Long COVID Medical Support for Mollie Guillemette
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This GoFundMe is to raise funds for my dear friends Kendall and Mollie and their two boys. Mollie and her two boys are suffering from symptoms related to Long COVID. and this GoFundMe is to raise money to help pay for their treatments which are rarely covered by insurance. This illness has taken a huge toll on their family and your generosity can help lighten the load so that Mollie and the kids can focus on recovery. Your kind donation will go directly to Mollie and Kendall to help deal with the financial repercussions of her and the kids’ current condition, so they can focus on healing and supporting one another.
Mollie contracted Covid in March of 2020 and immediately experienced severe symptoms and was in critical condition for 6 months. Mollie’s experience since the initial symptoms have persisted and the Long COVID symptoms have changed her life.
Over the three years since their initial infection, Mollie and the kids have undergone numerous treatments and therapies to try and find relief. This has caused significant strain on the family’s finances – please consider giving – all funds raised will be used to directly pay for addressing these Long COVID related expenses.
Initially the target was set at $50,000, which is our first milestone. We have increased our target to include milestones for all of the family's medical needs.
Milestone 1: $50,000 - This amount would settle medical debt
Milestone 2: $89,200 - This would add coverage for 1 year of ongoing treatment and medication not covered by insurance
Milestone 3: $154,000 - This would add mobility devices, in-home medical devices, and upgrades to in-home air purification not covered by insurance
Mollie’s life looks different in these ways:
- Caregiving for the boys impacted
- Mollie and the family have been in isolation since March 2020 to limit exposure to any kind of illness that could become dangerous given their compromised immune systems - this means no hanging out with friends for Mollie, Kendall, or the boys
- Cannot do outdoor activities like going on walks, hiking, etc. for fear of causing a flare
- In the past, Mollie was a passionate and gifted cook and finds it difficult to focus and experiences fatigue that prevents her from cooking now
- An avid runner and skier who now has extreme physical limits caused by Covid
Mollie and the family need your help, please consider giving.
Long COVID is real and below is a list of Long COVID symptoms that are now a part of everyday life and some resources to learn more.
Thank you for your support!
Mollie's writing in her Mental Health and Wellbeing newsletter:
Resources:
- Long Covid - A parallel pandemic
- Dr Wes Ely - Long Covid Disability Roulette
- Ed Yong of The Atlantic writing about Long COVID
- Long Covid risk of long-term brain problems
- Long Covid may be due to the virus sticking around after infection
- Viral reservoirs are a prime suspect for Long Covid sleuths
- Long Covid: Major findings, mechanisms and recommendations
- Studying severe long COVID to understand post-infectious disorders beyond COVID-19
- Potential Implications for Long-Term Neurological Complications in post-COVID-19
- Degradative Effect of Nattokinase on Spike Proteinof SARS-CoV-2
- The role of NSP6 in the biogenesis of the SARS-CoV-2 replication organelle
- SARS-CoV-2-mediated dysregulation of metabolism and autophagy uncovers host-targeting antivirals
Long COVID Symptoms Mollie is Experiencing:
- Heart palpitations and heart pain
- Tachycardia - high heart rate
- Lung damage from COVID - Breathing problems, lung inflammation and slight burning at times (different from when I was very sick)
- Migraines (up to 20/month)
- Digestion--nausea, inflammation, abdomen tender to touch
- Head and brain pressure
- Fatigue
- Difficulty walking
- Loss of coordination
- Muscle weakness
- PEM
- Body coating pain, feels like she was dipped in acid
- Muscle pain
- Bone pain
- Joint pain
- Fevers
- Low blood oxygen levels - drops down to 75% at times
- Difficulty with temperature regulation
- Insomnia
- Lymph swelling and pain
- Secondary lymph swelling
- Intercostal inflammation
- Tremoring
- Hair loss
- Brain fog
- Very affected by air quality
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Impaired liver and kidney function
Organiser and beneficiary
Jared Stoneberg
Organiser
Bend, OR
Kendall Guillemette
Beneficiary