Start Sickness

I was a few months in my new job when I got the flu…not so bad…can happen! After another few weeks I got covid from my manager (thanks) and again a few weeks later I thought I was going downhill, but actually it was a respiratory infection. Lucky charm!

Of course I started working after my covid infection, but I didn’t do the usual long days. I was setting up a department with 100 employees, so things had to go on for only another two months, then we’d sail into quiet water. I never got to see the outcome, because I had to call in sick after 2 weeks when I got the respiratory infection. Then follow up the appointments with the company doctor and HR manager. 

Don’t you just have a burn out? NO! I also know that burn outers don’t acknowledge their situation, but since I’ve experienced this like 10 years ago I knew this was different.

My sleep pattern changed, my voice was almost gone, I was dizzy, had major headaches and to be honest, I had no idea how I was able to move throughout the day. This went on for about 6 months.

 

The sea and sun didn’t help either. But then I saw friends I didn’t see for like 3/4 of the past year. They had no clue, but slowly the woman picked up my signals. I was wearing my sunglasses because of the bright light, I was asking them not to talk too loud and I told them I was not able to see them for longer than one hour. 

Then she asked me what other symptoms I had. When I shared my whole list she started telling me a friend of theirs had exactly the same with Long Covid. I told them that I’ve been visiting the doctors for like 6 months now and no one mentioned it. So I promised myself to initiate it at my next appointment with the GP. As a surprise he told me that he was actually thinking the same. When I asked him where this sudden change came from; he told me one of his friends (pulmonologist) visited him and she was worn out after 45min. Had exactly the same symptoms I had and then it hit him.  

Here started my whole hospital specialists journey. Finally we know; but yet, it’s never official as they don’t have the biomarkers yet. I’m determined! I will never going to be in this situation for that long (I hear you thinking: Nooo, I didn’t know what I just challenged myself with).