Todds already somewhat aware of what was going on but there was a major reason why I disappeared from the forum for nearly 2 months and it was due to my second bout with Covid which nearly made me a death statistic.. I was going to call into the show but unfortunately Im having complications still with my voice which maybe permanent unfortunately..
I started having symptoms probably 3rd week of March or so but figured it would be similar to what Id had the year prior, boy was I so far from being right.. I ended up going to the ER the first time March 27th.. I was already having some difficulty breathing at this point and having significant fevers in the 101-102 range.. Covid test confirmed it pretty quickly. At this point I probably shouldve been admitted then but wasnt (more on this shortly as this decision alone may have been a major contributor to me getting as bad as I was..)
I continued to get sicker the next few days and finally after 18-24 hrs of hitting 103 to as high as 103.6 and being literally as sick as Id ever been in my life ever I called 911 to take me to the ER on March 30th around 2am. (at this point my wife was also sick from it and actually she was sicker then she realized). Anyway I ended up in the ER.. I got Remdesivir and some other meds and was admitted.. Meanwhile hours later my wife also ended up calling 911 after talking to her pulmonary MD and was transported also to the ER and admitted..
What happened next is literally very scattered in my brain so I have had to rely on family and looking at my labs that were in my records.. I ended up having to be intubated within 12hrs of ER arrival and admission.. I was in the ICU for 8 days.. My clotting factors were shot to shit literally with my platelet count dropping to around 50 at one point which my body was showing massive signs of clot breakdowns meaning likely I was literally having a cascade effect of mini clots popping up and being broken down (for those in the medical field or know about labs I had a D-Dimer in excess of 2000). My White blood count dropped as low as 3 as I was burning through them fighting the infection that also resulted in bilateral bacterial pneumonia. My family in Florida was actually preparing for the worst and making some preliminary plans if I died.. (I was on the critical list for 4-5 days). Inspite of it all I beat the odds and was extubated and transfered out of ICU on April 9th..
The next week was also a blur as due to the extended medically induced coma and such created a major issue with reality and what my brain was registering.. At one point I somehow thoguth I was playing somebody heads up for rolls and if I won I got to go home from the hospital only to be smashed back to reality that the RN told me literally if you leave you will die.. I also had some weird persception of some dog (wasnt mine) hoping up on my bed and such (none of it happened).. I did however fall out of bed once trying to foolishly wanting to sit on the couch in my room..
Anyway once I was clear headed I was able to start some PT.. (at this point I had dropped 25lbs in the hospital and majorly weak).. My ability to walk very far was limited to say the least. I progressed but didnt get to go home when I was DCd from the hospital towards the end of April..
I spent 2 additional weeks in a physical rehab facility and just got home a few days ago..
Nearly dying certainly changes ones perspective on life and whats important truly as well as not letting stupid shit get to you.. I consider this a second chance to get shit right that I was sorely not doing so previously... One more thing...
Dont assume this shit cant get you.. Granted I did have some comorbities but mine were under control.. my BP and diabetes numbers had been good.. I did however find out that I got the P1 variant which is particularly nasty and has been killing younger demographics at a higher rate then the original and UK variants.. (forgot to mention my wife was in the hospital a total of a week herself from this crap but never got a sick as me)
Please get your shot(s) if you can and dont have a medical reason not to.. I will add Im also sure that until they improve things this is going to be a yearly booster needed situation because I got sick the first time almost a year to the day I had the second time (actually 2 weeks) and I obviously had no immunity to the second illness..