First Dose of Moderna on 01/15/21 Lot #029L20A
Second Dose of Moderna on 02/15/21 Lot #024M20A
Northwest, TN
UPDATES 03/2022:
My updates page and full story can be found at: (just request to join and be added)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/185616776242361/?ref=share
My video with the full story and pics of my journey can be found at:
Sharing my story with Polly Tommey on People's Testaments on Children's Health Defense TV (9/8/21):
https://live.childrenshealthdefense.org/shows/the-peoples-testaments/W8fakRVFW-
Sharing my story with Dr. Heather Melton with Health Matters on the Mike Weatherford Show (12/4/21):
Sharing my story with The Frontline Nurses on their Ask the Nurses podcast (3/16/22):
ORIGINAL INTERVIEW:
Q: What was your life like before you got the vaccine?
My name is Nikki and I am from northwest TN. I am the mother of 3 amazing kids and
engaged to my wonderful finance. Prior to mid February, I was working full time as
Physical Therapist in the home health setting, working out/ running 3-4x/week, and as
far as current medical conditions, I had hypertension which was controlled with
medication and asthma that was also controlled with maintenance medications. In my
past my asthma was classified as moderate intermittent and I had intermittent flare ups,
however over the past 5 years I have had no exacerbations.
Q: What was your reaction, symptoms, & timeline?
On Jan 15, 2021 I had the 1st Moderna COVID Vaccine with no side effects other than
some localized arm soreness. On Feb 12, 2021 I had the 2nd Moderna COVID 19
Vaccine. 48hrs after the injection I had onset of severe nausea/vomiting. This improved
but then 72hours after the injection I started having breathing difficulty. I was still
working and seeing patients however I was having to use rescue inhaler multiple times.
Over the next couple days breathing worsened and on Feb 17th, halfway through
workday, it became so bad I had to go to ER. I was hospitalized and on Feb 19th (one
week after injection) I had to be placed on the ventilator due to respiratory failure.
They treated me for an allergic reaction with epinephrine and medication to address
what appeared to be a resulting asthma exacerbation. I was weaned off the vent after a
few days however this did not last but a couple of days and required reintubation. I
developed bilateral pneumonia and MRSA (a blood infection). After a 3rd time of having
to be intubated and placed back on mechanical ventilation, I was life flighted to larger
hospital. I developed laryngospasms but was able to be weaned off and after a week
was able to be released home on supplemental oxygen.
After being released home I was readmitted 3 days later and life flighted to a larger
hospital due to increased shortness of breath and blood clots (DVT, possible Pulmonary
Embolus). I spent time in the IC on BiPAP machine and was given extensive treatment of
blood thinners. Once again released home after about a week. When I was home I had
home health therapy and nursing services due to weakness that had developed and to
help manage my medical conditions, breathing, and medications. I was home for a few
weeks which was starting to feel a little better with breathing when I noticed I started to
have more difficulty with my blood pressure fluctuating between hypertension and
hypotension along with tachycardia (increased heart rate). I also started having more
nausea, vomiting, chest/ upper abdominal pain, night sweats, dizziness and abdominal
distension) abdominal swelling- I looked like I was 8 months pregnant). I went to a
cardiologist who stated my heart was good and that my continued symptoms were GI/
respiratory in nature from what he thought. I even ended up going to the ER where
they performed Abdominal CT and stated they did not see a source or reason and
couldn’t find anything abnormal other than some elevated liver enzymes and sent me
home.
Soon after I noticed blood in a bowel movement and felt dizzy upon getting up and fell
hitting my head and side on the floor/ wall and had to go to the ER and life flighted
again to a larger hospital for shortness of breath and a GI bleed. Also when coming out
of anesthesia for my endoscopy/ colonoscopy to find the bleed, I started having
breathing trouble. This time doctors were saying lungs were clear but the tightness was
coming from my throat and thought vocal cord dysfunction/ laryngospasms. At
discharge they released me home and set me up with an appointment with a vocal cord
specialist.
I went to the ENT/ vocal cord specialist who performed another laryngoscope and was
also evaluated by their speech pathologists who confirmed I was having vocal cord
closer and diagnosed me with Paradoxical Vocal Fold Movement Disorder/ Vocal Cord
Dysfunction. She gave me exercises to perform and advised to perform these when I
started having trouble breathing and these should open up the upper airway/ vocal
cords and should prevent the need for reintubation, as long as lungs/ bronchi were clear
and asthma were controlled.
I was home a little less than a week, however breathing worsened and exercises were
not helping. I went to a follow up appointment with my pulmonologist who said my
lungs sounded awful and was concerned about my increased struggle to breathe even
on oxygen. He stated I needed to be admitted to the hospital that day and sent me in a
wheelchair across to the hospital and directly admitted me to the ICU. My breathing
took a quick turn for the worse. This resulted in the need to be intubated. This was the
5th time since Feb requiring life support. After emergency intubation and inserting a
nasogastric tube I was sent on my 4th life flight to yet another larger hospital.
I spent the rest of the week in the ICU at the larger hospital with them trying to wean
me off the vent. They stated lungs had improved however after multiple days of trying
to wean off the vent they were unsuccessful due to severe laryngospasms so they
decided to attempt extubating in the OR under general sedation to try to relax the
spasms/ vocal cords. Under sedation/ anesthesia laryngospasms continued and after
multiple attempts to extubate a tracheostomy was required to maintain the airway. The
Surgeon ENT stated that the tracheostomy would be required for the “foreseeable
future” as they were unsure the source of the laryngospasms. They stated they
appeared to be neurologically based but wanted to ensure they would not occur again
or could find the source prior to considering removing the trach to avoid need for
emergency reintubation/ secondary tracheotomy to maintain open airway.
During the hospitalization it was also noted I had decreased sensation in both legs,
increased difficulty walking with bilateral foot drop as well as the neuro team finding
positive/ abnormal reflexes. I was having more muscle cramps, twitching and pain. I
had gotten so weak I could not even get out of bed and transfer without significant
assistance. Once they pulled the urinary catheter I was not able to void. It was noted
that my bladder was extremely full and I was not feeling I had to go much less being
able to initiate voiding. After this they had to perform in/out caths. I had multiple
blood tests, full spinal and brain CT/ MRIs, and daily neuro evaluations. They were
unable to find the exact source. I was still having nausea/ vomiting and they were
unable to wean me off the feeding tube during this time stating I had developed
Gastroparesis and I needed to keep the nasogastric tube upon discharge for tube
feedings for supplemental nutrition. Along with GI issue I was also having trouble with
speech and swallowing. I was discharged to an Inpatient Rehabilitation hospital to still
have nursing to help with medication and trach management and attempt to regain
more strength with PT,OT and improve swallowing, breathing and speech with speech
therapy. After a couple weeks I returned home with a tracheostomy requiring
supplemental oxygen/suction/ humidifier machine for breathing management,
nasogastric tube for tube feedings, and multiple medications and advised to continue
therapy services in home health setting due to severe weakness and limitations in
mobility.
Since then I've struggled daily. Some days are better than others. Since the above grip
of hospitalization I've seen multiple specialist who are not finding answers other than
treating subprogram and problems that arise. Root cause can't be found and mainly
are treating symptoms and problems as they arise. I am currently awaiting visits for
implantation of suprapubic catheter for the neurogenic bladder and possible permanent
tracheotomy options to implant as laryngospasms and breathing difficulties so not
appear to be improving and they can't find cause to treat to reverse.
I actually am currently sitting in a hospital right now as I stayed coughing up blood and
having difficulty breathing. They are treating me for sepsis,
pneumonia/pneumonia/Aspiration (they aren't sure what it is and just say my lungs
look like covid 19, which I'm negative for and have been throughout this entire year with
multiple tests, with CT showing ground glass nodules that are diffuse and multifocal, this
is causing pulmonary edema and heart problems. I'm just tired and no one has answers
why and are ignoring the only conning variable as source to how this started... post
Vaccine and lack of acknowledging this I believe is hindering and blinding medical
professionals because of refusal to link connection and prevent people like me with
reactions the care and research we deserve. We did our part, where are you now?
Q: What was your life like after you got the vaccine?
Here I am 8months after all this started and back in the hospital again! All of this following
the COVID 19 injections…after my second vaccine, I have been hospitalized multiple
times, during the first 100 days since all this started I spent over 60 days in the hospital,
of which around a total of 20 of those day I was intubated on the ventilator. This time
included inpatient stays at 6 different hospitals, including multiple days in the ICUs
requiring 5 different intubations/ being placed on mechanical ventilation for breathing
support. I was just life flighted for the 5th time this year a few days ago being most
recent and still in hospital, from smaller hospitals to larger hospitals. Since June-now I
have had multiple follow up visits with doctors/ specialists including Primary Care
Physician, Cardiologist, Pulmonologist, Urologist, Gastroenterologist, Neurologist, and
ENT/ Voice Specialist/ surgeon, all who are trying to manage, treat and diagnosis the
current impairments. I have also continued PT/OT/ ST in home health setting and
progressed to outpatient PT, exhausting all but a couple therapy visits that my insurance
allows. Despite continued interventions to improve strength and mobility, I have went
from using no assistive device to a cane, to now having to switch between a walker and
forearm crutches in the home mobility/ short distances and requiring the use of a
wheelchair for longer distances and now due to respiratory even shorter distances and
in home. I use bilateral AFOs (ankle foot orthosis/ braces) to help with bilateral foot
drop. I still have a tracheostomy, which have still been told this is long term so will be
looking at chasing trach to permanent style soon unless more info is found to treat
cause because given I am still having idiopathic laryngospasms cutting my upper airway
off completely at times they aren't willing to risk removal at this time. I still have to use
suctioning/ humidifier/ supplemental oxygen machines to assist in airway and breathing
management. I still have significant weakness, mainly in legs and right hand. I still have
muscle cramps, fasciculations, spasticity and pain especially at night after increased
activity during the day. I still have to self cath for urinary voiding/ retention, 2-4x/day
and urologist performed urodynamics testing showing I have hypotonicity in my bladder
with minimal to no neural activity when bladder is full showing a neurogenic bladder,
and I am awaiting suprapubic Catheter implementation with possible future implantation of bladder stimulator to assist in ease of urination. I still am unable to work, some days I can barely talk and wall for to shortness of breath, I'm always tired, I still have difficulty with normal daily activities and become very fatigued attempting to just watch and be a part of my children’s extracurricular activities. I am on 21 different prescription medications. I still have not found any significant improvements with current medical conditions with just mainly symptoms and management of conditions being the main focus as true root/ cause seems to be of continued question and confusion.
Q: Share your experience with any medical care and any diagnoses you have received:
List of Diagnosis Feb- now 2021 post Vax:
-Critical Illness Myopathy
- Chronic and acute Respiratory Failure with Hypoxia and Supplemental Oxygen
Dependence
-Severe Persistent Asthma
-Post Tracheostomy with tracheotomy dependence
-Idiopathic Laryngospasms
-Unspecified Neurological Disorder
-Gait Abnormality requiring assitive device/ wheelchair
-Ataxia
-History of Recurrent Falls
- muscle spasms
-spasticity
-Fasciculations
-Lower Extremity Weakness
-Bilateral Foot Drop requiring bilateral AFO braces
-Acute and Chronic Pain
-Chronic Deep Vein Thrombosis, Right Lower Extremity
-Gastroparesis
-GI bleed
-GERD
-Neurogenic Bladder, Catheter dependence
-Diabetes Type II
-Anxiety
-Depression
-Staphylococcus Bacteria Sepsis
-Bacterial Pneumonia
-Vocal Cord Dysfunction
- Hemoptysis
- Aspiration
-Sepsis
- Thickening of intraventricular septum
- Thoracic aorta ectactic
-Cardiomegaly
-pulmonary edema
- lung CT/xray: Multifocal patchy bilateral pulmonary parenchymal groundglass opacities
in a pattern concordant with Covid 19 infection.
Medical care:
- tons of imaging, blood tests, nerve and muscle tests, life support/intubated on vent 5x,
tracheostomy placed April, awaiting suprapubic Catheter placement, right now in out
self catheterization required for to neurogenic bladder and retention, medications for
infections, breathing, steroids, antibiotics, blood thinners for DVTs, fluid replacement,
antibodies, muscle relaxers, anti anxiety meds, corticosteroids, antihistamines, pain
meds, supplemental oxygen, need for home oxygen/sectioning and humidification
machines through tracheostomy care, breathing treatments via nebulizer,
physical/occupational/speach Therapy in acute, inpatient, home health and Outpatient
settings, multiple hospitalizations and 5 life flights this year, disposition testing of
Colonoscopy, endoscopy, emg/NCS, CT/MRI/xrays (head, chest, spine, abdominal),
nasogastric tube for feedings, and multiple supplies and connections with medical
equipment place to gain access to equipment to help with the new musicals and medical
supplies and care I now need.
Q: Was your reaction reported, and what was the response?
Doctors weren't going to report. So I reported myself. Back in feb/ March, as I was
able, I started reporting my symptoms via vsafe check in for reports on how I was doing
every few days to every week as how I was doing post vaccine. This was through CDC.
Also during this same time I made a report to VAERS Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting
System which is also a part of the CDC. They emailed me back in mid may when I was in
rehab. I've been trying to get ahold of them and I tried back with no success but then
finally at end of May/ June I talked to them on the phone. They said they had
already collected most of my medical records and I could tell had read through them.
They stated they would continue to need me to send the names of any doctors I am
seeing to them so they can continue to request records as this continues. They advised
me this is for medical research and investigation but I needed to send in a claim to the
CICP to request for compensation for adverse reaction. Which I knew I would have to if I
wanted to try and get help on these medical bills. So I have been tracking down all my
medical records from the many hospitals and doctors I've seen thus far to get ready to
send before I file a claim, which had to be submitted within a year. I was researching
this organization CICP countermeasures injury compensation program and very few % of
claims have even been approved and paid so far saying it wasn't vaccine just confident
or didn't come correctly. Medical bills alone are crazy but not to mention not being able
to work and transportation to medical appts and medical equipment and lifestyle
modification expenses, it is a huge financial burden that takes a toll on you mentally
especially when you are already down physically. The other vaccine compensation
program (VICP) which like flu shots and all those pediatric shots fall under (that aren't
protected by govt in emergency cases like this one and h1n1) they have much higher
rate of claims being compensated? Why? Just strange.. people need to know that if they
do their part and they have a rare reaction they have help!
I've also shared my story via video story on Facebook
(https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10103896314217389&id=51806919)
and youtube (https://youtube.com/channel/UC4bDfd2fD9KLXdndi6atiKw),
I've created a personal update group
(https://www.facebook.com/groups/185616776242361/?ref=share) to share my story
as it unfolds,
I'm not giving up despite being censored people need to know and we need help and for that we need a voice and platforms like this!
Q: Is there anything that has helped, and have your symptoms improved?
Honestly I can't say I've come across anything miraculous in the way of treatment. During all my hospital stays and most of my medical doctors’ appointments, I have had a
variety of responses by doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers. Some have said
they believe that all this is a direct cause by the vaccination but there is no way of
proving it as it is all too new. Those have also said they have seen several patient’s post
vaccine with an array of medical problems ranging from respiratory to neurological to
cardiovascular, some which they stated were in the hospitals I was in at the exact same