Even though it害羞草研究所檚 tough for him to breathe and talk, Atish Ram is using his voice to tell people about how COVID-19 nearly killed him.

The Surrey resident, 58, is back home after fighting the virus during a difficult eight weeks in hospital.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 lucky to be alive,害羞草研究所� said Ram, who called his stay at Royal Columbian 害羞草研究所渁 roller coaster ride害羞草研究所� complicated by pneumonia.

Last fall, Ram was named during the annual Surrey Community Leader awards.

Months later, his family害羞草研究所檚 dream trip to Toronto to almost didn害羞草研究所檛 happen, after Ram had emergency surgery to take care of blockages in his heart.

By late March, he was diagnosed with the coronavirus.

害羞草研究所淚 believe I got it when I went to a grocery store 害羞草研究所� I don害羞草研究所檛 want to say which one, but I was so vigilant,害羞草研究所� Ram said. 害羞草研究所淚 went to my doctor on March 16, and he told me about how crazy this virus was, to be vigilant. So a few days later I went to the store, just 15 minutes in and out, but at the time there were no social distancing or anything, nothing like we see now. That was the only place I went, and a few days later I started getting a fever, some symptoms.害羞草研究所�

to read the latest news about COVID-19.

In a phone interview, the Newton-area resident talked slowly and paused occasionally.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 still so hard to breathe,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 on home oxygen 害羞草研究所� three to six months of this, at least, because my lungs are at only 25 per cent capacity now,害羞草研究所� he added. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 trying to gain some of my strength back by walking, but it害羞草研究所檚 really hard to go for any length of time.害羞草研究所�

His battle with COVID-19 caused him to lose close to 30 pounds over the past three months.

害羞草研究所淚 want to share my story because I want to tell people how this virus almost killed me, and that the virus is still out there,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淎nd until there害羞草研究所檚 a vaccine, nobody is safe. And I could get this again, if it害羞草研究所檚 a mutated version or something.害羞草研究所�

In March, his laboured breathing led to a chest X-ray, a positive COVID test and, eventually, admission to Royal Columbian, where Ram害羞草研究所檚 cardiac doctor was located.

害羞草研究所淎t that time, all the nurses and doctors were scared to even come into my room, for fear of catching COVID,害羞草研究所� he recalled.

害羞草研究所淚t was a weird time, and I was there for three days in the COVID ward, I got really, really bad,害羞草研究所� Ram added. 害羞草研究所淚 just laid in bed, couldn害羞草研究所檛 do anything 害羞草研究所� my family couldn害羞草研究所檛 come to see me and that was hard. I couldn害羞草研究所檛 even get up out of bed. That Sunday I was getting really bad, I rang the bell at 3 in the morning and said to the nurse, 害羞草研究所業 can害羞草研究所檛 breathe.害羞草研究所� It was just like somebody sitting on your chest and pouring water on your face, that害羞草研究所檚 how bad it was, like drowning.害羞草研究所�

Ram was rushed back to ICU, where doctors told him his lungs were filled with fluid.

害羞草研究所淭hey managed to stabilize me,害羞草研究所� Ram said, 害羞草研究所渁nd hooked me up to all these monitors and IVs. I wasn害羞草研究所檛 allowed water because the one nurse said they were going to intubate me that night. He said, 害羞草研究所榃hen we do that, you害羞草研究所檙e pretty much going to be in a coma and you may not come out of it. Your lungs are really bad. I going to be honest with you, you need to make a phone call and say what you need to say to your wife and kids, because it could be the last things you say. I don害羞草研究所檛 want to scare you but I want to be truthful with you.害羞草研究所� I just laid there and thought, 害羞草研究所業s this it?害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

Somehow, Ram害羞草研究所檚 condition improved enough that wasn害羞草研究所檛 required.

害羞草研究所淲hen two guys came in to do an X-ray the following morning, I thought it was all a dream.害羞草研究所�

During his 53 days in hospital, Ram kept failing subsequent COVID tests. He needed three negative tests in a row, but doctors couldn害羞草研究所檛 figure out why the virus wouldn害羞草研究所檛 leave his body.

Finally, it did.

The ordeal took a toll on him both physically and mentally.

害羞草研究所淚 was alone for so much of that time, just very brief visits by nurses or doctors, but only when they absolutely needed to,害羞草研究所� Ram explained.

He says despite the relaxation of some measures to combat the virus, people need to remain vigilant.

害羞草研究所淚f people think they害羞草研究所檙e resilient and aren害羞草研究所檛 going to get it, they may not have any symptoms but they could have it and give it to someone who has an underlying condition, such as asthma, and it doesn害羞草研究所檛 matter how old you are,害羞草研究所� Ram said.

害羞草研究所淭here was a 30-year-old school teacher who came into ICU and he had a massive stroke, and he was COVID-positive, but had no symptoms. I also saw people who didn害羞草研究所檛 make it, but some walked out of there fine.

害羞草研究所淚 say to all my friends who害羞草研究所檝e contacted me, I say look, think of every person that you see has COVID, right, because you don害羞草研究所檛 know if that person has it or not, and you could be passing it along to someone else and do a lot of damage unintentionally.害羞草研究所�

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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