Episode 20 - Falling Through the Cracks: Eddie’s Story Part 1

In this episode, Emerson and Jessie speak with Eddie, a 30-year-old living in Montreal, Canada, who has been navigating Long COVID for the past four years. Before getting sick, Eddie lived a fast-paced, highly active life. After two COVID infections in early 2022, their life changed drastically and they now live with severe fatigue, post-exertional malaise (PEM), dysautonomia/POTS, chronic pain, migraines, and suspected MCAS, which has left them largely housebound.Eddie shares what it’s like to manage daily life with such a limited energy envelope, where even sitting upright for two hours can trigger PEM that lasts for over a week. We also dive into the added challenges of being an immigrant with Long COVID. Eddie opens up about navigating Quebec’s healthcare system without access to public insurance, the barriers created by language, and the toll of going years without any real medical care.In an effort to build a more stable future, Eddie enrolled in full-time French classes. They walk us through what that experience looks like, the impact it has on their health, and the long-term goals they are working towards, which would help them regain some more autonomy and financial stability. This is only part one of Eddie’s story. Stay tuned for next month’s episode where we will check in with Eddie and see how they are doing now that they have completed the French language classes. This month, we are highlighting an urgent mutual aid fundraiser for an immigrant couple living in Montreal with severe Long COVID. Their landlord is beginning construction in May, which puts their health at serious risk and could send them back to being completely bedbound. They urgently need to relocate but are facing significant financial barriers. If you are able to contribute, even a small amount, it can make a meaningful difference. You can donate to their fundraiser here. A written version of this episode and the full transcript are available on our Substack, along with a glossary to help explain commonly used terms.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes of the COVID Longhaulers Podcast.You can also join our Discord server to connect with the community, and find all of our other links here. Please note, that the information provided here is not intended to serve as professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have health related issues or believe that you are suffering from Long Covid, please contact a qualified health professional to get the personalized assessment, advice and treatment you need. We will not be liable for any direct, indirect or other damages arising from the use of this podcast. The views and opinions expressed by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views of the podcast hosts or team.