If you have long covid, who knows?

[JustAnotherRandom]

Just that really. Saw a thread the other day where someone was highlighting how those of us not permanently housebound are in people's daily lives whether they know we have long covid or not. Quite obvious really, but resonated.

Things like not knowing why your work colleague has reduced their hours or not realising why a kid left school or why someone has put their parent in a care home or why a local business closed. Lots of people don't know I have it for various reasons.

Lots of people know I have it because it's massively affected my life including a significant amount of sick leave from my job.

But do they understand how badly it impacts me? Absolutely not. For most people Covid is over and people have short memories. They don't understand that some of us have been left fighting a battle every single day.

My work colleagues know (not sure if they believe me or understand how much it affects me), my family know but most of my friends don't. They probably just think I've become very antisocial as we never meet up any more. Even those who know don't really understand ☹️

I've had to stop working. Colleagues (ex-colleagues) and clients don't know. (Own business). A mum at pick up asked me how work was going the other day - I haven't worked for a year and a half! I said I'm not working at the moment and she said oh, I didn't go back until both mine were in school either. She had automatically assumed I'd chosen to stop - I almost told her the reason why I'd stopped, but didn't in case I went into a rant about covid policy! Statistically, I can't be the only parent at the school who has been fucked by covid though.

It's a bit like the bit in 'the beach' where acknowledging the injured guy is a bit inconvenient.

Most people know I have long covid as I feel it's easier to explain why I zone out or need breaks or decline certain things. I do manage to work but ha e a lot of agreed adjustments and my employer is very good.

Most people are understanding or interested I see it as any other long term health condition people just don't understand but will happily explain to them if they ask. I've only had 2 people say to me that it's not real (who I met on a trip) but they did that infront of my husband who defended me before I could say anything and gave them an eye opener into how and why they were wrong. They apologised within 10 minutes