What COVID-19 has done to the wiring of our brains

Every time I cough, sneeze, think my skin feels a mite bit warm, I automatically think, COVID.

That’s what 2020 has done to us all.

I’m not a hypochondriac in any way, shape or form.

I’ve made it my life’s mission to avoid hospitals, doctors, WebMD.

My family doctor, Dr. Keim, passed away years ago.

The guy I chose to replace him, I picked because he was my dad’s doctor, and I only found that out when my dad died unexpectedly, and I called his doctor to find out if I had anything to be worried about.

(The verdict: don’t think so, but you never know.)

The last time I remember being sick – sick-sick, like, in bed sick – was almost eight years ago.

I self-diagnosed it as bronchitis, because if it wasn’t bronchitis, it was something else, and what did it matter, spent a week on the couch watching Investigation: Discovery, and bored myself with hours of bad, awful TV better.

Which gets us to back in March, when the missus said she was going to buy a thermometer, which astounded me – that regular people could have their own thermometers.

Seriously, had never thought of checking my own temperature.

Had only had that done at the doctor, and as I mentioned, I never go to the doctor.

Well, now I check my temperature 19 times a day.

It’s not yet been over 98.7, knock on wood.

I’m not superstitious, either.

I do believe in the power of jinxing, so, there is that in play here.)

I’m a runner, so being outside for a half-hour or hour a day, in the sun, is generally good, I guess, when it comes to COVID, or any respiratory ailment.

Vitamin D, I understand, though you’re also supposed to be able to get Vitamin D from milk, so, not sure how much any of this makes sense.

Anyway, being outside means getting sunburned when you’re not careful.

Sunburns can make your skin feel hot.

Let me revise my above estimate: I probably check my temperature around 50 times a day.

If I cough, I gargle with mouthwash, because why wouldn’t I gargle with mouthwash when I cough?

It can’t hurt, right?

I’m not worried about getting COVID.

I mean, I’m not of the mindset that I won’t get it because I’m special, and that if I do get it, it won’t knock me on my butt.

That “bronchitis” I had a few years ago was awful.

And the “bronchitis” that I had in my first year at UVA had me down for the count for a couple of weeks.

Nobody wants to get sick.

I know that, odds are, I’d get sick, then get better.

I dunno, just don’t want to get sick.

Being a media professional, I’d have to do some video talking about how I’m doing, sprawled out on the couch.

At least I wouldn’t look all disheveled.

People with shaved heads look the same 24/7.

Then there’d be the usual run of people offering their thoughts and prayers.

I don’t want a bunch of people offering me their thoughts and prayers, is what I’m getting at.

Current temperature: 98.3.

Story by Chris Graham