Or, at least, stay the sickest.
This is Liebermans first self-portrait.
And it is her attempt to capture what COVID-19 did to her.
Andrew Brookes / Getty Images
The symptoms are unrelenting, Lieberman tells Verywell.
A big problem for me is the viruss effect on the brain.
The brain fog is insane.
Nora Lieberman
I can forget what Im doing while Im doing it.
I forget what Im thinking about while Im thinking about it mid-sentence.
I cant watch TV or read anymore because I cant focus or understand anything.
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Its all too over-stimulating.
Stories oflong-haulerslike Lieberman were simply vignettes of neurological symptoms, with no data to quantify or explain them.
Frontal Lobe Disturbances
The neurological impact of COVID-19 is complex and extensive.
The disease can induce strokes, seizures, and hemorrhages.
While the mechanisms are still being uncovered, new information may point to which areas are affected.
Frontal lobe damage can cause all of these symptoms that patients are complaining of.
Neha Dixit, PhD
Is a full recovery possible?
I can never answer that question.
But is recovery possible?
The study found overall slowing in the frontal lobe, which could be indicative of potential brain damage.
However, it gave no clear prognosis about whether or not this damage is permanent.
Our brains are amazing; they can withstand a lot," Dixit says.
“Is a full recovery possible?
I can never answer that question.
But is recovery possible?
Yes,” she says.
“Theyre not regenerating new tissue in their frontal lobe, but they are reorganizing their brain.
For example, language is something you’re free to retrain, and even memory retrieval.”
However, she says its too early to make any conclusions because more research is needed.
This is completely unchartered territory.
This is known ashypoxia.
They examined the brains of six COVID-19 patients and found similar metabolic abnormalities to those found in hypoxia.
If the oxygen deprivation is prolonged, then its likely that other brain structures can be affected.
Sustained oxygen deprivation leaves patients more susceptible to mood disorders, depression, and memory complaints.
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Potential Brain Aging
Before COVID-19, Lieberman’s life never stood still.
And she might be right.
Some researchers theorize that COVID-19 is actually aging the brain by a decade.
A preliminary study in the U.K. analyzed questionnaires from over 84,000 people who had suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
Its impossible to know if COVID is actually aging brains by 10 years," she says.
What This Means For You
The prevalence of neurological symptoms in COVID-19 is extremely high.
Many patients who experience cognitive symptoms are debilitated for months after infection.
But it’s one that Lieberman desperately needs.
Unfortunately, that key in of information is a luxury she simply cannot afford.
When she does gather the strength to paint, the only color she can reach for is black.
This virus is crazy.
Things change from hour to hour sometimes.
Time doesnt exist for me anymore, Lieberman says.
And I just want to remind them to stay vigilant because you dont want this.
And I have no idea when it will end.
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