While much has been written about the physical health challenges of long covid, less is known about how the debilitating condition affects relationships.
Before she developed long covid, Fran Haddock, 33, enjoyed birdwatching, foraging for seasonal plants and mushrooms, and enjoying the changing seasons. Her partner, Dan Kenny, 35, shares her love for the outdoors and often accompanied her on nature walks or trips to watch wildlife.
But after becoming sick with covid in November 2022, Haddock rarely leaves her bed, and nature walks are a distant memory. Among her many symptoms,she experiences debilitating fatigue so severe that she can’t walk more than a few steps.
Now Kenny brings the outside world to her bedside: flowers from their garden, freshly cut grass to smell, or foraged acorns and chestnuts to hold.
“You have to reframe your thinking a little bit,” Kenny said. “We can’t really do much together anymore. You adapt, and you find new ways to find joy.”