Ive had long COVID now for 57 months. Some stray thoughts emerged today. The first 3 years were the worst. Exhausted, debilitated, unable to work, struggling to deal with a medical system that still has no fucking clue. Scared AF that it would be permanent. Not much of that has changed. In Nov 2024 I gave up the pretence of working, spent 3 months researching everything about Long COVID, and built myself a treatment plan to target all known theories. https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/potential-new-treatment-for-brain-fog-in-long-covid-patients/ Guanfacine & NAC+ on top of the existing medication started to make a difference and over the next 6 months things began to improve. But in my excitement I overloaded my body and it returned with a vengeance. Nov/Dec I wiped out and was back where I started. The same thing this year in July, juggling changes at work and at home lead to August where I was barely able to move on holiday. A 2 hour walk was just too much. A conference would wipe me out for 3-4 weeks afterwards. Pacing and knowing my limits is critical. There is a sorrow for the loss of mental acuity, physical capacity, and knowing that it probably will never return. But there is also gratitude that I have in part recovered, to a point where most people will not realise that I am in fact disabled, that I can spend time with my family, and in the mountains, to do the work and FLOSS development that I love. Just in moderation.