I tested positive for COVID again, but thankfully I’m still not sick

Suppose that without any symptoms beyond the normal wintertime runny nose, you find yourself having tested “positive for COVID.” Since you are not ailing, what’s next?

This has happened to me and my wife, Lynn. Twice.

We certainly don’t envy anyone who develops a full-blown set of COVID symptoms; those have led to hospitalization, even death. But we soon learned that the COVID-positive label alone can complicate our activities.

After this whole COVID business started, almost two years ago, we promptly got every vaccination and booster shot as it became available, including our standard annual flu shots.

More: COVID-19 cases have slowed in Louisiana. Has the state reached a peak?

About two weeks ago, we went to the doctor and both of us tested positive for COVID. Neither of us had any symptoms at all.

Then, last week, just to be sure, I went to Start Corp.’s office near the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center to see Dr. Jules Dupont, our family physician.

He was not in but I saw one of our doctor’s associates. I was routinely swabbed as a matter of office policy. To my complete surprise, I tested positive for COVID — again. I was promptly ushered out to wait in the car.

Chaos! The first time we tested positive, the news threw the in-laws who had shared their home with us post-Ida into a frenzy. They, my wife and a neighbor lined up for their own tests. Except for my wife, all tested negative. Yet, since we both were “positive,” and the relatives thought a danger to their somewhat fragile health, they literally put us out.

We retreated to our home on Bellaire Drive in Houma and stayed a night in a bedroom that wasn’t damaged by Hurricane Ida. The next day, our contractor, Joey Russ, also insisted that we clear out; he wanted no chance that we might infect the workers he had finally started on repairing the damage inside.

Different place: My wife, Lynn, exercized her talent at searching with her cellphone for some place suitable to stay and with nothing else found nearer than New Iberia, settled on Gulfport for a “mini-vacation” among the shopping outlets until last Monday when we returned and found the Bellaire Drive repairs still unfinished.

Story continues

Just for that evening, we slept in the undamaged bedroom, then kept our appointment with the doctor at Start Corp. The bad news continued. Again, we both tested “positive.” We could not stay on Bellaire until the contractor was finished repairing the interior.

This time, determined to avoid additional hotel bills, we elected to drive some 250 miles northwest to stay a while in the old Ellzey family home near Robeline. That distance would force us to cancel or reschedule medical apointments around Terrebonne.

COVID-19 vaccine tracker: 42% of people in Terrebonne Parish fully vaccinated

COVID-19 vaccine tracker:: 47% of people in Lafourche Parish fully vaccinated

Ironically, as soon as we admitted our COVID- positive tests, we were barred from seeing our doctor at Start Corp. It became a case of “you can see the doctor only if you are well. Sick people need to stay home.” And, adding to the whole mess, we were told that some patients continue to test “positive” as long as 90 days after they are otherwise well.

So we sit, in the Robeline farmhouse watching television but with no internet accessibility nearer than my sister’s in Zwolle, wondering whether we can email this column in time for publication on schedule.

And the weather outside is frightful, alternating gray and bright skies, and depending on the “front” of the moment, snow might be a possibility.

Responding? Contact Bill Ellzey at (985) 381-6256, [email protected], [email protected] or Bill Ellzey, 312 Bellaire Drive, Houma, LA 70360.

This article originally appeared on The Courier: Bill Ellzey: I tested positive for COVID again. At least I’m not sick.