I got the 'rona (for real this time)
Yesterday I woke up with a sore throat.
Instant panic. I rarely get sore throats.
Maybe it's the dry air, I told myself.
But I've been to Vegas before and this has not happened.
As the day wore on it got worse, so I picked up some rapid tests from Walgreens.
One came back negative, and I set the other aside for later. I messaged our Covid safety officer to let her know something was up, and she gave me a rapid right before the show, which also came back negative.
But during the show I started feeling body aches.
No, no, no, I thought, You're just psyching yourself out. It's just a cold. You're just run down. LalalalaLA, dammit.
But back at the hotel, I felt cold with the thermostat at 75.
And all night, fever dreams and stuffy nose and aches and pains.
This morning I immediately took my other rapid test.
Yeah there's no question about that. Our covid officer came by at 9 to give me another.
It's official.
----------------------------------------
Since I am such a bitch online, I am certainly ready to accept that this is some accumulated bad karma coming for me.
So, no pity party. Just a sharing of info, because you might be wondering what happens when a musician on tour gets covid.
And it IS interesting! And good. I'm really thankful to work for a decent company.
First, it's a guaranteed ten days of quarantine, with "Day One" being the day AFTER you test positive.
This means that I will not be able to perform with the show until 6/5 in Costa Mesa. Oof.
Very upset about this. I was really looking forward to that city, and now I'm going to miss a whole week of it.
The company will spend today looking for a sub trombonist, preferably someone who is able to do shows in both cities.
Luckily Costa Mesa isn't all that far away, and there are loads of musicians in Vegas and LA to choose from.
I will be paid via worker's comp; another thing to be thankful for.
I am also allowed to leave the hotel to "get fresh air" if I wear a KN95 and distance.
In other words I will NOT be leaving this hotel until symptoms subside and/or a negative test, because it's a casino for pete's sake.
By Day Six I will be allowed to travel (that's Tuesday) but I still have to isolate, so I'll be taking a rental car from Vegas to Costa Mesa.
I am EXTREMELY grateful that I do not have to spend four extra days in the Golden Nugget. Ugh!
Hopefully by then I'll be testing negative, so I'll be allowed to explore as long as I don't actually go into any businesses or interact with people.
Finally, while I'm trapped here at the Golden Nugget, any food that I have to order will be reimbursed by the company.
Luckily for them and me, knowing that this hotel didn't have a refrigerator, I stocked up on a LOT of nonperishables.
I should be able to make it to the weekend without ordering anything.
So that's pretty much it.
Someone will have to pack up my stuff, but my trombone is already in it's case and all that's left is my mutes and in-ears.
I just have to get through these symptoms, ride it out like everyone else.
Today I feel pretty bad, splitting head pain and chills and aches and whatnot, so I will take it easy. No pity party.
Tomorrow I'm supposed to have a Zoom meeting with my new part-time job, and I've warned them that I might look like crap but I do still plan to attend. Not like I have anything better to do, right?
---------------------------------------------------
Welp, that's pretty much it.
I'm trying not to worry about stuff like laundry and the package I've got at the front desk (I've been trying to get it since we got here but they perpetually can't find it) and focus on letting covid run it's course so I can enjoy Costa Mesa hopefully.
Instant panic. I rarely get sore throats.
Maybe it's the dry air, I told myself.
But I've been to Vegas before and this has not happened.
As the day wore on it got worse, so I picked up some rapid tests from Walgreens.
One came back negative, and I set the other aside for later. I messaged our Covid safety officer to let her know something was up, and she gave me a rapid right before the show, which also came back negative.
But during the show I started feeling body aches.
No, no, no, I thought, You're just psyching yourself out. It's just a cold. You're just run down. LalalalaLA, dammit.
But back at the hotel, I felt cold with the thermostat at 75.
And all night, fever dreams and stuffy nose and aches and pains.
This morning I immediately took my other rapid test.
Yeah there's no question about that. Our covid officer came by at 9 to give me another.
It's official.
----------------------------------------
Since I am such a bitch online, I am certainly ready to accept that this is some accumulated bad karma coming for me.
So, no pity party. Just a sharing of info, because you might be wondering what happens when a musician on tour gets covid.
And it IS interesting! And good. I'm really thankful to work for a decent company.
First, it's a guaranteed ten days of quarantine, with "Day One" being the day AFTER you test positive.
This means that I will not be able to perform with the show until 6/5 in Costa Mesa. Oof.
Very upset about this. I was really looking forward to that city, and now I'm going to miss a whole week of it.
The company will spend today looking for a sub trombonist, preferably someone who is able to do shows in both cities.
Luckily Costa Mesa isn't all that far away, and there are loads of musicians in Vegas and LA to choose from.
I will be paid via worker's comp; another thing to be thankful for.
I am also allowed to leave the hotel to "get fresh air" if I wear a KN95 and distance.
In other words I will NOT be leaving this hotel until symptoms subside and/or a negative test, because it's a casino for pete's sake.
By Day Six I will be allowed to travel (that's Tuesday) but I still have to isolate, so I'll be taking a rental car from Vegas to Costa Mesa.
I am EXTREMELY grateful that I do not have to spend four extra days in the Golden Nugget. Ugh!
Hopefully by then I'll be testing negative, so I'll be allowed to explore as long as I don't actually go into any businesses or interact with people.
Finally, while I'm trapped here at the Golden Nugget, any food that I have to order will be reimbursed by the company.
Luckily for them and me, knowing that this hotel didn't have a refrigerator, I stocked up on a LOT of nonperishables.
I should be able to make it to the weekend without ordering anything.
So that's pretty much it.
Someone will have to pack up my stuff, but my trombone is already in it's case and all that's left is my mutes and in-ears.
I just have to get through these symptoms, ride it out like everyone else.
Today I feel pretty bad, splitting head pain and chills and aches and whatnot, so I will take it easy. No pity party.
Tomorrow I'm supposed to have a Zoom meeting with my new part-time job, and I've warned them that I might look like crap but I do still plan to attend. Not like I have anything better to do, right?
---------------------------------------------------
Welp, that's pretty much it.
I'm trying not to worry about stuff like laundry and the package I've got at the front desk (I've been trying to get it since we got here but they perpetually can't find it) and focus on letting covid run it's course so I can enjoy Costa Mesa hopefully.