The COVID Survivor’s Creed
By Kerri-Lynn Mainland Palermo, COVID Survivor and covidCAREgroup member (July 31, 2022)
Dear Long Covid,
It's time for you and I to have a talk... or as some would call it… a sit down.
In 2021 you swept in like a storm and gave me the gift that keeps on giving.
In so many ways it has been anything but a gift to deal with the physical and emotional wrath of you.
So many times, I have let you win!
Well, you see that is not going to be the way my story ends with you, because it is time for me to PUT YOU IN YOUR PLACE!!!
You no longer get to suck the life out of me both physically and emotionally because there is so much life left in me, and I WANT TO LIVE IT!!
You no longer get to see me be your victim, because I will show you that I AM A SURVIVOR!!!
You no longer get to make me feel alone because unfortunately I know too many people that know firsthand what it feels like to deal with you!!!
You no longer get to be the cause that my heart breaks about what once was.
You no longer get to make me feel scared, hopeless, and useless.
I WILL HAVE COURAGE, I WILL BE HOPEFUL, and I WILL FEEL USEFUL AGAIN!!!
You don't get to watch the man who has walked every step with me breakdown because all he wants to do is help me and doesn't know how.
WE WILL BE STRONG TOGETHER and continue to weather this storm together, helping each other every step of the way!!!
You no longer get to be the reason so much has changed in my life.
I AM TAKING MY LIFE BACK!!!
In reality, this storm has been a huge awakening to what was not working in my life for so long.
It has been a chance to slow down and see so much more clearly what I needed too.
For that part of all of this I am very grateful to have had that much needed awakening.
So you see... I may have let you think you were winning, and I may even have felt that you were...
And you may have temporarily broken my spirit but…
YOU WILL NEVER GET MY SOUL BECAUSE MY SOUL WILL NEVER BREAK!!!!
So as the storm passes and I look back, I leave your shadow behind.
I see the sun shining on my path now.
My path may look different than it did before…
But I will keep moving ahead, leaving you farther behind with every step.
I may stumble. I may fall.
But I will get up again, every time.
I will take hold of my life and live it the best I can!
Keep moving, keep breathing.
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