‘I feel hope:’ Long Covid patient finds relief in therapy

By Bill Schammert

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    OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — The Covid Pandemic is changing.

Right now, there are roughly 7,000 people hospitalized with the virus in the United States – a number that’s never been lower since the pandemic ramped up in the Spring of 2020.

Despite the numbers, for many, finding stability and balance in life post-Covid is difficult.

“This boundless cup of energy I had before Covid isn’t there anymore,” said Sherri Magnett, a project manager from Omaha.

She still hasn’t fully recovered from a Covid diagnosis in October 2020.

“I was terrified,” she said. “It was at the peak. People were going into the hospital and not coming out.”

Magnett refused to go to the hospital and was aided by a recently retired nurse friend. She missed 10 weeks of work, but 20 months later, full recovery is something she’s still searching for.

“It was unbelievable in how it impacted my job,” she said.

Magnett said the virus destroyed the memory constructs she’d built up her entire life.

She’d get home from a couple of hours of work with a pounding headache and little memory of what happened that day.

“I close my eyes and I see nothing,” she said.

After months of fatigue, brain fog, and battles with heart and gastrointestinal issues, she was diagnosed with Long Covid.

“It’s affected every part of my life,” said the once avid hiker. “And what they’ve done here in a little over a month has been fabulous.”

The ‘here’ in that sentence is Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital’s Post-Covid Clinic. Not only are they researching problems and tracking data, they’re helping hundreds regain their strength – both mentally and physically.

“I probably do about five [new] evaluations per week,” said Erin Connelly, an occupational therapist and covid researcher at Madonna. “They tell us week after week that we’re the only ones who understand what they’re going through – that it is real.”

Connelly, along with other therapists, work with Magnett on a weekly basis.

“We give them hope that – no they’re not crazy – that this is real and a lot of it connects back to Covid and how their body has changed,” Connelly said.

From visual and spatial exercises to working on balance and mental health – Magnett said Madonna is teaching her to work within her body’s limits.

“You have to change how you deal with life and how you deal with others if you want to affect the change you need,” she said.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center is on the leading edge of Long Covid research.

“Earlier when we first seeing the virus, [Long Covid] was probably in the 10-15-20-percent range,” said chief of infectious diseases Dr. Mark Rupp.

Now, there’s improvement. Dr. Rupp said as the virus changes, Long Covid is being seen in less than 5% of new patients.

“We don’t really understand why we’re seeing these shifts,” he said. “It may be a difference in the virus itself as we see variants spinoff. It might also be more reflective of the human population having a greater degree of experience and now immunity from the virus.”

He listed the most common symptoms as ones similar to what Magnett is experiencing: shortness of breath, brain fog, chronic fatigue, cardiovascular issues, and a general sense of not feeling fully yourself.

He also said it’s reminiscent of what doctors have been seeing for decades – though rarely – after viral illnesses. But it’s not nearly to the scale as what’s happened with Covid.

“They just aren’t as sharp as they used to be,” he said. “Not thinking as clearly as they did prior to getting ill. Unfortunately, there are not great explanations for that at this point.”

And they all scoff when asked about the legitimacy of Long Covid.

Dr. Rupp said people with Long Covid need to be approached with compassion and understanding.

“These are not folks trying to malinger or get out of their responsibilities,” he said. “Many of them would like nothing more than to be restored to good health. That’s the main proof this is not just a figment of our imagination.”

He also acknowledges that some people with Long Covid may not ever reach 100%.

After nearly two-and-a-half years of doubt, Magnett said that doubt is fading. Her goals are simple: hike with her family and get back to reading again.

“I feel hope,” she said. “I’ll be honest, it’s the first time I’ve felt hope since I had Covid.”

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