You are now entering TMI flu territory

Got the 'rhona/wu-flu/commie cough/kung flu/chinko-virus (did I get 'em all?) a few weeks back, and boy howdy was that fun. I'll say right off the bat that there are plenty of times in my life I've felt more sick and or in pain, but covid was a particularly insidious combination of symptoms. It doesn't help that I have a few of the pre-existing conditions that are said to make it worse, but jeez. 

Should have attacked those commie punks when we had the chance.

This is going to get graphic, people. So if you don't want the details of the sick, don't go beyond the jump...

First off, I had this straight up painful headache.  The kind that stays in your temples and if you sit up or stand up it suddenly becomes far worse and makes it feel like an anvil is strapped to your head. The only time it feels a bit better is when you lie down to try to rest. 

Yeah, like that but on one side of your head.

However, in comes symptom number 2: a hacking, violent, wheezing, and persistent cough that you can feel deep in your lungs. The most frustrating part of that is that it becomes far worse when you try to lie down to rest. It's so persistent that your sides will hurt like you've been in a boxing ring taking constant body jabs to your sides. But this only exacerbates the next symptom.

Attack of the most killer diarrhea. Honestly it was like the Chicago train in the the Blues Brothers: it just comes by so often you don't even notice it. This becomes a fact of life that you can't actually control your bowels any more because no matter what you do, the cough will blast your pants right off. On top of that, unless you spend your time on the bathroom floor, walking to the use the bathroom will make your head just pound. 

Totally my experience

But that's not all! Act now and you'll also get a free side of being out of breath! Breathing deeply will not only aggravate the aforementioned coughing, but will also straight up hurt as well as leave you constantly out of breath and exhausted. Basically, you're only able to take shallow breaths no matter how tired and breathless you already are and recovering just feels like a workout in and of itself. 

Everything just culminates to an experience that feels like every symptom is working to prolong your suffering and impede your recovery as much as possible. 

Now, I don't say all this just air my frustration at the virus, but as perspective if you haven't experienced the it's ugly side. Heck, that's not even near the worst it can get.  Basically, if you know someone caught with this crap, please for heaven's sake, get 'em a care package or just do something nice for 'em. Lord knows they'll need it.