The Michigan Covid 19 Series
A socially distanced photo and interview series documenting some of the personal stories behind the Michigan numbers. The mission of the series is to share survivor stories in a safe way that is representative of the pandemic’s environment: quarantining for weeks, sweat-pants every day, and virtual connections with an abundance of faulty tech. The photos represent the quarantine process and the isolation we have all collectively felt during this pandemic. The extended Zoom Interviews provide a safe medium for sharing incredibly personal experiences while also allowing individuals to share their full story. Covid-19 has affected all of our lives in an overwhelming amount of ways, but the circle of people we know that the virus has physically impacted may be small. Survivor stories work to build connections, provide health information, dispel myths, and help us understand the impact outside of ourselves.
LEAH - "I do believe being vaccinated really helped protect me from getting it much worse. I was sick for about 6 weeks and still have lingering effects." #DELTAVARIANT #BREAKTHROUGH #VACCINATED
![CARLA - "I had my last rites given to me. I have to recount the events as they were told to me because I don't remember anything after they put me on the ventilator." ~Belleville, Michigan~ #LONGCOVID #VENTILATOR [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f6904a84f8f6941665d7672/74cd2988-7e98-43a3-afb1-67a61e7410b6/DSC_7745.jpg)
CARLA - "I had my last rites given to me. I have to recount the events as they were told to me because I don't remember anything after they put me on the ventilator." ~Belleville, Michigan~ #LONGCOVID #VENTILATOR [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]
![BRAD - I was transporting people to and from the hospital all day at my work. I got to see how Covid-19 affected all different people, but I still never thought it would happen to me. ~Flint, Michigan~ #LONGCOVID #LONGHAULER [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f6904a84f8f6941665d7672/655d7f35-7030-4bb9-9b93-97031489ccc7/DSC_0621.jpg)
BRAD - I was transporting people to and from the hospital all day at my work. I got to see how Covid-19 affected all different people, but I still never thought it would happen to me. ~Flint, Michigan~ #LONGCOVID #LONGHAULER [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]
![VIOLETA - "Unfortunately in my life, I have survived a lot of battles: domestic violence, H1N1, and meningitis, but Covid-19 is the worst. I have never experienced pain like this." ~ Wyoming, Michigan ~ #LONGCOVID #LONGHAULER [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f6904a84f8f6941665d7672/336756e6-b612-48c6-b71c-4d2f91a1168a/DSC_0611.jpg)
VIOLETA - "Unfortunately in my life, I have survived a lot of battles: domestic violence, H1N1, and meningitis, but Covid-19 is the worst. I have never experienced pain like this." ~ Wyoming, Michigan ~ #LONGCOVID #LONGHAULER [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]
EMMA - “I was the first person to test positive for the B117 variant in Kent County. I would’ve never thought this could happen to me because I am so young and healthy. They’re doing neurological evaluations on me, and I’m now testing in the dementia category." ~Grand Rapids, Michigan ~ #LONGCOVID #LONGHAULER #B117VARIANT [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]
"ANNE" - "When Covid-19 spread throughout the prison, we were separated into warehouses with little heat. And then when I tested positive, I was quarantined in a gymnasium with 25 other positive people." ~ Kalamazoo, Michigan ~ #INCARCERATED #LONGCOVID [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]
TANQUILE - “I was in the hospital for a week getting MRI’s, CAT scans, and a spinal tap so they could figure out what was going on. I’m blessed to not have been on a ventilator and to have my life, but now I have another condition from Covid-19 that I have to live with.” ~ Detroit, Michigan ~ #LONGCOVID #LONGHAULER [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]
![DANIELLE - "Tomorrow marks nine months since I last felt normal. I'm on more medications than my 80-year-old grandma, and it's very frustrating." ~ Clinton Township, Michigan ~ #LONGCOVID #LOGHAULER #NURSE [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f6904a84f8f6941665d7672/5763044c-c674-42c4-9921-a7269cc08303/DSC_6094.jpg)
DANIELLE - "Tomorrow marks nine months since I last felt normal. I'm on more medications than my 80-year-old grandma, and it's very frustrating." ~ Clinton Township, Michigan ~ #LONGCOVID #LOGHAULER #NURSE [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]
GREGORY & JASMINE - “While I was in the ICU, I saw people banging on the glass because they couldn’t breathe, and I watched nurses break PPE code and risk getting the virus to rush in and save them.” ~ Wolverine Lake, Michigan ~ [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]
![RACHEL - "I've been in and out of urgent care 4 or 5 times since having Covid-19. My doctors now think I have asthma, which is strange because I never had that before.” ~ Lansing, Michigan ~ #LONGCOVID #LONGHAULER [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f6904a84f8f6941665d7672/406f162b-1d04-49c7-93e8-4c52c6f84fa0/DSC_5950.jpg)
RACHEL - "I've been in and out of urgent care 4 or 5 times since having Covid-19. My doctors now think I have asthma, which is strange because I never had that before.” ~ Lansing, Michigan ~ #LONGCOVID #LONGHAULER [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]
MOCHA - "I ended up in the hospital for 22 Days with what they call GI-Covid. The doctors were concerned that it would attack more of my lungs, and I might have had to be ventilated because of my pre-existing health condition: COPD." ~Mason, Michigan~ #LONGCOVID #LONGHAULER [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]
AMANDA - “It’s hard to tell you much about my experience because I was just asleep for weeks — I would have this overwhelming anxiety at night that I was going to wake up the next day, and things were going to take a turn for the worse because my only experience with someone having COVID-19 was having that happen.” ~ Jackson, Michigan ~ #LONGCOVID #LONGHAULER [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]
![BRANDON - “I didn’t think I was dying, but I didn’t know what that felt like. My wife thought it was the end because I was purple everywhere…I was just fighting to breathe.” ~ Southfield, Michigan ~ [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f6904a84f8f6941665d7672/aaeb2571-4304-40cd-814d-822433613c11/DSC_0740.jpg)
BRANDON - “I didn’t think I was dying, but I didn’t know what that felt like. My wife thought it was the end because I was purple everywhere…I was just fighting to breathe.” ~ Southfield, Michigan ~ [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]
Pastor Sherry - "I realized I hadn't cried about my whole experience. We have to recognize that we're all grieving. People that are sick are scared or in denial. We have to respect the strength of this disease and its inconsistency." ~ Petoskey, Michigan ~ #LONGCOVID #LONGHAULER [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]
![JENNIFER - "I've had some of the weirdest long-haul effects like vocal paralysis and changes in my vision. Some things will reverse themselves and others the doctors don't know." ~ Redford, Michigan ~ #LONGCOVID #LONGHAULER [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f6904a84f8f6941665d7672/e0b24fcd-bcde-4149-95b8-2ecbffa1d014/DSC_6305+%281%29.jpg)
JENNIFER - "I've had some of the weirdest long-haul effects like vocal paralysis and changes in my vision. Some things will reverse themselves and others the doctors don't know." ~ Redford, Michigan ~ #LONGCOVID #LONGHAULER [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]
ERIK - "I was in the ICU for a day or so, and the doctor came in and said that they were thinking about putting me on a ventilator, and THAT was the first moment when the earth kind of stopped rotating.” ~ East Lansing, Michigan ~ [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]
![MARWA, RAHMA, & KATHY - “I think the world is asking God for a lot right now, and I don’t think there is a lot to spare. My Dad got the Mercy he deserved, but we didn’t, and that’s ok.” ~ St. Claire Shores, Michigan ~ [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f6904a84f8f6941665d7672/74ea63b3-f6c7-454f-9f0b-f432f9dc50d3/DSC_9039+%281%29.jpg)
MARWA, RAHMA, & KATHY - “I think the world is asking God for a lot right now, and I don’t think there is a lot to spare. My Dad got the Mercy he deserved, but we didn’t, and that’s ok.” ~ St. Claire Shores, Michigan ~ [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]
SUE & KEN - " No one knows what the future holds after a Covid diagnosis. Even though I had a more mild case than Ken, I continue to have daily asthma flare-ups. Prior to Covid, my asthma was very stable." ~ Harbor Springs, Michigan ~ #NURSE [CLICK IMAGE FOR STORY]
OUR MICHIGAN SURVIVOR STORY BLOG
Jenny - Flat Rock, Michigan #LongCovid
Ellen - Macomb County, Michigan #LongCovid
Johnny - Detroit, Michigan #LongCovid
The MI Covid-19 Series encourages Long Covid survivors and their caretakers to join advocacy organizations such as the Longhauler Advocacy Project. As the medical community continues to works towards finding answers to Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19, it has become imperative that survivors advocate for increased research and comprehensive care. The physical and economic effects of Long Covid will affect all of us.
Their mission is advocacy, education & support surrounding PASC (Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection ). They advocate for legislation to protect & help Longhaulers and for medical care & recognition. They provide education & support to their members, health care providers & researchers. Join the Michigan Team.
If you’re not a long hauler, you can still help and advocate by writing to your representatives to ask them for more support for long haulers. Take Action.
The Impact.
Breaking Silence.
Many people suffering from Covid-19 choose to do so in silence. This is not uncommon. During the 1918 pandemic, people hid their diagnosis and feared sharing their experiences. Breaking the silence helps others understand the severity of the pandemic and how it has affected people outside of their own circles - improving the likelihood that we will continue taking the necessary safety precautions to protect one another.
Connecting Survivors.
Survivors can feel isolated and alone, dealing with numerous health concerns on top of the increased stress associated with the pandemic. Not only that, they can feel like they’re going crazy if they are experiencing unexplained long-hauler effects. The project captures their stories, connects survivors, and provides information for support groups, long-haul clinics, and new long-hauler research.
Reducing Stigma.
As some of our survivors mention in their interviews, catching COVID-19 has been stigmatized. People have had disputes with friends and family, and some people have lost their jobs. There is a preconceived notion that getting the virus means you've “done something wrong.” Sharing stories normalize experiences, reduces stigma, and dispels myths and misconceptions about how people become infected.
News & Media
TV6 Fox from the UP featured the series on their morning news segment on April 20, 2021.
Our Long-Covid survivor, Jennifer, and her video interview was highlighted on University of Michigan Medicine's Heinz Prechter Research Program on April 5, 2021.
Catch us on the March 31, 2021 episode of WSGW 100.5 "Focus" Show with Art Lewis
WOODTV8 of Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Holland shared our series on April 16, 2021 in a special segment highlighting the continued struggles of Long-haulers.
Resources
For the most comprehensive and up-to-date general information and resources regarding COVID-19 visit Michigan.gov the CDC or WHO. This is NOT a site for information on the pandemic, simply a resource section for survivors seeking support groups.
Survivor Corps
Survivor Corps is a not-for-profit, grassroots movement educating and mobilizing COVID-19 survivors and connecting them with the medical, scientific, and academic research community, to help stem the tide of this pandemic and assist in the national recovery.
Covid-19 One World Living Together
In a community that has suffered the damages due to Covid-19, we aim for an ideal Earth, where the economy and human relations are sounded based more on health; physically and mentally.
U of M Post ICU Longitudinal Survivor Experience PULSE Clinic
The University of Michigan PULSE is designed to help streamline all of the services a patient might need after the ICU, and in particular, COVID patients.
Detroit Covid-19 Support Group
A group for metro Detroit residents who need or know someone who needs support during the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as folks who can offer that support.
Long Covid-Alliance
A network of patient-advocates, scientists, disease experts, and drug developershave joined together to leverage their collective knowledge and resources to educate policymakers and accelerate research to transform our understanding of the post-viral illness.
Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan Covid-19 Rehab Recover Program
This rehabilitation program consists of breathing exercises and strength and endurance training to help patients who have recovered from COVID-19 return to their normal lives and activities.
Long-Haul Covid Fighters
This is a private group for survivors recovering from COVID who became ill on or AFTER April 1, 2020. The group is a safe place to share symptoms, test results and offer support to one another in this healing journey.
C-19 Long-Hauler Advocacy Project
Our mission is advocacy, education & support surrounding PASC. We advocate for legislation to protect & help Longhaulers and for medical care & recognition. We provide education & support to our members, health care providers & researchers.
Hope Network Neuro Rehabilitation Post-Covid Recovery Program
HOPE has multiple locations in Grand Rapids, East Lansing, Kalamazoo, and Coldwater. They serve the rehabilitation and recovery needs of post-COVID patients. Services are provided in both a community-based residential setting or through an outpatient Day Rehab environment
Long-Covid Support Group
a private group for people with Long Covid (sometimes called long haul Covid, post-Covid syndrome) or people who are caring for someone with Long Covid. You may have Long Covid if you haven't recovered from Covid after 3 weeks.
Body Politic Covid-19 Support Group
A COVID-19 support group to provide others with an opportunity to feel connected and supported through infection, symptoms, and recovery.
This Week in Virology Podcast
TWiV is a weekly netcast about viruses - the kind that make you sick. The cast has many episodes focusing on Covid-19. Professors Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler and science writer Alan Dove and guests deconstruct viruses, how they cause illness, and dissect the latest research.
About Us
Connect with Us.
Are you interested in displaying or sharing the series? Please fill out the form, and we’ll be in touch to discuss how we can best honor and raise awareness around the experiences of Covid-19 survivors.