Her daughter was falsely diagnosed with long Covid - now she's dead

As a radio-frequency engineer, my 27-year-old daughter Jess should be designing her next satellite right now.

She should be splashing through puddles, running 5km, painting her nails to perfection, sharing cleaning hacks, creating her own crocheted crafts, avidly reading a new book, planning the itinerary for her next travel adventure, and looking forward to a future with her partner Alex.

But for my lovely Jess, time has run out and there is no ‘right now’.

The unbearable truth is, Jess lost her life to cancer. A cancer she did not know she had until it was too late. There was no treatment or opportunity for her to fight it because in 2020 – a year dominated by Covid-19 – the only tangible explanation medics gave for her poor health was ‘long Covid’.

In the aching void of losing Jess, my precious, beautiful child, I grapple with the need to keep her memory alive. I promised I would and, in doing so, tell her story. Sweet Jess, so desperate for others to avoid the same pain and suffering as her.  

Last summer, when our world was enveloped in an eerie silence and everything but the virus stood still, Jess began to feel unwell.

She first sought medical support in July because, in addition to chronic fatigue, she had developed a light but persistent cough and hoarse voice. She was treated liberally with antibiotics, but her symptoms did not improve.

The doctor’s explanation was long Covid – side effects of coronavirus that last more than 12 weeks – because, despite never thinking she had it, and two negative coronavirus tests, she was told these tests were not always accurate.

Jess was perplexed but accepting, as she was not a medical expert and initially grateful for some explanation for her poor health. Long Covid seemed improbable but the doctors were not unduly concerned and were reassuring.

Syl wrote:Yeah, dont pay and go bankrupt.
Great choice.

Maddog wrote:

Syl wrote:Yeah, dont pay and go bankrupt.
Great choice.

So pay for insurance or pay your medical bills.  All I'm saying is the choice is on the individual..

I skated by a few years when I was young.

Original Quill wrote:Actually insurance is a scam that was born in gambling parlors in Europe, having to do with shipping.  The insurance company bet that your ship would arrive safely, and collected the premium if it proved correct.  But, if disaster should befall the ship along the way, the owner of the ship/cargo would receive full recovery.

Like all organized criminals, insurance companies hedge their bets by 'exclusions'.  Read the exclusions page in your policy.

Original Quill wrote:Actually insurance is a scam that was born in gambling parlors in Europe, having to do with shipping.  The insurance company bet that your ship would arrive safely, and collected the premium if it proved correct.  But, if disaster should befall the ship along the way, the owner of the ship/cargo would receive full recovery.

Like all organized criminals, insurance companies hedge their bets by 'exclusions'.  Read the exclusions page in your policy.

Maddog wrote:

Original Quill wrote:Actually insurance is a scam that was born in gambling parlors in Europe, having to do with shipping.  The insurance company bet that your ship would arrive safely, and collected the premium if it proved correct.  But, if disaster should befall the ship along the way, the owner of the ship/cargo would receive full recovery.

Like all organized criminals, insurance companies hedge their bets by 'exclusions'.  Read the exclusions page in your policy.

The NHS is a mandatory, government run insurance program.

You pay in, and they tell you what is covered and what kind of service you will receive.  

And if you don't like it?

Tough shit. It's mandatory.

Maddog wrote:Let's go back to the OP.

Who is going to be punished for this failure?


Will there be a settlement for malpractice?

I'm betting the results here will be "we killed her because of incompetence, but we are the government, so sorry".

Original Quill wrote:

Maddog wrote:


The NHS is a mandatory, government run insurance program.

You pay in, and they tell you what is covered and what kind of service you will receive.  

And if you don't like it?

Tough shit. It's mandatory.

Insurance isn't mandatory; NHS is. The majority of NHS funding comes from general taxes, and a smaller proportion (20%) comes from national insurance, which is a payroll tax paid by employees and employers.  There is no profit taking with the NHS.

Syl wrote:

Maddog wrote:Let's go back to the OP.

Who is going to be punished for this failure?


Will there be a settlement for malpractice?

I'm betting the results here will be "we killed her because of incompetence, but we are the government, so sorry".

People can and do sue the NHS for negligence and malpractice.
I dont know what will happen in the case outlined in the OP.

It's a heartbreaking case that's for sure.

Maddog wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

Insurance isn't mandatory; NHS is. The majority of NHS funding comes from general taxes, and a smaller proportion (20%) comes from national insurance, which is a payroll tax paid by employees and employers.  There is no profit taking with the NHS.

I know NHS is mandatory. I said as much and that's why I don't like it..

Maddog wrote:

Syl wrote:

People can and do sue the NHS for negligence and malpractice.
I dont know what will happen in the case outlined in the OP.

It's a heartbreaking case that's for sure.

Nothing will happen.  

This shitty doctor will continue to provide shitty service.

He's a government worker. It's what they specialize in.

Maddog wrote:

Syl wrote:

People can and do sue the NHS for negligence and malpractice.
I dont know what will happen in the case outlined in the OP.

It's a heartbreaking case that's for sure.

Nothing will happen.  

This shitty doctor will continue to provide shitty service.

He's a government worker. It's what they specialize in.

Syl wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Nothing will happen.  

This shitty doctor will continue to provide shitty service.

He's a government worker. It's what they specialize in.

That's a bit of a generalisation.
Some GP's are brilliant, and actually, if they work for the NHS, they are more likely (in theory anyway) to be doing it for the love of their profession rather than for the money.

I have had an NHS dentist all my life, I could have cried when my regular dentist retired last year....though the replacement is OK.
Unlike GP's I could phone him up in the morning and he would see me the same day if I needed any treatment.

Maddog wrote:

Syl wrote:

That's a bit of a generalisation.
Some GP's are brilliant, and actually, if they work for the NHS, they are more likely (in theory anyway) to be doing it for the love of their profession rather than for the money.

I have had an NHS dentist all my life, I could have cried when my regular dentist retired last year....though the replacement is OK.
Unlike GP's I could phone him up in the morning and he would see me the same day if I needed any treatment.

It's a generalizition based on specific comments about GP's I have read on this thread.

And my interactions with government workers for 50 years.  

Original Quill wrote:

Maddog wrote:

It's a generalizition based on specific comments about GP's I have read on this thread.

And my interactions with government workers for 50 years.  

You sound like Trump: it's all in my head.

That's a personal opinion, not a valid generalization.

Maddog wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

You sound like Trump: it's all in my head.

That's a personal opinion, not a valid generalization.

You lie like Trump.

You spew nonsense like him on a daily basis.

The two of you are quite similar. Full of shit.

Maddog wrote:

Syl wrote:

That's a bit of a generalisation.
Some GP's are brilliant, and actually, if they work for the NHS, they are more likely (in theory anyway) to be doing it for the love of their profession rather than for the money.

I have had an NHS dentist all my life, I could have cried when my regular dentist retired last year....though the replacement is OK.
Unlike GP's I could phone him up in the morning and he would see me the same day if I needed any treatment.

It's a generalizition based on specific comments about GP's I have read on this thread.

And my interactions with government workers for 50 years.  

Syl wrote:

Maddog wrote:

It's a generalizition based on specific comments about GP's I have read on this thread.

And my interactions with government workers for 50 years.  

Well as there are only a handful of people who have complained about their GP service on here....it's hardly a condemnation of all GP's in the UK.
Magica, (she hasn't posted for a while) lives down south to me, she has said in the past how brilliant her GP surgery is, if she rings in the morning she can always get to see a GP the same day. If she wants to see a specific GP she is usually accommodated without any trouble.
Like I have said, the North is still the poor neighbour to the South in England,  primary care is just one example of where it falls short.

Maddog wrote:

Syl wrote:

Well as there are only a handful of people who have complained about their GP service on here....it's hardly a condemnation of all GP's in the UK.
Magica, (she hasn't posted for a while) lives down south to me, she has said in the past how brilliant her GP surgery is, if she rings in the morning she can always get to see a GP the same day. If she wants to see a specific GP she is usually accommodated without any trouble.
Like I have said, the North is still the poor neighbour to the South in England,  primary care is just one example of where it falls short.

And you should have a GP that you like, and can fire and have recourse against for shitty service.

Oh, and doesn't kill you.

Syl wrote:

Maddog wrote:

And you should have a GP that you like, and can fire and have recourse against for shitty service.

Oh, and doesn't kill you.

I agree...all of that, and to add, one that doesn't charge so much you have to file for bankruptcy because you cant meet the payments.

Maddog wrote:

Syl wrote:

I agree...all of that, and to add, one that doesn't charge so much you have to file for bankruptcy because you cant meet the payments.

A.GP would never charge that much. You're not going to file bankruptcy over a $100 doctor visit.

Syl wrote:

Maddog wrote:

A.GP would never charge that much. You're not going to file bankruptcy over a $100 doctor visit.

True, but one GP visit can easily turn into two or more for the same problem, followed by treatments, hospital visits and follow up appointments, it all adds up.

Are children treated free?

Maddog wrote:

Syl wrote:

True, but one GP visit can easily turn into two or more for the same problem, followed by treatments, hospital visits and follow up appointments, it all adds up.

Are children treated free?

Depends on their insurance and poverty level.  


When my kids needed treatment I was never concerned with the cost. Only the level of care they got. There are some things more important than money. I think the parents of the young lady in the story would agree with me..

Syl wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Depends on their insurance and poverty level.  


When my kids needed treatment I was never concerned with the cost. Only the level of care they got. There are some things more important than money. I think the parents of the young lady in the story would agree with me..

Obviously anyone would give their last penny to save their childs life, that isn't the point though is it.
The mother in the OP would obviously have paid for private health care sooner had she known the outcome.

If the toss up is between putting food into your families mouths, paying the bills to keep a roof over their head, or seeing a Dr for none life saving medical advice that is going to put someone in debt, that would be the more likely scenario.

We don't have to make that choice, maybe you don't, but I bet a lot of lower middle income people who don't qualify for benefits in the US have to make that choice every day.

Syl wrote:I will add, if you lived here you would no doubt use and appreciate the NHS.
Think of the money you would save.

Syl wrote:And like I have said, everyone gets the same NHS treatment, a bank balance doesn't enter into the equation.

Maddog wrote:

Syl wrote:I will add, if you lived here you would no doubt use and appreciate the NHS.
Think of the money you would save.

I've done the math. I wouldn't save any money. I'd just have worse service and care.

Syl wrote:

Maddog wrote:

I've done the math. I wouldn't save any money. I'd just have worse service and care.

There are very sad cases like the one in the OP.....they make the news,  the millions of people who owe their health and life to the NHS ....dont.