Fatigue, Brain Fog, Ostracism and a Plea: Don’t Abandon Us¶
Day 4 · 5:02:07 · Myriam Bohémier · Toni Lannigan
- 😴 Severe fatigue still makes showering hard some days; brain fog, stuttering, and word-finding replace her former chatterbox self.
- 🛒 Public scrutiny and lost friends made grocery stores terrifying; she had a panic attack entering the hearing building.
- 📢 Her message to Parliament is simple: it does not have to be perfect—just do something and do not abandon the injured.
Ongoing cognitive and social harms and her call for parliamentary action.
← Psychiatry Taboo, Workers’ Comp Catch-22 and Empty ‘Win’ | Identity Lost, Daughter as Lifeline, PEI Officials’ False Recovery Claim →
Transcript¶
Myriam Bohémier · 5:02:07
My understanding is that you developed really severe fatigue. Can you— hey, can you talk to us about that and how it is today.
Toni Lannigan · 5:02:15
Yeah.
Toni Lannigan · 5:02:15
Um, so in the beginning, like I said, I went from the bed to the couch. Um, I tried to live normally because my daughter is watching, but you know, that was really exhausting. I was hard to— my body ached, my head was constantly with the pressure, and I was fatigued. I was always tired, always tired. And today I still have that fatigue. I fight it, um, but it's still currently there. I just—.
Myriam Bohémier · 5:02:46
In fact, in an earlier interview you shared with me that, um, some days even showering might be a challenge.
Toni Lannigan · 5:02:52
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Toni Lannigan · 5:02:54
But I know sometimes I relate that to the mental health aspect too, you know, like there's that, and then just every day. Yeah, like I, I can't— I had difficulties going out in public because we're scrutinized in the public. You know, I was a taboo subject. So going to the stores to grocery shop, I was terrified. It took me a long time to go back by myself. I still don't really go grocery shopping by myself. I have my daughter, you know, I have my support.
Myriam Bohémier · 5:03:27
And so when you say it's taboo, you mean within your community because you're vaccine injured? Yeah, you're ostracized.
Toni Lannigan · 5:03:36
Yeah, um, I had support, like, you know, there's some people that absolutely stood behind me in support, but no one wanted to talk about it. It was like, well, we support her, we have sympathy, but they don't want to talk about it. I've lost friends.
Toni Lannigan · 5:03:51
I didn't— yeah.
Myriam Bohémier · 5:03:56
You're also affected cognitively. Can you share with us about that?
Toni Lannigan · 5:04:02
Yeah, I've I have a hard time articulating myself. I mean, I might sound okay right now. Some days I have a lot of brain fog, so things don't come clearly to me. My speech sometimes is completely off. I'll stutter, I'll stammer, I'll try to find a word. I tried practicing a couple words in the bathroom earlier because I'm like, oh, what if I can't say it?
Myriam Bohémier · 5:04:25
And again, so I just want people to understand what you're saying. You've lost the ability sometimes to, to speak clearly.
Toni Lannigan · 5:04:34
Completely.
Toni Lannigan · 5:04:35
Yeah.
Toni Lannigan · 5:04:35
And I never was like this before. You can ask anybody. I was a chatterbox, social. I love being around people. I can't go in crowds. It was really hard to come here today.
Toni Lannigan · 5:04:45
Right.
Toni Lannigan · 5:04:46
I walked in this building and I had a panic attack.
Toni Lannigan · 5:04:50
Yeah.
Toni Lannigan · 5:04:50
And so when I get worked up, it gets really tight around my chest. And that's just like my anaphylaxis, like, kind of like revolving for me. It brings me back to that day.
Myriam Bohémier · 5:05:04
So, um, well, again, you know, appreciate you coming.
Toni Lannigan · 5:05:09
Yes, thank you.
Myriam Bohémier · 5:05:10
And this was important for you too, wasn't it?
Toni Lannigan · 5:05:13
Yes, it's very important. Um, like, I, like, I want to advocate for people, but I never advocated for myself because it was hard. But I want my daughter to see that, you know, no matter what, you got to speak up for yourself. You got to be heard. And maybe after this week, maybe after this week, we can, uh, be heard.
Myriam Bohémier · 5:05:39
Yeah, that's, that's the goal. What would, um, I just have one more question for you, Michelle. What would your message to Parliament be? If, if all of Parliament was listening to?
Toni Lannigan · 5:05:51
Doesn't have to be perfect, just do something.
Toni Lannigan · 5:05:56
Yep.
Toni Lannigan · 5:05:57
Don't abandon us.