A Covid survivor who "came back from the dead" while fighting the virus has pleaded with naysayers to get the vaccine.
James, 38, from Walsall, West Midlands, believes he contracted coronavirus during a night out in Birmingham and was left in a 12-day coma as a result of the virus.
The fitness fanatic suffered headaches, loss of appetite and light-headedness before recording a positive lateral flow test.
His condition quickly deteriorated, reports Birmingham Live.
“I was sweating and I couldn’t stand up properly,” said James.
“As I was going home my throat was tight and I was struggling to breathe, so I called 999.”
At Walsall Manor Hospital, James was told there was a long wait for admission and decided to go home before returning the next morning.
Two more trips to A&E followed after James suffered hallucinations. He was still feeling unwell and light-headed, and the second time, he passed out.
James added: “I was having nightmares, and the next thing I knew, I was in ICU.
“They told me I had a lack of oxygen to the brain and at one stage I was told I had died and they had to resuscitate me."
He was placed in an induced coma for 12 days and spent more than a month in hospital before eventually getting on the road to recovery.
But then he was dealt another Covid-related blow.
Recalling the horrifying experience, he said: “A doctor asked, ‘can you walk?’ So I tried but I collapsed like a newborn donkey.
“I really struggled to talk too because I was so out of breath.”
After 33 days in the hospital, he has become so weak that he now needs carers to support his everyday needs.
Reflecting on being so scared at what happened to him, he had no hesitation in getting the vaccine after also being encouraged to do so by family members.
“I am fit, healthy and as fit as a fiddle and I caught Covid-19 with no underlying health problems whatsoever,” he said.
“Having Covid-19 is no joke and it’s not going anywhere. The reason I had the vaccine was to lessen my anxiety because I’ve just been in ICU and I really don’t want to go into hospital again.
“Anyone who doesn’t have the vaccine is an idiot. Having some help to protect you is better than having no help – if you just rely on your body to fight it, it’s not enough.”
James now encourages friends to follow suit. “Some of my mates who know my situation now take it more seriously and have now been vaccinated,” he added.
“I text them saying ‘make sure you do’. I was lucky – I came out of it the other side.
"Normally I am someone who thinks they can just sleep these things off but I am a transformed person and I’m glad I listened to my family.
“As someone from the Afro-Caribbean community, I would urge everyone to forget any stubbornness about it because that won’t keep you alive.”
