Could Writing on Medium Dramatically Improve Brain Function After Covid19?

Summary

The author shares their personal experience of recovering from Long Covid, particularly focusing on the cognitive impairment caused by the virus, and how writing on Medium has helped improve their brain function.

Abstract

The author, who tested positive for Covid19 in February 2022, shares their journey of dealing with the debilitating symptoms of Long Covid, including a relentless headache and confusion. With no available treatments, they were advised to rest and practice pacing to manage their symptoms. The author struggled with the concept of resting and found it difficult to do nothing. They discovered the idea of "Doing Not-Doing" on Twitter, which helped them cope with their situation. The author's most frustrating ongoing problem was the impact of the virus on their brain, causing memory problems and cognitive processing issues. They decided to start writing on Medium as a form of cognitive rehabilitation and have noticed improvements in their brain function.

Opinions

The author believes that writing on Medium has helped improve their brain function after experiencing cognitive impairment due to Long Covid.
The author struggled with the concept of resting and found it difficult to do nothing, but discovered the idea of "Doing Not-Doing" on Twitter, which helped them cope with their situation.
The author's most frustrating ongoing problem was the impact of the virus on their brain, causing memory problems and cognitive processing issues.
The author found that reading and writing on Medium was suitable for them to do without overwhelm and symptom exacerbation.
The author believes that their efforts in writing on Medium are contributing to cognitive rehabilitation and helping to heal their painful covid-damaged brain.
The author has made new online friends with similar writing ambitions and has earned a few dollars from writing on Medium.
The author's journey of recovery from Long Covid has not been smooth, and they still must pace themselves, but they believe that writing on Medium is helping them improve their brain function.

Could Writing on Medium Dramatically Improve Brain Function After Covid19?

The evidence is merely anecdotal

I just sat down to write this article when my brain triggered a random thought.

“Have you put a new liner in the bedroom bin?”

Frustrated at my own writing interruption, I checked the bin which I had only just emptied to find it did indeed contain a clean new bag.

“Mum — your brain is so screw-balled.”

My daughter laughed, as I wandered back downstairs muttering that all was well with the bin, but I couldn’t remember putting the liner there in the first place.

Why would I return to my laptop and convey to you this insignificant thought and mundane action?

Hardly Medium headline gripping content Ruth!

My Long Covid Brain

I tested positive for Covid19 on February 1st, 2022. The following weeks were consumed with a plethora of random symptoms which seemed to be affecting every organ in my body.

Blood tests returned many unexpected results with abnormal levels reflecting a systemic and concerning response to a virus which at the time was (very wrongly) being compared to the common cold.

Despite various treatments, a recovery didn’t materialise.

In fact, I deteriorated and became largely bed bound for some months.

One of the most unbearable symptoms was the relentless headache and associated confusion.

Rest, Rest and More Rest

With nothing available to treat or cure me, medical advice was just to rest.

Post-covid resting doesn’t allow for book reading, Netflix binge watching or WhatsApp chatting.

At best, I could scroll through Twitter where I could process some of the short and succinct tweets.

As I scrolled I came in contact with many of the Long Covid community I was now a resistant member of.

Whilst many shared the latest alternative treatment that resulted in a subjective improvement or further deterioration, the most consistent piece of advice was again to rest.

I’m normally a super busy wife and mum with a full-time job, caring responsibilities for my mother, and an all-consuming business coaching side-hustle.

I was now doing absolutely nothing and resenting every second of it.

Pacing

I’ve been in a similar situation before when I was diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) in 2004.

ME/CFS is a debilitating condition characterised by a number of symptoms which typically worsen following minimal exertion.

It took years to get my health back on track. Something I had become accustomed to doing to assist with my recovery from ME was pacing.

Pacing is a strategy and rehabilitation approach that balances rest and activities in daily life, to manage symptoms such as fatigue and post-exertional symptom exacerbation (PESE). Long Covid Physio

Whilst I’ve always had to remain aware of my energy levels and susceptibility to infection over the years, pacing was something I’d almost forgotten about.

A diagnosis of Long Covid in May 2022 reintroduced the need to pace.

Doing Not-Doing

I’m terrible at pacing.

I fight against it with every atom of my being.

I will not lie here and do nothing! It’s not in my nature.

As soon as I feel a little better, I do too much.

And crash!

Back to bed unable to think, speak, read, or write.

Then I saw one of my favourite tweets of the year 2022.

Credit: Dr Ruth Miller-Anderson Screenshot of Tweet by Todd Davenport

The best piece of advice I had picked up on Twitter so far.

This was NOT rest.

This was Doing Not-Doing!

Has Doing Not-Doing Helped?

Recovery from Long Covid is not linear nor is it known if full recovery will ever be achievable.

My most frustrating ongoing problem is the impact the virus has had on my brain.

During the early months I kept trying to do normal ordinary things.

Take for example my attempt at cooking the Sunday family roast dinner.

Disaster!

I couldn't work out the timings for each part of the dish. I also kept dropping things and in a short space of time I’d smashed a full set of pots, three plates and five glasses.

I gave up and returned to Doing Not-Doing.

Talking Nonsense!

I’ve had regular zoom meetings with my manager throughout my sick leave. She is a firm but fair and inspiring woman. I normally love our chats which include plans and vision for the future.

Our zoom chats included me referring to:

thingamajigs

what you ma callits?

your woman/man who does? (in reference to people I had worked with for more than a decade!)

I sensed her giving up on innovative conversation as she noted my problem-solver academic brain had clearly gone to mush!

Research Has Confirmed My Fears

One recently published large US year-long study reported brain and other neurological disorders occurred in 7% more of those who had been infected with Covid19 compared with a control group who had never been infected. This equates to 6.6 million US citizens who may now have post-infection brain impairment.

Memory problems were specifically mentioned with a 77% increased risk of these occurring within one-year post-covid. The proportion of people who will get better is currently unknown.

The impact of Covid19 on my memory and cognitive processing is not just my imagination, and I’m most definitely not alone in trying to rise from this foggy Long Covid quagmire.

Writing on Medium

At an occupational health appointment just before Christmas 2022 I lamented my inability to quickly process my thoughts.

“I normally have 100 tabs open at once in my brain. Now I can only open one tab at a time. How am I ever going to get back to who and what I was?”

The healthcare professional I was meeting was keen to make suggestions.

“Try to read just one book chapter a day…and what about journaling?”

Journaling. I’m fully supportive of this practice and its benefits. I didn’t dismiss the idea, but I then remembered how much I had wanted to write on medium prior to becoming unwell.

I’d resumed reading on medium. The length of medium articles was suitable for me to read without overwhelm and symptom exacerbation.

Rather than journal, I decided to try something more productive, tempt myself to achieve something worthwhile after a hiatus period of nothingness, and start writing on medium.

The Outcome

To date I’ve published four articles. It’s not much, but for me, this is a huge step forward.

I have earned a few dollars.

I’ve made new online friends with similar writing ambitions.

And my brain is finally starting to connect a few dots.

The fog is slowly lifting.

I met with my manager again this week.

The what you ma callits and thingamajigs now had their real names and I recalled my colleagues names and faces.

This hasn’t been a smooth journey. I’ve suffered post-exertional symptom exacerbation after writing. I still must pace, but I truly believe my efforts are contributing to cognitive rehabilitation.

Only time will really tell, but for now, the anecdotal evidence is that writing on medium is healing my painful covid-damaged brain.

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