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Superstitious people will see this as a sign. It was Friday 13, that of March, that the virus infiltrated Pauline’s life. Eight months later, nearly nine, he still refuses to cancel his mark. Sitting in her small kitchen near Toulouse (Haute-Garonne), the student stifles a sob: “I’m sorry, I have days with and others without. Today it is without. A few hours earlier, the young woman had received new test results, which showed a neurological abnormality. “More damage,” he said in a whisper, punctuating sentences more often to indicate his age, a dizzying reminder of the violence of his plight.
“At 23,” good student Pauline can no longer take business school classes without taking a nap. He can no longer guarantee his study-work program in an aviation company except during the therapeutic interval. “At 23,” the dynamic Pauline, passionate about hiking, is exhausted at the slightest effort. Exhausted even when lying down. “At 23,” Pauline, hitherto in good health, has a heart that beats so hard it sometimes beats in her ears. A few days ago, she got so carried away that the Samu evacuated her from her workplace.
The causes remain unexplained
A form of “long Covid”, as doctors call the obstinacy for weeks, even months, of the disease in some patients, especially the younger ones. According to initial estimates, 5 to 10% of positive patients still suffer from more or less severe symptoms six months after infection. On social networks we find them, like Pauline, under the hashtag # AprèsJ20.
Immune system emerging bloodless from its fight against the virus? Persistent inflammatory reaction? All avenues are open and ongoing studies are needed, as the causes remain unexplained. “Long forms have already been described for other coronaviruses, such as the Mers-Cov of 2003,” notes virologist Daniel Dunia, CNRS researcher on neurological disorders associated with infections.
Visible and invisible damage
Pauline’s heart and brain attacks are clearly visible, recorded in her special Covid medical record, which is hundreds of pages long. And there are those who are invisible to exams but very present in her life, like the stiffness she sometimes feels when she untangles her long hair or struggles to shop. “These are the things that hinder my daily life. Before going through it all, I didn’t understand what it meant to be healthy, I would get up and hop, I went on without asking questions, “she observes. So smelling the alcohol in her perfume but no longer her fruity scent, losing the taste of dark chocolate or having to wear graduated compression stockings seems almost anecdotal.” I learned. ” , he says, “to prioritize problems. “
How, when the epidemic began its tsunami in France, could he have imagined in this month of March that pain, tinnitus, his loss of smell would have been the first turbulence of a long nightmare? You who do not suffer from overweight, diabetes or anything else. Finally, first. And then, hadn’t he read and heard: “Young people are not afraid of anything”? Today he tries to alert but sees that the message is struggling to get through.
“Be patient”
Surrounded by her lover, her family and a general practitioner whom she calls “exemplary”, Pauline does not let herself go. “I take all the exams that are asked of me, dozens and dozen. In the end, I’m sure it will be useful to other people. “Opening the way, witnessing” doing things “, this is what feeds his hope.
“The long form of the disease is not recognized, not all doctors are aware of it, some tell their patients that it is in their head, there is a lack of treatment paths, centers of expertise”, list -She, not counting all the re-education costs , transportation, loss of salary he faces. “I spent more than 1000 euros to cure myself”, counts the brave student.
Obviously, she applies the advice given to her the most: “Be patient. “But almost nine months, anyway … it’s nothing.” I am afraid of having consequences for life, of having to give up projects, of not being completely myself anymore. At 23 years old.
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