How a last-minute search for a kid’s stuffed animal before a big trip helped me gauge my Long COVID recovery process. (written 04/21/2024)

Last week I mentioned my recent trip to the UK. It was great to connect with former colleagues and friends from the National Health Service, even if it offered a sobering reminder of the pressures that health systems are under. It was also a family trip, complete with the logistics of packing for younger travelers and making sure they have what they need to keep them fed, occupied and comfortable as they cross oceans, change time zones and find themselves in new places. 

Right before we were due to leave the house, I realized it was also a chance to measure progress on my Long Covid recovery journey when we realized that Snoopy - my daughter’s favorite stuffed animal - wasn’t in any of our bags and had gone missing in the house. This triggered all the usual parental searching and a slight sense of panic - we needed to get out the door, but also needed to locate Snoopy before we left. 

This was one of those moments that drove home the progress I have made on my own Long COVID recovery path. While I am not 100% to where I was, I am back to being able to juggle unexpected challenges, busy days and distractions with humor and flexibility. You can read more in this week’s blog post.

We still need more answers about Long COVID, but I am truly grateful that I’ve found a set of “recovery tools” that work for me. I no longer feel like I’m trapped in a nightmare, just barely getting by, while from the outside others don’t see that anything is different. I’m back to being able to embrace the messiness and challenges that life throws up with a confidence and lightness that feels much more like “me”. While I’m sure we would have rather not had to search for Snoopy that morning, in the end I am grateful for the chance it offered to take stock and appreciate the change I have experienced.      

Warmly,  
Katie 

PS. At the time we were trying to leave the house, we could have done without needing to search for Snoopy but in the end, I’m grateful for the opportunity it afforded to reflect on my Long COVID journey and where I am now. Check out the story in our latest blog post: How Snoopy helped measure my Long COVID recovery process.