My grandchildren recorded this very special message for International Long Covid Awareness day.

The only certain thing about the future is that it is uncertain. If you had told me five years ago that I would get seriously ill, end up hospitalised, have to give up work and retire early I would not have believed you. After all, I was a very active, hard working individual who enjoyed my job, my life, my family and my active, outdoor hobbies.

That all changed in March 2020 with my first, fairly mild dose of Covid. That is when the chronic fatigue started. In January 2021 I was hit harder with a more severe dose that left me hospitalised, on oxygen in a high dependency unit.

OK. I survived and I am thankful for that, but my life, and the life of my family was changed forever. I never managed to return to work, even though I really tried. My wife became my carer, and many things I took for granted became a struggle.

But it is not all bad. Retiring early, we chose to move to the country. We now live in a lovely, supportive village environment, and being surrounded by nature therapy is certainly a massive asset.

The Long Covid Community are sharing their stories for this 5th anniversary of lockdown and the Covid pandemic. Often a hidden illness, often debilitating, and often misunderstood. I could tell my story – but hey – I have three wonderful grandchildren who can do a much better job than me. I really do hope you have a chance to watch it.

Additional ideas and resources

1. If you have Long Covid or are a carer I recommend the Long Covid Support Facebook Group. It is run by a charity in the UK which also provides a lot of extra information on their website, Long Covid Support.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I have benefitted from NHS services including Occupational Therapy, Long Covid Clinics, and especially Respiratory Physiotherapy.

3. Counselling has helped with the key words for me being ACCEPTANCE and PACING.

4. Be honest with family and friends without overburdening them. If you need to rest, go and rest. If you can’t do something, say no. But equally do what you can within your limits.

5. I’ve had to give up a lot but have found I do still have the gift of encouragement. I had to give up or adapt a lot of my hobbies but found I can still share the joy of nature and mindfulness through my photography.

6. For that which I can do, I try to pace with realistic timelines and as few deadlines as possible. You simply have to work out what the pace is for you and try, as much as possible, to live within it. Overdoing it is a big mistake that can set you back for days or even weeks.

7. Finally, and perhaps the most important, express an attitude of gratitude. This may be related to your faith, or simply choices to love, share and admire. It is easy to become depressed – and I certainly do struggle with that, but an attitude of gratitude is a great tool to help keep that in balance.

8. You are not alone. We are in this together.

Thank you for being a part of the journey.

If you would like to share Long Covid Awareness day on your social media the profile frame is available by clicking here. Long Covid Kids runs a shop with some excellent pins, t-shirts and more.

My previous postings on Covid and Long Covid

Serving the God of Surprises – A piece I wrote just after retirement in 2022 looking back at my life and wondering what God now had in story with this new, reduced life.

Victor on Covid and Peace – A video I recorded three years ago at a time when I was hopeful of recovering from Covid.

My Christmas message of hope at the end of 2021, my career gone and early retirement just a few days ahead.