Unintentionally grounded

notes from quarantine

Opie sitting on my face, June 2025

I had all of the best laid plans of travel this week. I had figured out where I was staying. We were scheduled to visit my partner’s family near Seattle and then I would fly out to NY for my uncle’s funeral. We had successfully had our nephew for a week, and got him out to the airport for his early flight on Friday. As I watered the garden Friday morning, my throat was unusually dry and I brought my tea and my hydration with me around the garden. When we boarded our train I noticed a tickle in my throat causing me to cough. I wrote them off, thinking it was just poor dental hygiene on my part. We masked up for the train and headed out on our journey.

Waiting to board the train in Portland

We made it to our destination and I felt okay. We rode our bikes to my partner’s family’s house. We ate dinner and hung out with the family until bedtime. We stayed in the camper. I had forgotten my sleep accessories; my sleep meds and my bite guard. I slept, waking often, and when we woke, I felt off. I wanted so badly to be able to show up for the kids that day, to be able to play. I asked my partner if I felt feverish. I took aspirin and caffeine. Sitting in the living room, I began to overheat. I went outside to lay in the grass to cool off. I felt better enough to go on a bike ride with the kids. Coming back, I jumped in the pool for a bit to cool down. I felt okay. More aspirin. We departed and made our way out to catch the afternoon train back to Portland.

Neighborhood bike ride with the niblings, June 2025

On the train ride home I was feeling it set in. I had the tickle in the throat cough that wouldn’t stop. I craved cough drops. I was grateful for my KN95 as I became the woman on the train who was hacking away. Each sneeze was one that I groaned afterwards. I closed my eyes. I wondered how we would get home. When we pulled into the station, we weighed our options. The bus was a 30 minute wait, so we chose to take our bikes on the light rail to avoid climbing hills. We rode home, stopping a few times along the way so that I could catch my breath. Once home, I let my body really let go. My partner had no idea it was this bad, as I hadn’t admitted to anyone that it was, including myself. That night we laid on the couch and I shivered with fever. I slept a good amount that night. Sunday morning I woke, still feeling gross. I knew it was time to test, as my flight out to NY was scheduled for Tuesday morning. I wasn’t ready for the positive results.

My partner helping our nephew find his bike fit

It had been over two years since my last run-in with COVID. I thought “NOW?” I had to start the communications and cancellations. I cried as I cancelled my trip to NY, grieving the family I would miss, the fireflies, the Hudson River Valley. The last few days have been a blur of tissues, cough drops, Gatorade and soup. I have made it past the worst part, it seems, and my temperature has regulated. I still have low energy and a difficult time digesting. The brain fog and slow moving feels hard. I am grateful to have my family here with me, as being sick alone is one of the worst things. We have been meddling our way through, playing cribbage, watching movies and RuPaul, and sleeping extra.

While yoga at the Community Cycling Center is cancelled this week, next week will be our final week before Summer Hiatus! If all goes well with my healing, we will have our final classes of the season Monday and Wednesday.

Monday: 5:30pm-7pm Vinyasa Yoga

Wednesday: 7:30-9pm Yin Yoga

Yin Yoga at the Vedanta Society will continue through the summer! Every Tuesday night from 7:35-8:35.

My summer Yoga in the Park with Portland Parks begins on Monday, June 23! Check out the schedule below, and the link to all of the Fitness in the Parks classes!

Monday:

Laurelhurst Park

8-8:45am Yin Yoga

9-9:45am Vinyasa Flow Yoga

Columbia Park Annex

3-3:45pm Yin Yoga

4-4:45pm Vinyasa Yoga

Tuesday:

Kenton Park

8-8:45am Yin Yoga

9-9:45am Vinyasa Yoga

Rose City Golf Course

4-4:45pm Vinyasa Yoga

Wednesday:

Laurelhurst Park

8-8:45am Yin Yoga

9-9:45am Vinyasa Yoga

Thursday:

Columbia Park

3-3:45pm Vinyasa Yoga

4-4:45pm Yin Yoga

Friday:

Columbia Park

8-8:45am Yin Yoga

9-9:45am Vinyasa Yoga

Finally, we hope to be healed in time to lead our weekly King Farmer’s Market bike ride this coming Sunday! Keep your eyes on the Shift calendar, where we will cancel it if we need to.