Editor:
I am writing to thank the many people who have helped me and my family as I’ve tried to cope with two-and-a-half years of post-COVID-19 condition, more commonly known as long-COVID. I am working on a separate letter to help readers understand the challenges associated with long-COVID, as for some of us, the pandemic isn’t over. But this is a letter of thanks. There are many to whom I owe gratitude and likely I will miss some, but I will try.
Thank you to those who have helped occupy my kids when I’ve needed a moment to catch my breath or just rest.
Thank you to those who have helped pick me up after I’d fallen or been unsteady.
Thank you to those who have helped me pack groceries when my hands were not working efficiently.
Thank you to those who helped me carry groceries and pick them up when they’ve spilled.
Thank you to those who provided meals when I was not able to function and my wife was the only one keeping our family going.
Thank you to my wife for more than I can express.
Thank you to those who picked up medication when I couldn’t get out the door.
Thank you to those who were patient with me when I had difficulty communicating.
Thank you to the Wildflour clerk who helped clean up my daughter’s spilt hot chocolate to which she yelled ‘thank you’, back when she was barely two and her th’s sounded like f’s.
Thank you to those who helped us find a place to live and helped us pack and move when our rental was turned into staff accommodation. Huge thanks to the Bow Valley Moving Company for taking pride in your work, even when our move didn’t go according to plan.
To the taxi drivers who helped get my kids and I safely to the door, to the cashiers who were patient with me, to the Banff Public Library and Family Resource Network staff who run programs I can attend with my kids despite my disability, and to the people I don’t know who have shown kindness.
Thank you.
Eamonn Reil,
Banff
