Help Dana get treatment for Long COVID

Two years ago, I was eager to explore, soaking up every moment of my dream life in Europe. Then, a “common flu” turned into a relentless battle with Long COVID, leaving me with debilitating symptoms and a shattered future. Today, I'm reaching out not just for help, but for a chance to reclaim the life and dreams that Long COVID stole from me. With your support, I can fund treatments that offer a path to getting my life back.

How it started

I moved across the world from New Zealand to the Netherlands to have an exciting life and learning adventure. Soon after I arrived, the pandemic struck and like everyone else, I was stuck at home or took the opportunity to see what the Netherlands had to offer.

When the pandemic restrictions were lifted, I was excited to make the most of it and I did. I was very social, taking any chance I could to explore. I was sitting at cute cafes, having a laugh at busy bars, going to festivals and parties - I was doing all the things that make up the Amsterdam experience and making loads of new friends from all over the globe. I was fulfilling my dreams of travelling Europe, seeing amazing medieval castles, swimming in crystal clear lakes, and walking the alleys of quaint little villages.

I was able to work full time and make a living, trying to figure out what career options would suit me, I started going to the gym to stay active, and even started my running journey hoping to enter in a half marathon. I was setting myself up for the life I had dreamt of when I moved from New Zealand to Europe.

In March 2022, I got COVID. Like for many others, it felt just like the common flu at first. It was not. For me, it never left. When I thought the symptoms lightened I tried to exercise, which brought all the symptoms back in full force - and then some. Every time I thought I felt better, it was only temporary. Every time the COVID came back, I needed more rest to recover. At first about a week of rest. Then two weeks, then a month. Whenever I tried to return to normal life for a moment, I was punished by the Long COVID. By the fall of 2022, I was mostly bedridden for days at a time, using what little strength I had to do groceries and research any treatment I could find. I went from doctor to doctor, I was referred to physiotherapists and psychologists, all of whom dismissed me and my symptoms, or simply told me that it was all in my head.

Symptoms and limitations

Through my own research, I found a clinic that does lidocaine infusions that help a little bit with the inflammation in my body, but it is only a drop in the bucket of symptoms I deal with. The most severe symptoms are the never-ending pains and aches, the brain fog that makes it impossible to think, and the intense and constant fatigue. No matter what I do or how much I sleep, I feel like I’ve been awake for days. On a daily basis I experience a range of symptoms, including:

Apart from the infusions, in order to try and get rid of this disease I’ve tried a variety of special diets to remove anything that triggers symptoms, I take a handful of supplements every day, I’ve tried cold plunges and hot baths, vitamin injections, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, cranial therapy, vagus nerve stimulation, meditation, holistic medicine, and fasting, to mention a few. Nothing takes this disease away from me.

As my illness has punished my body, it has also tanked my mental health. The Long COVID has ripped any moments of joy out of my life and plagued me with a heavy depression. I’ve dealt with depression before but this time it’s a whole different beast, fuelled by the symptoms and limitations that only come with chronic illness.

Current challenges

It’s now been two years since I first got what was supposedly “just like the common flu”. For me, life is all but common at this point. I am home-bound 80% of the time, with the exception of mostly errands and appointments. I cannot work and have been on sick leave for over a year. My employer ended my contract and I’m now on the government sickness benefit which just covers rent, food, and remedies. According to the government’s legal perspective, I’m also not “sick enough” in the sense that I can still walk and talk, which means that the sickness benefit will soon be even less. I can’t keep up with social contacts and have had to cut it down to a few close friends who I see at home or for short walks. When I push myself to do more and get a short break from my illness, I suffer the consequences for days, weeks, or months - whether it’s from being on my feet for more than 30 minutes, too much social interaction, or sometimes from nothing at all. Writing this text would have been impossible for me, so I had to ask for help.

I miss myself. I miss the fun, loving, and outgoing person that I know I am deep down. I don’t see that person anymore when I look in the mirror. My days consist of an endless struggle of surviving mentally and trying to accept my reality of not knowing when or if this will ever end.

In a jungle of solutions that may or may not work, there are some treatments that show hopeful results. They are, however, very expensive, especially considering that I’m barely surviving on the sickness benefit, and health insurances don’t cover these treatments. That is why I’m swallowing my pride and reaching out for your help.

Treatments

There are two treatments that I am looking into.

The first treatment is HBOT therapy in the Netherlands. This is a series of sessions in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber that should help increase oxygen flow to my brain and body and help alleviate some of my symptoms. This treatment is available in the Netherlands and would cost 15,000 Euros for treatment, accommodation, etc. Although the treatment has shown promising results, the treatment is not as specialised for Long COVID and not as extensive as the second treatment below.

The second treatment is HBOT therapy in the USA, which has a specialised treatment plan, customised to my specific symptoms and with a high chance for full recovery. This is a treatment plan that includes a mix of examinations to identify which parts of my body and brain are damaged and which treatment techniques will be most effective. The actual treatment consists of hyperbaric oxygen therapy combined with neurorehabilitation and cognitive and physical therapy. This combination helps my body create new stem cells and blood vessels, to fight the oxygen shortage in damaged areas and restore dysregulated systems. The treatment plan takes place at AVIV Clinics in the USA and is followed with close guidance and examinations when I return to the Netherlands, with the total treatment lasting almost a year. This treatment costs 55,000 Euros, plus travel, transport, visa, accommodation, etc.

At this moment I'm aiming for a goal of 15,000 Euros for the treatment in the Netherlands. If the fundraiser goes well, I might raise the goal to try and get the more specialised and effective treatment in the USA.

The treatments above give me hope. Hope that I can get my life back. Hope that I can get my dreams back. Hope that I can get myself back. I’m asking for your help and support now and I will be forever grateful for it. A donation will make a huge difference for me, and so will sharing my story. Thank you.