Hi friends,

 

As some of you know, I've been living with Long COVID since March 2020. It has worsened considerably over time.

And while some countries around the world are treating the underlying physical issues - here in Canada they do not.

 

Rather than continue to worsen, I need your help to get treatment overseas.

 

I desperately want to be better. So, please help if you can. Every single gift no matter the size is hugely important - not just for the funds - but for knowing there are people out there who are rooting for me! Thank you!

 

That's the short story.

 

The medium story is:

A lot of Long COVID is driven by blood clots preventing oxygen getting to your cells. There's a treatment to remove them, very similar to dialysis, but nowhere in North America does it. I know people who've done it, and are hugely better. I need to go to Cyprus (or Germany or Switzerland - but I can get into Cyprus soonest) to have this treatment so I can be the mother, wife, self-employed superstar helping charities make the world a better place, friend, and upright* human I once was.

 

*Like, literally. I'm horizontal most of the time now... but would love to be vertical again!


IMAGE: Check out the size of these crazy clots!

 

Long story:

I'll provide background about the physical issues and treatment in contrast to Canada for those who wish to know all the details.

 

Long COVID is primarily a vascular disease. Microclots made of hyper-activated platelets, LDL cholesterol, inflammatory markers, etc. prevent oxygen from reaching cells throughout the body - causing major brain, muscle, and energy issues. They also damage the vascular system throughout the body meaning even more damage to the heart, kidneys, brain, and entire circulatory system. Here's a really good (if fairly scientific) paper: https://cardiab.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12933-021-01359-7 (Note: this was a small initial study, and has been replicated. In fact, every single Long Hauler tested has had these clots.)

 

There have been dramatic increases in pulmonary embolisms, strokes, etc. in those with Long COVID. They often die as a result. I... don't want this to be me...

 

Yet, here in Canada (and the US and UK), the only treatment available is almost entirely coping skills, CBT, anti-depressants. The Long COVID clinics here do *nothing* to treat the physical issues. In fact, every time I ask the specialist if there are even any trials coming to be part of, the answer is no.

 

So, after over two years of deteriorating health - I'm going overseas to have HELP Apheresis treatments to remove the blood clots. It's essentially the same process used for kidney dialysis, and is very safe and has been used for many years. Only the use for Long COVID is new.

 

I personally know a number of people from the UK, the Netherlands, and the US who have now had it done who are *remarkably* better. Like, unbelievably better.

 

I want to be better. I pretty much need to be better. So, please help if you can. Every single gift no matter the size is hugely important - not just for the funds - but for knowing there are people out there who are rooting for me! Thank you!