Leigh Anne is a 41-year-old woman with Factor V Leiden, a blood mutation that increases the chances of blood clotting. She suffered a previous life-threatening blood clot in her 20s. Despite her concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine, she was advised that Pfizer posed no risk to her. Under pressure from her work, who informed her it would be made mandatory to be fully vaccinated, she went ahead and got her first dose of Pfizer on May 27, 2021.
Just three weeks later, Leigh Anne suffered a major stroke and was diagnosed with severe arterial thrombosis, which caused blood clots in both of her arms, brain, and the arteries around her heart. She spent a week in the hospital, where doctors ordered many tests in attempts to find the cause. However, to date, they have found nothing that explains why these clots developed sporadically all over her body.
Despite this, no doctor would write Leigh Anne an exemption from getting the second shot while trying to figure out what happened. Her job continued to insist that she be fully vaccinated or produce an exemption.
On October 4th, the Province of Nova Scotia enacted their version of the vaccine passport, which meant Leigh Anne was no longer allowed in gyms, restaurants, and even playing darts in her league. By the end of October, she was no longer allowed to travel by air or train. And by the end of 2021, she had been forced to leave her job.
Leigh Anne has continuously asked her doctors for an exemption or explanation about what happened that would reassure her that shot #2 was not going to be a repeat (and possibly fatal) experience. Nobody has provided her with this exemption or reassurance, despite her asking her MLA and MP for help.
Throughout this entire ordeal, there has been no compassion for Leigh Anne from the medical community, her employer, society, the media, or the government. She has been labelled hurtful things like selfish and anti-vaxx. Even Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, has suggested that Leigh Anne is someone who holds unacceptable values and wants us to question whether we should even continue to tolerate her.
Trudeau’s remarks are a reflection of the harsh reality of vaccine mandates. For many individuals like Leigh Anne, vaccine mandates are not just an inconvenience but can be devastating. It’s not just about the physical health risks but also the emotional and psychological impacts that these mandates can have. Being ostracized from society, losing one’s job, and being labelled as a pariah can take a severe toll on a person’s mental health.
The truth is, Leigh Anne is a lovely person, a mother, and a hard-working, law-abiding citizen who went and got the first vaccine even though she was genuinely and justifiably scared. Everyone who hears her story says they would feel just like her, wary of getting the second shot and worthy of exemption. Yet, while many sympathize with Leigh Anne’s situation, few are willing to stand up for her and the many others in similar positions. There should be compassion and understanding for those who have legitimate concerns and reasons for not getting vaccinated, such as a history of blood clotting disorders or other medical issues.
In conclusion, Leigh Anne’s story highlights the importance of considering the individual circumstances of those who are hesitant or unable to get vaccinated. Vaccine mandates can have severe and life-altering consequences for some people, and it’s essential to approach this issue with compassion and understanding rather than judgment and condemnation.
