WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:07.679 It's night Side with Dan Ray WBZ Coostin's video. All right, Well, 2 00:00:07.719 --> 00:00:12.800 a few nights ago, one of our listeners, regular listeners, 3 00:00:12.839 --> 00:00:18.160 suggested that as we approach, were we really in the 4 00:00:18.199 --> 00:00:21.960 fifth anniversary of the arrival of COVID in this country? 5 00:00:22.079 --> 00:00:25.239 Very difficult to figure out exactly when COVID arrived, I 6 00:00:25.239 --> 00:00:28.640 mean it arrived. It first appeared at a nursing home 7 00:00:28.679 --> 00:00:31.359 I believe in the state of Washington in late January, 8 00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:34.119 early February. Then you had that conference out at the 9 00:00:34.159 --> 00:00:38.560 Long Whaff Marriott which a number of people contracted COVID, 10 00:00:39.079 --> 00:00:41.280 and then all of a sudden it percolated up and 11 00:00:41.320 --> 00:00:46.960 by this time in March of twenty and twenty, we 12 00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:49.960 were all aware that something was going on. We didn't 13 00:00:50.039 --> 00:00:55.479 know what it was happening. Remember we were we weren't 14 00:00:55.640 --> 00:00:59.240 wear masked, not wear masked, all of that. And we 15 00:00:59.280 --> 00:01:01.200 still don't know everything about it. And one of the 16 00:01:01.240 --> 00:01:04.359 things that one of the great mysteries of COVID five 17 00:01:04.439 --> 00:01:08.480 years later is what's called long COVID. And we are 18 00:01:08.599 --> 00:01:13.640 joined again. About a year ago, we talked with my 19 00:01:13.719 --> 00:01:17.120 guest Julie Sullivan. She's the program manager of the COVID 20 00:01:17.200 --> 00:01:21.640 Recovery Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital. It works with 21 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:25.239 you know, what you would call pulmonary medicine, and Julie 22 00:01:25.319 --> 00:01:28.079 is delighted, delightful to have you back. Thanks very much 23 00:01:28.120 --> 00:01:32.000 for joining us on this fifth anniversary. It's not like 24 00:01:32.319 --> 00:01:35.280 the day they signed the Declaration of Independence two hundred 25 00:01:35.280 --> 00:01:38.920 and twenty three years ago that we can pinpoint when 26 00:01:38.959 --> 00:01:43.480 it started. But you've been involved treating people with long 27 00:01:43.560 --> 00:01:47.799 COVID for quite a while. Where do we stand at 28 00:01:47.799 --> 00:01:51.439 this point? I think there's no question that long COVID 29 00:01:51.480 --> 00:01:54.159 is real. It's not something that's psychological. 30 00:01:54.239 --> 00:01:58.000 Correct, correct, Hi, Dan, I'm nice to be back. Yes, 31 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:01.920 you're right. This is definitely, definitely a physical condition. It's 32 00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:05.079 a post viral condition, and we've seen things like this 33 00:02:05.239 --> 00:02:08.879 in the past with chroduct fatigue syndrome and other conditions 34 00:02:08.879 --> 00:02:12.960 that are autoimmune that were triggered by viruses. But COVID 35 00:02:12.960 --> 00:02:15.960 has really shown a light on how dangerous post viral 36 00:02:15.960 --> 00:02:18.800 conditions can be and how pervasive they can be. 37 00:02:20.199 --> 00:02:22.479 You sent me some materials today which have had a 38 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:27.840 chance to look at, and some of these are frightening. 39 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:33.919 For example, I believe that you're convinced that about ten 40 00:02:34.039 --> 00:02:39.919 to thirty percent of COVID nine nineteen cases. COVID cases 41 00:02:40.439 --> 00:02:44.080 result in long COVID. I mean there were millions of 42 00:02:44.120 --> 00:02:49.560 Americans who contracted COVID. Was there one strain of it 43 00:02:49.879 --> 00:02:55.840 that made people more likely to have long COVID? Or 44 00:02:56.319 --> 00:02:58.879 is that number of ten to thirty percent? I mean 45 00:02:58.879 --> 00:03:02.000 that's a wide number because one one in ten to 46 00:03:02.080 --> 00:03:06.080 three and ten. Just drill down on that for me 47 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:07.800 a little bit. What are you telling me there? Would 48 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:08.759 you send me that number? 49 00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:11.639 Yeah? Definitely. And so when we talk about long COVID, 50 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:15.919 we talk about symptoms that persist beyond the usual infection period. 51 00:03:16.360 --> 00:03:19.080 So when we say ten to thirty percent, that includes 52 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:22.800 people who had camble symptoms for six weeks, eight weeks, 53 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:25.800 two months in recovery, and so is anything that extends 54 00:03:25.879 --> 00:03:30.080 beyond that period. It's hard to get exact numbers because 55 00:03:30.120 --> 00:03:33.199 some people do recover and everyone's recovery rate is different. 56 00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:39.280 We estimate that six to seven percent have ongoing chronic symptoms. 57 00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:42.879 The first wave the pandemic was definitely the most dangerous, 58 00:03:42.879 --> 00:03:44.560 and we didn't have any community. 59 00:03:45.000 --> 00:03:47.719 Yeah, hold on, just want me show six to seven 60 00:03:47.879 --> 00:03:53.120 percent of all US adults. That's that's what we're here, 61 00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:57.199 That's what I believe, Okay, And with everyone. 62 00:03:56.840 --> 00:03:59.680 Knows someone with long COVID. You know, you can talk 63 00:03:59.719 --> 00:04:02.479 to your friends and you'll find someone who says, yes, 64 00:04:02.520 --> 00:04:04.960 I have long COVID, or someone who says, you know, 65 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:07.560 my breathing never has been the same since I had 66 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:09.520 COVID two years ago, or have never been able to 67 00:04:09.560 --> 00:04:11.360 exercise to that point. 68 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:15.639 By the way, Julie, I'm not challenging on any of 69 00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:20.079 these statistics. I'm trying to re emphasize the seriousness of this. 70 00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:23.279 I have friends, and I think I mentioned and he's 71 00:04:23.319 --> 00:04:27.120 a pretty well known former tennis player, Cliff Richie, who 72 00:04:27.160 --> 00:04:31.040 to this day deals with long COVID. And Cliff was 73 00:04:31.079 --> 00:04:35.240 one of the healthiest individuals that I have ever known. 74 00:04:35.519 --> 00:04:39.279 You know, he's a he's a little older, you know, 75 00:04:39.319 --> 00:04:43.160 he's in his late seventies at this point. But there 76 00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:46.040 are days when I'll call him on the phone and 77 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:48.519 he'll just say, Dan, I can't talk. I mean, and 78 00:04:48.639 --> 00:04:55.279 he literally is, and he's it's just it's some people. 79 00:04:55.319 --> 00:04:58.600 Some people are bet bound and homebound. It's that severe. 80 00:04:59.199 --> 00:05:02.240 So just like when you contract COVID, there's a difference 81 00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:04.759 in severity where some people you know, can go into 82 00:05:04.759 --> 00:05:07.839 respiratory failure and die and other people have no symptoms. 83 00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:11.759 There is also a range with long COVID, and it 84 00:05:11.839 --> 00:05:14.319 is scary because every time you can tract COVID, you 85 00:05:14.360 --> 00:05:16.959 increase your risk of developing long COVID. 86 00:05:17.839 --> 00:05:20.800 WHOA now, now, real quick question here, and I want 87 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:23.040 to stay with the notes that you sent me are 88 00:05:23.160 --> 00:05:29.879 which are just unbelievably scary. COVID is still around the 89 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:36.439 The Department of Health here in Massachusetts releases statistics every week. 90 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:40.040 It doesn't get into the written newspaper. I don't see 91 00:05:40.040 --> 00:05:43.360 it in the globe of the Herald, but there's always 92 00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:47.120 you know, seven, eight, ten people who pass away from 93 00:05:47.160 --> 00:05:51.680 COVID and that's that's a lot of depths over the 94 00:05:51.680 --> 00:05:55.759 course of a year in one state. Do we have 95 00:05:55.959 --> 00:05:57.920 and I know this may get into not into your 96 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:02.120 area of expertise, What can you hear about the possibility 97 00:06:02.120 --> 00:06:04.360 that you know, we've been told now it's always going 98 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:06.560 to be with us, like the flow, it's never gone away. 99 00:06:06.680 --> 00:06:08.399 Is that is that accurate? 100 00:06:09.959 --> 00:06:13.600 I think it is, although we're certainly not doing anything 101 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:16.800 to make COVID go away. You know the numbers I 102 00:06:16.839 --> 00:06:20.319 think the reporting is still it's still underreported because people 103 00:06:20.360 --> 00:06:24.040 are not testing for COVID and they're not treating COVID 104 00:06:24.079 --> 00:06:26.680 when they have it and not preventing transmission of it, 105 00:06:26.920 --> 00:06:30.360 and that perpetuates the matter as it continues to evolve 106 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:33.959 and it continues to make new variants to stay in 107 00:06:33.959 --> 00:06:37.399 our systems, and that is scary because it can mutate 108 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:40.040 to get more dangerous, to be more contagious, and we've 109 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:42.040 seen that happen over the course of the pandemic. 110 00:06:43.720 --> 00:06:46.519 Do you think that at some point in the future 111 00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:53.959 it's conceivable that we could be looking at a repeat 112 00:06:54.040 --> 00:06:57.240 of twenty twenty or is that the worst of it, 113 00:06:58.120 --> 00:07:00.639 and that it may come back in various income our nations, 114 00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:02.800 but it's never going to come back with that intensity. 115 00:07:02.839 --> 00:07:03.800 What's your thought on that? 116 00:07:05.000 --> 00:07:07.360 Well, my thought is that we have more pandemics ahead 117 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:11.199 of us, maybe not COVID, but other viruses, you know, 118 00:07:11.240 --> 00:07:13.759 the H one, N five and a lot of these 119 00:07:13.839 --> 00:07:18.439 viruses that are pretty dangerous and circulating could transfer over 120 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:21.199 to humans and become pretty deadly to humans again, So 121 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:23.519 I think we always have to be very conscious of that. 122 00:07:23.800 --> 00:07:28.160 I don't know that COVID itself would evolved to become 123 00:07:28.199 --> 00:07:31.560 more dangerous. That there are other coronaviruses that certainly could 124 00:07:31.639 --> 00:07:33.279 develop to become dangerous. 125 00:07:33.959 --> 00:07:37.240 And the problem, I think is that when when COVID 126 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:41.079 really hit, and it hit with the intensity that that 127 00:07:41.160 --> 00:07:43.879 those of us you know, who were around at that 128 00:07:44.040 --> 00:07:46.839 time and over a certain age, I think if you 129 00:07:46.920 --> 00:07:50.639 were over ten years old, you recognized that this was 130 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:54.519 this was a pandemic and that was a big word 131 00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:58.120 that people were getting used to, an epidemic of international 132 00:07:58.120 --> 00:08:02.519 proportions that that we kind of did rally and everybody 133 00:08:02.600 --> 00:08:05.240 was a little more careful. But I feel that as 134 00:08:05.319 --> 00:08:09.800 time goes by, we're getting sloppy again. Not that I 135 00:08:09.839 --> 00:08:12.600 want everyone wearing masks or anything like that, but it 136 00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:15.199 just seems to me that if it's not in the 137 00:08:15.240 --> 00:08:20.439 forefront of our mind of our minds, that gives that 138 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:23.759 puts us at a collective disadvantage. And I don't use 139 00:08:23.800 --> 00:08:26.439 the word collective a lot, because I'm not I'm not 140 00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:29.720 a fan of that word. But if I don't take 141 00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:33.600 care of myself and watch out, it might come back 142 00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:36.399 to I might not get it, but maybe somehow I 143 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:39.200 will transmit it to you or to someone else. Am 144 00:08:39.240 --> 00:08:39.799 I crazy? 145 00:08:39.879 --> 00:08:42.960 When I talk that way, No, I think you're right. 146 00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:45.279 I think we have gotten really sloppy. We learned some 147 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:48.000 really important things during the early days of the pandemic 148 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:52.919 around washing our hands and avoiding crowds and not sanitizing 149 00:08:52.919 --> 00:08:56.679 after you touch high contact surfaces, staying home when you're 150 00:08:56.759 --> 00:08:58.720 sick to protect other people, and a lot of those 151 00:08:58.840 --> 00:09:02.720 just basic respiratory egien and infection control practices we've really 152 00:09:02.759 --> 00:09:05.440 slipped away from. And I think that's also why we 153 00:09:05.480 --> 00:09:10.840 saw such surgeons of viruses in general this winter, with 154 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:15.159 flu A and flu B and RSV and the neurovirus. 155 00:09:15.200 --> 00:09:18.960 So it's been a messy winter for sure for viruses 156 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:21.519 and a lot of infections control and respiratory hygiene could 157 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:23.559 see people a lot of grief. 158 00:09:25.639 --> 00:09:28.840 My guest is Julie Sullivan. Julie has been on the 159 00:09:28.840 --> 00:09:32.080 front lines of the COVID battle for many years, for 160 00:09:32.200 --> 00:09:37.360 five years and probably realistically before that. Julie is currently 161 00:09:37.879 --> 00:09:40.840 the manager of the COVID Recovery Center at Brigham and 162 00:09:40.879 --> 00:09:44.399 Women's Hospital. You have dealt with a lot of people 163 00:09:45.159 --> 00:09:49.320 over the last few years, without again identifying people, I 164 00:09:49.399 --> 00:09:52.639 want to drill down in our next segment, what have 165 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:55.360 you been doing. How do you pull people out of 166 00:09:55.399 --> 00:09:59.559 this pit of despair? And it is a pit of despair. 167 00:09:59.639 --> 00:10:01.559 And if you do, you have any questions and you'd 168 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:03.919 like to talk with Julie, all you've got to do 169 00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:05.799 is give us a call six one seven, two, five, 170 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:08.320 four ten thirty or six one seven, nine three one 171 00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:11.320 ten thirty. We'll get to phone calls for Julie Sullivan. 172 00:10:11.480 --> 00:10:17.120 Your questions about COVID, about your situation. Feel free to 173 00:10:17.559 --> 00:10:21.600 ask whatever ever questions you like. As I learned many 174 00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:24.799 years ago in law school, the only dumb questions of 175 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:27.159 the questions you don't have the courage to ask, because 176 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:28.960 that's the one that's going to be in the midterm 177 00:10:29.080 --> 00:10:32.519 or the final exam. Six one seven, five four ten thirty, 178 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:34.919 six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. My name 179 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:38.200 is Dan Ray, Delighted to be joined by Julie Sullivan 180 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:42.559 on the topic of recovery from long COVID Back after 181 00:10:42.600 --> 00:10:46.639 this Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window 182 00:10:46.639 --> 00:10:47.679 World night Side. 183 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:50.120 Studios on WBZ News Radio. 184 00:10:51.559 --> 00:10:55.200 My guest is Julie Sullivan. She is an expert on 185 00:10:55.320 --> 00:10:59.600 recovering from long COVID UH. She works at Brigham and 186 00:10:59.639 --> 00:11:05.120 Women Hospital, in the COVID Recovery center, She's dealt with 187 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:08.919 lots of people over time. Julia Kinda, this may be 188 00:11:09.000 --> 00:11:12.519 a question that is beyond your realm of expertise. I 189 00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:14.559 suspect it isn't, but just in case. 190 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:14.759 It is. 191 00:11:15.480 --> 00:11:17.720 One of the things about COVID that has struck me 192 00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:23.799 as curious, and that is, when you buy or you 193 00:11:23.879 --> 00:11:27.879 get from the government COVID tests, they don't seem to 194 00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:32.120 have a long life expectancy. And my suspicion is that 195 00:11:32.120 --> 00:11:34.519 there's a lot of people listening to the program tonight 196 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:39.480 who have never checked the use by date on their 197 00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:43.519 COVID test packets, and when they need to use them, 198 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:46.360 they're going to find that they are theoretically out of date. 199 00:11:46.840 --> 00:11:50.600 How come, and this again maybe beyond your realm, how 200 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:53.399 come our government could not come up with a test 201 00:11:53.799 --> 00:11:59.360 which which would maintain its capability for more than just 202 00:11:59.399 --> 00:12:00.000 a few months. 203 00:12:01.240 --> 00:12:04.720 That's a good question that is beyond my realm of expertise, actually, 204 00:12:05.039 --> 00:12:06.159 and I. 205 00:12:05.240 --> 00:12:09.360 Don't know to me that that if for you, four 206 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:12.039 months from now or next September, something like COVID comes 207 00:12:12.120 --> 00:12:15.559 roaring back, we're all going to go to our uh, 208 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:18.279 you know, to our medicine cabinets and pull out some 209 00:12:18.759 --> 00:12:21.600 some tests. What you're gonna say, well, this expired, you know, 210 00:12:21.639 --> 00:12:22.639 a year and a half ago. 211 00:12:23.159 --> 00:12:26.600 Yeah, well you could be like me and and replenish 212 00:12:26.679 --> 00:12:30.679 your COVID tests and especially so before every search. So 213 00:12:31.159 --> 00:12:31.759 that's what I do. 214 00:12:32.039 --> 00:12:36.559 That's okay, solid advice. Let's uh, let's get some phone 215 00:12:36.600 --> 00:12:38.720 calls and see what see what people have to say. Again, 216 00:12:38.759 --> 00:12:41.559 if you've had an experience and you want to compare notes, uh, 217 00:12:41.639 --> 00:12:44.600 if you want to talk or ask a question, you're 218 00:12:44.600 --> 00:12:48.039 more than welcome. Let's go. First off to Steve and Lynz. Steve, 219 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:51.720 welcome your first ISS hour with Julie Sullivan talking about 220 00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:52.759 long COVID. 221 00:12:53.879 --> 00:12:54.919 Yes, how you doing it? 222 00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:55.120 Then? 223 00:12:56.399 --> 00:12:59.399 I never got checked. I've never had the call. They 224 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:02.039 had the flu from a flu shot, and I got 225 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:06.720 COVID in twenty twenty one on our tour of fourteen 226 00:13:08.200 --> 00:13:11.360 and I spent four months in the Mass General in 227 00:13:11.480 --> 00:13:15.559 six weeks in a coma in five weeks. One how 228 00:13:15.559 --> 00:13:17.320 to walk. I just don't want to bother everybody because 229 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:19.120 I know your phone is probably busy. 230 00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:25.360 And so wait a second, so they gave me a Steve, Steve, 231 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:27.360 just pay with me for a second. You've thrown a 232 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:31.039 lot at us. Let's absorb it because your experience is 233 00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:36.360 important to talk about. So you had never really been 234 00:13:36.440 --> 00:13:39.559 someone who who contracted this stuff? Is what you? What 235 00:13:39.720 --> 00:13:42.519 I think you said? Did? You were a pretty healthy individual? 236 00:13:43.559 --> 00:13:45.519 Very very okay? 237 00:13:46.200 --> 00:13:46.320 Ed? 238 00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:49.440 Did you go ahead and get the COVID shots or no? 239 00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:53.440 In twenty one No, I didn't even know there was 240 00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:55.600 anything out there that early. 241 00:13:57.240 --> 00:13:59.240 Okay, so walk. 242 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:01.600 Available. 243 00:14:01.960 --> 00:14:04.879 Yeah, Steve, just listen to what Julie's going to ask 244 00:14:04.919 --> 00:14:07.519 you here, Okay, please. You know, I know you want 245 00:14:07.519 --> 00:14:09.000 to get your story out, and I want to get 246 00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:10.679 it out because I think it's going to be important. 247 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:13.559 But you just got to also give us a chance 248 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:16.080 to interact with you. Julie, you had a question or 249 00:14:16.120 --> 00:14:17.000 a comment for Steve. 250 00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:20.679 It sounds like Steve contracted COVID before all of the 251 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:24.600 vaccinations are readily available, and I'm so sorry that you 252 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:29.440 experienced that. It's not unusual, you know, people get very 253 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:31.840 stick with COVID, but there's just something that they don't 254 00:14:31.879 --> 00:14:35.799 quite understand yet in our DNA or our immune system 255 00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:39.279 that individual to each person that dictates how your body 256 00:14:39.320 --> 00:14:43.000 responds to COVID. And so you had no reason to 257 00:14:43.080 --> 00:14:46.240 think that this virus would affect you so badly. But 258 00:14:46.360 --> 00:14:49.360 it's it's just a special kind of virus. And I'm 259 00:14:49.399 --> 00:14:51.919 so sorry that you went through that, and you're continuing 260 00:14:51.960 --> 00:14:52.559 to go through that. 261 00:14:54.440 --> 00:14:58.600 I want to ask you a question, Steve. You said 262 00:14:58.759 --> 00:15:03.039 that you contracted COVID in October of twenty twenty one. 263 00:15:04.080 --> 00:15:07.559 Yeah, October fourteenth. Even though I was sick, I had 264 00:15:07.639 --> 00:15:12.559 double pneumonia, just like I had a problem breathing. Were 265 00:15:12.600 --> 00:15:15.919 you passed out during I was going to the bathroomen, 266 00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:18.679 I passed out and thank god somebody was there to 267 00:15:18.759 --> 00:15:19.759 call me an ambulance. 268 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:24.120 Were you aware? Were you aware, Steve, that there were 269 00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:29.200 COVID shots that by October of twenty twenty one were available? 270 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:35.679 Not really? Okay, so you don't remember. 271 00:15:35.480 --> 00:15:37.799 I could have That's that's another thing that happened. My 272 00:15:37.879 --> 00:15:40.919 memory is just my short term memories wiped out. 273 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:44.600 How is this? Are you back to work or what's 274 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:45.720 your life like today? 275 00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:51.440 I don't know. I'm disabled. It gave me neuropathy. My 276 00:15:51.559 --> 00:15:55.480 legs swello up, my cap on, my knees down, they 277 00:15:55.559 --> 00:16:00.799 swell up like four times the size of my normal's calf. Hey, 278 00:16:01.480 --> 00:16:06.159 my sense of smells not back. Even nobody's from me 279 00:16:06.279 --> 00:16:08.600 to be normal and. 280 00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:12.799 Seeing Steve, are you seeing doctors or are you in any 281 00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:14.559 sort of a program at all? Or no? 282 00:16:15.399 --> 00:16:20.240 Oh? Absolutely, yeah, I have a doctors and I've been 283 00:16:20.360 --> 00:16:23.639 checked by all cons of people. Plus i had ostio. 284 00:16:24.120 --> 00:16:25.960 Its like a deal with that, but it made that 285 00:16:26.120 --> 00:16:27.720 like three times as painful. 286 00:16:28.200 --> 00:16:30.240 Let me ask you this question, Steve, if I could 287 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:31.320 ask how old are you? 288 00:16:32.320 --> 00:16:35.240 I'm sick. I'm sixty to you right now. 289 00:16:35.639 --> 00:16:39.360 Sixty three. So it's a pretty good chance you might 290 00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:40.919 never work again. 291 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:46.120 Oh I can barely. I can't walk a couple of 292 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:48.639 hundred feet. I have to walk with a cane. 293 00:16:48.679 --> 00:16:54.639 Now, okay, Julie, Is I assume you deal with folks 294 00:16:54.679 --> 00:16:57.480 like Steve fairly frequently? Yeah? 295 00:16:57.679 --> 00:16:59.039 Yeah, okay. 296 00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:03.159 Is Steve you're your quintessential sort of patient or is 297 00:17:03.159 --> 00:17:06.400 he an exceptionally impacted patient? 298 00:17:07.559 --> 00:17:11.200 You know what Stinus describing is what COVID does. It 299 00:17:11.240 --> 00:17:15.799 causes an ongoing inflammatory and immune response, and that's why 300 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:19.279 he's continuing to suffer to this day. You know, if 301 00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:21.319 it was a one and done and then you just 302 00:17:21.319 --> 00:17:23.839 could heal from it, like a stroke or something like that, 303 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:26.720 that would be one thing, but the virus stays on 304 00:17:26.839 --> 00:17:29.920 in your system and continues to recapog and that's what 305 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:31.640 makes recovery so challenging. 306 00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:37.680 What what advice would you have for Steve kN again? 307 00:17:37.720 --> 00:17:40.839 Should he be someone who's calling your program or should 308 00:17:40.839 --> 00:17:43.680 he be reaching out? Are there similar programs on the 309 00:17:43.720 --> 00:17:45.960 North Shore that might be more convenient for him? What 310 00:17:46.599 --> 00:17:48.480 can we do for him at this point? 311 00:17:48.839 --> 00:17:51.960 Yeah, so I would recommend that. It sounds like, were 312 00:17:51.960 --> 00:17:59.000 you connected with MATH general still? Is that where you're hospitalized? Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, 313 00:17:59.039 --> 00:18:00.839 so it would be good to stay connected with them. 314 00:18:01.319 --> 00:18:05.720 You know, when it comes to along COVID programs, there's. 315 00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:05.160 Not a lot. 316 00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:07.640 We were very fortunate to have three here in the 317 00:18:07.640 --> 00:18:11.759 Boston area at Sigum and Women's and Beth Israel Deaconness 318 00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:14.680 of Boston Medical Center. But one thing, and we can 319 00:18:14.680 --> 00:18:16.319 talk a little bit more about this, is that what 320 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:19.880 we offer is an addition to medical support for people 321 00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:24.880 experiencing long COVID and post hospital issues from COVID is 322 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:28.720 access to clinical trials and then a lot of community 323 00:18:28.759 --> 00:18:31.400 support and the ability to connect with other people who 324 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:34.559 have long COVID and understand what you're going through and 325 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:37.160 so we have support groups and we do a lot 326 00:18:37.160 --> 00:18:40.240 of community building, and we have presentations from experts and 327 00:18:41.480 --> 00:18:44.039 the weekly newsletter to keep people updated on the latest 328 00:18:44.200 --> 00:18:48.000 with COVID research because of this changing. So I think 329 00:18:48.039 --> 00:18:50.039 it would be wonderful for you to be connected with 330 00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:53.200 something like that and then also get to maintain hope. 331 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:55.640 You know, we really hope that in the next couple 332 00:18:55.720 --> 00:18:59.039 of years they're going to develop some focused treatments for 333 00:18:59.160 --> 00:19:02.079 COVID that will still up this ongoing effect that's having 334 00:19:02.119 --> 00:19:05.160 on your body. And well, you may not, you know, 335 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:08.359 get back to one hundred percent, and it's likely you won't. Unfortunately, 336 00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:10.880 you might be able to feel better than you do now, 337 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:13.319 and that's the hope that everybody can get at least 338 00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:15.799 better than they are now with good treatments. 339 00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:18.720 Julie, we're going to be able to give the number 340 00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:23.559 of the phone number for your facility, So could Steve 341 00:19:23.880 --> 00:19:28.039 call there and get some more specific guidance based upon 342 00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:30.240 where he lives if he calls there sometime in the 343 00:19:30.279 --> 00:19:30.839 next day or so. 344 00:19:31.559 --> 00:19:34.920 Oh, absolutely absolutely, And we see people from from across 345 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:36.880 the state and people out of state as well. 346 00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:41.240 Great, Okay, Steve, we will give this number a couple 347 00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:43.279 of times between now and the end of the show. 348 00:19:43.319 --> 00:19:45.720 So why don't you get yourself a pencil piece of 349 00:19:45.720 --> 00:19:49.279 paper and we'll give the number that I would advise 350 00:19:49.319 --> 00:19:52.119 you to give a call tomorrow and they may have 351 00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:53.960 some some help for you. 352 00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:57.440 Okay, right, I just I just pray to God that 353 00:19:57.599 --> 00:19:59.839 nobody else goes for this because this is horror. 354 00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:03.880 Okay, well, just again, at least we're going to get 355 00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:07.920 you a contact number for you to call tomorrow and 356 00:20:08.279 --> 00:20:11.720 make that your task of the day. Thanks Steve, hanging there, buddy. 357 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:14.200 Okay, thank you very much for talking to me. 358 00:20:14.160 --> 00:20:17.000 You're welcome, Thank you for calling. We take a quick break. 359 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:20.680 My guest is Julie Sullivan. We're talking about long COVID. 360 00:20:21.319 --> 00:20:26.200 Julie is associated with Brigham and Women's Hospital. She has 361 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:29.839 been dealing with this battle now for years. Your questions 362 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:33.160 are welcome. And Julie, why don't we give that number 363 00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:36.240 out at least now, and then we'll give it out 364 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:39.000 a couple more times. How can people reach out to 365 00:20:39.079 --> 00:20:43.079 the recovery group at Brigham and Women's and maybe get 366 00:20:43.119 --> 00:20:47.720 referred on or maybe become a member of your greer. 367 00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:49.640 Yeah, and I want to struss that if you if 368 00:20:49.640 --> 00:20:51.279 you want to be in our program, you are in 369 00:20:51.319 --> 00:20:55.160 our program. We don't have enrollment criteria. You don't have 370 00:20:55.200 --> 00:20:57.200 to be seeing a doctor at Britain and Women's in 371 00:20:57.319 --> 00:20:59.880 order to be in our program. We want everyone who 372 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:02.440 suffering effects of COVID to be part of our long 373 00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:06.599 COVID community and have access to the resources that we have. Okay, 374 00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:07.319 So I'll keep you. 375 00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:07.920 The phone number. 376 00:21:08.319 --> 00:21:15.119 Yep, yep at six yep five two five m three 377 00:21:15.240 --> 00:21:16.119 six six five. 378 00:21:17.720 --> 00:21:20.680 Okay, So six one seven five two five three six 379 00:21:20.799 --> 00:21:23.440 sixty five and I assume that's a nine to five number. 380 00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:26.480 It is, yeah, Okay, great, We'll. 381 00:21:26.279 --> 00:21:29.640 Be back with Julie Sullivan talking about long COVID. Your calls, 382 00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:32.720 your comments, your questions are welcome. We'll do this until 383 00:21:32.720 --> 00:21:35.119 about ten o'clock and we're going to change topics at 384 00:21:35.160 --> 00:21:37.680 ten o'clock. So get on the line right now. One 385 00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:39.920 line at six one seven, two five four to ten thirty. 386 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:42.599 One line at six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. 387 00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:45.400 This is an opportunity to for you to ask questions 388 00:21:45.480 --> 00:21:49.559 or maybe even like Steve, find some support, if not help. 389 00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:51.599 Back on Night Side right after the news. We're a 390 00:21:51.640 --> 00:21:53.640 little late for the news, but here it comes right now. 391 00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:59.359 You're on Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm WAZ Boston's 392 00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:04.240 news Radio. All right, we're talking with Julie Sullivan. She 393 00:22:04.359 --> 00:22:06.759 is the program manager for the COVID Recovery Center at 394 00:22:06.759 --> 00:22:10.880 Brigaman Women's Hospital. We gave that number earlier six one seven, 395 00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:14.319 five two five three, six sixty five. We will give 396 00:22:14.359 --> 00:22:18.440 it a couple of more times between now and ten o'clock. 397 00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:22.240 Let's keep rolling here, going to go to Larry out 398 00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:24.759 of the Cape. Larry, you are involved in this matter 399 00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:27.720 of fact. You are the person who suggested Julie join us. 400 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:29.519 Thank you for that suggestion, go right. 401 00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:34.160