Even as many remain hesitant about being vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) Egbert Field firmly believes being vaccinated saved his life when he tested positive for the virus.
“I strongly believe that was able to bring me back as quickly as it did… I was in the hospital for five to six days I might have stayed longer [if it] wasn’t for the vaccine,” Field yesterday told Stabroek News from his home where he is recuperating.
His fight with COVID-19 and being vaccinated was compared to that of a boxer after a knockout punch as he felt severely weak which led him to be hopsitalised. However, he said with his body producing the necessary antibodies from his AstraZenca jabs he was able to “bounce back before the count of 10.”
“I believe my body created that defence mechanism and was prepared to fight off the virus when it attacked my immune system and that allowed me to survive,” Field explained. He however noted too, that being a believer, the many prayers offered up on his behalf contributed to his swift recovery.
“It warms your heart to know that so many people were cheering and praying for you. I didn’t know all of those people were in my corner but after I came out of the hospital and heard, it warmed my heart. More so, when you go to the market and the vendors recognise you and say Mr Field we were praying for you… it felt really good,” he said as he thanked all his well-wishers.
Vaccination advice
Given his experience with the virus which has claimed close to 5 million lives worldwide, he is urging persons to get vaccinated and stop believing in the “fairy tales” being told.
“… this virus will still be here next year. I don’t know if they are waiting to contract the virus. The vaccines are here, they are available and they are free. People should use this opportunity to be vaccinated,” he stressed.
According to Field, contracting COVID-19 is no simple sickness and being vaccinated offers a level of protection to the body. He noted that both his staff who also tested positive were vaccinated and were able to survive. They experienced milder symptoms than his.
“COVID-19 doesn’t look at age. We are the ones responsible to end this pandemic and we can do it by being vaccinated and following the guidelines. All the vaccine does is give your immune system the ability to fight back… people need to stop listening to the fairy tales out there,” he declared.
Field recalled that on September 26, after feeling extremely weak and fatigued he was rushed to the COVID-19 Hospital at Liliendaal where he was admitted.
Prior to being severely ill, Field said he tested positive days before for COVID-19 but the symptoms were mild. When he was tested, he didn’t exhibit any severe symptoms and only felt a bit fatigued, which he said he initially believed was from his exercise.
“One of my directors told me that he was going to get tested since the officer under him was tested positive. When I thought of it, these were two of the officers I have been dealing with on a daily basis and I thought to myself that if my director is going and get tested, I should too,” the head of the GCAA related.
He said he visited Eureka Medical Laboratory and had his test done. Hours later he received a phone call informing him that he was positive.
At the time, Field said he was the only one at home as his wife was vacationing with his daughter out of the country. He noted that as the days went by he didn’t experience any other symptoms apart from feeling fatigued. He said immediately after he informed several persons with whom he was in contact with out of precaution.
“On Saturday and Sunday though I felt really tired and low end. On Sunday one of my buddies came to visit and check on me. I walked to open the gate and I couldn’t meet back to my door. I had to rest on a table in my garage. Just by walking six to 10 feet and I am severely tired,” he recounted.
The former army pilot related that it is unclear to him how he got to the hospital. He remembered a friend of his summoning the ambulance but couldn’t recall anything else until when he was placed into a wheel chair and was being transported to the ward at the hospital.
“I have no recollection of what transpired. It was a state of mental disruption and I could not coherently coordinate my thoughts… it is what I now refer to as a twilight zone. I couldn’t make sense of anything that was happening at the time,” he related.
On the same day of being admitted to the hospital, Field said when he regained some consciousness he found it difficult to make out where he was and everything was aglow.
“I know it was after sundown when I regained some senses… that evening I really didn’t know where I was, I couldn’t differentiate ceiling and wall… it was all white lights. I would say it was a fantasy tale, something like Alice in Wonderland,” Field recounted.
Attentive doctors and nurses
About two days after being hospitalised, Field said it was then he started to regain some strength and became aware of his environment. Throughout it all, he emphasised that his health care providers were very attentive and provided the care he needed to recover from the virus.
“I was aware when the nurse would come to check on my saline and exchange the bag or when they will come to give me medication or meals. They were attentive to my care. By day three, my daughter was here in the country and her being a doctor at the University of the West Indies Hospital, she was able to communicate with the doctors via phone and know of the treatment I was receiving,” he explained.
Throughout it all, Field related he had no taste in his mouth or any sense of smell. For several days his appetite diminished and he had to force himself to find the will power to eat in a bid to generate the necessary energy to get through the days.
“Some days I didn’t want to eat but I constantly reminded myself that I don’t want to be here and if I don’t have the strength I would stay here longer so I had to find that will power,” Field added.
While hospitalised, there was a dramatic spike in his blood sugar levels and it was something his doctors had to control while he was battling the virus. Field said to his knowledge and his medical records he was never diagnosed with diabetes.
“This virus plays all kinds of games on you. I was never a diabetic but my blood sugar level was high in the 400s closer to 500s. I am borderline hypertensive but that wasn’t an issue…” said Field, who won battles against prostate cancer and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Comparing his experience of the illnesses, he said COVID-19 is the worst of the three despite his chemotherapy sessions.
As he regained his strength during his hospitalisation, the former Guyana Airways captain said he engaged in deep breathing exercises in a bid to keep his body and organs active.
However, Field admitted that the thought of death scared him and one night he deliberately forced himself to stay awake.
“It was scary. I didn’t want to sleep because I wonder if I close my eyes and don’t wake up back. During the night I dose off yeah but the fear in me, woke me up back. At the hospital, you would hear people screaming out in pain and the door to the rooms are not closed so you are able to see a trolley passing with someone wrapped in a sheet or in a body bag… it makes you think because you know that person came in just like you did and is not returning out. That was the night I know I prayed the most”, he related.
Life after COVID-19
But even when Field was discharged from the hospital, he was subjected to strict isolation at home as his daughter provided the necessary care to further nurse him back to health.
He explained during his post hospitalisation days, he was discharged with medication and his daughter ensured that they were observing all guidelines.
“I was isolated in my room and my daughter had created her whole cordon off from where I can go. If at any time, I left that area you would hear ‘Dad what are you doing out here’ and Shhh… she was spraying all over and ensured we were masked up and wearing gloves and she was protected,” he said.
As he continues to recuperate at home, Field said that he is working to regain the weight he lost during the period and is engaged in daily exercise early in the mornings.
“I was known to be this nonstop person. But these days I have to take a break because you feel a little tiredness and that tells you the body is still healing. My daughter has instructed me not to do any heavy lifting and I sometime try to push myself but I realise I have to take a break,” he said.
Field also said that his diet has to change and he has to now monitor his blood sugar levels despite it dropping significantly.
“I continue to work virtually but I still spend more hours working because I am answering emails and attending conferences online…” he responded when asked about his work schedule.
