Even though it91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 lucky to be alive,91裸聊视频� said Ram, who called his stay at Royal Columbian 91裸聊视频渁 roller coaster ride91裸聊视频� complicated by pneumonia.

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

Months later, his family91裸聊视频檚 dream trip to Toronto to almost didn91裸聊视频檛 happen, after Ram had emergency surgery to take care of blockages in his heart.

By late March, he was diagnosed with the coronavirus.

91裸聊视频淚 believe I got it when I went to a grocery store 91裸聊视频� I don91裸聊视频檛 want to say which one, but I was so vigilant,91裸聊视频� Ram said. 91裸聊视频淚 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.91裸聊视频�

to read the latest news about COVID-19.

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

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 still so hard to breathe,91裸聊视频� he said.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 on home oxygen 91裸聊视频� three to six months of this, at least, because my lungs are at only 25 per cent capacity now,91裸聊视频� he added. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 trying to gain some of my strength back by walking, but it91裸聊视频檚 really hard to go for any length of time.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淚 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,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淎nd until there91裸聊视频檚 a vaccine, nobody is safe. And I could get this again, if it91裸聊视频檚 a mutated version or something.91裸聊视频�

In March, his laboured breathing led to a chest X-ray, a positive COVID test and, eventually, admission to Royal Columbian, where Ram91裸聊视频檚 cardiac doctor was located.

91裸聊视频淎t that time, all the nurses and doctors were scared to even come into my room, for fear of catching COVID,91裸聊视频� he recalled.

91裸聊视频淚t was a weird time, and I was there for three days in the COVID ward, I got really, really bad,91裸聊视频� Ram added. 91裸聊视频淚 just laid in bed, couldn91裸聊视频檛 do anything 91裸聊视频� my family couldn91裸聊视频檛 come to see me and that was hard. I couldn91裸聊视频檛 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, 91裸聊视频業 can91裸聊视频檛 breathe.91裸聊视频� It was just like somebody sitting on your chest and pouring water on your face, that91裸聊视频檚 how bad it was, like drowning.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淭hey managed to stabilize me,91裸聊视频� Ram said, 91裸聊视频渁nd hooked me up to all these monitors and IVs. I wasn91裸聊视频檛 allowed water because the one nurse said they were going to intubate me that night. He said, 91裸聊视频榃hen we do that, you91裸聊视频檙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 don91裸聊视频檛 want to scare you but I want to be truthful with you.91裸聊视频� I just laid there and thought, 91裸聊视频業s this it?91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

Somehow, Ram91裸聊视频檚 condition improved enough that wasn91裸聊视频檛 required.

91裸聊视频淲hen two guys came in to do an X-ray the following morning, I thought it was all a dream.91裸聊视频�

During his 53 days in hospital, Ram kept failing subsequent COVID tests. He needed three negative tests in a row, but doctors couldn91裸聊视频檛 figure out why the virus wouldn91裸聊视频檛 leave his body.

Finally, it did.

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

91裸聊视频淚 was alone for so much of that time, just very brief visits by nurses or doctors, but only when they absolutely needed to,91裸聊视频� Ram explained.

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

91裸聊视频淚f people think they91裸聊视频檙e resilient and aren91裸聊视频檛 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 doesn91裸聊视频檛 matter how old you are,91裸聊视频� Ram said.

91裸聊视频淭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 didn91裸聊视频檛 make it, but some walked out of there fine.

91裸聊视频淚 say to all my friends who91裸聊视频檝e contacted me, I say look, think of every person that you see has COVID, right, because you don91裸聊视频檛 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.91裸聊视频�

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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