#chaosfay has covid

[creations-by-chaosfay]

With Love For Dragon Age

When I say Dragon Age saved my life, I'm not exaggerating. It's not hyperbole. It's 100% factual. When I was at my lowest, I made a list in my head of things I would not be able to enjoy if I ended my life. This game was number one. 

I won't be able to play the next Dragon Age game.

I won't be able to feel my husband's hugs.

I won't be able to hear my cat purring.

That was the order ever single time.

I haven't felt that way for about...four years now. When I got sick with covid in 2022, Dragon Age gave me more motivation to fight the disease (bed rest, lots of soup, neti pot, pneumonia breathing exercises), and I know it helped.

Between the three games, I have around 40k hours (or 4.56 years) of game time invested in it. I have all the books and graphic novels, the tarot deck, and more. This game is on a short list of things I'm well and truly passionate about.

Unfortunately, it looks like I won't be able to play until next year. Why?

Pay off Cacoa's vet bill from earlier this year - 50% there

Pay off at least half of another debt - $1619.20 left to pay on it right now, and it starts collecting interest in spring 2025.

Purchase a game console - XBox Series X, $500 - I have an XBox One, and it can't play this game.

Purchase the game - around $70, and I'm not pre-ordering. 

With your assistance, I can reach those goals. Selling two of my original paintings would take care of both the first and second goals. I have quilt listings starting at $20. There's also the option to commission me for a quilt, become a monthly supporter, or make a donation. I'm rather fond of having space for making new things, and my space is very limited, and the shop has many listings with more added almost every week right now, when I'm not working on commissions.

If I'm able to play this year, I will be ecstatic. Ideally, playing as part of my celebration for have less debt. We have another debt to pay off after this, but it's collecting no interest. Selling everything in my shop, however, would pay off everything on this list, plus that debt, and enough left to make home repairs (like replacing the plumbing).

If I reach goals one and two, totaling nearly $2k with the two combined, by October 1st, I'm having a massive giveaway. One when I reach my current goal, one when I reach the next one, and as celebration for reaching both by October 1st, a third giveaway.

Listen, my love for Dragon Age runs deep as the marrow in my bones. It was one of the very things that kept me from ending my life during the darker times of my life. I will be genuinely upset if I'm unable to play when the game is released, but I will be happy just to be able to play this year. My love for Dragon Age is incentive enough to offer free quilts.

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

My husband and I bought our house in July, and have plans to completely renovate the garage and convert it into a room, namely a library. The first thing we need to do is replace the door with a wall, but a fancy wall isn't an option right now. We just need to remove the door and install wood sheets, seal up any holes with expanding foam, and install insulation. The garage came carpeted, which helps with retaining heat when winter rolls in. Right now, nights are getting colder and the holes around the garage door are very inviting. Our cats have caught one mouse thus far, but I'd rather we not have mice. Plus, when winter arrives, it comes with rain, and water inside the garage is not an option.

The garage currently houses all my husband's D&D stuff, from books to miniatures and various mats and maps. He hosts a game every week, but it's going to get very cold in there. The garage does have a heater, but the heater will be useless if the door isn't replaced with a wall. My husband would rather just go mad with the expanding foam. It won't seal the bottom though, nor will it keep heat inside.

What we need will come to $200-$300. We'll be removing the door and all the parts that go with it, and will try to sell those. We will also remove the molding on the outside, then install three wood sheets, seal up any gaps with expanding foam, then install insulation on the inside.

We haven't got the funding for this right now. The first two weeks were spent being sick with covid. It was our first (and hopefully only) experience with it. He had exhaustion, pain, and temporary loss of smell and taste. After a week, he was mostly fine, and a week after that he was able to go back to work. I had all the gross stuff, plus a fever that wouldn't go away for a week, exhaustion, and pain. I'm Disabled and unable to work, but I do make quilts and sell them online. It wasn't until the third week of September that I could do anything without it leaving me wiped out. I didn't develop pneumonia, but my asthma hasn't been very happy with me since I became infected. I'm able to make things again, but September was a rough month and limited how much I could do. This resulted in finishing commissions late and not being able to add inventory to my ko-fi shop . On top of this, a member of my husband's family died a couple days after he went back to work, and attending the funeral resulted in losing four more days of work. Money has been extremely tight.

Getting this done is vitally important. We don't want more vermin in the house, nor insects, water, or cold. $300 is a lot of money, but it's necessary. Sure, selling the garage door will cover the costs, but that's if someone purchases it, and is willing to wait until after the work is done. I don't want to wait for a miracle. I want and need to keep mice out.

Please consider helping us. If you want something in exchange for the money, I've set up my links here for you to check out my work. Thank you.

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

I took a shower.

It wiped out 80% of my energy reserves. I feel better, but fuuuuuck. I am exhausted.

It was like when you go swimming for awhile and then get out if the water. Then you realize gravity still exists and suddenly you're aware you have weight. That feeling. But 10x stronger.

I'm also thirsty and fucking hungry. Found that mixing gatorade with Sprite is the best because the slimey texture of Gatorade is minimized.

Now I need to eat. Because recovering from illness takes a lot of energy.

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

Covid recovery has been slow.

The diarrhea has returned. Thankfully, I'm awake and not in bed. Almost didn't make it to the bathroom.

Nausea has also decided to join in.

Looks like I'm adding a fiber supplement to my ginger tea.

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

I think doing these pneumonia breathing exercises is what has prevented me from developing pneumonia while sick with covid. That and the pneumonia vaccine I got after my third round of pneumonia.

Look up these breathing exercises. Practice them while healthy so they become second nature. When you get sick, doing these may very well save your life.

The idea is to fill your lungs with air. Start by filling from the bottom to the top by using your diaphragm. Your shoulders should not rise, but your ribcage should expand. Breathe in through your nose, slowly, then exhale and push out all the air using your diaphragm. This takes practice! It will make your cough if you're sick and/or have asthma (like me). This helps force the air out. Do this several time, and try exhaling as fast as you can. Inhale slow, exhale fast.

When I had pneumonia, I was given a tube to shake through. It made a sound when I exhaled fast and forceful enough. It was torture. I would cough hard and crap would come up (which is the general idea). Often as not, the coughing fit would trigger my gag reflex and cause me to vomit. If you're sick, do this in the bathroom with the toilet seat up or with a big bowl or bucket at hand. It sucks. It may leave you tired, dizzy, even winded.

I'm sick with covid and have asthma. Fully vaccinated and boosted. I wear mask an N95 mask when around other people and rarely leave the house. But others aren't wearing masks, which makes protection less effective. Please get vaccinated, wear a proper mask, wear the mask properly (it goes OVER your nose), and don't go to events even if they're outdoors. Wash your hands, use soap, and do this every time you use the toilet.

Flu season is coming up. Being sick with one or the other is bad enough. Imagine dealing with both at the same time. A mask protects you from getting sick. Washing your hands protects you. Getting vaccinated protects you.

But if you get sick, do the breathing exercises. They may prevent you from getting worse and save your life if you develop pneumonia.

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

Day 9 of covid

I was strong enough to use my typewriter!!! It's kept in a typewriter box and weighs around 10 lbs, aka heavy.

Husband's home covid test was negative today, but he needs 5 days of negative tests. This is the first negative. We can't get tested by a clinic for 90 days, so this is the only option we have available.

My cough is is a bitch, but more or less what o expected with mybhaving asthma and allergies. The smoke moving into the area certainly isn't of any help. Wildfires and wind are not a good combination, nor is asthma and smoke.

I hope by the end of the weekend I'll be well enough to get much needed sewing done. My hope is to have all commissions and raffle prizes finished by the end of the month.

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

I have a big ass scab in both my nostrils, but the left is the worst. It's damn near viewable and anytime I so much as touch my nose, I can feel the scab. It's gross. It hurts. It fucking itches.

No, I do not pick my nose. This shit happens any time my sinuses go bonkers with making snot aka sick ot allergies throw a tantrum.

Gross.

Husband made a comment about picking scabs, so I threatened to cover him in bandaids while he sleeps. He shut up. That is disgusting.

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

When I get up later, my goal is to sweep, mop, and vacuum the house. It's filthy. Two and a half weeks of virtually no cleaning. Husband has taken care of the kitchen and laundry. I've taken care of the litter box every other to every two days (he flat out refuses because reasons) and washed the tub because gross. Now that I'm not coughing much and blowing my nose even less, I can get the cleaning done.

After the cleaning, depending on how I'm feeling, I'll put clothes away. Maybe even make a loaf of bread (yay for bread machines).

If I manage to finish handquilting tonight, I'll be able to completely finish this project tomorrow. Day after, I'll be working on the butterfly commission. That'll be a week of work, possibly two. Then a mug rug, coaster set, and raffle prizes. When I get all that done? I'm making a Halloween thing for me. Because I can, and October is the best month of the year.

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

Woke up feeling soooo much better. Nausea? Gone. Diarrhea? So far, so good. Didn't require meds to stop my nose from running down my face. Coughing is less frequent. Feeling much stronger and have more energy now.

I think I'm around 80%-90% recovered. It won't be 100% until this cough goes away and my nose isn't in snot overdrive.

Husband has tested negative on the home covid test for five days now. We tested me today, and it's also negative.

Yay for recovering!!!

In a couple more days I'll probably have the strength to sew again. Woot!!!

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

The banana bread is delicious. I added walnuts and cinnamon. Yum! I make it with my bread machine. First I mix the wet ingredients together, then I pour them in the machine. I then blend thr dry ingredients together and add them to the machine. Choose GF sweet bread, bake, and usually add 20 minutes when the machine alerts me that it's done. Those extra 20 minutes make a world of difference.

If you're like me (Disabled), consider getting a bread machine. I save lots of money this way. Store bought GF bread is expensive and has a horrible texture, so I bake my own instead. Fast rising yeast! My machine bakes GF bread, GF sweet bread, and GF cake. It has options for just mixing, making dough, baking, and a variety of other options.

The handquilting is about 75% finished, too! My hope is to have this commission finished by the end of the week. I also hope to have the strength to work on and finish the butterfly hot pad commission by the end of the month.

Now I await the effects of a full dose of benadryl that I might sleep.

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

It's 3:30AM and I have banana bread baking in my bread machine. Because sleeping at night when sick is virtually impossible.

Also watching movies and working on handquilting.

I'm feeling leagues better than I did a week ago, and Husband's covid tests have been negative for four days now. He's also 100% symptom-free. I'm gaining strength, my nose and sinuses have less junk, bowels are...let's just say I really love bananas, and my cough is a lingering annoyance. Seeing as his tests are coming up negative, I'm 100% certain mine will also be negative.

FYI we're fully vaccinated, he has one booster shot, I have two. The vaccine is likely why our symptoms have been relatively mild, and why we're alive. This vaccine isn't designed to make us immune, only to make our immune system stronger. You need to wear your mask and wear it properly (over your nose). Wash your hands, avoid crowds, don't go to events even if they're outdoors. Husband likely brought this home when he took gave a coworker a ride home with neither of them wearing masks.

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

Coughing triggered my gag reflex, which resulted in a portion of my dinner coming up. I'm okay! Just a little shaken. May be one of the few times I'm glad I have a weak appetite right now. Some water with a little baking soda/sodium bicarbonate to help calm my belly down, and sipping Sierra Mist to help even more.

Now just need to get my body to calm tf down.

In happier news, I feel better than I did yesterday.

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

My one goal today was to clean the bathtub.

I'm sick with covid and recovering well.

The bathtub is clean. Goal achieved.

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

i've been scrolling the 'chaosfay has covid' tag- sounds like it sucks. when i had it (funny story as to how i caught it- my parents made me stay with my anti-mask, anti-vax grandparents who had just spent weeks in the hospital. also they live on another continent so i had to quarantine and stay 3 weeks past when i was meant to leave) i had headaches + light sensitivity through the roof. if you don't mind me asking, are you getting any of those symptoms?

glad to hear you're getting better and hope you get thru ok!

I'm already super sensitive to light (something about grey eyes makes us super light sensitive), so no change there. My headaches have only been sinus-related because my head is full of snot, but a netipot has been clearing that out nicely. The most irritating symptom has been angry bowels that resulted in severe dehydration. Yay for bananas!

Much improved now. Sorry about your grandparents being fools. My mom is anti-mask and anti-isolation. "I want to live life." Okay, tha is for giving no fucks about shortening the lives of others, but you do you, I guess. When I told her I have covid, her response was "that's called living life." Needless to say, I'm relieved we live 2500 miles apart. It's a relief you're also recovered. Any lingering effects? I have asthma, but it hasn't been impacted too much, thanks largely to vaccines and precautions.

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

Watching The Martian because it's an excellent film, and to rid myself of mess I just watched. Cleanse my palette sort of thing.

If you haven't read the book, remedy that. Then watch the film. It's a science fiction film that won awards for comedy. It's not written as a comedy, but it's hilarious. My fav line from the book that you don't actually see but is implied in the film:

Look. Boobs. ( . )( . )

Oh, and I can laugh a little without feeling like I'm dying, so that's cool.

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

Day 7 of covid19

Woke up feeling significantly improved. Mild congestion, mild runny nose, less severe nasal drip, slight cough, increased appetite, and the diarrhea was less extreme.

I woke up at around 5AM and did the netipot treatment because I had too much junk in my sinuses. Trying to blow all that out would've resulted in angry ears. After treatment, I went back to bed. Woke up at around 10AM thinking I was hearing the service beep from the smoke detector. The beep that says to change the battery. Turns out it was only in my dream. Anxiety has that effect.

Finally got up and stayed awake at 1PM. Netipot treatment to clear the snot outta my skull. So gross. Feeling much better now. Took half a dose of benadryl to stop the nasal drip, as well as a dose of sudafed because congestion is a bitch. At a banana because I don't care for being dehydrated with an angry ass, tyvm.

The low grade fever I had last night also hasn't returned. I've had an on again, off again fever for a week. My body hates Tylenol, and not needing it today is fantastic. I'll be checking my temperature periodically throughout the day.

I don't feel week as an infant today. Woot!!! Certainly not strong enough to do much either, but at least I don't feel like sitting up takes too much effort. Yesterday's shower completely wiped me out. I'll shower tomorrow; that'll be a good test to see how recovered I am.

I'm walking around the living/dining room to work my lungs. Not heavy walking, just enough to get my blood flowing and force my lungs to breathe. This is something I learned when I did have pneumonia. Husband had to support me while we walked around our apartment. That was a special kind of hell. I felt like I was drowning, which I sort of was seeing as my lungs were full of mucus. We had to work up to making me cough. Mucinex is my friend. Now, when I get sick, I use pneumonia exercises to prevent it from happening, even though I received the vaccine. That vaccine is reserved for people 55+ btw. I was in my 20s and had three rounds of pneumonia in three years. They made an exception.

I'm gonna have some peanut butter cereal. The milk I use is soy because dairy milk makes me sick, and the texture is wrong. I've been using soy milk for almost 10 years now. Dairy milk is used strictly for cooking and baking.

In a few days, we'll return to the clinic and get tested again. Using home tests right now because Husband needs to test negative for five days before he can return to work. The first home test that comes back negative will be a trip to the clinic. My home test was negative the day we went to the clinic, and their testing came back positive. I don't trust a negative result on the home tests.

If you're the praying type, keep us in your prayers. Thank you.