Rebecca Schleider, 41, rests in her living room, Thursday, April 27, 2023, in Stuart. Schleider has lived with long COVID since contracting the virus during the first wave in 2020. "I'm too unwell to do most outside activities," said Schleider. "It's really tough. I have a lot of interests, a lot of things I'd like to do. But, I'm coming to terms with this idea that, you know, I may spend the rest of my life isolated in my house.”
A Valentine's Day card Rebecca Schleider gave to her fiance, Scott Simmons, during her struggle with long COVID in 2021. He said it was one of the sweetest moments during her illness. “I still look at it from time to time,” Simmons said. “Because at that point, it was incredibly hard for her to write …. it was very meaningful to have that sort of gift.”
"If I could be guaranteed that if I got COVID again, I would be fine or die, that would be more comfortable for me," Schleider said. "But, what I can't handle is the torture of just having to sit there and exist ... it is horrible." She has been diagnosed with chronic fatigue, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, known as POTS, and extreme exertion malaise.
Schleider puts on a face mask before heading into the Martin County Tax Collector office to pick up her new disability tag, Wednesday, May, 3, 2023, in Stuart. "Until something changes, especially with the evidence of my most recent infection. I have to do what I can to avoid it," said Schleider.
Acupuncturist Kathryn Thomas works on Rebecca, Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at Corner Acupuncture in Stuart. She has been getting treatments for several months for her long COVID symptoms.
Rebecca Schleider gets ready to appear before an administrative law judge for her disability denial appeal case, Friday, May, 26, 2023, at 400 S. Australian Ave. in West Palm Beach. In Ohio, Schleider worked at a bank and a grocery store putting in about 60 hours week before she fell ill during the first wave of the pandemic. Since that time, she has been living with long COVID. The illness ended her work life and she struggles to maintain her health insurance. She applied for disability coverage through the Social Security Administration in Ohio, but she was denied. “Applying for disability has utterly destroyed my mental health,” Shleider said. The Florida judge granted a postponement as she actively hires an attorney to help with her case.
Rebecca Schleider (left) and her fiance, Scott Simmons watch "Xena: Warrior Princess" together while eating dinner at their apartment, Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Stuart. Simmons has been a caregiver and a support system for Rebecca as she deals with her long COVID illness. “I will say on the nice rosy element of this is it's been totally worth it. I love Rebecca," said Simmons. "She is a beautiful, wonderful human being. And, I think we'd often say that our relationship would be stronger for it ... It brings its share of problems. But, I'm happy every day to be with her and look at her and smile very regularly throughout the day.”
Rebecca takes a break while folding laundry in her apartment, Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Stuart. "I have post-exertional malaise, which is the worsening of symptoms following even minor physical or mental exertion," said Schleider.