We would like to introduce you to Joanna; our snowboarding, running, backpack tripping, educating force of nature. A woman who never stopped moving and exploring. A teacher who always looked out for the kids who were not noticed, the ones who had fallen between the cracks.
Team Humanity’s story about Joanna’s vaccine injury is a story of loss, resiliency, discovery and compassion.
In her 20’s Joanna was an Outward Bound instructor. For those of you who have not been to Minnesota; our northern coasts and land along the Canadian border is home to some of the most pristine wilderness our country has to offer. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Superior National Forest provide countless opportunities for exploration by land and sea.
Since 1965 Outward Bound has used the wilderness as its classroom and offered expeditions for youth and adults; that challenge them to build emotional management, teamwork, problem solving, responsibility and empathy skills. Joanna loved her job as an Outward Bound guide. She loved helping kids and adults discover passions, skills, and resiliency that they didn’t know they had. She could share with you countless success stories. Stories of kids who were struggling to finish high school who ended up going to college after participating in an Outward Bound program. Stories of kids who went onto create successful businesses and find meaningful relationships.
Outward Bound is where Joanna honed her skills as an educator. She loved watching her students transform before her eyes and wanted to bring this same possibility of self discovery and transformation into her youth work in more urban spaces. Joanna moved to Minneapolis in 2007 and started working in various education settings.
“In 2014 Joanna co-founded Pathways to Success school re-engagement program through Hennepin Healthcare. It is a program for young people in Hennepin county ages 17-24 who are either involved in probation, parenting or in extended foster care; and are currently out of school. The program offers advising on high school and GED completion, GED instruction, college and career program exploration, paid internships, college enrollment navigation, access to paid sector trainings, and stabilization of basic needs during program engagement. The program was created to address the disparate rates of high school graduation, post secondary enrollment and post secondary/training completion among these groups of county involved young people. It was true heart work - Joanna poured her heart and soul into it and loved working with so many incredibly talented young people.” (Joanna)
When Joanna was injured from her 3rd Covid shot in October of 2021 not only did she suffer greatly, but so did her students. Joanna’s body was so sick that she had to stop working, stop mentoring her kids, stop helping them find avenues to success, stop cheering them on, stop teaching them how to value and love themselves, stop helping them find success. This is a story of immense loss for both Joanna and her students.
Joanna received her first Covid vaccine in December of 2020. Six hours later she woke up feeling racing and pounding in her heart. She assumed that these symptoms were showing her that her immune system was working; so Joanna continued on with her life without going to the doctor.
She received her second vaccine in February of 2021 and did not have any issues.
In October of 2021 two and a half weeks after her booster Joanna’s body basically started to give up on her. She had chest pain raking leaves that was so intense and painful it, “stopped her in her tracks”. Her body felt like it was zooming out of control and her chest pain continued into the start of 2022. Joanna gave up all of her favorite activities like running and swimming because she was afraid that her heart couldn’t handle the exercise.
In January of 2022 her Holter heart rate monitor confirmed premature atrial contractions, premature ventricular contractions, ventricular tachycardia and supraventricular tachycardia. She underwent months of in depth testing to be sure that her heart’s structure and function were sound despite the severe symptoms.
In the spring of 2022 she struggled to even complete minor housework around her house because of shortness of breath, heart arrhythmias and light headedness. Joanna had developed significant nerve pain on the left side of her body. In the fall of 2022 her body started reacting to all but 5 foods. She had to carry an EPI pen with her and was hospitalized twice because her esophagus motility was compromised due to an esophageal sphincter issue and she was not able to consistently get food into her stomach. Blood work showed that Joanna has high histamine levels; elevated ESR, CRP, bilirubin, leukotriene and cortisol. Her body was stuck in a fight/flight struggle and nearly every system in her body was negatively affected.
Joanna has been diagnosed with POTS and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome.
Joanna went into a downward emotional spiral. She wasn’t able to eat, sleep, move or work without complications.
However, Joanna would not give up on herself or her body. She used the skills she had taught her Outward Bound and high school students to dig deep, find strength and realize that she could be resilient.
Joanna started networking with other vaccine injured Minnesotans and compassionate friends. She was willing to seek medical advice from both allopathic and Eastern medicine practitioners. Joanna works with 4 different physical therapists who practice 4 different modalities of therapy. Joanna’s nutritionist suggested the mediator release test-a test that helps patients determine foods to avoid that activate her overactive immune system. She participates in acupuncture, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome coaching, trauma therapy, mindfulness coaching, cranio/sacral therapy, lymbic retraining, and neuroplasticity training with one of her physical therapists.
The mission of Outward Bound defines Joanna:
“We believe when people discover strength of character, an aptitude for leadership and a desire to serve, it has a positive impact on their lives and the lives of those around them. And that discovery has the power to make the world a better place.”
Joanna has not given up. She believes that she will and can heal her body. She has started to swim and run a little with her 9 year old hound, Lily. Joanna takes time to meditate and connect with friends and family. Joanna is learning how to listen to her body and take care of it-both emotionally and physically. She recently bought a VW camper van and intends to rebuild her life of adventure one step at a time with the support of her family and friends.
Joanna is not just focusing on herself. She has become a confident, an empathetic ear, a shoulder to cry on, a cheerleader for her vaccine injured friends. At the end of the day Joanna finds that she is inspired by these words she first heard at Outward Bound: "A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." Onward.
Joanna wants to help others heal from their trauma. Vaccine injury is a traumatic event, a life altering event. It needs to be acknowledged. Those who are struggling need to be heard, cared for and loved.
Team Humanity hopes that someday our collection of vaccine injury stories will get published in our local or national newspapers. We want television newscasters to interview the vaccine injured for human interest stories. The injured are real people with real, devastating injuries. And, like Joanna, their injury doesn’t just affect them. It affects their families, their coworkers, their volunteer positions-it affects all of humanity. Our world will be a better place when our stories are shared.
All stories are edited and approved by the participant before the story is published.
Joanna, My injury symptoms are exactly like yours. Except I had symptoms within three hours of the first injection in January, 2021. Second shot six months later without more symptoms just the same as I was for the interim six months. I began treatment for MCAS and some symptoms receded so in February, 2022 I had a booster. A whole bunch of symptoms appeared after that shot including fibromyalgia and others. I am a senior citizen in a major city. One would think there would be resources studying vaccine injuries. If there are I can’t find them. I am slowly gaining foods, and energy. But I am convinced I will not ever fully recover and I resent my new normal. I wish you strength in your determination. Determination has been my best healing tool. I refuse to give up.
Thank you Joanna for everything you do for others. I’m so sorry you are going through this. One positive is that you are aware of vaccine injury and that you know how devastating it can be, and help others get through it.
Many children have been vaccine injured by the children’s vaccine schedule, and sadly now the Covid vaccine has been added to that vaccine schedule as a recommendation to children as young as 6 months old. Babies cannot use words to tell you what’s wrong, they have to suffer through it, and can only cry. I am so saddened by this.
I know what it feels like to be vaccine injured, although my body was able to heal from it. I hope and pray that you and others like yourself can also heal. God bless you.