Locals share accounts of how health has suffered after vaccine

AS the number of ‘vaccine victims’ going public continues to grow, two more local people have shared personal accounts of how their health started to suffer soon after receiving a jab.

Newtownstewart woman Wendy Scott (55) and Omagh man John Cunnane (74) were in Stormont on Monday afternoon for an event run by VIBS NI (Vaccine Injured and Bereaved Northern Ireland).

Both Wendy and John were part of a large roomful of people, many of who say their lives have been upended by health complications induced by some version of the Covid-19 vaccination.

“Before taking the jab, I was a fit and healthy 52-year-old childcare worker, who rarely missed a day of work,” began Wendy.

“But shortly after taking my second Pfizer jab, I had lost my speech, I was struggling to walk, I was getting terrible attacks of nerve pain, I was living between the bed and sofa, I couldn’t work, and I was as low as I’d ever been. Without family, I think I probably would have given up,” admitted Wendy.

Immediately after taking her second dose of the Pfizer inoculation, Wendy claims her driving was impaired, her coordination was off, she was severely fatigued and felt generally unwell.

“Doctors initially thought it was a stroke. Then, after a CT and MRI scan, I was diagnosed with a neurological condition.

“In the early days, everything seemed to be deserting me; speech, balance, movement, everything important. But, after a lot of work with physiotherapists, neurologists, speech therapists and occupational therapists, I am doing a bit better now. I am more able to annunciate my words and I am forming sentences better, albeit with a lot of conscious effort. On occasions, my movement improves temporarily too.

“But it usually doesn’t last long; the damage is done and it cannot really be reversed. I’ll never work again and I’m still in a lot of pain. I look a lot different than I did before, too. I am now a survivor of the vaccine – but at least I am not alone anymore.

“It all seemed to happen overnight; everything changed.

“I went from working everyday for 28 years to being housebound most of he time, a cloud hanging over my head.

“Thankfully, I have friends and family. My husband Robert and two sons Gary and Steven have kept me going. I hope they know how much they mean to me.

“As far as my struggle for some kind of justice goes, all that is left is for those responsible to admit that they were wrong and try their best to help those who have suffered as a result of their incompetence and deceit.”

Suffered stroke

Equally as indignant with how he has been treated was John Cunnane, who, less than 48 hours after taking his second AstraZeneca injection, was admitted to the hospital having suffered a stroke.

“At that time I was 71, fairly fit and a big walker. Along with my wife (Kathleen) I’d take regular danders around town and occasional ventures up Mullaghcarn.

“Unfortunately, those days are gone. Since the stroke, I can’t get about with the use of an aid, either a stick or chair. I went from loving walking to being fearful of it. That’s the truth.”

John said he has spoken with his GP only once since his health took a turn for the worst.

“I was told what medicines I was going on and that was it,” said the St Julians Court man.

“What I want now is people to talk to; people who understand.”

To this end, John said that he would like to see a support group set up in Omagh for people who believe they have been injured or bereaved as a result of a Covid-19 vaccination.

“Today (Monday) has been great because it has shown us that we are not alone.

“Up to this point, my wife and I have been made feel like it was just us. Now we know there are many more in the same boat.

“That helps.”