#cw Covid 19

[trek-tracks]

Well…after three years, it finally got me. Thankful it was after the performances of the show I wrote/starred in and one of the two concerts I was performing in, but I’m going to miss two review openings and this weekend’s concert performance, and I feel super lousy. My kingdom for a hypospray…

[autogeneity]

I remember people did all that for, like, 3 weeks, and then lots slid into a progressively worsening depression and stopped doing most things. of course, various factors such as, uh, the millions of people dying apply. but also this is what a lot of my longer vacations have looked like so idk if it's just that. this was also what all the previous protest-related shutdowns at my university looked like for a massive number of students — like yeah, there's the stress of the protests and various other shit that went with it — but staying home and loss of structured activity seems to also have an effect in its own right.

[hasellia]

I want to know: do you feel dissociated from the current time? Have you noticed if any others have? & If yes to either, why do you think so? ( Writing why is NOT obligatory)

Author's thoughts & reasoning under the cut below V

As the year closes, I've noticed a lot of people feeling dissociated with the passing of time. This has been something I usually see at least once as a " time flies huh" kinda way. Maybe a liiitle bit more since the pandemic & with the current being internet so focused on the attention economy, understandably.

But within 2024; I've noticed so much more of this sense of " I should not be in this moment of time", and much much more from the people I would assume to be neurotypical or "well adjusted".

The people I've talked to agree on this: It is likely from how the business sector & hustle culture has influenced society in a "post" COVID-19 pandemic world. "Bali-bali" (hurry-hurry) is a term I hear a lot from a personal friend from Korea. The context being that folks post Korea-war had to act fast & snappy to rebuild their lives, & still act as such even if they're in prosperity. It's tearing children apart from how hard they're studying & adults from working.

It seems to be creeping here, too. For my personal micro-bubble, I understand. But not so for the world at large.

[pjunicornart]

Plus Many Other Things

Vent art of how I feel but I used Lewis as an outlet because of course I did. If you've seen my recent update post, then you'll know that I've recently been "diagnosed" with post-Covid symptoms. I put diagnosed in quotes because unfortunately not much is known about anything having to do with Covid's lasting effects, so it's not an official diagnosis yet, but it kinda is. Same can be said for considering it a chronic illness/disability.

Anyway, I haven't been feelin' so hot for the past couple of months. I haven't gotten any sufficient sleep, my energy levels have been zero, my appetite just kinda shows up whenever, and I have to get used to a lot of experimental treatments because nobody knows fuck all about post-Covid shit. So. Many. Appointments. Oh, did I mention that I'm not in a position to get the proper house care I need due to a variety of factors? So everyday I'm supposed to give 100% when all I can muster is 25% (on a decent day).

Art and everything may slow down for a bit. Hopefully I'll get to a period where I can be more productive, but right now I just wanna rest.

No text version

[artemis-pendragon]

Not my roommate stomping upstairs and slamming the door in annoyance after I told them I'm gonna wear a mask around them because they had a COVID exposure LMFAOOOOO literally am I insane. Like am I going insane. How are THEY annoyed at ME.

[snarp]

COVID Nostril Swab Self-Test Kits Poll

[audible-smiles]

I can't believe I've developed a cough out of nowhere again. I got COVID for the first time at the beginning of 2024 and I swear I haven't gone a month since without some sort of bullshit. A cold sore or a cough or a sore throat or all of the above. I've been sick off and on with various minor illnesses for what feels like a third of this year. Unsure what to do about this wretched development. I couldn't tolerate an N95 for daily use even back in 2021, so I'm sure I won't be able to do so now. Is there any point (from the perspective of reducing my risk of infection) in going back to the regular disposal surgical-style masks, even if no one else does?

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hi Steph, how are you? I hope it's the most comfortable season in your area right now? I had covid in the summer and unfortunately I'm still getting weaker and weaker, so I was wondering if you could recommend some exercises you enjoy? Like YouTube channels or just the names of the exercises would be greatly appreciated. Sending hugs.

Hey Nonny *HUGS*

Yes, we're finally entering the best part of autumn, where the weather is beautiful sweater weather during the day and the evenings are cool. It won't last long, sadly, because we get early wet winters so it will get really cold all the time and just... rain until December, ugh.

Ugh, I feel you about feeling weak after Covid. It took me awhile to get back to my "normal", which is going back to the gym daily and waking up at decent times and sleeping through the night. Took awhile for that.

Oh gosh, okay regarding the fitness thing, I'm trying hard to think back to a couple years ago; I had to get a nutritionist because I had a health scare (I fainted while sitting down and doing nothing) and he wanted me to get back into a routine. Let me tell you, it's SO hard, but his words of encouragement helped SO MUCH MORE than any of those """"fitness influencers"""" and personal trainers (ie. professional torturers lol) ever did because he NEVER expected more than I was comfortable with. He always said "YOU have to want to change, I'm just here to help you on that path".

Currently, I go to the gym pretty much every day for at least an hour and mostly weight lifting. It took nearly a year and a half to get back to that level of fitness for me. Pre-Covid I was doing even more to the point of obsession. Both my nutritionist and my therapist help me with coping mechanisms to ensure that that doesn't happen again. When I was first getting back into exercising, we focussed on the one exercise I LOVED doing: walking. He always said "10 minutes of walking a day is better than not doing it at all." It always started small, and walking was the thing that got me back to exercising. And, little by little 10 became 20 became 30 became an hour, and then going back to the gym was less daunting. My work has a gym which my brain deemed as "safe" in my post-covid anxiety, so I started going back via my work gym. Again, I have previous fitness experience so I started off on machines and then back into my old routines with free weights.

But yeah, definitely some walking or even just some stretching or yoga moves (my nutritionist actually tried to get me to start working out by stretching and meditating, but I don't really like doing either of those). My nutritionist, while he did want me to work towards a healthier lifestyle, never EVER pushed me to do more than I was ready for. So this is my advice to you, Lovely: what kind of exercise do you LIKE doing? Walking? Push ups? Squats? There are simple exercises that people use for physio, seniors, and limited mobility individuals. Getting up and sitting down, wall presses, light lunges, even stretches are great for working towards a more active lifestyle. Heck, even "doing weights" by lifting a full water bottle is an exercise! Mine was walking. Perhaps yours is leg lifts or shoulder rolls. Even just a little activity is GOOD!! This article here is a good place to start if you're limited mobility, and here's a good article for beginners.

Also, search on YouTube for "Workouts for Beginners"; there's quite a few workouts there, hopefully without too many ad-breaks to ruin the flow of the workouts. My favourite workouts, though are Les Mills Body Combat and Body Pump, which are both more advanced once you're into a rhythm. I used to do the classes at GoodLife before Covid, and now my CURRENT routine incorporates moves I learned in both of those (I'm still skittish about being in group settings so I kind of just do them on my own). I'm very proud of myself for how far I've come in a year and a half, when I genuinely thought I would never do it again. I could barely walk because of foot and joint pains, I was always dizzy and I was very lethargic all the time. Changing my diet helped a lot too; my nutritionist recommended a lot more protein to keep me fuller longer, and 3 meals a day with small snacks. Never have a deficit!! He doesn't believe in dieting, just "eating right". AND he doesn't make me weigh myself which helped me overcome my disordered eating triggers. He's a great nutritionist.

It can be done Nonny! Just start small, and stick to a schedule. For me I find it easier to do it during the week during my lunch break at work makes it feel like it's NOT eating into my free time, and on weekends and days off I go first thing in the morning to the gym because it's quieter. So, a routine helps for sure! I think you can do it too!!!!

Let me know if I can help you out with tips that have helped me that I haven't listed here. And, if anyone has something to help Nonny get back into a routine that has maybe helped y'all after Covid, please do offer your support! <3

ALSO as an aside, Nonny, it's recommended you start SMALL after Covid to allow your body to properly heal, so DON'T PUSH YOURSELF nor feel bad if you're slow. Every Body is different! <3

Good luck Nonny!!!

[love-ardour-anarchism]

i smoked benzos mixed with essential oils from a jury-rigged vape where i repaired the cracked glass tank with nail polish when i was 18 and lived to tell the tale, you really think you could make me afraid of VACCINES?

[camfusedly]

Captain's log. Day 30. We cannot rule out the possibility that my continued covid positivity is a plot by my cat Tortilla to minimize my capacity to exit the premises.

Consoling myself with a pastries-from-the-Safeway-bakery breakfast.

[khizuo]

thinking about how my dad became more abusive to me when I began taking stronger COVID protections. thinking about how abuse often serves as a means of enforcing ableist normativity on its victims. thinking about how widespread COVID minimization plays into the abuse culture we live in.

[highladyluck]

Spouse and I have covid 😭 we had a good run, this is the first time. I am grumpy and congested and feverish but am fine so far. I will continue to be horrible at answering DMs! This concludes my press conference

[sapphicscholar]

Covid and Flu Vaccine PSA

For anyone who might benefit from this advice, as a heads up, the CDC has released guidelines (available as a PDF here) that link patient weight and appropriate needle length for intramuscular vaccines. They suggest that using a longer 1.5 inch/38 mm needle for Covid and flu shots is medical best practice for many. The CDC uses weight-based metrics on their chart (>200lbs or 260 lbs for estrogen- or testosterone-based fat distribution, respectively), but really, it’s most important to consider your own body fat distribution. This big thing is ensuring that the vaccine can reach your deltoid muscle for the greatest efficacy and uptake, rather than only making it to subcutaneous fat!

Even if you’ve already gotten vaccinated/boosted this year, it might be worth hanging onto the PDF for the future - having clear guidelines that come directly from the CDC might help to cut through some of the bullshit too many people face when dealing with the medical establishment.

[pjunicornart]

Vent (cw: covid talk, general depression)

I've been looking at my recent symptoms individually, but in reality, the bigger picture is... I probably have Long Covid. I have been suffering for the past month, and now I'm scared that if this is my diagnosis, I may end up disabled. I wanna go through my symptoms, because I realize Long Covid has like... a million. So this is how it's affecting me.

Extreme Tiredness I can't even get out of bed anymore without feeling out of breath. Walking? Nope. My legs are so weak. Even if I wanna walk to the fridge to refill my water bottle I feel so out of breath. I used to be able to help out around the house for my mom, but now I feel useless because I can't do anything without feeling like I ran a mile. Showering has become such a chore that I can only do it once a week, if that! I feel like I'll pass out if I don't sit down in the shower (I will admit sitting in the shower with the water running down you feels nice, but still...).

Heart I've noticed my heart beat has increased in speed. This scares me a lot because a rapid heart rate could mean I'm not getting proper blood flow. Or... it could lead to heart disease and failure.

Lungs I can't take deep breaths anymore. If I try, my lungs have a spasm and I cough. I also can't laugh, because my lungs spasm.

Coughing Up Mucus This symptom is usually worse at night. I have really bad coughing fits and I cough up mucus. Sometimes, the mucus triggers my gag reflex and I feel like I'm gonna puke. The only remedy that I have found is sitting like I'm in a hospital bed... but it's not comfortable.

Sleeping I haven't been able to sleep properly for weeks. Sometimes it's the coughing fits that keep me up all night, other times I just can't fall asleep. During the day, I'm so tired and all I wanna do is take a nap. But my body won't let me. Even if I do get enough sleep, I'm still so tired.

Menstrual Cycle I missed my period. I still experienced the symptoms when you're about to get your period (tender breasts, heat flashes, etc.), but my actual period never happened. Nobody wants to have a period, but it's still necessary to make sure you're healthy.

I had to stop taking my anti-depressants because it made these symptoms worse, and didn't help at all! I don't think my body will allow me to take any prescription meds now, because it has such a severe reaction. I'm so angry and frustrated because I already feel like a burden, and now this happens? Am I gonna be considered disabled? Will I ever have a normal life again? Can I still pursue my dreams? I'm gonna be blunt - I want my suffering to end, by any means necessary.

Covid is not just a flu or cold. It's a serious condition which can destroy your whole body. The more you have it, the more of a chance you have at developing Long Covid. We're still very much in a pandemic. Wear a mask, be safe. I'm only 22, I should be enjoying my life. But instead, I feel like my life is leading towards being homebound, or committed to a hospital. I'm scared.

[endearingfascination]

you know I’m just gonna come out and say it, i don’t feel safe in this world due to the overwhelming pandemic denial. it used to be just the conservatives and republicans who were anti mask anti social distancing but when it quickly depoliticized (by that i mean democratic representatives and the biden administration declaring an end to the pandemic), a LOT of people showed their true colors. now, basically anyone who doesn’t give a damn about disability or about disabled people are bare faced and while i’m glad their apathy is exposed, i am NOT glad their faces, ALL THOSE BASICALLY EVERYONE MAJORITY PEOPLE’s faces are exposed. you can’t be safe anymore. my idea of who my close friends are have significantly reduced because i know all those without masks wouldn’t really be there for me if i needed them (as a disabled person myself).