Esther caught Covid in December 2020. Esther’s daughter said that Esther experienced severe ‘complete’ body pain, difficulty breathing, watering eyes, and sneezing. She wasn’t able to eat and lost her sense of taste and smell. She could only take small quantities of a liquid diet. She was shivering and very cold and she struggled to stand, which made it difficult for even to shower. This led to a fall in which she broke her ribs. Esther was bedridden for 3-4 months and her daughter needed to care for her and get additional help to support her.

For a time, Esther felt really low in mood and questioned whether life was worth living. Her symptoms went on for about a year and it is only in the last few months she has started to feel a bit better, which she thinks is because she is taking regular painkillers that also help her sleep.

Prior to catching Covid, Esther was independent and able to be mobile. Her Covid symptoms and her broken ribs have led to her needing to use a wheelchair. Her daughter was providing her personal care but had to get additional support through the GP because she also had Covid. This support included medical care and help from the council which has enabled her to increase her independence a little, using adaptations to the home and help with cooking and cleaning. Because her daughter is still limited in the help she can give, the support has continued. Esther and her daughter try to be as positive as they can with each other, and hope that things will get better for them both.

Esther’s advice to others is that if you catch Covid you should be very careful about self-isolating and be considerate about not passing it on to others. They should make sure they wear masks and be careful to limit spread to their loved ones and stay away from family gatherings. They should take any medications they are given and relax whilst they are self-isolating.