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㽶ƵֱLucky to be alive,㽶Ƶֱ B.C. man was on COVID-19 㽶Ƶֱroller coaster㽶Ƶֱ for eight weeks in hospital

㽶ƵֱI want to tell people how this virus almost killed me,㽶Ƶֱ award-winning volunteer Atish Ram says
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Atish Ram was diagnosed with COVID-19 in March and spent the next eight weeks at Royal Columbian Hospital. (submitted photo)

Even though it㽶Ƶֱs 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.

㽶ƵֱI㽶Ƶֱm lucky to be alive,㽶Ƶֱ said Ram, who called his stay at Royal Columbian 㽶Ƶֱa roller coaster ride㽶Ƶֱ complicated by pneumonia.

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

Months later, his family㽶Ƶֱs dream trip to Toronto to almost didn㽶Ƶֱt happen, after Ram had emergency surgery to take care of blockages in his heart.

By late March, he was diagnosed with the coronavirus.

㽶ƵֱI believe I got it when I went to a grocery store 㽶Ƶֱ I don㽶Ƶֱt want to say which one, but I was so vigilant,㽶Ƶֱ Ram said. 㽶ƵֱI 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.㽶Ƶֱ

to read the latest news about COVID-19.

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

㽶ƵֱIt㽶Ƶֱs still so hard to breathe,㽶Ƶֱ he said.

㽶ƵֱI㽶Ƶֱm on home oxygen 㽶Ƶֱ three to six months of this, at least, because my lungs are at only 25 per cent capacity now,㽶Ƶֱ he added. 㽶ƵֱI㽶Ƶֱm trying to gain some of my strength back by walking, but it㽶Ƶֱs really hard to go for any length of time.㽶Ƶֱ

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

㽶ƵֱI 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,㽶Ƶֱ he said. 㽶ƵֱAnd until there㽶Ƶֱs a vaccine, nobody is safe. And I could get this again, if it㽶Ƶֱs a mutated version or something.㽶Ƶֱ

In March, his laboured breathing led to a chest X-ray, a positive COVID test and, eventually, admission to Royal Columbian, where Ram㽶Ƶֱs cardiac doctor was located.

㽶ƵֱAt that time, all the nurses and doctors were scared to even come into my room, for fear of catching COVID,㽶Ƶֱ he recalled.

㽶ƵֱIt was a weird time, and I was there for three days in the COVID ward, I got really, really bad,㽶Ƶֱ Ram added. 㽶ƵֱI just laid in bed, couldn㽶Ƶֱt do anything 㽶Ƶֱ my family couldn㽶Ƶֱt come to see me and that was hard. I couldn㽶Ƶֱt 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, 㽶ƵֱI can㽶Ƶֱt breathe.㽶Ƶֱ It was just like somebody sitting on your chest and pouring water on your face, that㽶Ƶֱs how bad it was, like drowning.㽶Ƶֱ

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

㽶ƵֱThey managed to stabilize me,㽶Ƶֱ Ram said, 㽶Ƶֱand hooked me up to all these monitors and IVs. I wasn㽶Ƶֱt allowed water because the one nurse said they were going to intubate me that night. He said, 㽶ƵֱWhen we do that, you㽶Ƶֱre 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 don㽶Ƶֱt want to scare you but I want to be truthful with you.㽶Ƶֱ I just laid there and thought, 㽶ƵֱIs this it?㽶Ƶֱ㽶Ƶֱ

Somehow, Ram㽶Ƶֱs condition improved enough that wasn㽶Ƶֱt required.

㽶ƵֱWhen two guys came in to do an X-ray the following morning, I thought it was all a dream.㽶Ƶֱ

During his 53 days in hospital, Ram kept failing subsequent COVID tests. He needed three negative tests in a row, but doctors couldn㽶Ƶֱt figure out why the virus wouldn㽶Ƶֱt leave his body.

Finally, it did.

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

㽶ƵֱI was alone for so much of that time, just very brief visits by nurses or doctors, but only when they absolutely needed to,㽶Ƶֱ Ram explained.

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

㽶ƵֱIf people think they㽶Ƶֱre resilient and aren㽶Ƶֱt 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 doesn㽶Ƶֱt matter how old you are,㽶Ƶֱ Ram said.

㽶ƵֱThere 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 didn㽶Ƶֱt make it, but some walked out of there fine.

㽶ƵֱI say to all my friends who㽶Ƶֱve contacted me, I say look, think of every person that you see has COVID, right, because you don㽶Ƶֱt 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.㽶Ƶֱ



tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com

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Tom Zillich

About the Author: Tom Zillich

I cover entertainment, sports and news for Surrey Now-Leader and Black Press Media
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