Staggering Grief
I did a short session today for my friend who has been sick with COVID since January 12. Running a fever every day, a little bit. Quarantined in the bedroom, her husband has been sleeping on the sofa this whole time.
She's told me, "I'm too sick to do anything or be around anyone, but not so sick I get additional support."
Last night her husband held her legs, both of them masked, while she cried. It's as choose as he dare gets.
We talked honestly about the trauma she is enduring. She cried some when I told her that her life will be permanently changed by this. Even if her body recovers 100%, the emotional effects will need to be integrated.
She tries hard to let people distract her with news. It's too hard to be present to what's happened.
I told her as little bit about what I've been learning about Long COVID, no one has told her anything at all. I explained why yoga can help.
We did a tiny bit of breath work. My experience with folks with COPD helped me pick an approach right off that was accessible and helpful. She's coughed for so long now that breathing hurts because her muscles are exhausted from the spasms of coughing.
I'm going to put together a package with a yoga strap to send her. We're going to do 2-3 thirty minute sessions a week. Short because she's so quickly exhausted by everything.
Later today she's posted a video update sharing a little of how she's doing and mentioned that the breath practice helped.
After that I spent a little time painting and sat on the deck with Ursa and the dogs. We had an impromptu Zoom happy hour and saw friends. I'm glad I had all that to support me since I'm feeling a lot of grief about the world.
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