I’m extremely frustrated! I’ve had three cases of Covid. One on January 2022. Another case in December 2022, and two weeks ago with Covid Pneumonia. I’ve been fully vaccinated. I will get another one if needed. My symptoms might have been worse if I didn’t have them. I’ve been trying to get medical help with no results on what to do. My main problem is dealing with extreme fatigue, persistant cough, and brain fog (concentration and focus issues). This makes it very difficult for me to write my blog posts and newsletter that I love to do!
I’ve gone for many diagnostic tests with the many specialists that I consult with. All the results have been normal. The only conclusion has been that I have Long Covid. Long Covid is a condition where individuals who have recovered from the initial COVID-19 infection continue to experience symptoms for weeks or even months after the initial infection. The underlying causes of long COVID are not yet fully understood. Researchers believe that it may be related to an overactive immune response or viral persistence in the body.
COVID-19 pneumonia is a type of pneumonia that can develop as a result of the COVID-19 virus. Pneumonia is an infection that causes inflammation in the lungs, leading to symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, and fever. It’s caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus, which primarily affects the respiratory system. The virus can cause inflammation in the airways and damage the lining of the lungs, leading to fluid accumulation and impaired oxygen exchange. I was feeling extremely sick and didn’t want to get out of bed. I have to thank my wife for urging me to go to the emergency room. Early diagnosis and treatment with antibotics was crucial to treat this life threatening illness!
I still have fatigue and concentration issues. I’ve gone for acupunture treatments that didn’t help. I also applied to the Washington University Long Covid Clinic in St. Louis, Missouri. After they got all of my medical records, I was accepted. They can’t take me until August! I’m on a waiting list if there are any cancellations. In the meantime, I try to move as much as I can and take advantage of the small window of opportunity I have to concentrate each day.
I would appreciate any thoughts or comments you have about how you cope with a chronic illness.
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The main thing that I do to cope with my many chronic illnesses is to concentrate on how much I get done each day not on how much I can’t get done. I have limited focus and even less energy because of chronic depression and debilitating after-effects of Whipple surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
Luckily, I am retired, and I can put off ’til tomorrow what I can’t do today.