Shannon Holmes
Day 4 · September 11, 2026 · 0:21:00
Key points Shannon Holmes is a 50-year-old former movement therapist who taught Pilates, yoga, and Thai massage and worked six days a week before vaccination. She says she was diagnosed with vaccine-induced long COVID and did not have COVID prior to her injury. She recounts developing painful vibrating and tingling in her legs during the observation period after her second Pfizer shot, and being dismissed by a doctor as a giant medical question mark. She describes an agonizing first night with electrocution-like episodes that physically threw her body, which she says continue to this day. She testifies to feeling stabbed, choked, and assaulted, being unable to eat, and being told at the ER to pick one symptom. She says she was rejected for 12 to 15 specialist referrals and labeled a long hauler, and was later diagnosed with POTS, ME/CFS, and mast cell activation syndrome. She says she can no longer live independently, spends most days in bed in chronic pain, and cannot afford ongoing high-dose ketamine treatment.
Speaker 1
0:00 So our next witness is Shannon Holmes. 0:04 Shannon, can you take the Bible in your right hand? 0:10 Shannon Holmes, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Speaker 1
0:22 I'm going to have you talk about your injury after I introduce you, but I just wanted to make the point 0:31 when you talk about your injuries, you didn't have COVID prior to this. Speaker 1
0:35 And in fact, you're diagnosed by your doctor with what is called, and I find this, you know, good, interesting wording, vaccine-induced long COVID. Speaker 1
0:45 And there's actually probably a benefit to it being defined as long COVID as far as getting treatment. 0:51 Although, no, okay. Speaker 2
0:53 I don't know. Speaker 1
0:54 Well, let me introduce you. 0:55 It's that word vaccine that's the problem. 0:58 So you are 50, you're a mother of two daughters, one of whom is here to support you today. Speaker 1
1:04 You were a movement therapist. 1:06 Yeah. 1:06 You did Pilates and yoga and Thai massage. 1:10 You worked, you had a specialty of working with people with neurological conditions and injuries, such as MS and strokes. Speaker 1
1:19 Before your vaccines, you were a healthy person. Speaker 1
1:24 you did have a couple of medical issues. 1:28 So you had rheumatoid arthritis, but you were in remission and you had always been managed quite well. 1:35 And in fact, I think what's telling is, is prior to your vaccine, you were working six days a week. 1:42 So moving your body as an instructor and yoga and Pilates and the like, and doing massage, which is very physical, including moving limbs and manipulating bodies. 1:51 There was no limitations on what you would do. 1:55 And you would walk 5 to 17 kilometers a day. 2:00 Yes. 2:00 So you were like totally into fitness. 2:04 But by the day of your second shot, you became disabled. Speaker 1
2:10 So can you share with us your injury experience? Speaker 2
2:15 So I got, I had my first shot. 2:20 vaccine and it went the way that everybody else's did, sore arm, didn't feel so great. 2:26 Then went for my second one. 2:29 And because I'm autoimmune, I had to wait in the room for half an hour. 2:36 So normal people got to wait for 15 minutes. 2:39 We waited for half an hour. 2:42 And in that time, I had a painful 2:48 sort of vibrating and tingling happening down my legs. 2:52 And so I reported, like when I was going, I was sort of sitting there going, okay, well, maybe this will go away when I get up or whatever. 2:59 But when I got up, I was just like, so I reported it to the nurse because I had it done actually in the hospital's clinic. 3:07 So I said to the nurse, I was like, I have this weird feeling in my legs and my feet. 3:12 And so she went and got a doctor and he came over and pulled my mask down, look in my mouth. 3:18 And then he asked me what medications I'm on. 3:21 And, of course, I was on a medication for my autoimmune. 3:25 And so I said that to him, and he said, oh, you're autoimmune. 3:30 You're a giant medical question mark. 3:31 You can go. 3:33 So I went home. Speaker 1
3:36 I want to slow this down because when you're talking about the sensation in your legs, like you're actually in pain. 3:43 It's not just this kind of vibrating sensation. Speaker 1
3:47 And it's from your thighs down to your feet. Speaker 1
3:49 Like this is not insignificant. 3:51 And both legs. Speaker 1
3:52 This is not insignificant. 3:54 In fact, and it was spreading into your hands and arms also, right? Speaker 1
3:58 So, and you're telling the doctor this. Speaker 1
4:04 And yet you're basically, oh, well, you're a question mark. 4:08 Did they do any testing at all? Speaker 1
4:10 No blood work, nothing? Speaker 2
4:12 You're a giant medical question mark. Speaker 1
4:14 But you're describing being in medical distress. Speaker 1
4:24 Okay, so you're not at the hospital. 4:27 What happens next? Speaker 2
4:28 So I went home and my kids were very good. 4:33 It was the end of August when I got this. 4:35 It was August 27th. 4:36 And I had a heating blanket on me. Speaker 1
4:38 So that's when you got the Pfizer shot. Speaker 2
4:40 Yeah, I had to get Pfizer because I'm autoimmune too. 4:43 So I didn't have any other choices. Speaker 1
4:45 Right. 4:45 So this is happening the same day that you get the shot. Speaker 2
4:48 Yeah. 4:52 So anyways, they sent me on my way. 4:54 I got home and I was shaking and I was freezing and I had this pain still in my legs and it was sort of starting to go through my body. 5:03 And I figured, okay, well, this is, you know, because my kids, when they got their first shot, it really... 5:10 they were out for a few days. 5:13 So I was like, okay, well, maybe this is just what that is. 5:18 So, and I had gotten the shot later on in the afternoon. 5:21 So by the time night came, I just took some pain medication and I went to sleep. 5:27 That night was one of the most painful nights of my life. 5:34 I, sorry, I get these, 5:40 things at night where I'm getting electrocuted and I actually get like, it actually physically moves my body because it feels like I'm having like a buildup of electrocution. 5:57 And it just like, I can't stop it. 6:00 It just throws me. Speaker 4
6:02 And that was the first night it happened. Speaker 2
6:10 and it hasn't stopped since so um the next day i just i need to slow you down here so what's going through your mind as your this has never happened to you before painful i was just trying to survive and um and i didn't want to wake the kids i couldn't even barely move like it's just like you just sort of get tossed around the bed and like trying to cling to things oh and 6:38 And clothes hurt, so it feels like they're burning on your skin. 6:43 So I tore my clothes off, and I was just getting thrown around. 6:47 I had no idea what was happening. Speaker 1
6:50 Also, when we were speaking, you were talking about you were getting back pain at that time. 6:55 Can you share that with us? Speaker 2
6:57 So the pain that I still have as well is I feel like I'm getting stabbed straight through my back, and that's why I have to lay down a lot. 7:07 I don't sit very often because I feel like my spine is crushing and it feels like it's choking me. Speaker 1
7:16 So can you give us a little more detail about that? 7:20 When I was interviewing you, I was actually finding it interesting that you were describing some of your symptoms almost like there is somebody attacking you. 7:32 Yeah. 7:33 So I don't want you to shy away from that. 7:34 So 7:35 You literally feel like somebody has their hands around your neck. 7:39 Yeah. Speaker 2
7:40 Yeah. 7:41 All the time. 7:42 And whenever I'm sitting. Speaker 1
7:47 Okay. 7:47 So that night you're having all of these seizures for hours. 7:51 I just want to, I understand you have a lot of videos, but because it's somebody filming you when you're in her bed, most of them aren't decent, but we have one. Speaker 1
8:01 And David, can we pull that up? 8:03 And my understanding is this isn't even. 8:05 Oh, well, first of all, this is a photo of you before. Speaker 1
8:09 Like, OK, and let's go to the next one. 8:12 This is another one of you like you were. 8:14 These just demonstrate who you were beforehand. Speaker 1
8:17 But let's go to this video. 8:18 And my understanding, this isn't even a bad, shocking episode. 8:21 The one that we're watching. 8:22 No, it's a mild one. 8:24 So. 8:27 And we'll play it twice. Speaker 2
8:30 So you can see I'm actually getting yanked and pulled. Speaker 3
8:39 But that lasts for hours. Speaker 5
8:42 And you have no control over this when it starts to happen? Speaker 1
8:55 And it's painful when it's happening? Speaker 2
8:57 It's very painful. Speaker 1
8:58 And it's still happening today? Speaker 1
9:02 Okay. 9:03 So what do you do then? 9:04 So you've had this first night. 9:06 Yeah. 9:07 You're terrified. Speaker 2
9:08 Yeah. 9:09 And that's when I developed the pain going through my back and everything. 9:14 And then I also, throughout the day, because I, sorry, I looked at my daughter and she's crying. 9:24 So I also started developing where I couldn't eat. 9:30 Anytime I ate anything, I felt like I was digesting a car crash. 9:34 I just felt like shards of glass were going through my system. 9:38 So I actually couldn't eat anything. 9:42 And I had called friends because my kids were still young. 9:47 This was five years ago. 9:48 And so I called friends to come over because I knew I needed to get to the hospital. 9:55 And so they came and they called the ambulance. 10:01 And and then I got taken to the hospital. 10:07 And when I arrived, they were I was they. 10:14 I was sort of in the triage session, I guess, and so they came up and they're like, OK, so what else going on with you? 10:20 And I'm like, I feel like like my skin is being electrocuted. 10:24 I feel like I'm. 10:25 getting stabbed i said there's something wrong with my back and like i feel like i'm being choked and i said i can't eat anything and i also developed this other feeling where i feel like my all my nails and my teeth are being ripped off of me constantly sorry this is another description almost like as if you're being assaulted yes and is this still going on yes Speaker 5
10:54 Are you feeling that way right now? Speaker 3
11:00 I'm on medication. Speaker 1
11:02 So you're on a lot of medication right now to also part to mitigate pain? 11:06 Yeah. 11:08 What's your pain like right now? Speaker 2
11:10 Probably about an eight or a nine because I drove in yesterday. Speaker 1
11:14 Okay. 11:16 So the act of having to drive here so you could testify, you're being punished for that physically? Speaker 2
11:22 Yes, definitely. Speaker 1
11:24 That's another part of your condition is if you're going to do something, you get penalized. Speaker 2
11:30 Yes. 11:30 Oh, yes. 11:32 And the problem with that is the more I do, there's something called post-exertion malaise, PEM. 11:41 And when you do that, if you push yourself and you end up, I'll end up in bed for days, that could actually end up being my new norm. 11:52 I could actually not recover from that. Speaker 1
11:59 So this happened years ago. Speaker 2
12:03 Five years. Speaker 1
12:04 What's your condition today? 12:07 Are you able to live independently? Speaker 2
12:10 I don't think I'd be able to. 12:12 I have my daughters. Speaker 1
12:14 Am I right that you can't go out alone? Speaker 2
12:16 I can't go out alone. Speaker 1
12:19 So you're stuck in your home unless somebody's going to take you out. Speaker 2
12:23 Yeah, like if I were to try to go do groceries, I can't. Speaker 1
12:29 And you spend most of your day in bed? Speaker 2
12:31 Yep, or on the couch. 12:34 That's it, laying down. Speaker 5
12:37 And you are in chronic pain every day? 12:40 Yes. Speaker 1
12:45 Is the medical system doing anything for you at all? Speaker 2
12:48 So it's interesting because when I actually went into the ER and I told them, 12:57 all the issues that I was having when I went in the first time. 13:01 And they actually told me, pick one. Speaker 5
13:07 What do you mean pick one? 13:08 So you're presenting with... Speaker 2
13:10 Pick one issue that you're having. Speaker 3
13:13 That's it. 13:20 So they gave me some... Speaker 2
13:26 tore it all and they gave me some morphine. 13:28 The morphine did nothing, like zero. 13:30 I was still stone sober after they gave me morphine. 13:34 It did zero for me. 13:36 And they put me in this weird part of the hospital where it looked like there were like cubicles, but beds everywhere. 13:42 And it was like dark. 13:44 I don't know. 13:44 It was very strange. 13:46 And then I was still in pain. 13:48 So they gave me another bag of morphine, still did nothing. 13:52 And so then they discharged me. Speaker 1
13:58 You told me when we were being interviewed that you have been rejected for 12 to 15 referrals from your doctor. 14:04 Can you share with us about that? 14:07 And these are referrals to specialists to help you. Speaker 2
14:10 Yes. 14:11 So when I left the ER, I had Percocets at home. 14:18 So I just started taking those because it was a Saturday going into Sunday. 14:24 Monday morning, I called my family doctor. 14:27 And I got an appointment with her right away. 14:29 And she's she was amazing. 14:32 She tried. 14:34 She was sending referrals everywhere and I just kept getting rejections. 14:37 And then it happened for so long that then the rejections turned into them calling me a long hauler. 14:44 And so I was getting rejected because it was a long hauler because it lasted so long. 14:50 And so I eventually did end up getting referred to two really good specialists. 15:02 I don't know if I want to say the profession because I don't want to risk him. Speaker 1
15:06 No, no, you don't. 15:06 You don't have to put anyone who's actually helping you in jeopardy. Speaker 2
15:10 Yeah, yeah. 15:12 So once he sort of took over... 15:15 My family doctor got to breathe a bit, and so he's been instrumental in getting me medications to do help with some of the issues. 15:24 So inside of the vaccine-induced long COVID umbrella, I've been diagnosed with all three types of POTS, the main one being hyperhydrogenic. 15:36 I've been with ME-CFS, so I'm going to say it wrong, myelitis cephalitis or something, and then chronic fatigue syndrome. 15:46 functional neurological disorder and mast cell activation syndrome. Speaker 6
15:58 Yeah, I just want to start by thanking you for taking the time to be here today. 16:02 And I know that a lot of people don't always understand our witnesses at the table, the type of pain and suffering they actually have to endure to be here. 16:10 You talked about your daughters and their support. Speaker 6
16:14 Can you talk to us a bit more about how it's affected your family? Speaker 2
16:18 Well, I used to cook all of the meals. 16:24 I was very healthy, right? 16:26 And I used to make all the meals and I had no problem doing that. 16:32 And 16:33 doing activities with them. 16:35 And, you know, even during COVID before I was injured, we were, you know, outside painting and like, we just do whatever we could. 16:45 And the biggest thing was we'd go for our walks. 16:49 And when we went for our walks, there were no funds. 16:53 We walked and we actually talked and we had such a deep relationship. 17:00 And since losing that 17:06 My kids have to help me with pretty much everything. 17:11 They have to help me clean. 17:12 They have to help cook. 17:14 And, you know, and even with school, I feel like I let them down all the time. 17:22 Because I can't always be there with most of the conditions I have. 17:28 Sometimes I have such a bad brain fog, I can't even think of words. Speaker 6
17:35 And you talked, you also talked about the doc sort of say, like, you got to pick one, but you, you listed some. 17:42 So you, you've got a half a dozen or more different issues going on. Speaker 6
17:48 Like how many, how many issues would you have going on that you would need to actually need attention for that you, you may be only getting help for one of them. Speaker 2
17:58 Well, yeah. 17:58 So my, my one doctor has been good with doing what he can and, 18:03 But the issue is now is that like, I can't get an, I've had five neurologists and they've all done something little or it was for a specific reason, but I can't get anybody to actually help with the neuro stuff. 18:19 It's just sort of, I just keep sort of getting blown off. 18:23 I had one neurologist that I saw and she, when she found out it was a vaccine injury, she 18:32 she said, oh, I can't do anything for you and sent me on my way. 18:37 And she said she was going to send some referrals for my doctor to get some blood work done. 18:42 There's nothing. 18:43 They don't even have a record of me being at that clinic. Speaker 6
18:46 Yeah. 18:47 So I'm guessing anytime, if you could get a specialist, that would be sort of the response. 18:52 We just, we have no idea. Speaker 6
18:56 It's kind of hard to get treatment when 18:59 there's no one's got any concept and doctors don't seem to be talking too much to each other. Speaker 6
19:04 Very hard to move forward when there's a cone of silence around the medical industry too, right? Speaker 2
19:09 Yeah. 19:09 Well, and so I wasn't getting a treatment that, um, I, I did have access. 19:14 I was very lucky to get a really amazing pain doctor as well. 19:19 And he put me into a high dose ketamine, um, 19:24 treatment that was happening at one of the hospitals in Toronto. 19:27 And over the course of two years, you get five high dose ketamine. 19:31 So it's six hours of being pretty much in a ketamine coma. 19:36 And it was actually helping with my neurological issues. 19:40 But because it's so high sought after, after two years, you kind of get kicked out and you get sent to another clinic, but the time is half as long and it's not, I don't get the same bolus dose. 19:54 And so everything's coming back because I can't get access because I need double the amount of ketamine than what OHIP pays for. 20:04 And ketamine is $600 a shot. Speaker 6
20:05 So that was going to be my next question. 20:08 Like what type of out-of-pocket costs? Speaker 2
20:12 I can't afford it, so I can't do it. 20:15 So I'm stuck every two months trying to make it last as long as I can. 20:20 But I can feel all of like everything coming back. 20:24 back. Speaker 6
20:26 Listen, I want to thank you so much for sharing your story and for your daughter coming to be the support and what you're doing at home as well. 20:36 So we do appreciate you taking the time. 20:38 We understand completely the sacrifices it takes to be here and be a part, but we can assure you, you are a voice for so many other people. 20:47 So thank you so much for having the strength to be here. Speaker 1
20:52 And Lawyer Miriam Bohemia will be calling our next witness.