I want to preface this story by giving you a picture of who I was before the vaccination.
I’m a mother of two, a preschool teacher, business owner and military wife. I am an avid marathon runner and love yoga and hiking. I lived an active and healthy lifestyle.
In March of 2020 the world went on lockdown. Our preschool was forced to close and I began to rely solely on the income from my husband and my small business.
In May of 2021 we got the news that education workers were considered front-line staff and we were able to open for emergency care and to get our first dose. My employer at the time wrote us letters stating we needed to be prioritized.
May of 2021 I received my first dose of Moderna.
June of 2021 I went into pulmonary distress and found myself in the ER unable to breathe with extreme chest and back pains. My heart rate was 195 bpm.
The first doctor I saw diagnosed me with dehydration and asthma, gave me four liters of saline and four puffs of Ventolin every hour. After 10 hours my heart rate still didn’t lower, however he decided to send me home with some steroids for the asthma. The nurses were shocked but I was sent home regardless.
Two days later I returned to the hospital as my symptoms had not subsided and I was unable to even walk to the bathroom. The new ER doctor I saw was amazing and he diagnosed me with post-vaccine myocarditis and started me on immediate treatment (ibuprofen and colchicine). This diagnosis was backed up by my family doctor and the chief medical officer of our area.
I was quickly referred to the Heart Institute in Ottawa and am being treated and followed by world renown cardiologist, Dr. Liu. I’ve had MRIs, CT scans, ECGs, ultrasounds, x-rays, bloodwork – the list goes on. I am medically exempted indefinitely from receiving any further COVID vaccinations.
I was treated with steroids from June until December and we agreed to attempt to wean off them. Unfortunately my myocarditis symptoms have returned and over the last month I was diagnosed with a neurological/nervous system disorder called POTS. The symptoms of this disorder affects virtually everything in my life. It causes a high heart rate, dizziness, fainting, nausea, vomiting, headaches and increased sweating. When I stand for longer than a few minutes, my heart rate increases to 130 – 140 bpm and my blood pressure easily reaches 145/111. And this is with a beta blocker.
In the last month I was terminated by my employer of seven years because I am unable to be fully vaccinated. My employer is choosing to staff only with fully vaccinated staff and will not accept my exemption.
I have stayed quiet for almost a full year, afraid to speak up for fear of being judged or not believed, or having it affect my employment. I now have the medical team behind me willing to fight on my behalf and am feeling more empowered to share my journey.
I know there’s thousands of us with these symptoms. I’m hoping that sharing my story helps give hope to another person experiencing this. I have not recovered , but I am no longer alone.
Update: Feb 2021
It’s been such a long road so far. A little update for everyone who follows my story.
I was diagnosed with POTS (a nervous system injury) a few weeks ago and since then have been trying to figure out something to help. My main issues are dizziness and vertigo. Nothing helps it except lying down. Second to this would be the GI issues. I live in a constant state of nausea which includes a lot of vomiting. I started a beta blocker and was taking it at night. It was causing my heart rate to drop too much overnight and the heart rate spike when I woke up was making me sick. So I switched it to morning and that seems to have helped.
I’m on a protocol to increase my blood volume so my heart doesn’t have to pump so hard. I should drink about four liters a day and increase my salt intake by two to three teaspoons. This is soooo hard for me, but I definitely notice an improvement if I follow the protocol.
I sought legal counsel for my issue with my last employer and was able to obtain severance pay and they admitted wrongful dismissal. My heart is so broken that I won’t ever be returning. It still feel surreal.
My small business on Etsy was shadow banned this week for being too successful (literally) so any support on my website would be so appreciated – www.bugandbeandecor.com
I am trying to take it one day at a time. I can see my triggers now and can prevent myself from fainting. It’s just not easy to drive or shop because it is all so unpredictable.
Cardiology and my medical team continue to be so amazing. I am so blessed to have had access to such amazing care from day one.
Thank you all for continuing to follow.
- I’ve also had bad joint pain and swelling in new areas, but it’s unknown if that is related to the vaccine.