I'm almost 2 years into my Long COVID journey and although I haven't fully recovered yet, I've come a very long way from where I started with the help of Marianne Svanevik.
One of the things she recommended that has been most effective for me has been to travel alone for weeks. Impossible? Maybe not. :)
Being sick with young children is not easy I'm married and have two young daughters (7 & 3 years old). As all parents of young children know, there are many little things that drain energy in daily life! Everything from breakfast, playing, getting them to kindergarten/school, dinner, homework, activities, bedtime, etc. My wife has largely taken care of all this so that I could focus on getting better. But, when I'm at home, it's almost impossible to perfectly execute my daily plan. The kids come into my room wanting to play, I feel guilty for not being more involved and I really want to contribute, and I can feel a little stress as the clock approaches 3:00 PM: "They'll be home in half an hour...". Of course, I love my family very much! I want them to come home, and I want to be with them, but at the same time, it's a bit stressful because I know I have to protect myself. The peace, quiet, and control over my own day and plan disappear.
Sticking to a strict plan for a long time can be emotionally challenging Another thing that has been challenging for me is sticking to a relatively strict plan for a long time. Yes, I can continuously do more and more, but the feeling of not being able to live normally can be frustrating, and when I've been at home for longer periods focusing solely on my treatment, it starts to wear me down. I get tired of my situation and start feeling sorry for myself - which isn't good for me.
So, I travel away and am alone periodically A crucial tip I received to reduce energy thieves, frustration, and other unpleasant feelings was to go away, alone. I did this for the first time after being sick for about a year and was in Spain for nearly a month (see below how this is financially possible). It was a great success for me, and I came back significantly healthier: much happier, with more energy, and importantly, I was able to walk much further and faster than before I left. Therefore, I continued going away periodically, about every third month (more or less). Lovely! When I'm alone, I have great control over my day and can thus execute my plan well. There are far fewer energy thieves when you're alone. Paradoxically, I feel less guilty towards my wife and children when I'm away because we agree that this is best for the family (the faster I get well, the better for everyone), and because I don't constantly have to say no to my children. It becomes a bit like "out of sight, out of mind," roughly speaking. As I write this, I'm on my longest "going away alone" trip - it will be six weeks in total! I know this might sound extreme to many, but for me and our family, it's worth the investment and the longing for dad (and dad's longing for his wife and kids).
Could going away be something for you? We are all different. I don't know what will work for you. Many might have situations at home that make it extra difficult to leave. What I would recommend is at least considering taking a trip of at least 2 weeks to a warmer climate (if you live in a colder one like I do in Norway). If it works, great; if not, at least you've tried.
7 tips for smart going away
If you're considering going away, it's crucial to minimize energy thieves so the trip doesn't take more than it gives:
1. Discuss and agree that you going away alone is the best for your family or don't go. Going away doesn't work if it leads to arguments - you have to be in it together as a family.
2. Take only direct flights in roughly the same time zone, and the shorter the flight, the better (from Norway, Malaga is good, Thailand not).
3. Make it easy for yourself - take taxis to and from the airport, avoid walking a lot.
4. Use earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones for the entire flight (and at the airport/in the taxi) and try to relax as much as possible during the travelling.
5. Stay somewhere quiet where it's easy to buy food/delivery and where they have air conditioning (if it's hot) because too much heat can be very energy draining.
6. Be away for AT LEAST two weeks, preferably longer. Traveling can be very energy-consuming, and for some, they're so exhausting that it's not smart to travel until you've gotten better. So if you're away for less than two weeks, you may lose more than you gain. Personally, I would be away for at least three weeks, but two can also work for some.
7. Don't travel early in the morning. Many people with Long COVID are extra sensitive for activity for the first few hours of the day and having to wake up early, get to the airport, with all that it entails is the last thing the body needs. This isn't the case for everyone but for many, so I recommend not having to leave your home for at least three hours after you wake up. That means if you normally wake up at 8, depending on how close you live to the airport the absolutely earliest you could fly would be around 12:00 (3 hours + 1 hour for transport, checkin, security, go to gate, etc).
But, how on earth can I afford this?!
I'm on sick leave and therefore haven't had much of an income for the last two years. My secret is that accommodation is free on all my trips, and this can be possible for you too. I use http://HomeExchange.com to achieve this. Every Christmas, Easter, and July, we as a family travel to a cabin in the mountains, to my mother-in-law in Tønsberg, etc., and our house sits empty. Then we list our house on http://HomeExchange.com (we don't have a fancy detached house with a large swimming pool, just a normal townhouse outside Bergen, Norway). When people stay at our place (risk is covered by Home Exchange's insurance), we get points, and I use those points to stay at others' places when I travel.
I typically stay in a nice 40-60 sqm apartment when I travel alone, but sometimes it's real luxury place with excellent sea views, beautiful gardens, and 200 sqm! For the trip I'm on now, the total cost for transport and accommodation for 6 weeks is just a few hundred dollars. I have no connection to http://HomeExchange.com other than being an extremely grateful customer, so if you feel you can't travel away due to financial reasons, I recommend listing your house on Home Exchange.
Not all Long COVID patients will get better by going away alone, but I think many can Everyone is different, with different situations and symptoms, and going away isn't possible for everyone, especially not for those bedridden and in too poor condition to travel. But for me, going away alone has been gold, and I believe it can be effective for many others too.
Good luck and feel free to reach out if you want travel tips or help with HomeExchange - preferably in the comments below so that your questions can help others too.
Bjarte
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