AS COVID-19 “RAVAGED” EVERY CELL IN MY BODY: An in depth account of a vicious bout with ‘Coronavirus’.
About 2 weeks ago, I started “feeling somehow”. Normally, I’m that guy that would shake off anything with a warm bath and move on to the next episode. But this one just felt a little “extra” – I was getting weaker by the hour, losing appetite, losing vision. I called wifey, told her that I was feeling feverish & weak. [For some immunity perspective, what will give my wife “running stomach”, will naturally send me to the ICU. So…I wasn’t expecting her to be down just because “I was down”]
She quickly made this hot ginger drink, and later, smoothie. I took both in succession, and felt better. By the next day, the fever & weakness had gone up a notch. We started staring at each other with that innate thought: “No, it couldn’t be COVID”. Straight away, we started making frantic calls, including to our doctor – who said I should have COVID-19 test asap. But some friends also advised me to “take Hydroxychloroquine, zinc & Zypac, you’ll be fine”.
Immediately, I got them and started taking them “as directed” By the very next day, I woke up feeling 60% dead. It definitely moved quickly from COVID-19 to “COVID 21”. I was burning up, no taste, pain all over, very weak. I said “we have to call 911”. So, we called 911. They came, took me to the hospital. At the ER, […And this is why I believe so many are dying in the US from COVID-19] They took my temperature, my oxygen, EKG and chest X-ray. They concluded that my oxygen level was within ‘acceptable limits’, that my COVID results will be out in 3 days – likely Friday/Saturday. So, until that result comes out, they’ll run some blood tests and send me home with AZITHROMYCIN 250mg – on instruction to return if the condition worsened. (Pls, note: I have full medical insurance. Imagine those that don’t )
So the ambulance brought me back home Wednesday midnight.
By Thursday, I was 70% dead. We kept calling for the results; nothing! So wifey went back to her hot “ginger/garlic juice”, I took as much as my appetite would allow, fell back into bed. By Friday evening, I was 80% dead. I couldn’t breathe, It felt like my temperature was 200F, yet cold inside. Zero appetite, Just to get one dose of ‘air’ into my lungs was “Men at work”. I looked at my wife and said “I’m not going to make it to 2am”. It was already 11pm. So we called 911 – again!
When God wants to save you, HE will start with the person that answers the 911 call….to the EMT ‘staffers’ that get sent out to attend to you.
The guy on the 911 call was like he could see me, He read my address back at me (in the system already). He said “if at any point you can no longer respond to my questions, you don’t have to”. That was the last thing I heard from him. In a minute, the EMT knocked on the door. And in walked these highly professional duo. Straightaway they stuck the oxygen nasal cannula in my nostrils. Took my temperature, 104+. Attached all the ‘medical attachables’.
In a few minutes I was already on a stretcher, into the Ambulance and on our way. As I arrived, I was whisked straight into a room, stripped bare, to get air into me… IVs on both hands. They re-ran 2 COVID-19 tests, the long “elephant tusk” one, and the short one, blood work.
After about 30 minutes, this calm doctor came in & said “all your tests came back positive. You also have severe lung infection because of COVID-19, and pneumonia. We’ll be running CAT scans, to further determine the extent of the lung damage. So we’re going to be keeping you for a while”. (In my mind: keeping me for a while? You might as well send me to the mortuary from here rather than send me home).
So they stabilised me a little, but I was still feeling very feverish, weak, breathless, coughing, etc.
Sunday 9am, a pulmonologist came to see me, he said “we’ll be taking over your treatment because you’re not responding positively to the treatments you’re being given so far. And that might mean moving you to the ICU so we can keep an eye on every detail. We need to preserve your life, while we seriously attack the COVID-19 & pneumonia complications. I said: I noticed, because I still feel practically the same way. He said: “Yes, all the data shows no improvement. Your temperature is still hovering between 101 & 103. Your oxygen is struggling to go above 84. Sometimes, we get 71. We need to get it to the 90s”. He said: “we have this trial antiviral drug that’s showing positive signs, Remdesivir. We’ll combine it with Cefuroxine another drug for your pneumonia, also steroids for the inflammation in your lungs, which we’re going to administer through IV. We’re also going to keep injecting you with blood thinners on alternative sides of your belly twice daily. – because one of the major complications of COVID-19 is that it causes blood clots. Which could lead to pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis. We’re also going to get other IV fluids into you, plus tablets. etc. Ok?”
I responded that I’m ready to do anything to get out of this mess.
At exactly 11:07 am Sunday morning, they administered the first dose(s). Plus Sulphur, Zinc, Vit C, Vit D, etc tabs. I kid you not: by 11: 23 I was 70% alive. My pain dropped. My eyes lit up, My fever dropped. Still weak, but could breathe much better even with the oxygen ‘hose’ running through my nostrils.
I said: this is unbelievable. I kept calm. All of a sudden, I felt like eating. I pushed the “call button”, “Michelle” walks in: I said pls, I feel like drinking something sugary, and perhaps something to eat. She said; I’ll give you water, then I’ll get back to you on the drink. But your lunch is in 15 mins anyway. When the water came, I savored it, along with the sugary drink. Lunch came, and I actually ate, with APPETITE. I, however, didn’t touch the tomato soup. Not today!
After the ‘afternoon version’ of the twice daily “4 Cups of blood” they take from me, the pulmonologist, accompanied by his team, walked in. They asked how I was feeling. I said “Night & day, between this morning and now”. He said: “Great! You’ve responded positively to the trial drug. So we’ll continue with it for a total of 5 days. You should be fine by Friday latest, baring any unforeseen circumstances. We’ll be here to see you everyday till Friday”. And that was exactly what happened. Everyday, I felt much better. I was discharged on Friday.
They kept me on the pneumonia medication, Blood thinners (Eliquis) which I take twice a day. Plus Zinc, Vits, A, D, Muccinex, plus one Codeine-guaiFENesin for “cough strength”. I’ve been religiously medicating. They told me it would take about a month to fully get myself back.
So as I begin my “mandatory” quarantine in my room, I still can’t get this question off my mind: why aren’t they giving everyone with COVID-19 this trial drug now?
Much Love & thanks to God, wifey, brothers, sisters, inlaws, family, great friends for all your love & prayers. All the exceptional doctors, nurses at the Hospital. The 911 dispatcher, and the exceptionally “out of this world” EMT staff that attended to me.
May God bless you all, and save us all from the menace of this COVID-19 pandemic.
by J. Ozoemena on facebook