A man with type 2 diabetes has described his COVID-19 experience, saying although it was “scary,” it “is possible to beat”.
The dad-of-two, who wished to remain anonymous during his interview with Teesside News Live newspaper, said: “I didn’t leave my bedroom for three weeks. I was listening to the news and I knew how serious it was. I would go to the bathroom but made sure it was disinfected before going back to bed.”
His wife left meals for him outside his room and she slept in a makeshift bed in the lounge.
Initially the 46-year-old thought he had developed a chest infection after experiencing shortness of breath and a high temperature. It will not until his doctor suggested he go to hospital in mid-March that he learned he had become infected with coronavirus after he was tested.
The wagon driver from Billingham described his experience of COVID-19: “They stuck a big swab down the back of my nose and throat which was quite painful and uncomfortable. I went home to bed and the next day I got a call from Public Health England to say the test was positive. I was shocked to hear that – I thought it was just a chest infection.”
He said his symptoms were very much “up and down” but his condition got significantly worse at night.
He said: “I was getting really breathless and I couldn’t sleep. I would close my eyes to go to sleep but I would get really short of breath and would worry in case I was going to stop breathing. It was a very scary feeling as I had no control over it at all.”
Three weeks later he is feeling a lot better and has even been able to go out into the garden for some fresh air, but he still gets breathless walking around and has to take things easy.
He added: “Don’t get me wrong, I feel like I’ve been one of the lucky ones. At the time I was diagnosed there were only a handful of cases round here. The spread of it has been rapid but I want people to know that is possible to beat.
“It’s been a very scary experience and I think it could take a few more weeks for me to be back to normal but I’m glad to say I’m getting back to some sort of normality.”
In order to protect yourself from the virus, everyone should stay home as much as possible. For more information, and the official guidelines, please refer to the Government website.
