Sharing this with hopes of reducing stigma and spreading awareness. I'm currently on day 13 of a monkey pox diagnosis. I'm feeling fine as of right now, mainly just lonely from isolation. My symptoms were sore throat and fever. I only had one lesion, and it was in the back of my throat. I didn't have any spots/pox/sores/lesions anywhere else on my body. I had a fever of around 101 from days 4-7. And the worst of the sore throat was at days 7-9, at which point the sore throat started to get better each day. I also have a co-infection with strep throat. The lesion in the back of my throat was a giant white splotch, the size of a whole tonsil. It freaked me out when I looked at it. And when I went to the doctor on Tuesday, they told me that it doesn't look like monkeypox. That it could be mono, or strep, or gonorrhea/chlamydia. They tested me for monkeypox though, and it came back positive three days later. Apparently, it's presenting in ways that medical professionals are not used to seeing. Physically, I'm feeling fine. The white splotch in the back of my throat is reduced in size. I'm just taking supportive care while it passes through my system. I have minor throat pain when I swallow, but it's less and less each day. Guidance is to isolate for 21 days, or until sores scab over and new skin is formed. I've just been isolating, staying at home, trying to stay sane, watching shows, reading, taking walks during golden hour, learning choreography. I've watched "Watchmen" from a couple of years ago; "Bel Air" the fresh prince reboot; i've read "Kindred" by Octavia Butler. Happy to talk in DMs if anyone wants. Stay safe out there.