We have started telling the heading of stories on the theme: “How the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting the life of PH patient?”

To your attention a story #2 of Svitlana Sazhyna (diagnosis – PH):

1. How could a possible COVID-19 infection affect your current medical condition?

“My health state can be affected by complications to the other organs, the breath problems can worsen more”.

2. How does the current situation (extensive spread of COVID-19) affect your quality of life/everyday life? And why?

“It is a bit uncomfortable to wear a face mask, but a person can get accustomed to everything. But the face mask protects me from the current cold”.

3. How do you feel about the call to boycott the security measures (not wearing protective masks, organizing risky gatherings, etc.)? Are you afraid?

“I didn’t have such experience”.

4. What are you most afraid of in this current situation?

“I am the most afraid of my senior mother”.

5. How do you feel when you see someone intentionally or unintentionally ignoring healthcare guidelines and endangering their own and your health and life? 

“I do not know what to say. The people are unwise. The question of self-security is a private business of everybody. That’s why I am trying to be far from such people”.

6. Do you have people in your midst who don’t believe in the harmfulness of the virus? How do you feel about that?

“There are such people, but everybody has a right for his opinion. Those people shouldn’t make other people think the way they do – that’s the most important.

7. Were you at any time, during the COVID-19 pandemic “forced” to attend a family or other social event (wedding, funeral, celebration, party, etc.)? How did you feel about it? Did you attend? Were you feeling any kind of distress after the event?

“I didn’t have such experience. But when I was working at kindergarten, I “had to” because of the work. I do not attend social events. Even before the pandemic I did not attend such parties”.

8. Do you experience distress/ panic attacks due to the current situation and concern for your own health, your future and your life? How does this look like, what triggers those attacks?

“I have experienced some worries at the beginning of the quarantine, but now I am accustomed to it and I am thinking about other things. However, I did not have panic attacks, rather I have been thinking about my actions in emergency situation, if any…”

9. How do you feel when you have to explain to people that COVID-19 infection can have serious consequences for your health? How do people react?

“People guess about the consequences and try to save me from it, after having seen that I am blue.”

10. What would make you feel safer in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic?

“It is said that vaccination helps to recover the illness easier, but I do not risk, especially now”.