LiveWell Patient Story: How I Avoided the Ventilator

How I avoided the ventilator

By: Rob Ogg

I carry an inhaler and take two asthma medications. A couple of times each day, I start coughing and can’t stop. Sometimes it feels like I can’t breathe. So, imagine me getting COVID-19.
Well, I did.

My wife, Sally, first contracted COVID-19. Though we’re unsure how she got the virus, she broke out with a 105-degree fever and tested positive shortly afterward. Two days later, I woke up with a fever and debilitating body aches and pains. Instantly, I knew. I also knew it wouldn’t take much to put my lungs into a dire situation. Would I become the next patient on a ventilator in the ICU?

After testing positive for COVID-19, I slept for a couple of days – barely moving and rarely getting out of bed. The fatigue hit hard. Then I received a call from the Genesis COVID-19 Infusion Clinic. My primary care provider saw my COVID-19 test results and submitted a referral for me to receive an infusion of monoclonal antibodies.

I’d heard about this antibody treatment on the news. I understood that laboratory-made proteins mimic the immune system’s ability to fight off harmful pathogens, such as viruses. I also knew only select hospitals had access to the in-demand antibodies, and only high-risk patients could receive them. The fact that my community hospital had the antibodies provided a surge of hope.

A couple days later, a welcoming nurse at the Genesis COVID-19 Infusion Clinic led me to a comfortable chair. For the next hour, Genesis nurses provided blankets, compassion and a treatment that spared me from COVID-19’s dramatic side effects.

As the IV dripped with precious antibodies, I felt impressed with the organization and cheerfulness of the Genesis team during a pandemic. Their happiness spoke volumes. They knew they were doing something good. I knew it too.

The next day my body aches, pains and fever were practically gone. It was miraculous. I don’t know what would have happened without the Genesis COVID-19 Infusion Clinic and Genesis’ leadership throughout COVID-19, but I bet I would have spent time in the ICU on a ventilator. Rob Ogg was soon back at work after receiving the monoclonal antibody treatment, and his wife, Sally, recovered in about two weeks after contracting COVID-19.

Rob Ogg was soon back at work after receiving the monoclonal antibody treatment, and his wife, Sally, recovered in about two weeks after contracting COVID-19.