Iva Safrova's life today is completely different from the vibrant and active one she led three years ago.
When she was a healthcare worker on a renal ward at Cardiff's University Hospital of Wales back in March 2020, she contracted Covid-19, and she never fully recovered.
The 59-year-old Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan resident uttered the words "My life is ruined.". .
No job, no social life. Everything is gone, including biking and walking. ".
It would be simple to believe the pandemic was over given that the Covid Inquiry is underway with the goal of learning from the past.
However, with an estimated 2% of Wales's population reporting they still experience Covid symptoms a year after diagnosis, Covid-19 is still very much a problem for many people.
Right at the beginning of the pandemic, Iva fell ill.
I believe I picked up Covid from the very first patient on our ward, she claimed.
She had a cough, a temperature, and went to bed thinking she would be better in a couple of weeks at most.
However, the weeks turned into months, and she began to feel like a "walking zombie" while performing simple tasks.
"I was sobbing frequently and I had no idea what to do. Iva, who immigrated to the UK from the Czech Republic 14 years ago, stated that the doctor had advised her to wait.
"You feel very alone and without anyone to turn to for assistance. ".
Antibiotics that were given to her did not work.
Eventually, after showing no improvement in her condition, having all of her tests come back negative, and barely being able to leave the house, she was fired from her job due to chronic illness.
When she was at her lowest point, she discovered Long Covid Support, which at the time was a Facebook group but is now a registered charity.
Iva said, "I thought I was crazy, but the Facebook group helped me. .
Because of my illness, I cry every day, and [one of the other girls in the group] said, "I have the same. ".
She still spends a lot of time in bed even after three years.
"Since the morning, you've felt extremely tired. I do little, sit down, do little, and then I lie down," she claimed.
Iva has tried everything to get better on her own, including losing weight, drastically altering her diet, and spending hundreds of pounds on supplements and complementary therapies, but nothing seems to be working.
She claimed that receiving an antidepressant prescription "saved her life," and hormone replacement therapy is soon to begin.
One of the biggest annoyances over the last three years has been the difficulty in getting face-to-face medical care.
She claimed that as time goes on, she and others like her are being forgotten.
Since Covid is an invisible illness, she claimed, "I don't think people are aware that it even exists.".
"Millions of people still use Covid, but it's no longer in the news. ".
Gareth Evans, 45, of Cwmbran, Torfaen, said that in comparison to others who have long-term COVID, he considers himself fortunate because he has been able to return to work and regain some of his prior fitness.
He fell ill in April 2020, suffering from fever, ear pain, and exhaustion. He was informed he did not have Covid due to the lack of testing and the absence of a cough.
He went to bed to rest, but as time passed, he discovered that, rather than getting better, he was exhibiting new symptoms.
X-rays and blood tests consistently yielded negative results.
He was given a hospital stay under observation and informed in June 2020 that he had anxiety and depression.
He also discovered Long Covid Support . during this time on Facebook.
When I could share my experiences with others or received confirmation that I was truly ill, it was a great source of comfort to him, he said.
"I've seen messages from people who have lost their partners or their homes as a result of long-term COVID. They are attempting to file for disability but are having a lot of trouble doing so because they can't provide medical documentation to support their claim. " .
He claimed that insomnia was one of the symptoms that was most difficult for him.
"I spent hours upon hours lying in the bed. I was unsure if I would ever recover or if I would live or die because no one knew anything about my condition, which made it challenging.
It had a significant psychological impact on him, he admitted.
Gareth had been training for a triathlon and was at the height of his fitness before becoming ill, but he found himself off work and hardly able to leave the house.
Gareth was referred to numerous doctors because of his extensive list of symptoms.
Looking back, he said, "I've counted the number of appointments that I've had and, as of right now, outside of hospital stays, I've had 127 appointments.".
"I don't think it's an efficient use of resources. ".
He wants to see significant adjustments made in Wales' treatment of those with long Covid.
I believe a specialist clinic like the ones in England would be more beneficial for us here in Wales, he said.
He desires a location where patients can "access all the different tests to rule out specific life-threatening conditions and give you that peace of mind.".
He also wants patients to be a part of the discussion about how to best care for those who have the condition.
According to the Welsh government, supporting long-term Covid patients remained a top priority. Funding for them has been increased.
Despite the absence of Covid clinics in Wales, it was stated that GPs could provide access to rehabilitation services.
Up until the Covid inquiry, the cost-of-living crisis and the war in Ukraine had kept Covid out of the news since Gareth first acquired it. The UK has also had three prime ministers since Gareth acquired it.
When you turned on the TV, Covid was constantly in the news, but these days, Gareth claimed, you simply don't hear about it.
"For some people, the pandemic is still ongoing because they are still struggling and haven't returned to their previous lives. ".
Similar to Iva, Iva feels abandoned.
Since Covid is an invisible illness, she claimed, "I don't think people are aware that it even exists.".
I'm very concerned because, if I continue in this manner, my entire life will be in hell.
. "
