there is an end

This is written as advice, help and based on many years experience. I am not a virus expert but take all my advice from those that are.

I am on week 54 from testing positive and I am still suffering. I have had many bad days when the constant pain gets worse or when the breathing gets harder. I am beginning to think the pan and lung damage is probably permanent and will permanently disable me.

I still try and remain positive and look forward to the third attempt to get married in June next year. The first 2 attempts fell to covid lockdowns. I try and be happy with my life and hope I can keep my job, this will be hard if my health doesn't improve.

What brings me down are the people saying it isn't a real disease or that the vaccine is dangerous or that its all exaggerated. I want to shout that I have suffered for over a year and its very real, I have had both vaccines and they are safe. I have also lost people so know its as bad as people say.

While people at present have the right to choose they should choose on good advice from good sources. Social media is not a good sources, people with no medical or scientific qualifications are not good sources. Unfortunately politicians are also not always good sources either.

Use your health and welfare service, independent news sources and scientific sources only to do your research. Your health is at risk far more without a vaccine then with it, don't let your nervousness or reliance on social media scaremongering affect you.

There are too many people who argue against anything and don't care how they affect people and affect their mental state. So the best way to stop them is to ignore them. I argue sometimes but soon wish I hadn't done, it winds me up and upsets me when they say vaccines are dangerous or decry my suffering.

I personally listen to the advice of my doctors, the long covid clinic and a specialist in virology on a radio show. They are the extent of my research, their advice is what I always take heed of and share with those that will listen.

It does scare me sometimes, especially with some older relatives. I just have to accept its happening and hope they take care and take the official advice. I cant control them and have to accept we are all at a degree of risk and it up to us all as individuals to help ourselves and others around us.

My clinical depression is just about under control, with a mix of hope and accepting how much I can do. My fiancé is as worried as me, my son is in a care home and should be safe, beyond them I have to let others decide. Much as I would like my family and friends to listen to and follow the experts its obvious this doesn't always happen.

Its also luck as well, I was the one wearing mask at work and taking extra care. I got covid and suffered while my fiancé caught it from me and had a far gentler version. We will have to accept covid in the same way as a common cold, at least for the next few years.

Hard as it sound we have to go with the flow, listen to the right people and most of us will come out alive at the other end.