Erica Gaimari

I am writing as a long COVID patient. I was diagnosed with COVID 19 infection in January of 2022. I was so ill, I almost died. After I recovered from the acute illness, I remained with persistent symptoms. These symptoms are as follows: - Muscle and joint pain, especially in lower extremities - Neuropathy in hands and feet - Brain fog - Fatigue - Shortness of breath - Depression and anxiety - Cardiac arrhythmias - Chest pain - GERD - Skin rashes - Hair loss - Weight loss initially, then weight gain - Tinnitus - Loss of balance - Severe migraine headaches - Loss of smell and taste - Sinus infections - Inability to concentrate - Sleep problems - Irritable bowel syndrome - Exercise intolerance - Vision changes - Muscle twitching - Nerve pain - Dizziness - Nausea - Lymph node swelling - Sensitivity to light and sound I have tried to seek help from the medical community, but I have been dismissed and told it is all in my head. I have been told to exercise more, eat better, and take antidepressants. I have been gaslit by doctors who do not understand long COVID. I have lost my job as a nurse because I could no longer work. I have lost my health, my income, and my independence. I am now disabled and on Social Security Disability. I have tried many treatments, but nothing has cured me. I am still suffering every day. I am sharing my story because I want people to know that long COVID is real and it is devastating. I want research and funding for treatments and cures. I want doctors to listen to us and believe us. I want my life back. Before COVID, I was a healthy, active nurse working full time. I loved my job and my patients. I was a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. I enjoyed hiking, gardening, and traveling. Now I can barely leave my house. I am exhausted all the time. I have to rest after simple tasks like showering or cooking. I have lost friends who do not understand why I cannot do the things I used to do. My family has been supportive, but it is hard for them to watch me suffer. My husband has had to take on extra work to support us, and we had to split up. So that’s a loss that can’t even be quantified.