Valérie gained a sense of control over her symptoms with the help of her kinesiologist.
Written testimony
Je suis allée quelques fois, dans le fond, la kiné, elle, ce qu’elle a fait, elle m’a monté un programme « d’exercices » entre guillemets. Bien des exercices de respiration. Ouais, vraiment plus respiration, de détente, de méditation, vraiment plus axés sur… Essayer de calmer le système nerveux, qui est vraiment en grosse surcharge, puis essayer de redonner de l’énergie un petit peu en quelque part, parce que là c’est trop. Fait que dans le fond, la kiné, elle m’a fait ça, puis elle m’a aidée aussi au niveau de la gestion de l’énergie. Elle a été chercher des documents que l’ergo là-bas, utilisaient beaucoup pour les gens qui ont l’encéphalomyélite-myalgique dans le fond, pour essayer de décrire nos journées, qu’est-ce qu’on fait? Puis trouver c’est quoi qui déclenche les malaises post-effort pour arrêter de dépasser nos limites puis éviter de retomber sans arrêt comme ça. (2-8 :05) Ça, c’est ce qui m’a aidée vraiment énormément, c’est ce qui a été le plus efficace pour m’aider puis retrouver un… Je ne dirais pas retrouver des capacités ou… Non, juste retrouver d’être un petit mieux dans mon corps, d’avoir moins de symptômes désagréables, puis de calmer un petit peu les choses.
[I went to the kinesiologist a few times, and what she did was set up an ‘exercise’ program for me. A lot of breathing exercises. Yeah, really more breathing, relaxation, meditation, really more focused on… Trying to calm the nervous system, which is really overloaded, and then trying to restore a little energy somewhere, because it’s too much. That’s what the kinesiologist did for me, and she also helped me with energy management. She went and got some documents that the occupational therapist over there used a lot for people with encephalomyelitis-myalgia, to try and describe our days, what do we do? Then find out what triggers post-exertion discomfort, so we can stop going beyond our limits and avoid falling back like that all the time. That’s what really helped me enormously, that’s what was most effective in helping me regain a… I wouldn’t say regain my abilities or… No, just regain feeling a little better in my body, having fewer unpleasant symptoms, then calming things down a little.] Translation from original French.
More content
- Mental Health Support – ValérieValérie had limited mental health support because she had to pay out of pocket.
- Getting Care for Long COVID – ValérieValérie made repeat visits to ER because she couldn't get help elsewhere.
- Complementary and Alternative Care – ValérieValérie gained a sense of control over her symptoms with the help of her kinesiologist.
- Support From Family, Friends, Communities – ValérieValérie notices her supporters running out of steam.
- Impacts on Children and Parenting – ValérieValérie wishes her children didn't have so much responsibility.
- Loss of Income and Need for Financial Support – ValérieValérie is afraid of falling into the hole of an unrecognized illness.
- Loss of Income and Need for Financial Support – ValérieValérie was studying to become a teacher. There was no teaching during lockdown so she was not entitled to employment insurance.
- People with Long COVID Advocating for Themselves – ValérieValérie is fighting to get her disability recognized after her application for social assistance was refused.
- Advice to Others Living With Long COVID – ValérieValérie warns that pushing yourself too hard can have long-term negative consequences.
- Psychosocial Impacts – ValérieValérie hits the wall emotionally every time her symptoms flare up.