POST # 462
SUNRISE AT 5:30AM
As the sun rises on another day, it's time to reflect on the week gone by, and to contemplate what lies ahead for this very thoughtful, wander-less wanderer.
I've spent another entire week, here in Room 601, and an interesting thing happened a few days ago. I can distinctly remember that my feeling of being stuck here in this room, changed to a feeling of acceptance that this is now my current home. It's hard to put a finger on what happens in the brain, but I do remember having gone through a similar thought pattern back in March of 2003. At that time, I had been crossing the Indian Ocean on a sailboat, heading from Durban, South Africa, to Australia. At some point on that journey, my brain began to accept that this small craft was my home. I derived comfort, once I had reached that point in my thinking. I feel a similar comfort now. It's hard to explain, so I'll leave it at that.
Right up until yesterday morning, I had not stepped outside the confines of Room 601. However, yesterday at 9am, I was escorted by security to the lobby of the hotel, and then for the first time in ten days, I stepped outside to a waiting vehicle, that would be taking me for my second Covid test. I have to admit that it felt rather strange to be outside, even though it was only for a minute or two prior to getting in the vehicle. We proceeded to the testing centre, located very close to the airport, and we were the first in the queue. We had to pull up and stop at three different windows. Yes, really. At window #1, I gave them my details, name, date of birth etc. At window #2 they confirmed my details, and then finally at window #3, it was time for my test. Having been through this procedure once before, I wasn't expecting anything different this time around. The first time, was simple and painless. The swab was inserted into each nostril and twirled around for fifteen seconds. It was inserted only about one centimetre. The only painful part of this first test was that it cost me $300.00. However this time, the swab was inserted approximately a kilometre down my nostril, or at least it felt like that. The last time that I can remember feeling this much discomfort from a medical procedure was when I was in the hospital with my broken leg. One morning the nurse came in, to remove the catheter that had been used to drain my bladder. Today's procedure felt very similar, but in reverse, as the device was being inserted instead of being pulled out. Ouch!!!
Once that was over with, I was driven back to the hotel, and I have been inside ever since. It's now more than twenty four hours since I had the test, and my nose, ear and brain still feel, shall we say, disturbed. I wonder how long these sensations will last?
It has been a frustrating lead up to this second test, which was suppose to take place last Saturday. After numerous calls to the Red Cross, and multiple visits by the nurse to assist me to register for the test online (unsuccessfully), she finally looked me in the eye the other day, and stated, "if you have any symptoms, then we can take you to the testing centre." In other words, nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more, give me a symptom or two and we can get this taken care of right away. She was implying that if I faked some symptoms, I could get the test. This all sounded a bit dodgy to me, but it seemed that this was the only way that this test would ever get done.
So now I have to wait until tomorrow to call to find out my test results. And to add even more to this crazy story, this morning I received an email from the Government of Canada, which in part reads as follows:
You are receiving this email from the Government of Canada because you recently entered Canada.
If you were required to do a final COVID test on Day 8, the results will be important in determining the end of your quarantine period:
- Negative result – you must remain in quarantine for the remainder of the 14-day period.
- Positive result – you must remain in isolation for another 14 days from the day you completed the test.
- Invalid,
indeterminate or late result OR if you did not complete a day 8 test –
you must remain in quarantine until you receive a conclusive negative
result, or for an additional 14 days starting from the day after the end
of your first quarantine period, whichever comes first.
"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way."
I'll keep this last quote in mind, as my journey in Room 601 continues.
grateful for every breath,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
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