. She did some internet research and found that the Integrity Health Urgent Care center did COVID testing on Saturdays. So, she set an appointment and went to get tested.
(Annette also called Tanner and Emily to tell them we were not going to come to their house for the birthday party just as a precaution in case she had COVID.)
On Saturday (July 25) afternoon, Annette's headache and fever returned. We ordered Cooper's BBQ delivered for dinner and Annette went to bed early again.
On Sunday (July 26), Annette woke up and felt fine. We returned to our normal activities. She was more tired than usual and took a long nap.
Annette received a call from the Brazos County Health Department (BCHD) early Tuesday (July 28) afternoon. The health official told her that her test was COVID+! We were so surprised. We thought we were being extra careful. Annette always wore masks when she went shopping. She did not go out much at all. How did she get coronavirus?
BCHD told her that she needed to self-isolate for 10 days after her last day of fever. They instructed her that everyone in our house needed to start wearing masks at home and she should stay in a room separate from the rest of the family.
I was required by the university to report if I have been exposed to someone who tested COVID+. After I filled out the report form, I received a message that I needed to get tested. Similarly, we reported to the athletic trainer at A&M Consolidated High School that the kids had been exposed. They also asked that all of the kids get tested.
Integrity Urgent Care had open appointment slots for that afternoon. Annette and I made appointments for me, Truman, Ashton, Tate, and Addison. We all went to get tested.
Integrity uses the nasal swab method of collecting samples. Annette reported after her test that it hurt. After the other five us got tested, we confirmed that it hurts to have a 6-inch long cotton swab shoved up your nose (both nostrils, one at a time).
On Thursday, we got our test results back. Truman, Ashton, and Tate all had negative results. Addison and I had "inconclusive" results. Inconclusive means that the lab found evidence of one of the two varieties of the virus. I reported this to the TAMU COVID response team to update my report. They asked me to get retested and reminded me that all TAMU faculty, staff, and students can get tested at the TAMU Beutel Student Health Services.
I made an appointment and drove to campus. This time, the test was a cheek swab test that I administered myself.
None of us have been sick this week. However, all of us can remember a time in the two months leading up to Annette's positive test when we were not feeling well. So, perhaps, we already had it.
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