Face to Face

By FELICITY DARVILLE

anxiety. I was visiting my son in Oklahoma in October 2022 when I had the same feelings again.

“I contacted a friend of mine who is a doctor in Nassau who told me to watch how I was feeling closely and told me to attend the ER if I felt worse. He said he thought that I was going to be okay. I chugged along and didn’t go to the ER.

“Post COVID is real! In January of 2022, I attended my private doctor with chest tightness and a racing heartbeat. He told me that I had anxiety, and prescribed Xanax pills. I didn’t take them as I didn’t want to get hooked on them.

“At the end of January 2022, I started having breathing issues. I always felt like I was fighting to breathe. I would have tightness and pain in my chest and my heart would feel like it was beating in my throat. I attended Doctors Hospital’s emergency room on January 27, 2022, where they took many tests and scans. My heart rate was elevated and stayed high for the entire ER visit. I was eventually discharged with meds to treat my symptoms and partially diagnosed with ‘long COVID’.

“I went on for months with these feelings and eventually went on with my private doctor’s diagnosis of maybe suffering from

“On November 30, 2022, I was once again having the feelings and this time, they were a bit more intense. I was home alone and didn’t want my brother to drive to get me as it was a bit far. I tried calling a few friends to take me to ER. One of my friend’s sisters came and took me.

“At this point, besides the chest pain and tightness, rapid heart beats and shortness of breath, I started feeling faint. My body was moving faster with these feelings than they did before. I made it to ER just in time. I passed out as I got in the ER. The doctors were able to wake me quickly.

“By that time, I was hooked up to everything! I was given aspirin and other medications along with morphine as the pain was very sharp. Morphine didn’t work and I was given something stronger. I ran a lot of tests and scans.

“After ten hours, I was discharged with medications and a referral to see a cardiologist. I attended a local cardiologist and did a few tests. I was given a Holter monitor to monitor my heart over the next 24 hours. My heart rate was extremely high even while I was asleep. I was then put on beta blocker pills to try to regulate my heart. The cardiologist here told me that I have all the symptoms of POTS - Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.”

NOTICE is hereby given that MILES GORDON SAWYERHILL of #7 First Terrace, off Collins Avenue, P.O. Box SS19555, Nassau, The Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 21st day of February, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

Mia found herself in the ER once again in midDecember, 2022. The doctor on duty suggested that she see an electrophysiologist for her heart. There are no specialists of this kind in The Bahamas. Mia’s sister-in-law said her mother had been given the same diagnosis, and provided her with the name and contact of an electrophysicist in Miami, Florida. This would be another difficult Christmastime for Mia, but she weathered through. By December 29, she was able to travel to Miami and visit the doctor. More tests were run, and Mia was told that she is most likely suffering from Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS), which is when the heart rate increases very quickly after getting up from sitting or lying down. However, additional tests and treatment would run her into at least $15,000.

Mia’s Doctors Hospital LAMP insurance had been providing some assistance with ER admission, tests and prescriptions, but she was not in a position to handle the new medical bills that were necessary to help her recover from life threatening symptoms.

Her son, Valin, set up a Go Fund Me to help his mother: “Many of you know me and you know how much my mom means to me and how much she pours into others. She now has some medical complications that have brought bills (She doesn’t have insurance unfortunately that’s not a norm in the Bahamas).”

The response has been tremendous, with many of the donors commenting on her kindness and willingness to help others, with the hopes that her kindness would be reciprocated at a time like this, when she is most in need. But Mia still needs another $10,000 to aid in her recovery. The details are outlined in the Go Fund Me page: https:// www.gofundme.com/f/ mia-campbell-with-medical-expenses.

“With this being known, I decided since I didn’t have any insurance, that I need to set my pride aside and have another fundraiser besides the Go Fund Me to assist me,” Mia said.

“I talked it over with my son again and some of my family and close friends, and we decided to have a souse out. As this planning is going on, I was again rushed to the ER on January 30, 2023; but as we know, I can only be treated to what we know so far. We won’t know for sure until all testing is complete. So I am taking all my medications until I can get the next two tests done.”

The Souse Out for Mia Campbell will be held this Saturday, February 25, at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church Grounds, Shirley Street, from 8am to 2pm. For more information, contact (242) 544-4570. Donations can also be made to Mia Campbell Scotiabank account number: 006015433, transit number: 70045.

When asked what lessons she could share with others from this entire ordeal, Mia replied: “You should always put family first. Pay attention to your body. Some signs might be minor, but some are showing you a bigger picture - things that need to be taken care of for you to live your best life.”

NOTICE is hereby given that ORDLY JEUNES-GENS of Lee Street, New Providence, The Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 21st day of February, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.