Toronto with Long COVID Requests Medical Assistance in Dying, Leading to Monetary Pressures

A Toronto woman asked to be euthanized as part of Canada’s medical assistance program for the dying after long COVID tired her power and left her unable to enjoy life’s pleasures, she said.

“My quality of life with this disease is almost non-existent, it’s not a smart life,” Tracey Thompson, 55, told the DailyMail. “I don’t do anything. It’s extraordinarily annoying. It’s deeply isolating.

Enjoy local, national and current news.

Enjoy local, national and current news.

Create an account or log in to continue your experience.

Don’t have an account? Create an account

Thompson, a former chef, says she is unable to work due to debilitating Long COVID symptoms, including constant nausea, fatigue and memory loss.

Extreme exhaustion has also left her bedridden for 22 hours a day, while brain fog prevents her from paying attention to music, reading and watching videos because she “can’t process information,” she said.

Thompson told CTV News last year she decided to apply for MAID because she is running out of money, not out of any wish to die.

“I’m very pleased to be alive. I still enjoy life. The singing of the birds, the little things that make up the day please me, they please me. I appreciate my friends,” he said.

Canada’s MAID program, originally created in 2016 for terminally ill patients, was expanded in March 2021 to include patients with “a serious and irremediable medical condition. “

In 2022, 13,241 people died as a result of MAID, accounting for 4. 3% of all deaths in Canada. That includes another 463 people “whose natural death was not very predictable,” according to a report by Health Canada.

Get a glimpse of the day’s hottest news in a highly readable format.

By subscribing, you agree to the above Postmedia Network Inc. newsletter.

A welcome email is on the way. If you don’t see it, check your spam folder.

The next NP Posted factor will be in your inbox soon.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

On a GoFundMe page set up in 2021, Thompson says he struck through a man who transmitted COVID to him in March 2020, when the infection began to spread in Canada.

“The guy grabbed me, shook me, coughed in my face and laughed: ‘You’re in poor health now,'” she wrote.

“I thought of it as a ruthless joke. I was wrong,” he said. I had contracted COVID and never recovered. “

Just a few months after becoming infected, his physical condition deteriorated beyond the symptoms most people experience.

“At the time they didn’t even know how long CovidArray had been there and no one knew,” he said, adding that it was difficult “for doctors to take it seriously. “

She wastes her cognitive purposes and ability to exercise, as she lacks too much air.

In the fall of 2020, Thompson said she was back in hospital after struggling to catch her breath for 36 hours. She was was finally diagnosed with long COVID months later, in 2021.

Since contracting COVID, Thompson has been diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, and movable mast activation syndrome.

Thompson, who loves to cook, is now able to eat unseasoned poultry and vegetables most days because she’s “allergic to everything,” she said.

He also suffers from volatile blood pressure and dizziness. Your center would possibly begin to function with undeniable responsibilities such as getting up and going to bed.

According to a study published in the journal Nature, at least 65 million people worldwide suffer from long COVID, which is incurable. Research has identified two hundred post-COVID symptoms that affect organs; Many symptoms can last for years.

Thompson said he doesn’t have a circle of family and has lost friends since getting sick. She also had to give her dog up for adoption because she may no longer be able to care for him, she said.

Their savings are now under pressure due to food, housing, and health care prices.

His GoFundMe page, created in October 2021, raised $65,683 of his $100,000 goal. In the last weeks and months, donations and words of encouragement have poured in.

“I signed up for trials and expect miraculous effects, but at least helpful,” Thompson posted in a June 2023 update.

He stated that it legally prohibited him from sharing the prestige of his maid application.

Our online page is ideal for breaking news, exclusive scoops, long reads, and provocative commentary. Bookmark nationalpost. com and subscribe to our newsletter, published, here.

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a civilized discussion forum and encourages all readers to share their perspectives on our articles. It can take up to an hour for comments to moderate before appearing on the site. We ask that your feedback be applicable and respectful. We’ve enabled email notifications: you’ll now receive an email if you get a response to your comment, if there’s an update to a comment thread you’re following, or if a user you follow comments. Check out our network rules for more facts and main points on how to adjust your email settings.

365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, AT M4W 3L4

© 2024 National Post, a department of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution or transmission is strictly prohibited.

This uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads) and allows us to analyze our traffic. Learn more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *