Case 41: ‘So many have been harmed.’
In this series DTNZ brings you testimony from frontline health workers, doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, psychiatrists, speaking out as to what they have witnessed in Australia’s vaccine roll-out programme.
Frontline Worker – Medical Sector
Registered Nurse, 30 years experience
AHPRA verified
Submission Date: 28/09/2021
I have been a registered Nurse for over 30 years. I work for an Agency, so at multiple facilities and wards.
(1). The first patient I encountered with a possible reaction was an elderly lady sent in from an age care facility. This lady was usually alert and orientated. She was active and ambulant. It was her second presentation in 24 hours.
She had her first Covid vaccination the previous morning. That evening she had a fall, and was sent to ED. After review she was discharged. The following evening she experienced a seizure. She had a history of Epilepsy.
I actually contacted the RN at the facility for further information. She told me: The patients epilepsy was well controlled. It had been over a year since her last seizure. Her seizures normally followed a pattern and the patient always knew she was going to have one. She was normally aware that she had experienced a seizure afterwards.
The RN said the patient had had no warning this time and no recollection of the seizure. She also said the seizure was much more intense than previously.
It was the combination of the Covid vaccine, the fall and the abnormal presentation of the seizure that had concerned her. This concern was the reason she had called QAS.
When I assessed the patient she had no recollection of the seizure and did not know why she had been sent to hospital. She had recollection of the early part of the day only. She was also able to tell me in detail what normally occurs when she has a seizure and when her last one was.
(2). The second was a gentleman in his 60’s with COPD. This man was able to tell me about his condition. He had a medical plan for managing acute exacerbations and rarely presented to Hospital.
His Covid vaccine was a few days earlier. That evening after the vaccine he become increasingly breathless and felt generally unwell. He had implemented everything in his plan but his condition had worsened. He said, “I scared the wife, so she called QAS.” He added that he had never been this breathless and was concerned that he might die this time.
In both these cases the doctors dismissed the vaccine as coincidence.
I then noticed that almost every patient, I looked after in emergency departments had a Covid vaccination as part of their recent history. Initially, I put this down to the number of people being vaccinated, so not significant.
I then tried to remember how many patients I had seen with a recent vaccination in their history. It certainly was not a trend I had noticed previously.
I then had several more patients who had chronic conditions, that were well controlled or in remission that experienced an acute episode.
(3). A lady in her 50s with Multiple Sclerosis. She was in remission, and generally active and healthy. She experienced weakness and tingling in her limbs.
(4). Several patients with asthma who had not had an attack in years, presented in severe respiratory distress.
These were from within 24 hours – 2 weeks of the vaccine.
(5). My mother had experienced facial neuralgia following a previous illness. This had resolved over 12 months ago but returned for 24hours following her first dose of the vaccine.
In all these cases the doctors opinions were that the Covid vaccination was highly unlikely to cause these.
As far as I am aware, these were not reported as adverse reactions to the vaccine.
Unfortunately I do not have evidence or details of these cases. It was only over time it became obvious, there was too many occurences to be coincidences.
I am relieved to know others have noticed that there are risks associated with these vaccines but saddened and angry that so many have been harmed.
Thank you for the opportunity to share.
