More than 155,000 people in Rhineland-Palatinate have had Covid 19 disease. Many of them suffer from permanent health restrictions. An affected woman from Mainz tells of life with “Long Covid”.
Leyla Ergen is 24 years old and very sporty. Even as a schoolgirl, she went to kickboxing and dancing. She loves fast, strenuous sports and high-intensity interval training. But in February she fell ill with Corona – since then, in the truest sense of the word, she has often run out of breath.
Corona infection in February was mild
“Corona was actually like a cold,” says Leyla in an interview with SWR. She was a bit tired and broken and had no sense of taste and smell for a few days. Otherwise she was fine. The young woman from Mainz was in quarantine for four weeks. Then she was actually fine again.
Only 80 percent of the lung volume
After a while, however, she noticed that she was quickly getting out of breath. In June, Leyla was so bad that she went to the pulmonologist and cardiologist. The doctors found that the young, sporty woman only had 80 percent of her lung volume. She was prescribed asthma sprays.
“When I go to the fourth floor at home, my heart is racing.”
The 24-year-old still does sport every day, but notices that she is no longer as fit. She now has to take frequent breaks. This also has an impact on the youth trips, which she has accompanied as a team leader for many years. This summer she could not offer any sporting activities and only take on groups in the creative area.
What we know about Long Covid
Tie ribbons instead of riding a mountain bike
The 24-year-old is studying nutritional economics and had a part-time job as a recipe developer for a food company. She had to give it up. Her sense of taste has returned after the corona disease, but she can no longer distinguish between aromas as well as before.
“I was never afraid for myself. I always followed all corona measures to protect my parents and my 85-year-old grandma.”
She never feared for herself with Corona, says Leyla. “Precisely because I’m a very sporty person who has never been sick. I always felt great.” Now she is noticing that she catches cold quickly and can no longer breathe as well.
Still, Leyla doesn’t want to show any weakness and stay strong. The young woman from Mainz hopes that time will heal everything. That she will find her way back to her original shape at some point and give 100 percent again even in sports.
