ST. LOUIS — A COVID-19 patient says he has still not fully recovered, months after he contracted the virus.
He's been fighting since April and still has a long road ahead of him.
"Over 40 days, I was in there for over 40 days," said Kevin Ar-razzaaq. "And right now today, I haven't been able to go back to my job, because I'm still undergoing therapy it just it takes so much out of you… through your bones everything."
Doctors admitted Ar-razzaaq to SSM Health St. Mary's hospital in mid April, and he was there for about 45 days. Four months later, he never imagined to still be coping with COVID-19.
"So it did a lot of damage to my lungs, did a lot of damage to my respiratory system... did a lot of damage to my cognitive skills also attacked my kidneys so it does a lot to an individual," said Ar-razzaaq.
But Ar-razzaaq's case is different for other reasons too. He says while in treatment he refused to be put on a ventilator.
"He asked me what should I do to save your life. What do you want me to do to save it. And I said we have to try something else."
Doctors at SSM Health were unavailable but tell us treatment for COVID-19 patients has changed. They've been able to use other treatments combined with high levels of oxygen to keep people off of ventilators.
"He said but I'm so thankful we didn't put you on a ventilator because we have learned from your case that we don't have to throw anyone so quickly on a ventilator that we can use a couple days of oxygen and it works," said Ar-razzaaq.
He's hoping his prolonged recovery encourages people to take the virus seriously.
"So I say please. Wake up people. We shouldn't need the government or anybody else to tell us to be safe. That's our God given common sense."