Winnipeg woman shares her experience of dealing with long-lasting COVID symptoms
A Winnipeg woman is sharing her experience with COVID-19 and the lasting effects she has felt despite recovering physically.
Karen Myshkowsky says she has been dealing with brain fog since recovering.
"I could see a face, I could see images, but to put that, to match the word up with the image was just impossible," she said.
Not being able to put a name to a face is just one example of how Myshkowsky is still being impacted by COVID.
When she first contracted COVID over Christmas, she said it hit her hard.
"The second day when I had symptoms I put my feet on the floor and even my feet hurt. And that's something I'd never experienced with the flu or a cold."
But a longer-lasting neurological symptom which is being called COVID fog is something she recognized right away.
"I have experienced brain fog. About 20 years ago I was diagnosed with a vestibular disease called Menieres."
On Wednesday, Dr. Joss Reimer, the medical lead of Manitoba's Vaccine Task Force, addressed COVID fog, sharing research about how the virus is affecting the brain.
"Neurological symptoms, including persistent cognitive impairment was shown to affect about one in four people who had COVID. So that's 25 per cent of survivors. That's really alarming," Reimer said on Wednesday.
She referenced another study out of Israel which showed people who were vaccinated and contracted COVID went back to baseline.
"Meaning that people who were vaccinated and had the infection, their risk of reporting long-lasting symptoms were the same as people who were never infected in the first place."
Myshkowsky said she felt validated when she heard Reimer talking about these symptoms and it made her want to share her story. She encourages others to not minimize how they are feeling.
"I think it’s really important for medical professionals to table these side effects, these symptoms that people have. It's a real thing, you're not losing it, it's a real thing," said Myshkowsky.
She said as time has gone on she feels like her COVID fog is improving and she thinks the vaccine has a lot to do with her recovery.
A spokesperson for Shared Health said, "Manitobans experiencing symptoms associated with long-COVID can access a variety of specialists for treatment via referral, most likely from their family doctor.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.