Reminder that you deserve your health

[mp]

I posted this on fb initially a few weeks ago - and another friend ended up messaging me and telling me that she had something similar and went to the ER only because of what I'd shared about jigsy (Jen). My friend found out that she had blood clots in her leg that, left untreated, could have had dire consequences. 

Women are so used to being ignored, gaslit, whatever it is - that we downplay our needs and our discomfort. No one can say if Jen would have had a different outcome if she had gotten help sooner - but I DO know that she didn't deserve to feel crappy and "tough it out" the last 10 days pre-hospital. 

So this is my reminder to you - that you deserve better. You deserve to not be in pain. You deserve to be healthy. 

Promise I'll slink back into the shadows soon - I've just really appreciated seeing all of the good vibes for Jen.
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Did you know that something like 10% of the adult US population carries around the neisseria meningitis bacteria strain as a carrier? I didn’t! But for whatever reason it never enters the brain for most of us to cause issues, and for younger folks the vaccine most have helps avoid the worst outcomes.

Jen got Covid the week before she started having meningitis symptoms. There’s just not enough research to know yet whether she had the bacteria already, then Covid suppressed her immune system enough to cause issues - or whether she got it after her immune system was suppressed.

The blood vessels in her brain are also quite narrow right now - and again, no way to know if this is Covid related, as Covid has been shown to narrow blood vessels. Or if this is in reaction to the infection and subsequent stroke.

No matter what the mix of issues is that has led to the ICU, at the very least, Covid masked the symptoms and caused Jen to doubt the severity of what she was facing.
Covid is real. Covid has real impacts that last long beyond the virus itself.

Don’t downplay Covid, and if you’re feeling long haul effects - please please talk to your dr. Don’t ignore them. 💔

[bex1973]

((( mp ))) You're a good friend <3

[Deleted]

I've followed the updates and it's heartbreaking that she was in pain for so long and was suffering so much.

[jennistarr1]

thank you for this...and for being such a good friend...I don't want you to slink back in shadows, stick around

[noodleoo]

Such a good reminder. It is hard, I manage medical appts for my whole family and somehow theirs always get done but mine end up slipping. It is hard to prioritize ourselves when we've been conditioned to put ourselves last.

My heart is broken for the pain you and her family are experiencing. My thoughts are with you all.

[shopgirl07]

Thank you for posting, truly. Please don’t sink into the shadows, you are very welcome here.

[Bernadine]

I’m going to schedule my physical and mammogram that I’ve been putt off right now.

[lilac05]

Thank you for this reminder/encouragement. I just had (minor) concerns downplayed yesterday. It’s so pervasive, and combined with women not prioritizing themselves, it is a recipe for disaster and heartbreak.

Please don’t slink back into the shadows. You are welcome and wanted here.