COVID long haulers

COVID long haulers suffer the effects of the disease long after recovering from the initial illness, in some cases greatly affecting their quality of life.

"Long Covid.

Long haulers.

Andwhat it is, these are peoplethat have had the diseaseillness, and have come throughit but have long-term medicaleffects."A FORT MYERS MAN IS BACK HOMEAFTER SPENDING THE LAST *HALF OF2020 IN THE HOSPITAL.

HE SAYS HEDOESN’T KNOW HOW HE CONTRACTEDCOVID-19 -- HE SAYS HE DIDN’THAVE UNDERLYING CONDITIONS.THANKS FOR STAYING WITH US.

I’MPATRICK NOLAN.AND I’M JANE MONREAL.

ED KNUTTAND HIS WIFE SAT DOWN WITH ME TOSHARE THEIR JOURNEY IN THE HOPESOF HAVING PEOPLE -- IN HIS WORDS-- "UNDERSTAND THIS ILLNESS ISNOT A JOKE."(105-123)(129-143)(321-327)YOU COULD SAY ED KNUTT IS ONE OFTHE "LUCKY" ONES.

KNUTT IS ONEOF THE "LUCKY" ONES.

KNUTT ISONE OF THE "LUCKY" ONES.

HE WASNEVER TOLD DIRECTLY, BUT HELEARNED HE ONLY HAD A 10 PERCENTCHANCE TO LIVE."They told Marti that if Ilived, I’d be in a nursing homefor the rest of my life.""Mr. Knutt suffered from one ofthe most complex and worst casesof COVID-19 diseases that I haveseen.""I’ll be very honest with you.

Iwas a naysayer I wanted toplease her.

I was thinking itwas a joke."THAT WAS *BEFORE GOING THROUGHTWO COMAS... CARDIAC ARREST...PULMONARY FAILURE...NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER... NOT TOMENTION, SURGERY FOR A BED SORETHAT WENT SO DEEP, ALMOSTHITTING HIS SPINE.IT STARTED IN JULY OF 2020.KNUTT REMEMBERS FEELING FATIGUEDAND HAVING A HARD TIMEBREATHING.

A FIRST TEST TURNEDOUT NEGATIVE FOR COVID-19.

THEN,THREE DAYS LATER..."Marti came home later in theafternoon and saw my, purple asshe calls it, so we went to theemergency room.

Got checked in.They shuffled her out the doorand they put me in a wheelchair.Started wheeling me towards theentrance of the emergency roomand I blacked out or passed out.And the next thing I remember,it’s two and a half monthslater.""I was expecting every day, toget that call from the hospital,saying that he died, or to comein and say goodbye to him.

Everyday, every day.

For about,really, it’s been just about thepast month that I didn’t thinkhe was going to die."KNUTT STARTED AT LEE HEALTHPARK, WHERE HE WENT INTO A FIRSTCOMA.

HE WAS TRANSFERRED TOORLANDO FOR ECMO TREATMENT FORHIS LUNGS.

AFTER COMING OUT OFTHE FIRST COMA, HE WENT INTOCARDIAC ARREST.

THEN HEREMEMBERS SLIPPING INTO THESECOND COMA."I got to a point where I wasdone.

I don’t wanna do itanymore.

I just said, ’God, takeme.’ "KNUTT DID COMEI just said, ’God, take me.’ "KNUTT DID COME OUT OF IT, BUT 65POUNDS LIGHTER AND NOT SURE IFHE COULD EVEN WALK AGAIN."I had no use of my legs.

I gowhat they call drop foot on myleft foot, which means I cannotraise my foot."BACK AT HEALTH PARK IN FORTMYERS... KNUTT FACED MORECHALLENGES IN REHA"She says I want you to go overwalk to your wife and give her ahug.

I didn’t think I couldit.

I walked across the room,give her a hug.

And I sat down.Couldn’t move any further.""The physical therapist, theoccupational therapist at HealPark.

Those two gals there.They’re my saviors.

They pushedhard.""Definitely makes us feel good.In terms of looking at hisinitial hospital admission,transferring, then back to therehab hospital, and seeing himwalk out of this facility Itgives us great hope.""I just say, they touched myheart.

Every single time.

And Ido that.

It renders mespeechless.""I don’t take life for grantedanymore.

Nothing.

I mean, I’mlooking at life totallydifferent."KNUTT ALSO HAS A DIFFERENT VIEWABOUT WEARING A MASK."For me, being one of thenaysayers to begin with, I’m nolonger a naysayer.

I don’t carewhat anybody says.

I walk out ofthe doctor’s office yesterday,and the lady wasn’t wearing amask and just being a boldperson anyway, I said, ’Wherethe hell is your mask.?’ I don’tplay anymore.

If you’re notwearing a mask, I’m going to saysomething.

Because that mask isnot for you, it’s for me.

Mymask is for you, it’s not forme.""All the anguish that I had togo through.

And all of myfriends had to go through wime.

So, it’s not just one persongetting it.

It just toucheseverybody."KNUTT SAY HIS HEART IS IN GOODSHAPE AGAIN AND HIS LUNGS AREHEALING.THEY’RE BOTH TURNING 60 THISYEAR AND WERE HOPING TO TRAVELTO RUSSIA.BUT FOR NOW...THEY SAY ENJOYINGTH