TRACEY Binnie is in mourning. She is mourning the loss of her active life before contracting coronavirus which developed into long covid.
Now there are days when she can barely raise her arm to lift a glass of water and suffers pain from her head to her toe.
For the mother-of-one she’s been left to piece together a life which has been crippled by the effects of long covid.
“I had been running my own business and loved to take to the hills of a weekend. Then I contracted covid last March and from there my life change,” said the 40-year-old.
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“I was diagnosed last July with long covid just as the medical profession was beginning to take notice. Life completely changed. I have been reduced to someone who can hardly leave the house, suffers fatigue and brain fog as well as postural pain. I am in mourning for the life that I had, the one I had to say goodbye to. It has been very tough both physically and mentally.
“It has been a learning curve and I’ve had to change the way I live. I think we are at the stage where people who haven’t experienced it don’t really know what it is. There are so many symptoms connected with it that I recognise it can be difficult for GPs to diagnose. I have been very lucky with my doctor, but I know for others it is a struggle to get help or to be signposted for help.
“That’s why we want to raise awareness as there is a lot of misunderstanding and it won’t be going away any time soon. It is not as simple as just being able to feel better. For me that is part of the problem as I don’t know how I will feel on any given day or when I will feel better.
“Something as simple as trying to meet a friend for a coffee is now a major operation and I would have to rest for days before it just so I have the energy for that day.”
Long covid clinics are being called for in Scotland
Mrs Binnie is involved with action group Long Covid Scotland, which now has several hundred members, as well as raising awareness of the effects of the pot viral condition, they are keen to see dedicated long covid clinic in hospitals.
“Long covid it the new health crisis and we need to educate the general public about it,” added Mrs Binnie, who had just launched her own pet sitting business before being diagnosed with covid.
“We would like to see long covid clinics established in our hospitals. Almost a one stop-shop where we could have tests taken and be able to see a consultant on the same day. It is a lot for someone with long covid to attend numerous appointments when it can be an effort to even get our of bed. NHS England have invested heavily in covid clinics and we want to see something similar here.”
Long Covid Scotland also hopes that they will be able to play a part in any future public inquiry to help learn from the past 18 months.
Mrs Binnie added: “We would very much want to be involved and to get our views across. We would hope that lessons could be learned from any inquiry.”
Hundreds of people are now involved with Long Covid Scotland
This week Mrs Binnie will be taking part in workshop dedicated to those with long covid as part of our memorial campaign.
We are campaigning to create a memorial in the grounds of Pollok Country Park and have raised more than £60,000. As part of engagement phase our artist Alec Finlay is reaching out through the theme of I remember with people being encouraged to submit a single sentence which can capture the thoughts and feelings throughout the pandemic.
“I suppose for me when thinking about I remember is more of a question. I don’t know how I’ll feel on the day of the workshop, but the question I do have is when will I get better, will I get better?” added Mrs Binnie, from Tranent in East Lothian.
An open day to explore the I remember theme will be held at Pollok Country Park on Saturday, September 11, but there is also the opportunity to attend virtual workshops.
To sign up for an I Remember workshop go to http://www.iremember.uk/p/events.html.
To submit an I Remember, email covidmemorial@theherald.co.uk.To donate to the campaign at gofundme.com/ herald-garden-of-remembrance. You can also send donations via post to The Herald Garden of Remembrance Campaign, Herald & Times, 125 Fullarton Drive, Glasgow, G32 8FG.
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