I just read yet another story about long COVID.
Four years ago, Sonja Mally was a busy tattoo artist with a photographic memory and penchant for long hikes.
Now, the 38-year-old Toronto woman considers it a good day if she can do a small drawing, muster the energy to walk around the block or “perform very basic tasks.”
It's that one-two punch of brain fog and extreme fatigue that scares the shit out of me. Let me take you back to last Monday, December 4, 2023. That day, I was my typical high-energy self, and the synapses were firing on all cylinders. If you want to hear how I sounded that day, I recorded a 90 minute conversation with Sportsnet's Ken Reid. That audio is unedited, so you'll hear how it all went down. I was myself.
Then, Monday night, I had those fever dreams you get when you're sick and woke up Tuesday with no energy. And yes, brain fog. I more or less stayed in bed that day.
On Wednesday I wisely postponed Ivar Hamilton's visit for his exit interview and recorded remotely with Marc Nathan and Acie Earl. You'll hear congestion in my voice when Jim Shedden visited Thursday and then Damien Cox and Gord Stellick visited on Friday. I somehow managed to get through TMLX14 on Saturday but when I awoke on Monday I still felt the lack of energy and brain fog.
I didn't bike for six days. That's really all you need to know. I love cycling this city, and aim to do so every single day. But after my ride on Monday, December 4, I didn't have the energy to ride around the block until Monday, December 11. My dreams of a 12000km calendar year have come to an end.
My energy did return Monday, but after six days without it I started to wonder if it would ever come back. Did I ever miss my typical high energy! And the brain fog... I'm pretty sure I was back to normal during my chat with Steven Page and Chris Murphy on Monday. One thing about recording almost every day is there's nowhere to hide when brain fog sets in. You're fully exposed.
I have now biked six days in a row, and even rode to a concert at the Horseshoe Tavern on Wednesday night, so I'd say I'm back. But my heart goes out to those suffering from long COVID for whom these symptoms last much longer than six days.
That's my worst nightmare.
