COVID-19 survivor says he is ‘happy to be alive’ just after extended hospital keep

MUSKEGON, MI – Virtually two months just after getting admitted to Mercy Overall health Muskegon with COVID-19, Rick Jones walked out of the hospital on Monday.

“You guys did it,” he claimed to a crew of healthcare workers applauding his discharge.

The 51-calendar year-aged Norton Shores male designed indications of COVID-19 in mid-November: a fever, overall body aches and shortness of breath. Right after battling to breathe for various days, Jones went to the hospital pondering he just necessary oxygen.

“When I received right here, I went downhill rapidly,” he claimed speaking outside of Mercy Wellbeing.

Jones was moved to the intensive care device the place health professionals intubated him on Nov. 23.

Dr. MaryEllen Rosel, a hospitalist and interior drugs physician who addressed Jones, suggests when a client reaches the place of needing a ventilator, the likelihood of coming off it “really lessen.”

https://www.youtube.com/look at?v=OhFvI2zQMqA

Confronted with a grim prognosis, Jones mentioned he was “at peace” when he claimed goodbye to his wife of 27 yrs, Marie Jones.

Right after about two weeks in the medical center, Jones was eliminated from the ventilator only to be re-intubated a couple of times afterwards. Patients who arrive off a ventilator, Rosel explained, confront a 20% possibility of needing to be intubated again.

“We do see people that are hospitalized for a incredibly long time period of time,” Rosel claimed. “(Jones) is one of a kind in the sense that he form of experienced the worst of it.”

In mid-November, the COVID-19 pandemic was surging across Michigan. Muskegon County was strike especially hard and expert a positivity price above 20%, overwhelming Mercy Overall health with COVID-19 clients.

When Jones was admitted, the healthcare facility had applied strict customer limitations.

For 4 weeks, Marie Jones only observed her husband as soon as — when a nurse referred to as her at 3 a.m. on Dec. 12 and claimed he was likely to be intubated for the next time.

“I would sit in the parking good deal and just pray,” she stated.

Her prayers were bolstered by many local community groups and men and women the couple hadn’t seen “since substantial college.”

Related: Monday, Jan. 11, coronavirus data by county: 43 counties now have positivity amount of 10% or bigger

Jones produced gradual progress, getting taken off the ventilator on Dec. 23 and rising from his brain fog on New Year’s Eve.

“I did not know if I was paralyzed or what was going on, but I made the decision I didn’t die, so it’s time to fight,” he stated.

The 51-calendar year-aged started to walk all over again with support from Mary Cost-free Bed’s rehabilitation unit. But Jones recognizes he still “has a lot of perform to do.”

As of Jan. 6, Muskegon County noted 9,500 instances of COVID-19 and 262 deaths from the virus. Rosel reported it’s “baffling” to doctors why some scenarios are gentle, and many others are critical.

“We’ve experienced aged sufferers occur into the medical center for a couple of days. They go property and they do wonderful,” she stated. “And then we have a individual like Rick, who is a wholesome, middle-aged male who has a extended and intensive hospitalization.”

Related: Upcoming in line for vaccines, Michigan lecturers are emotion optimistic

Jones explained this experience has altered his perspective on COVID-19. After seeing mates get the virus and recover within just a week, he considered it would be identical to the flu.

“That’s what I thought would take place to me,” Jones mentioned. “But I crashed. It received me, and it got me superior.”

Jones credits the medical practitioners and nurses at Mercy Health for saving his daily life.

“I’m just satisfied to be alive” Jones said.

He’s on the lookout forward to going household, looking at his pet, spending time with his 3 daughters and currently being balanced enough to training once again.

“It’ll consider a tiny extra than some COVID to knock me out,” Jones explained.

A lot more on MLive:

Mom warns of ‘terrifying’ syndrome connected to COVID-19 that hospitalized 8-calendar year-old son

Meijer Gardens unveils ‘beautiful’ new welcome center

Michigan lists 142 new coronavirus outbreaks and 887 ongoing clusters in Jan. 11 outbreak report