Yeah, either way works out pretty well for you. Of course, for all you know, that bout of diarrhea might have been the Brussels sprouts after all and purely coincidental. You may have just happened to discover an essentially asymptomatic infection that actually started a week after an unrelated bout of indigestion. If it had been one of the more common COVID symptoms it would be easier to construct a solid narrative around it. So starting the count on your test date is probably the safest approach.
This is purely idle speculation on my part, but of all the possible symptoms you report, the one that seems to me to be most suggestive of COVID is the tinnitus. Not because it is a hugely common COVID symptom (although it has been reported) but because temporary tinnitus is not common from other viral or bacterial illnesses. There are so many things that can cause gastric distress, headache, light-headedness, etc.
Anyway, so far so good. Hang in there!
ETA: Even more completely unfounded speculation, but I looked back at your excellent symptom diary and had a realization. Suppose that the diarrhea was unrelated. On Nov 18 you completed two out-of-the-house errands: blood draw and something to do with fingerprints. Not super risky activities, but probably higher risk than grocery shopping or biking. Five days later you took a COVID test that turned out positive. Five days is exactly the right amount of time for an infection to take hold. Maybe you got infected on the 18th.
If you want me to stop with the idle speculation, speak up. I can't help trying to analyze these things, but I certainly don't have to bother you with it.
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This is purely idle speculation on my part, but of all the possible symptoms you report, the one that seems to me to be most suggestive of COVID is the tinnitus. Not because it is a hugely common COVID symptom (although it has been reported) but because temporary tinnitus is not common from other viral or bacterial illnesses. There are so many things that can cause gastric distress, headache, light-headedness, etc.
Anyway, so far so good. Hang in there!
ETA: Even more completely unfounded speculation, but I looked back at your excellent symptom diary and had a realization. Suppose that the diarrhea was unrelated. On Nov 18 you completed two out-of-the-house errands: blood draw and something to do with fingerprints. Not super risky activities, but probably higher risk than grocery shopping or biking. Five days later you took a COVID test that turned out positive. Five days is exactly the right amount of time for an infection to take hold. Maybe you got infected on the 18th.
If you want me to stop with the idle speculation, speak up. I can't help trying to analyze these things, but I certainly don't have to bother you with it.