A Co Down father-of-three says his life hasn't been the same after he contracted coronavirus, and now lives with Long Covid.
When John Cairns, was struck down by the virus in January 2021, it started off as what seemed like a normal cold or flu. But after three weeks, it hadn’t gone away, symptoms only getting worse.
In the first few months, he had to attend A&E three times, and fast forward two years, the 43-year-old is still battling every day with a range of debilitating symptoms, which have put a stop on many aspects of his life.
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Speaking to Belfast Live, the Comber man said he is unable to play football with his young sons due to his health issues. But he's vowed to continue to fight for support for the thousands across Northern Ireland in similar situations.
"I caught Covid and it was just like a flu," he said.
"Over time, around the first two months, it was getting worse. I was really struggling with my breathing and had zero energy levels. I went from being a guy who worked 45-50 hours a week and go out with my kids at the weekend, to finding it hard to get from my bedroom to the downstairs.
"Every time I went to A&E, they said more and more people were coming with similar symptoms after having Covid. Apart from hospital visits, I wasn't out of the house for around six months. Even at that point, when I was picking the kids up from school, it was a struggle to walk from the car to the school.
"I was someone who never would have phoned the GP at all, and then I was phoning every couple of weeks, asking if I could try something else."
John was referred to Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke (NICHS) by his GP and completed their six week Taking Control Self-Management programme for Long Covid sufferers. He hailed the course for helping his throughout the early stages of his illness.
"The Taking Control Programme was excellent," he said.
"I found it really useful during the early stage of me living with Long Covid. The information around pacing yourself, resting, relaxing, trying not to overdo things, and setting mini goals was very beneficial. Hearing from others living with chronic illnesses, not just Covid, and getting tips and suggestions from this was also very helpful.
"I also formed lasting friendships - there is one other guy who I met in the group who I still connect with today and we share advice and information. It helped that I felt I wasn’t alone, that I had a bit of support which was very needed. Without this, I probably would have been trying to fight this by myself.
"They really stepped in and helped a lot of people when there was no such thing as a Post Covid Clinic in Northern Ireland. I'm not living the life I used to. It has knocked me physically and mentally.
"It's been an absolute battle. My wife has had to take on a lot, both in work and in home. There are things I can't do anymore. I can't play football with the boys. It has been really tough on the family.
"My oldest son is 13, my daughter is 11 and then our youngest has just turned 8. It is not just me that has suffered."
John's symptoms have included a chesty cough, which then changed into shortness of breath even after mild activity, along with aching joints, back pain, pins and needles, burning sensations and heavy legs.
While he is better than what he was, John says it has taken a lot to get to this stage, and if he could get better treatment, the road to recovery would be smoother.
"I want to get back to a normal way of life. I want to get back to full-time work, to be able to play a round of golf. It sounds stupid, but these are the things that I just cannot do now, which is hard.
"This is the first time I’ve had any health issues and I feel the standard of care is nowhere near good enough. I’ve been waiting around 18 months for an urgent respiratory referral and I’m no further on. I’m lucky I’ve been able to use some private healthcare but what about others who don’t have this?
"The news now talks about the worst of the pandemic being over and getting back to normal. I think that’s great but what about me and the twenty thousand other people affected by Long COVID left without much help or treatment? So many of us are still suffering with little support and the support we do get we often have to find ourselves. Without NICHS there would be very little. It’s so frustrating.
"My employers have been very supportive. I’ve worked there for 20 years. I’ve had an Occupational Therapist working with me every couple of weeks through work, and at the moment I’m doing 12 hours a week over three days, with recovery days in between. It’s a long way from where I used to be but it’s something."
For more information on NICHS, please follow this link.
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