Thursday, October 07, 2021
St Joseph's Health Care London
Surviving COVID-19 – The Recovery Reality
The Post-acute COVID-19 Program of St. Joseph’s Health Care London is helping patients tackle the long-lingering symptoms faced by many survivors of COVID-19.
London, Ontario – Wendi Heal had heard the horror stories about those who ended up on a ventilator with COVID-19. And here was the lead COVID-19 physician at her bedside explaining her deteriorating condition and just that grim possibility.
“I remember asking him what my chances were for recovery once on a ventilator and I’ll never forget his words. He said he wouldn’t lie to me – that my chances drop to single digits. I asked him if I could have two days to see what happens, and those are the days I made calls to my husband, my son and my two brothers. I wanted to say the important things I needed to say.”
Willing herself to stay positive, Wendi miraculously began improving and avoided the ventilator, but it would only be the beginning of many more dark days and a struggle that persists today – some 10 months after leaving hospital.
Wendi, 69, is what some refer to as a COVID-19 long hauler, and while she continues to make good strides, problems with fatigue, memory, brain fog, lung capacity, gastrointestinal episodes, pain, and more are only now easing sufficiently to resume her life. A small army of experts have helped to make that possible. Wendi is a patient of the Post-acute COVID-19 Program of St. Joseph’s Health Care London, which is ensuring her various lingering symptoms are being addressed. Read Wendi’s full story and details about the program on St. Joseph’s website.
At St. Joseph’s, patients may receive further breathing tests to help the team better understand if there are lasting changes from their acute COVID illness, and referrals within St. Joseph’s, including Parkwood Institute, for other symptoms. Through the program, accessed with a physician referral, Wendi has received care by an infectious diseases specialist, respirologist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, speech language pathologist, psychologist, and neurologist.
Patients are grateful to be able to share their experience and have their symptoms investigated, says respirologist Dr. Michael Nicholson. “We have captured a few people with underlying sequelae of the COVID infection that include asthma, lung scarring, tachycardia arrhythmias, but also no abnormalities, which can be reassuring to patients with lingering symptoms,” says Dr. Nicholson.
Each individual has a unique set of symptoms, which can include physical, cognitive, communication, as well as mental health effects such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic
stress disorder, adds Saagar Walia, Coordinator of the Rehabilitation Program at Parkwood Institute. Targeted rehabilitation and education in addition to medical follow-up, he says, “is crucial for supporting individuals in their pathway to recovery.”
Wendi began feeling symptoms of COVID-19 on Dec. 20, 2020, but it would take seven days to get an appointment at an assessment centre, by which time she was so ill, she was taken by ambulance directly from the testing centre to the hospital. It was the start of journey she traces candidly, eloquently, revealingly, even humourously in a blog at wendiaheal.ca, providing a striking story of survival and an insider’s glimpse of a disease that has changed the lives of so many.
Today, Wendi is thrilled to gradually be “fired” by her various specialists as she improves. In telling her story, she wants people to understand the reality of COVID so they will do their part to curb the pandemic. She has also joined multiple research studies.
“While in hospital, the duality of how I felt was strange,” she says. “I was so glad to be where they could take care of me and I was so unhappy that I had to be taken care of. I was scared to death and willing to do whatever they said to get better. Unlike other illnesses, it was clear no one could say exactly what that was. We have to help people figure out what this disease is all about so others are taken care of just as efficiently and gently as I have been.”
To arrange media interviews about St. Joseph’s Post-Acute COVID-19 Program, please contact:
Dahlia Reich
Communication and Public Affairs
St Joseph’s Health Care London
519-646-6100 ext 65294
dahlia.reich@sjhc.london.on.ca
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