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Ahmad Ayyad has survived the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection. For 25 days, doctors kept him in a pharmacological coma due to the severe symptoms of the disease. Although two months have passed since then, the man is still recovering.
- Ahmad Ayyad was healthy, fit and in shape. Everything changed in one week. He was so exhausted that he didn’t have the strength to climb the stairs. When more symptoms appeared, he went to the hospital concerned
- Ahmad tested positive for COVID-19. His condition worsened and he was breathing with the help of a respirator for almost a month
- “People act like the virus is gone. It’s not true. Wear masks, do not gather in large groups, take care of yourself and the people around you. Take it seriously »
Young, fit with COVID-19
Ahmad Ayyad, 40, enjoyed the best form of his life. He weighed less than 100 kg, was fit, toned and healthy. When the man suddenly woke up in the hospital with a tube in his throat, he was confused and did not know what was happening. The first thought that comes to his mind is how much time has passed since you last fed your dog.
Ayyad contracted SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and remained in a pharmacological coma for 25 days. Doctors saved his life. After two months, the man is still struggling with the effects of the disease. His body has changed beyond recognition, his lungs and heart are damaged. Sometimes he is still out of breath.
In an interview with CNN, Ayyad delivered his message to those who ignore mask orders, reject any public health guidelines, and for those who feel invincible and believe they are not affected by the coronavirus infection.
«I am very concerned that people are taking it so lightly. I was sick, I survived and I am still terrified »- he said. How has the coronavirus changed the life of a young, healthy and fit man?
Ayyad led a very active lifestyle. He raced in marathons, competed in steeplechase races, played basketball and practiced boxing. No wonder he was in very good shape. In one week everything changed. Climbing the stairs turned out to be an effort beyond measure. Ayyad didn’t have the strength to cook, talk, drive. He was very tired.
Then came coughing and sneezing, followed by a fever and complete loss of energy, no appetite, and difficulty breathing. The 40-year-old thought he had contracted the flu, but one of his friends, concerned about Ayyada’s condition, persuaded him to go to the hospital. On March 15, Ayyada was confirmed to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The flu test was also positive.
Ayyada’s condition continued to deteriorate – the man needed help to breathe. He was also transported to the John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Most patients on ventilators are put into a coma. Ayyad was the third patient at the hospital to be diagnosed with COVID-19 and the first to require respiratory assistance.
After 25 days, the doctors woke Ayyad from his coma. At first he was confused and scared. He didn’t know who looked after his dog. Doctors do not know why a young, fit and healthy man has been infected so badly, but as Dr. Sandra Zaeh, who looked after Ayyad at the hospital, admits there may be factors that we still do not fully understand.
After he was released from the hospital, Ahmad still had to quarantine alone. Still getting into shape.
The heavy course of COVID-19 leaves permanent traces
Ayyad recalls its origins in an interview with CNN after almost two months of recovery. After almost a month of not taking solid food, he had to learn to eat again. She perfectly remembers her first meal – applesauce.
It wasn’t just that going back to normal meals was a problem. Ayyad had to learn to speak and walk again. For weeks, every move took his breath away and made his heart beat faster. The man was determined. On April 22, when he finally left the hospital, he weighed 27 kilograms less, had a blood clot in his left arm and damage to his heart and lungs.
The man is regenerating very well. He is back in boxing, training basketball, and he hopes to be able to run the marathon again soon. Still, she is worried about what is happening in the world in the context of the coronavirus,
«People act as if the virus is gone. It’s not true. Wear masks, do not gather in large groups, take care of yourself and the people around you. Take it seriously. This is not a joke. The virus can kill you even if you think you are healthy and immune. You’re not, »Ayyad told CNN.
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