I’m 44 years old (43 when I had the vaccine). Prior to the vaccine, I was a sociable, outgoing busy person, employed as a nurse in a sole charge position in a rural community and also volunteered with an organisation in my spare time. I have been nursing for 20 years – nursing is (was) my life. From a pre-existing condition perspective, I’d had mild asthma since I was young and only needed to use an inhaler every now and then.
I didn’t want the covid vaccine – we didn’t know much about it; it had been created so fast plus I didn’t feel that we needed it. I’ve also always been into natural health. I had my first Pfizer vaccine on the 15th of November 2021 at a pharmacy, it was also the cut-off date for nurses and teachers. While waiting the 20 minutes after, I felt my heart racing, felt clammy and had central chest pain, but we were told this was normal. After 20 minutes, I was told I could go home.
I had my second Pfizer vaccine on the 6th of December 2021 and had an INSTANT reaction whilst the needle was still in my arm. I’d had an instant pain on my right side towards the back on my bra line – the pain was excruciating. My heart raced and I could literally feel it pumping. I became extremely hot and clammy and had pain radiating from my right bra line which went to the centre of my chest and up the left side of my jaw. The lady who administered it pulled my mask off my face as she could see I was in distress. I believed I was having a heart attack or a stroke. Sitting in the waiting area I felt dismissed, alone, and terrified. I remember hopping in my car after the 15 minute wait thinking ‘is it safe for me to drive in this state’?
Over the next few weeks my symptoms worsened. My shortness of breath got worse, and I would get huffed and puffed just doing something basic, and I was always clammy and dripping in sweat, even during the middle of a cold night when on night duty. I also developed a rash over my arms, tummy, and thighs (which still comes back off and on). I struggled while working my usual shifts and when I tried to get medical help, I was told that what I was going through was normal and that I’d be okay.
On Monday the 17th of January 2022, I was seen by a locum GP as mine was on holiday. I stated that I believed I was vaccine injured because of the symptoms I’d had at the time it was administered. He strongly disagreed, fobbed me off, wouldn’t look me in the eye and said there’s no such thing as vaccine injury. He diagnosed me with menopause and hypoventilation. As a Nurse, and unsatisfied with the behaviour and diagnoses from the locum GP (I ended up making a written complaint to my GP practise about this doctor), I phoned to make another appointment with and spoke to another doctor who is normally my backup doctor if mine is away, and I told her what was going on. She said she wasn’t going to be in again until Friday 21st, but she could get me in to see the Nurse Practitioner on Thursday 20th January. She requested for me to have a chest Xray before then which I did, it came back clear.
The nurse practitioner helped me immensely and was thorough in her observations and recordings. Due to my medical background, she was open and transparent. We both thought I was having heart issues and believed it to be something along the lines of Myocarditis or Pericarditis, I was petrified. I was dripping in sweat and struggling to breathe, yet my obs were normal. An ECG was done which was also normal. It was difficult to take blood as I was very dehydrated, she stated she needed to test specifically to understand what was going on and assured me that she would contact me in the evening when my blood results were in.
At home I was unable to cook, clean or do anything I would normally be able to do. At 8pm the nurse practitioner called to inform me that my d-dimer level (which tests for blood clotting) had come in at 1991 ug/L – normal levels should be less than 500 ug/L for a person under 50. I knew then that I had Pulmonary Embolism.
I had to present to the local hospital where my obs were taken and were all normal. I was then seen by a doctor who believed I had Pulmonary Embolism, however she sent me home untreated and told me to come back at 8am as radiography wasn’t open. I was scared and begged her three times to at least treat me with anticoagulant before making me go home and she refused (I made a written complaint about this too).
I returned home an emotional wreck and believed I might not make it to the next morning – I was not only battling physical injury, but also the emotional effects of being refused proper treatment. I couldn’t sleep that night, I cried and cried.
I returned to the hospital at 8am on Friday 21st of January for a CT scan with contrast. I was so dehydrated (because of my sweating and being so severely unwell, I wasn’t able to do anything for myself) it took 5 different medical staff to put a line in. At 2:15pm I was diagnosed with Bilateral Pulmonary Embolisms. I was in shock as I’d assumed I only had 1 blood clot, not numerous.
The doctor was unable to answer any of the questions I’d had, I’d asked her “What’s going to happen to me? How long am I going to be like this? About the vaccine? She gave me a prescription for Rivaroxaban and told me I needed to take this medication for the rest of my life. I asked her whether there were any known drug interactions – she couldn’t answer that either. She refused to acknowledge that this was a vaccine injury and when I challenged her, she told me I needed to go home. She’d initially refused to give me a medical certificate for work, but in the end she did one for a week (I am still getting medical exemptions written from every specialist etc that I go to).
Once at home, I struggled to even shower myself. I had nausea, vomiting and shortness of breath on any exertion. I was supported by friends in the daytime and left alone at night. After 6 days, a GP sent me back to the hospital as I was not improving and was constantly grey in colour. Finally, I was admitted for 1 day and 1 night, I was heard, and supported by an ED doctor who agreed my injury was caused by the Pfizer vaccine (however this wasn’t put in writing). I had further blood tests which showed I was battling a virus and had liver dysfunction – I’d never had an issue with my liver before and believed it was the spike protein, so I refused medication and said I would sort it myself and started on NAC, which resolved the liver issue. They discharged me the next day with home help and meals on wheels organised. My GP has been very supportive of my situation.
I had covid in early March and due to my lung capacity I needed antibiotics and was given an oximeter and thermometer from my doctor to test myself and 3 times over the 7 day period that I had covid, I had to go and have my chest listened to as things got worse. Over this period, I’d had a respiratory department appointment which I had to cancel. Oddly enough, the respiratory department outpatient clinic had closed on the 10th of March 2022 – they didn’t officially say why they were closed, but I asked them how they could shut their doors and was told it was because they were inundated with patients coming through the hospital, so I’d had to wait another four weeks for an appointment.
ACC denied that this is a covid injury stating, ‘Insufficient evidence relating to the Pfizer covid-19 vaccine. This may change In future as the media is always updating’. If I’d had a different brand where clots are a documented side effect, this wouldn’t be an issue. I rebutted their decision and they asked for an extension until October to give me an answer to my covid injury claim. I’d been severely unwell with very little assistance. I have a lawyer and am currently in the court system with ACC – They have requested me to see one of three Respiratory specialists of their choice at this point. My respiratory specialist and his whole team have supported me the whole way. I was his first guinea pig to go through the exemption process, which he applied for under section 2A (vaccine injury) and it was denied by Ashley Bloomfield stating that I could go to my local hospital and have the Booster under supervision.
Since March, I’d had a VQ Scan (Ventilation/Perfusion scan which tests blood supply in lungs), a second chest x-ray, multiple breathing tests (some 75 minutes), I awaited outpatient appointments with a Respiratory Specialist and a Cardiologist and had an Echocardiogram, a 6 minute walking test, and physio. I’ve had pretty much every test there is. Trying to get the appointments has been very frustrating as they are so booked up.
After my diagnosis, I sent a complaint letter to the GP practise and the head of the hospital and took it upon myself to also notify the health and disability commissioner regarding the numerous breaches of the Health and Disability consumers act 1996. I had replies advising they will investigate. The locum GP and the hospital Doctor have both been taken to the health and disability tribunal for their failings, misdiagnosis and failing to treat me at the time of incident.
Not only that, but recently I’ve made a complaint for Breach of Privacy to the board who employed me, as my nurse manager had asked a visiting GP at my workplace to provide medical information about me, which she did. I don’t know this GP as I don’t attend that medical centre. The complaint has gone to my board and to the medical practice, the Medical Council, and Privacy Commission. I’ve been let down by many ‘systems’ that have failed me.
I have been on a sickness benefit since March 2022 due to ACC refusing to acknowledge my injury and am in financial hardship. I have recently cancelled meals on wheels due to cost and am grateful that I’m able to still have home help each week. I am still employed but have not been able to return to work due to my lung health, fatigue, and severe right lung pain. When I’m well enough to go back to work, and If my employer requires a Booster vaccine, I will not be going back to nursing.
I have been mentally and emotionally raw and struggling with depression due to my life being in disarray. I’d asked my doctor for medication for it but it didn’t do anything so she doubled the dosage but that didn’t do anything either, so the depression has been deemed as circumstantial from all that’s going on with my health, stress, and court etc.
I’m excellent at my profession and was making a difference in people’s lives, working in an environment that’s such a natural fit – nursing was my life but I had that taken away, even though I complied, and am now left with a life threatening illness to manage, and requiring medication for remainder of my days.