I woke up the day after Christmas with a piano sitting on my chest. Not literally, but it felt that way. I also woke up to a text message from a family member who informed me they had COVID and we had just been together.

I haven't had COVID for over a year and it really hasn't been on my radar. But, with more holiday gatherings to come I thought I might as well take an at-home COVID test. As soon as I put my three drops in the tester, the lines started to appear. Almost immediately I knew that I had COVID.

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Ok, what the heck am I supposed to do now? Do I have to quarantine? When was my last vaccine? I got the original shot back when it first came out and a couple of boosters since, but I'll be the first to admit I got pretty worn out on the COVID stuff.

3rd Time With Covid - The Worst Yet For Us

It turns out COVID made the decision to quarantine me for the next couple of days. I was sick enough that I slept for most of the next two days. The cough at the beginning was the worst. I would cough so hard I would vomit multiple times a day.

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Next came the body aches, and then severe congestion. I'd find my needing to catch my breath after walking to the bathroom.

What's worse about the 2024 COVID infection?

What made this round so bad was it was like a super cold virus mixed with a stomach bug. There's also some research to support that stomach issues are often overlooked when it comes to COVID-19.

2 days after I tested positive, my wife also tested positive. Her symptoms were very similar.

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For what it's worth, the only person not to get sick yet (fingers crossed), is the family member up to date with all their boosters and vaccines.

WDIO did a story on the rising cases of respiratory illnesses this season. The CDC is reporting cases of the cold, flu, COVID, and RSV are on the rise.

Be careful out there.

LOOK: Iconic products released the year you were born

American history can often be remembered through our consumer habits. That's why Stacker ranked the iconic products released from the year you were born, starting in 1919. From Slurpees to iPods, this list is a pop culture-infused trip down memory lane.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

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