Going Viral and Apple and Ripe Cheddar Pie

“I got the Covid-19 blues, na na na na na, hurt from my head to my shoes, na na na na na”. I am here on the front lines, and by that I mean I am currently hosting a virus party in my own personal body, and am here to report this is a bug not be taken frivolously. For those of you, like some friends in my circle, who are still toying with the idea this virus is some sort of politically motivated hoax or a product of media hype I assure you it is quite real. My bug came to me courtesy of a friend who had it but thought he had a head cold. He was sick three days, and I am on day eleven. I have asthma, and my age and that weakness in my lungs puts me at greater risk. Thank God the symptoms seem to be retreating.

So many people have asked me what my symptoms were. From what I understand the severity and range of symptoms varies considerably but I thought it might help to share my experience. The first day I just felt blah. Not much energy, slightly off my feed, and generally just unwell with no specific complaints. Not having much of an appetite that first night I made a bowl of soup, got down half a sandwich and went to bed early. Around midnight I awoke to the most amazing muscle pains. It felt like someone had been pummeling me in my sleep, even my skin and my teeth hurt. Then the headache showed up. Let me preface by saying I rarely suffer from headaches of any kind. I think the last bad headache I had was probably fifteen years ago after an unfortunate incident involving me and a bottle of Gray Goose at a holiday party.

Within a twelve hour period I went from feeling mildly ill to feeling like a freight train had run over me. Next the cough arrived and sort of a general heaviness in my upper respiratory system. I contacted my doctor and was redirected to a respiratory clinic for suspected Covid-19 patients. At the clinic I was tested for both flu and the virus, both tests administered by long nasal swabs. The flu test, a fifteen minute wait, concluded it was not he flu. Okay. The Covid test I was told would take up to 2 days. I went home and found a soft spot to curl up in. My appetite seemed to have taken a vacation but I ate something and went to back to bed. The following night the phone rang quite late. The test results had come back positive for the virus. You could have knocked me over with a feather. Funny, we always think it will happen to someone else. I am the first person in my circle who has tested positive. This set off a ripple effect among my family and friends making the virus situation we are in suddenly much more real.

I’m cautiously optimistic though each day presents itself differently than the day before. Today I feel sick and begin to perspire if I do too much too quickly. I’m a dreadful patient, and lying around is definitely not my normal M.O. but when your body decides to go rogue you have to give in to it and do the best you can. The treatment has been fluids, in my case Prednisone, breathing treatments, Vitamin C, D, Zinc and Musinex flu. It’s a lot but the combination seems to be having the desired effect. Rest is a big part of the recovery process as well. I get fatigued easily. I get up and do things around the house and then have to take a nap. Another annoying side effect is that my sense of taste and smell seem to be diminished. This, hopefully, will right itself down the road.

I am thankful today that I am at home, warm and safe and that each day I add a little strength back into my routine. Hopefully we will march into 2021 with much less on our plates and perhaps much needed relief from the stress and constant disruptions 2020 has presented itself with.

For me, I am going to go to my grateful space. My turkey is being delivered by the local grocery store today. Many things may be happening in my world but by God that turkey is showing up on my plate on Thursday surrounded by all it’s best friends. If can tap into a little jet power I will make my favorite pie, cheddar and apple, to enjoy after my turkey dinner. I am including the recipe below for those of you who might like to try it. It was one of Rick’s favorites and I will think of him this year and can’t help to wonder what he would make of all of this. As sick as he was his last few years it certainly wouldn’t have made things easier.

I am yearning to open all the boxes in my shed marked “Xmas” but this will have to wait. My son has three trees up already at his house this year. I have one friend who put her tree up the day after Halloween. I think people are needing to infuse some joy in this year by any means available to them.

I hope this finds you well. Do be careful. I say once more for emphasis this is not a joke this bug. It is relentless and exhausting but I see light at the end of the tunnel and am holding up my lantern to guide my way there.

Give this pie a try if you get a chance. So delicious.

Apple and Ripe Cheddar Pie

2 pie crusts
9 Granny Smith apples, sliced thin
14 thin strips of ripe cheddar cheese
1/2 cup butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Slice apples in piles of three apples each.

Place one pie crust in bottom of deep dish pie dish. Forming a circle rotate around piling apples one on top of the other. Take 1/2 of the cheese slices and form a ring in the middle of the apples.

Repeat with apple layer, then cheese layer, then apple layer.

Place the other crust on flat surface. Cut into 3/4″ strips. Layer half the strips across one way and then the remaining strips back across them the opposite way leaving space in between like in a lattice. Crimp the edges together.

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, water, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and continue cooking for 5 mins. Remove from heat.

Pour over top of pie being careful not to drool over sides.