He thought he would be spared because he was being careful and that, even if he caught the virus, he had the best chances of fighting an infection. Now he has been virtually bedbound for a month, unable to go out, unable to see his loved ones.
Things changed almost from one day to the next. One day he was in top form, then noticed mild Covid symptoms. A few days later he was in intensive care. There have been days since where he wasn’t sure he would come out alive.
And this despite being careful from the beginning, he says, with Covid precautions guiding his life. He created a “protection bubble” for himself, avoiding holidays and unnecessary contacts.
Only once did he leave his bubble, to visit his daughter in Barcelona. And this is where he caught the virus, despite only visiting cultural sites. After this, everything went very fast: he was in hospital a mere four days after first symptoms. A difficult time, as he explains in the video call:
“You have oxygen exploding in your head. You can’t sleep. The only thing helping you is hearing the nurses’ voices. You are constantly under surveillance, night and day. You are connected like a computer.”
He can’t hold back tears as he thanks the people caring for him over the past weeks. Even in the depths of desperation, he tried to remain positive. His faith and the people looking after him helped him.
The message he wants to share after his infection is for people to get vaccinated, not only to protect themselves, but also those around them. He also thinks of the healthcare workers who are working tirelessly, night and day, and deserve to take a breather.
The Covid statistics that have been thrown around over the past months, each of them represents a life ended, people left behind, and so much sadness and grief.
He vividly regrets not getting vaccinated. It was the wrong decision and selfish, he says. He thought if everyone else would get vaccinated, then herd immunity would be reached. And not that he might end up as one of the numbers in the Covid statistics.
