A Closer Look At The Fight Against COVID-19

For some patients battling the coronavirus, the disease is a brief inconvenience, but for too many others, it's a brutal road to recovery.

New at six... for some patients battling the coronavirus... their fight takes them to a rehabilitation hospital.

Waay31's megan reyna learned about the disabling effects this virus can have on those infected.

Nats walking friday morning -- anthony tyler walked out of this rehab center -- on his way home after months of therapy.

Nats before treatment at encompass health rehabilitation hospital ... he spent a month at decatur-morgan hospital -- in the i-cu -- and on a ventilator.

Tyler says:"it attacked my muscles, deteriorated my muscles, i had to learn how to walk all over again."

But tyler is just one of several covid-19 patients who've gone through rehabilitation here.

Doctor keith anderson said this disease is affecting people's bodies in ways he could've never predicted.

Anderson says:"coming from a disease standpoint, it's something we've never seen before, and each day we're finding out new things that this virus can do."

And the list of complications a patient can endure due to covid-19 is growing.

Anderson says:"we've seen patients who've had strokes, heart attacks, neuromuscular problems, weakness, just general fatigued from being on a ventilator for a long period of time."

While it can be devasting to see how the virus has taken over people's health -- there are moments of hope.

Nats occupational therapist jenny sisco cherishes those moments.

Sisco says:"it's a reward in and of itself to see that somebody came in unable to do the simple things in life that we take for granted, getting up to go the bathroom on their own, and uh, working daily to do those things and getting them back to where they can do those things, is um, very gratifying."

But tyler's story is a reminder of how dangers covid-19 can be.

Tyler says:"this is no joke, you better take it serious because when it knocks you down, it's hard to get back up.

Anderson says:"you know another three or four months, five months, we have to really buckle down and be careful with each other, social distance, use our masks."

Encompass health has treated around 45 patients with a history of covid-19.

Thanks megan.

Tyler is still not done recovering from the virus.

His therapy will continue.

But -- he is looking forward to being