When John had a stroke in October 2021, he was tested for Covid in hospital and found that he was positive. John was told that ‘sticky blood’ caused by Covid may have been the cause of his stroke.  John was unconscious for 6 days and spent 15 weeks as a hospital inpatient in two hospitals, spending some of the time in isolation because he had Covid. He did some light physiotherapy whilst in hospital and sees a physiotherapist once a week now he is back at home. He lost a lot of weight whilst in hospital.

John still experiences extreme tiredness, dizziness, and incontinence, and his wife says that his attention span is very short. This hugely affects quality of life, both for him and his wife. He has also experienced some falls at home due to the dizziness and his wife worries about leaving him alone. Before his stroke and catching Covid, John was an active man for his age. He walked daily in the local park and spent time feeding the squirrels. Now he finds even walking the short distance to the bathroom a challenge, although he can wash and dress himself with the help of some bathroom aids. His biggest concern now is his lack of balance. He finds it ‘nerve-wracking’ that his balance is getting worse.

He is waiting for more investigations for his incontinence. His doctors told John’s wife that they think he has Long Covid but he hasn’t had any specific support for Long Covid. He doesn’t feel that the doctors ‘are rushing round looking for answers.’ John and his wife are visited by people from a local charity who stay with John when his wife needs to be away from the house.

John and his wife have concerns about their finances, with increasing fuel bills and other costs. They have found navigating the benefits system difficult. John would like clear guidance from someone about who to speak to access financial support. John appreciates the fantastic care that he has from his wife, but he says that Long Covid has changed both of their lives for the worse. John’s wife also thinks there should be more support for carers, especially in situations like theirs, where John’s constant tiredness means that he is able to do so little.