Oh my gosh, it’s been months since I’ve posted on my website. It’s not that I’ve been completely silent. I’m still out there on other forums.

I have no excuse. I’m guilty. But I do have sort of an explanation.

First, don’t let anyone tell you Long Covid does not exist. It absolutely does because I’m one of those unfortunates who was struck by this frustrating syndrome.

I had a very mild case of Covid way back in April of 2020. About the time I felt that I’d recovered from the body aches and mild nausea, an annoying cough started. Then my heart rate climbed to the level that leaves one breathless, weak and tired.

I toughed it out for six months. But then the symptoms increased in severity. Just walking from one room to another in my house felt like a marathon.

Finally, in February of 2021, I ended up in the ER, so breathless I feared my heart was failing.

The docs did all the usual things. Turns out my heart’s perfect. The pulmonologist said I had 20 percent greater lung capacity than the average woman—probably from all those years singing.

They send me to a cardiologist for meds to slow my heart rate, but with the admission that they couldn’t determine a cause for my complaints.

As the months passed, I started to see more and more articles about long Covid. The shoe fit.

Still, the condition is so new and bewildering that no one could tell me how to find relief.

So I charted my own course. I resumed singing even though I felt like I was drowning. (If you’ve listened to my scripture songs, that’s me in really bad vocal shape in the midst of long Covid.)  I did tons of breathing exercises. Got on the treadmill and worked up to seven miles a day. This took a few months. I added strength training.

I gotta say, I’ve never felt better. I used to roll my eyes when athletes would tell me how great it felt to push themselves hard during exercise. But I’ve experienced it now.

I wouldn’t advise everyone to do what I’ve done. I don’t have any knee,  hip, foot or joint problems. My sister is trying to get back in shape after shoulder surgery by swimming at her health club.

So, when Bruce and I drove to the Tetons a couple of weeks ago, my goal was to do as many of the trails at the foot of those mountains as we could—if we could find a place to park among all the skads of other visitors to the park!

We did about seven or eight miles a day–nothing huge, but the nice dry mountain air, the sunshine, the scent of pine all felt amazing.

Friends, if you haven’t visited the Grand Tetons, please put this on your bucket list. God didn’t skimp when he pushed those magnificent mountains into the air and chiseled its peaks.